Composition and Letter/Application Writing
The composition domain covers two different tasks: a free essay (مَقَالَة) on a familiar topic and a formal letter or application (خِطَاب / دَرْخَوَاسْت). Both are marked for structure, correct case endings and appropriate vocabulary rather than for sheer length.
Essay structure
Open with one general sentence, develop two or three points, and close with a moral, a hadith or a verse. Recurring topics include أَهَمِّيَّةُ الْعِلْمِ, وَطَنِي, شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ, الْمَدْرَسَةُ, الصِّحَّةُ and الْأَخْلَاقُ. Keep sentences short and use structures you control: nominal sentences with a clear mubtadaʾ and khabar, and verbal sentences beginning with a known verb.
Letter and application layout
- بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ at the top centre.
- إِلَى, مِنْ and التَّارِيخُ.
- الْمَوْضُوعُ - the subject line, e.g. طَلَبُ إِجَازَةٍ مَرَضِيَّةٍ.
- السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ, then أَمَّا بَعْدُ.
- Body: who you are and what you want, in two or three sentences.
- وَالسَّلَامُ, then الْمُوَقِّعُ with your name and class.
Worked example (body of a sick-leave application)
«أَرْجُو مِنْ سَمَاحَتِكُمْ أَنْ تَمْنَحُونِي إِجَازَةً مَرَضِيَّةً لِمُدَّةِ يَوْمَيْنِ، لِأَنَّنِي أُصَابُ بِالْحُمَّى.» Reasoning: أَرْجُو takes أَنْ + subjunctive, so تَمْنَحُونِي carries the subjunctive marker and the attached object pronoun ـنِي; the reason is introduced by لِأَنَّ followed by a nominal clause. Every word is doing visible grammatical work.
Traps
- Writing the letter as one unbroken paragraph with no subject line.
- Omitting the signature and the date.
- Carrying Hindi word order into Arabic sentences.
- Drifting off the given title in an essay; every paragraph must serve it.