Writing and Composition
What this domain tests
Writing items evaluate sentence-level accuracy (ordering, connector choice, error correction) and paragraph-level coherence: topic sentence, supporting detail, and conclusion.
Concepts to master
- Cohesion devices: بالإضافة إلى ذلك, من جهة أخرى, وعليه, في الختام link ideas; choosing the right one depends on logical relation (addition, contrast, result).
- Sentence combining: merging short sentences with relative pronouns (الذي، التي) or connectors while preserving meaning.
- Word order: verb-initial is common in formal prose; topic-comment order foregrounds the subject.
- Register: formal writing avoids dialect and colloquial fillers.
- Punctuation and paragraphing: Arabic uses ، for commas and ؛ for semicolons.
Traps to watch
- A connector that is grammatically fine but logically wrong (using لذلك where contrast is meant).
- Combining sentences with a pronoun that creates ambiguity.
- Options that are grammatical but shift the original meaning.
- Overly ornate phrasing that breaks register consistency.
Rule of thumb
For ordering and combining tasks, first name the logical relation between clauses (add, contrast, cause, result), then pick the connector that encodes exactly that relation. Preserve the original meaning; elegance is secondary to accuracy.
Worked example
Two sentences: "المشروع مكلف. المشروع ضروري." To combine with contrast, use لكن or إلا أن: "المشروع مكلف لكنه ضروري." Using لذلك (therefore) would wrongly imply the cost causes the necessity.