Relative Nouns and Their Completing Clauses

Read the bilingual lesson for Relative Nouns and Their Completing Clauses and test your understanding with a focused quiz.

Lesson

1. What Will We Learn?

● We will understand how a relative noun connects a known noun to further information about it. ● We will choose the correct form for gender, number, and—for the dual—case. ● We will distinguish the relative noun from its completing clause, the ṣilat al-mawṣūl. ● We will build clear sentences with nominal clauses and prepositional or adverbial phrases as the ṣilah.

2. What Does a Relative Expression Do?

A relative expression connects a noun to information that identifies or describes it. The relative noun by itself is incomplete; the words after it explain whom or what is meant. Known noun Relative noun Further information the student who is hardworking the man who is with you

3. مَا and مَنْ as Relative Forms

The familiar forms مَا and مَنْ can also connect a statement to what or whom it describes. In this use, they are not asking a question. Form Relative sense Example مَا what / whatever لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ مَنْ who / whoever فَذَكِّرْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَنْ يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ

4. Singular and Plural Relative Nouns

Number Gender Relative noun Meaning singular masculine الَّذِي the one who / that singular feminine الَّتِي the one who / that plural masculine الَّذِينَ those who plural feminine اللَّاتِي / اللَّائِي those women who

5. Dual Relative Nouns Change with Case

Gender Nominative Accusative / genitive masculine dual الَّذَانِ الَّذَيْنِ feminine dual اللَّتَانِ اللَّتَيْنِ Choose the dual form from the case required by its position in the sentence.

6. Built Forms and the Dual Exception

The relative nouns in this lesson are built forms except the dual forms. The dual forms show the nominative or accusative/genitive distinction in their endings. Category Behavior singular and plural relative nouns built (mabnī) dual relative nouns inflected for case

7. What Is Ṣilat al-Mawṣūl?

Because a relative noun is incomplete by itself, it is followed by material that removes the ambiguity. This completing material is called ṣilat al-mawṣūl. It may be: Type of ṣilah What it looks like nominal sentence a subject and predicate verbal sentence a verb with what completes it phrase resembling a sentence a prepositional or adverbial phrase The relative noun and its ṣilah together function as one part of the larger sentence.

8. Analyze a Nominal-Clause Ṣilah

الطَّالِبُ الَّذِي هُوَ مُجْتَهِدٌ ابْنُ زَيْدٍ Part Text Role known noun الطَّالِبُ the student being described relative noun الَّذِي masculine singular connector ṣilah هُوَ مُجْتَهِدٌ nominal sentence: he is hardworking main predicate ابْنُ زَيْدٍ is the son of Zayd

9. Analyze a Phrase as the Ṣilah

الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي عِنْدَكَ كَاذِبٌ Part Text Role known noun الرَّجُلُ the man being described relative noun الَّذِي masculine singular connector ṣilah عِنْدَكَ adverbial phrase: with you main predicate كَاذِبٌ is a liar

10. Choose the Form, Then Find the Ṣilah

● Match the relative noun to the antecedent's gender and number. ● For the dual, also match the required case. ● Singular and plural forms here are built; dual forms are inflected. ● After the relative noun, locate the ṣilat al-mawṣūl that completes its meaning. ● The ṣilah may be a nominal sentence, a verbal sentence, or a prepositional/adverbial phrase.

Practice questions

Question 1

What does a relative noun do?

  • It connects a noun to information that identifies or describes it
  • It turns every sentence into a question
  • It changes every noun into the dual

Question 2

In مَنْ يَخَافُ وَعِيدِ, how is مَنْ being used?

  • As a relative form meaning 'the one who'
  • As a question meaning 'who?'
  • As a preposition

Question 3

Match each relative noun with its number and gender.

Question 4

Sort the dual relative nouns by case.

Question 5

Which statement is correct?

  • The dual relative nouns are inflected; the other listed relative nouns are built forms
  • Every relative noun is inflected in exactly the same way
  • Only the plural relative nouns are inflected

Question 6

What is ṣilat al-mawṣūl?

  • The material after a relative noun that completes and clarifies its meaning
  • A second relative noun with no connection to the sentence
  • Only the final word of every sentence

Question 7

Sort each ṣilah by its type.

Question 8

In الطَّالِبُ الَّذِي هُوَ مُجْتَهِدٌ ابْنُ زَيْدٍ, which words are the ṣilah?

  • هُوَ مُجْتَهِدٌ
  • الطَّالِبُ
  • ابْنُ زَيْدٍ

Question 9

In الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي عِنْدَكَ كَاذِبٌ, which words are the ṣilah?

  • عِنْدَكَ
  • الرَّجُلُ
  • كَاذِبٌ

Question 10

Choose the masculine singular relative noun.

  • الَّذِي
  • الَّتِي
  • الَّذِينَ

Question 11

Choose a feminine plural relative noun.

  • اللَّاتِي
  • الَّذَانِ
  • الَّتِي

Question 12

Which masculine dual form is used in the accusative or genitive case?

  • الَّذَيْنِ
  • الَّذَانِ
  • الَّذِي

Question 13

Build: The boy who is in the mosque is Zayd's brother.

Question 14

Build: The girl who is in front of the female teacher is Zaynab.

Question 15

Build: Those who are in the mosque are righteous.

Question 16

Build: The book that is on the desk belongs to Zayd.

Question 17

Build: The women who are in the house are believers.

Question 18

Which complete expression contains a relative noun followed by its ṣilah?

  • الَّذِي عِنْدَكَ
  • الَّذِي
  • عِنْدَكَ كَاذِبٌ

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