A response feels like one piece when each paragraph opens with a bridge to the last. The bridge names the move: next in time, another point, a contrast or the end.
This lesson is part of the SPM Arabic subject guide. It builds on developing a coherent Arabic paragraph.
Which bridge phrase fits which move?
| Move | Bridge phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Next in time | بعد ذلك، ثمّ | after that, then |
| Another point | كذلك، أيضًا | also, likewise |
| Contrast | أمّا، لكنْ | as for, but |
| Finish | وفي النهايةِ | and finally |
Choose by the job the paragraph does. A paragraph that adds an idea needs كذلك, not وفي النهايةِ.
Worked example: a three-paragraph response
Original prompt: اكتب عن رحلتِك إلى الشاطئِ. “Write about your trip to the beach.”
Paragraph 1: ذهبتُ مع عائلتي إلى الشاطئِ يومَ السبتِ. وصلنا في الصباحِ.
Paragraph 2 (bridge: بعد ذلك): بعد ذلك لعبتُ مع أخي في الرملِ وسبحنا في البحرِ.
Paragraph 3 (bridge: وفي النهايةِ): وفي النهايةِ رجعنا إلى البيتِ متعبينَ وسعداءَ.
“I went with my family to the beach on Saturday. We arrived in the morning. After that I played with my brother in the sand and we swam in the sea. And finally we came home, tired and happy.”
The bridges بعد ذلك and وفي النهايةِ tell the reader how the day moves from arrival to play to return.
A common mistake: a bridge that does not match the move
| Start of paragraph | Status |
|---|---|
| وفي النهايةِ لعبتُ في الرملِ (in the middle) | Wrong: “finally” too early |
| بعد ذلك لعبتُ في الرملِ | Right: time step |
If a reader meets “finally” and then three more paragraphs, the structure feels broken. Match each bridge to the paragraph’s real position.
A quick check for the whole response
- Read only the first sentence of each paragraph. Do they form a clear outline?
- Does each first sentence begin with a different bridge?
- Does the last paragraph close the response?
Check yourself
Paragraph one says أحبُّ القراءةَ. Paragraph two says أحبُّ الرياضةَ أيضًا. Which bridge phrase from the table suits the start of paragraph two, and why?
Answer
كذلك. “Likewise, I love sport.” Paragraph two adds another idea at the same level, so an “also” bridge fits. بعد ذلك would wrongly suggest a time order, and وفي النهايةِ would end too early.
A full opening could be: كذلك أحبُّ الرياضةَ، وألعبُ كلَّ أسبوعٍ.
What to study next
Move to editing an original draft for meaning and accuracy, then return to choosing a connector for links inside a paragraph.
If you want a teacher to read the whole response, see online one-to-one Arabic tuition.