An answer is relevant when it gives the kind of information the question word asks for. A sentence with perfect grammar can still miss the question.
This lesson sits in practice and revision. It builds on supporting an answer with Arabic evidence.
What does each question word ask for?
| Question word | Meaning | The answer must give |
|---|---|---|
| متى | when | a time or day |
| أين | where | a place |
| لماذا | why | a reason |
| من | who | a person |
| كم | how many | a number |
| كيف | how | a way or manner |
Worked example: three pairs compared
Pair 1. متى تستيقظُ؟ (When do you wake up?)
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Irrelevant: أحبُّ الطعامَ. (I like food.) No time is given.
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Relevant: أستيقظُ في السادسةِ صباحًا. (I wake up at six in the morning.) The time is in the answer.
Pair 2. أين تدرسُ؟ (Where do you study?)
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Irrelevant: أدرسُ كثيرًا. (I study a lot.) It says how much, not where.
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Relevant: أدرسُ في المكتبةِ. (I study in the library.) The place is given.
Pair 3. لماذا تحبُّ الصيفَ؟ (Why do you like summer?)
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Irrelevant: الصيفُ يبدأُ في يونيو. (Summer begins in June.) It is a fact, not a reason.
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Relevant: أحبُّه لأنَّ العطلةَ طويلةٌ. (I like it because the holiday is long.) The word لأنَّ gives a reason.
All six answers are grammatical, but only three answer the question.
The mistake that costs marks
Students tend to put all their effort into grammar and forget to check the question word. The answer looks careful, but it answers a different question.
| Habit | Result |
|---|---|
| write first, never look at the question word | a careful answer to a different question |
| underline the question word, then write | an answer that gives the information asked for |
The fix is to underline the question word first, then write the answer, then check that the underlined information appears.
Check yourself
Which answer is relevant to كم كتابًا تقرأُ؟ (How many books do you read?) and why?
- A. أقرأ في المكتبة.
- B. أقرأ ثلاثة كتب.
- C. أحب القراءة.
Answer
B. The question word كم asks for a number, and ثلاثة كتب gives one. A gives a place and C gives a feeling, even though both are well formed.
What to study next
Put the skill to work in a full set. Continue with completing an original mixed language practice set, then keep track of your errors in a misconception log.
If you want a teacher to check relevance in your own answers, see online one-to-one Arabic tuition.