MATSEC SEC Maltese cheat sheet

Maltese phonology has no /p/ or /g/ in native words; written p and g occur mainly in loanwords (politika, grammatika), while native b and k correspond historically.

The letters ċ, ġ, ħ, għ, h, q, x, z, ż are distinct phonemes: ċ = /tʃ/, ġ = /dʒ/, ħ = voiceless pharyngeal /ħ/, q = glottal stop /ʔ/, x = /ʃ/, z = voiced /ts/ (written z), ż = /z/.

għ is silent in most positions but lengthens or pharyngealises the neighbouring vowel; final -għ is silent (qagħaq, xebgħa).

h is silent when final or between vowels (raħal, deheb); it is pronounced only in specific positions such as after a consonant or in some loanwords.

Maltese is written with the Latin alphabet plus diacritics: a b ċ d e f ġ g għ h ħ i ie j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x z ż - 30 letters, no c, no y.

The definite article is il- before most consonants, l- before vowels and h, iċ- before ċ/c, id- before d, in- before n, ir- before r, is- before s, it- before t, iż- before ż/z, ix- before x, and assimilates to the following consonant.

Stress normally falls on the penultimate syllable unless the final syllable is closed by a consonant cluster or the word ends in a stressed long vowel; loanwords often keep original stress.

Listening tasks in the SEC exam typically use standard Maltese broadcast register: recognise discourse markers such as mela, allura, għalhekk, fil-fatt, jiġifieri to follow argument structure.

Speaking assessment criteria in SEC Maltese focus on fluency, pronunciation of għ/ħ/q, grammatical accuracy, range of vocabulary, and ability to sustain interaction on a familiar topic.

The major periods are: early Maltese poetry (17th–18th c.), the 19th-century romantics, the 20th-century modernists, and post-independence writing.

Ġan Anton Vassallo (1817–1868) is a foundational 19th-century poet and prose writer; his work marks the shift to Maltese as a literary medium.

Dun Karm Psaila (1871–1961) is the national poet; he wrote the lyrics of the Maltese national anthem and is associated with romantic and religious verse.

Rużar Briffa (1906–1963) is a key 20th-century poet whose work blends romanticism with social and personal themes; he was also a dermatologist.

Ġużè Ellul Mercer wrote the novel 'Leli ta' Ħaż-Żgħir' (1938), a canonical Maltese novel about a young man's social and moral formation.

Ġużè Muscat Azzopardi, Ġanni Vassallo and other 19th-century writers contributed to the development of the Maltese novel and drama.

The 'Moviment tal-Qawmien tal-Malti' and the language question of the 19th–20th centuries shaped literary production; Maltese became an official language in 1934.

Poetic forms to recognise: the sonnet (sonett), the ballad, free verse (vers ħieles), and traditional rhyme schemes; meter and rhyme are examinable features.

Literary devices commonly tested: tixbiha (simile), metafora (metaphor), personifikazzjoni, alliterazzjoni, anafora, and onomatopoeja.

Maltese nouns have two genders (masculine, feminine) and two numbers (singular, plural); the plural is formed by sound plurals (-i, -iet, -ijiet) or broken plurals (internal vowel change).

The definite article is il- with assimilation: iċ-, id-, in-, ir-, is-, it-, iż-, ix-, and l- before vowels and h.

The verb conjugates for person and number with prefixes: n- (1sg), t- (2sg/3sg fem/2pl), j- (3sg masc/3pl), and suffixes -t, -na, -tu, -u.

The perfect (past) stem and imperfect (present/future) stem are distinct: kiteb 'he wrote' vs jikteb 'he writes'; the imperfect also expresses future.

The negative is formed with ma ... -x circumfix: ma kitbix 'he did not write'; the -x also appears in questions and negative pronouns (xejn, ħadd).

The construct state uses the possessive suffix or the genitive particle ta': ktieb it-tifel or ktiebu 'his book'; ta' agrees with the possessor.

Adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number: tifel kbir, tifla kbira, tfal kbar; the comparative is formed with -aħ/-eħ or aktar.

The dual survives in a few nouns (sentejn, jumejn, xahrejn) and in paired body parts; otherwise numbers 3–10 take the singular noun.

Vocabulary registers to distinguish: standard literary Maltese, colloquial Maltese, and English-Italian loanwords (e.g., bank, skola, telefown).

Reading comprehension answers must be grounded in the text: quote or paraphrase the passage rather than importing outside knowledge.

Question types include direct retrieval, inference, vocabulary in context, and author's purpose; each requires a different answer format.

For vocabulary-in-context items, use the surrounding sentence to select the meaning; Maltese words often shift meaning with register (e.g., ħafna, mela).

Composition tasks in SEC Maltese include descriptive, narrative, argumentative, and letter/email formats; each has expected conventions (salutation, register, structure).

A well-structured Maltese composition uses an introduction that states the topic, body paragraphs with one idea each, and a conclusion that returns to the prompt.

Cohesive devices in Maltese composition: għalhekk, barra minn hekk, madankollu, filwaqt li, bħala riżultat, fl-aħħar nett.

Punctuation conventions: Maltese uses the standard Latin punctuation; the question mark is ?, the exclamation mark is !, and quotation marks follow British style.

Word-count and register are examinable: formal letters use inti/jekk jogħġbok forms; informal writing allows colloquialisms and contractions.

Summary and paraphrase tasks require condensing the source in your own words while preserving the key points and avoiding copied phrasing.

Reading tasks in SEC Maltese use authentic genres: newspaper articles, notices, advertisements, letters, and literary extracts; identify genre conventions before answering.

Skimming for gist and scanning for detail are distinct strategies; most exam sections require scanning for specific facts after a gist question.

Writing tasks are marked on content, organisation, grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics; content and organisation typically carry the largest share.

The Maltese orthography rules for the article and assimilation must be applied consistently in written production; errors here are frequent.

Direct and indirect speech in Maltese: direct uses quotation and the original tense; indirect shifts pronouns and often uses li + verb.

Formal writing conventions: 'Għażiż' / 'Għażiża' for letters, 'Illum' for date, 'Dejjem tiegħek' as a closing; informal closes include 'Saħħa' and 'Narawk'.

Common exam writing prompts ask for opinion, description, or a letter to an editor; each requires a clear thesis and supporting examples.

Editing checklist: subject–verb agreement, article assimilation, -x negation, gender agreement of adjectives, and correct use of għ/h/ħ/q.

Listening comprehension items often test numbers, times, directions, and names; transcribe them as heard, including Maltese number forms (tnejn, tlieta, erbgħa).

Maltese numbers 11–19 are formed with -ax (ħdax, tnax, tlettax); tens use -in (għoxrin, tletin); hundreds use mija/mitejn.

Telling time: 'is-siegħa u ...' for past, 'nieqes ...' for to the hour; half past is 'u nofs'.

Directions vocabulary: fuq, taħt, quddiem, wara, ħdejn, bejn, ġewwa, barra, lejn, minn - prepositions govern the following noun.

In speaking tasks, use formulaic openings and closings to gain planning time: 'Jien naħseb li...', 'Skont il-fehma tiegħi...', 'Bħala konklużjoni...'.

Pronunciation traps to monitor: q as glottal stop, għ as vowel lengthener, ħ as pharyngeal, and final -h as silent.

Interactive speaking requires turn-taking markers: 'iva, u int?', 'x'jaħseb int?', 'naqbel/mhux naqbel'.

When analysing a poem, identify speaker, addressee, theme, form, rhyme scheme, and the dominant figurative language before interpreting.

The sonnet in Maltese typically has 14 lines; identify the octave/sestet or the Shakespearean quatrain pattern if present.

Narrative analysis: plot, setting, characterisation (direct vs indirect), conflict, climax, resolution, and narrative point of view.

Themes recurring in Maltese literature: emigration, family, religion, national identity, social justice, and the sea/landscape.

Contextual knowledge helps: 19th-century Maltese literature responded to the language question and to Italian/English cultural influence.

Quote accurately when analysing: short embedded quotations with line references strengthen literary answers.

Distinguish author, narrator, and implied author; do not equate a character's views with the author's.

Verb forms: the imperfect prefix set is n-, t-, j-, n-, t-, j- for singular and n-, t-, j- for plural with suffixes -u; the perfect uses suffixes -t, -t, -, -na, -tu, -u.

The imperative is formed from the imperfect stem without the prefix: ikteb 'write!', itla' 'go up!'.

The participle (passive) is formed on the pattern m- or -i: miktub 'written', maqtul 'killed'.

The verbal noun (maṣdar) often follows the pattern -a or -ija: kitba 'writing', qtil 'killing'.

Pronominal suffixes attach to nouns, prepositions, and verbs: ktiebi 'my book', miegħi 'with me', rawni 'they saw me'.

The direct object marker is lil before a definite human object: rajt lil Ġwanni.

Common prepositions and their forms with suffixes: fi → fija/fik/fih; ma' → miegħi/miegħek; minn → minni/minnek.

False friends and calques from English/Italian are frequent exam distractors; verify meaning in a Maltese dictionary rather than by analogy.

Allocate time proportionally to marks; a 20-mark composition deserves roughly 40% of the writing time.

Answer in complete Maltese sentences unless the rubric explicitly permits notes or bullet points.

For 'explain in your own words' items, paraphrase; copied phrases usually earn no credit.

Plan compositions for 3–5 minutes: jot a thesis, three supporting points, and a conclusion before writing.

Check register consistency: do not mix 'int' and 'intom' or formal and colloquial address within one text.

Leave time to proofread for article assimilation (iċ-, id-, ir-, is-, it-, ix-, iż-) and -x negation.

For summary tasks, keep the original order of ideas and cut examples rather than key claims.

Integrated tasks combine reading and writing: read the source, extract key points, then produce a text in the required genre and register.

Genre conventions to identify quickly: news report (who/what/when/where/why), letter (salutation, body, closing), notice (short, imperative), review (opinion + evidence).

Vocabulary building should be topic-based: family, school, work, environment, health, technology, culture - the recurring SEC themes.

Idioms and fixed expressions are examinable: 'bla dubju' (without doubt), 'fl-aħħar mill-aħħar' (in the end), 'ma tantx' (not much).

Register markers: formal Maltese avoids English loanwords where a native term exists (e.g., 'opportunità' vs 'ċans').

Cohesion in writing uses pronoun reference, lexical repetition, and discourse markers; examiners reward explicit linking.

Dictation and transcription accuracy depends on distinguishing ċ/ġ, ħ/h, q/k, x/ż/z, and għ/vowel length.

Maltese literature emerged as a written tradition in the 17th–18th centuries; earlier Maltese survives mainly in notarial and legal documents.

Pietru Caxaro's 'Cantilena' (15th c.) is the earliest known text in Maltese and is frequently referenced in literary history questions.

The 19th century saw the rise of journalism, theatre, and the novel in Maltese, linked to the language question and to print culture.

The 20th century brought modernism, free verse, and engagement with social and political themes; post-1964 writing increasingly addresses migration and identity.

Drama in Maltese developed through amateur theatre companies and later national theatre institutions; know the distinction between script and performance.

Literary criticism in Maltese uses terms such as 'poetika', 'narratur', 'perspettiva', 'simboliżmu', and 'realism'.

Maltese is SVO in neutral declaratives but allows topicalisation and VS order for focus: 'Ġie l-Profesur' vs 'Il-Profesur ġie'.

Yes/no questions are formed with the verb first or with intonation; wh-questions front the question word (x, min, fejn, meta, kif, għala).

Relative clauses use 'li' as the invariable relative marker: 'il-ktieb li qrajt'.

Complement clauses use 'li' after verbs of saying and thinking: 'Naħseb li se jiġi'.

Conditional sentences: 'jekk' + perfect/imperfect in the protasis, imperfect or future in the apodosis.

Coordination uses u, jew, imma, għax; subordination uses li, meta, meta, biex, għalkemm.

The negator -x attaches to the verb or auxiliary: 'mhux' for nominal negation, 'ma ... -x' for verbal negation.

Descriptive writing: sensory detail, spatial organisation, and adjectives agreeing in gender/number.

Narrative writing: orientation, complication, climax, resolution; past tenses dominate (perfect and imperfect).

Argumentative writing: thesis, evidence, counterargument, rebuttal, conclusion; use 'għalkemm', 'madankollu', 'min-naħa l-oħra'.

Letters and emails: formal uses 'Għażiż Sinjur/Sinjura' and 'Dejjem tiegħek'; informal uses first names and 'Saħħa'.

Reports: objective tone, passive or impersonal constructions, headings, and factual sequence.

Reviews: summary plus evaluation with reasons; avoid unqualified praise.

The Maltese alphabet has 30 letters: a b ċ d e f ġ g għ h ħ i ie j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x z ż; c and y are absent.

Digraph 'ie' is a single vowel letter in the alphabet and represents a long vowel /iː/ or diphthong depending on context.

The article assimilates to the following consonant: iċ-, id-, in-, ir-, is-, it-, iż-, ix-; before vowels and h it is l-.

The hyphen is used in the article with some words and in compound forms; modern orthography tends to write the article attached.

Capitalisation: proper nouns, sentence-initial words, and titles; days and months are lowercase in Maltese (it-Tnejn, Jannar).

Commas separate clauses and lists; Maltese does not use the Oxford comma consistently, so follow the exam's model texts.

Accents are not used in standard Maltese; diacritics (ċ, ġ, ħ, ż) are letters, not accents.

The sonnet (sonett) is a 14-line poem; Maltese poets have used both Petrarchan and English patterns.

The ballad (ballata) narrates a story in stanzas with refrain-like repetition.

Free verse (vers ħieles) abandons regular meter and rhyme but retains rhythm and line breaks as meaning-making devices.

The short story (stejjer qosra) in Maltese often focuses on a single epiphany or social situation.

The novel in Maltese developed in the 20th century; 'Leli ta' Ħaż-Żgħir' is a canonical example.

Drama uses dialogue and stage directions; distinguish 'didaskaliji' (stage directions) from spoken text.

Essay and journalistic prose are examinable genres; identify argument, audience, and tone.

Root-and-pattern morphology: triliteral roots (k-t-b) generate derived verbs and nouns (kiteb, kitba, ktieb, miktub).

Verb forms (stems) include basic (Form I) and derived forms with prefixes t-, n-, st- and infixes: tbiegħed, nkiteb, staqsa.

Noun patterns include -i (agent: kittieb), -a (instance: kitba), and m- participles (miktub).

Diminutives and augmentatives are less productive in Maltese than in Romance languages; use context rather than invented forms.

Adjectival patterns include -i (relational: Malti, Taljan) and -ija (abstract nouns).

Loanword adaptation follows Maltese phonology: 'skola', 'bank', 'kompjuter'; plurals may be broken (banek).

Polysemy is common: 'mela' can mean 'then', 'so', or a filler; choose the sense from the sentence function.

Register shifts meaning: 'dar' (house) vs 'dar' (he turned); context disambiguates.

Collocations to know: 'jieħu ħsieb' (take care of), 'jagħmel ħsara' (do damage), 'jaqta' qalbu' (lose heart).

Idiomatic phrases often use body parts: 'bl-idejn vojta', 'b'qalbu tajba', 'għajnejh miftuħa'.

False friends from Italian: 'fatt' (fact/done) vs English 'fact'; verify in a Maltese dictionary.

Synonyms for essay writing: 'importanti', 'essenzjali', 'kruċjali' - vary vocabulary to show range.

SEC Maltese papers typically assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing; the weighting varies by paper and session.

Writing is marked on content, organisation, grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics; content and organisation usually dominate.

Speaking is assessed on fluency, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary range, and interaction.

Reading comprehension rewards accurate retrieval and inference grounded in the text, not general knowledge.

Listening rewards attention to detail: numbers, names, times, and discourse markers.

Accuracy in the Maltese letters ċ, ġ, ħ, għ, q, x, ż is a recurring differentiator in marks.

Emigration and the sea are recurring motifs in Maltese literature, reflecting the island's history.

Religion and the Church shape much 19th- and early 20th-century Maltese writing.

Family and village life provide the social setting for many novels and short stories.

National identity and the language question are explicit themes in 19th- and 20th-century texts.

Social justice, poverty, and class appear in realist prose.

Love and loss are central to the lyric tradition, from Dun Karm onward.

Article assimilation errors: 'il-ċena' should be 'iċ-ċena'; 'il-razzett' should be 'ir-razzett'.

Negation errors: 'ma jiktebx' is wrong; the correct form is 'ma jiktebx' only if the stem permits -x; standard is 'ma jiktebx' - verify against the verb class.

Gender agreement: 'tifla kbir' should be 'tifla kbira'.

Plural agreement: 'tfal kbir' should be 'tfal kbar'.

Preposition + suffix: 'ma' + -i gives 'miegħi', not 'mai'.

Silent h and għ are frequently omitted in spelling; check dictionary forms.

A five-paragraph structure works for most SEC compositions: introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion.

Each body paragraph should develop one idea with an example or reason.

Topic sentences state the paragraph's claim; supporting sentences provide evidence.

Transitions signal relationships: addition (barra minn hekk), contrast (madankollu), cause (għalhekk), conclusion (fl-aħħar nett).

Conclusions should restate the thesis in new words and offer a final reflection, not new arguments.

Word-count discipline: aim within 10% of the required length.

Listen for discourse markers that signal structure: 'l-ewwel', 'it-tieni', 'fl-aħħar', 'għalhekk'.

Numbers and dates are frequent distractors; write them as heard before interpreting.

Names of places and people may be spelled out; transcribe phonetically if unsure.

Tone and attitude questions require attention to intonation and evaluative adjectives.

Note-taking during the second listening is permitted in most SEC listening tasks; use abbreviations.

Predict content from the task instructions before the audio begins.

Dun Karm Psaila: national poet, anthem lyrics, romantic and religious verse.

Rużar Briffa: 20th-century poet, personal and social themes.

Ġużè Ellul Mercer: novelist, 'Leli ta' Ħaż-Żgħir'.

Ġan Anton Vassallo: 19th-century poet and prose writer.

Pietru Caxaro: associated with the 'Cantilena', the earliest Maltese text.

Contemporary writers address migration, identity, and urban life.

The perfect expresses completed past action; the imperfect expresses present, habitual, or future action.

The imperative is formed from the imperfect stem: 'ikteb', 'isma'', 'ara'.

The negative imperative uses 'ma ... -x' with the imperfect: 'ma tiktebx'.

The passive is often expressed with the participle: 'il-bieb miftuħ'.

Auxiliaries: 'kien' + participle forms the pluperfect; 'se' + imperfect forms the future.

Reflexive and reciprocal meanings use 't-' forms: 'tħabb' (he loved each other) is rare; 'tlaqqgħu' (they met).

Read the questions before the passage to target scanning.

Underline key terms in the question and locate them in the text.

Distinguish fact from opinion; examiners test this explicitly.

Inference answers must be supported by textual evidence, not speculation.

Vocabulary-in-context items: substitute each option into the sentence and check coherence.

Summary items: identify the main claim and two supporting points, then condense.

Narrative: past tenses, sequence markers, dialogue punctuation.

Descriptive: sensory adjectives, spatial prepositions, present or past tense consistency.

Argumentative: thesis, evidence, counterargument, conclusion.

Letter/email: salutation, body, closing; register consistency.

Report: headings, objective tone, factual sequence.

Review: summary, evaluation, recommendation.

Simile (tixbiha) uses 'bħal' or 'qisu'; metaphor (metafora) asserts identity without 'bħal'.

Personification attributes human qualities to non-human entities.

Alliteration repeats initial consonants; assonance repeats vowels.

Anaphora repeats a word or phrase at the start of successive clauses.

Onomatopoeia uses words imitating sounds (tfaqqa', żżanżan).

Irony and hyperbole are examinable; identify the gap between statement and meaning.

Subject pronouns: jien, int, hu, hi, aħna, intom, huma.

Object suffixes attach to verbs: 'rawni' (they saw me), 'rajtek' (I saw you).

Possessive suffixes attach to nouns: 'ktiebi', 'ktiebkom'.

Demonstratives: dan/din/dawk; 'dan' agrees with the noun's gender.

Quantifiers: kull, xi, ftit, ħafna, kollha; agreement rules apply.

Relative pronoun 'li' is invariable.

Lexical cohesion: repetition of key terms and synonyms.

Grammatical cohesion: pronoun reference and ellipsis.

Discourse markers signal logical relations between sentences.

Paragraph unity: one idea per paragraph.

Coherence: ideas follow a logical order (chronological, cause-effect, problem-solution).

Avoid comma splices; use full stops or conjunctions.

SEC Maltese includes papers on language, literature, and oral components; check the current syllabus for weightings.

Reading and writing papers often combine comprehension and composition tasks.

Literature papers require close reading and contextual knowledge.

Oral assessment includes reading aloud, conversation, and sometimes a presentation.

Time management: allocate minutes proportional to marks.

Check the rubric for word counts and permitted materials.

Identify narrative voice: first-person, third-person limited, omniscient.

Characterisation: direct description vs action and dialogue.

Setting contributes to theme; note time and place.

Conflict drives plot: internal vs external.

Symbolism: objects and settings carry meaning beyond the literal.

Theme statements should be arguable and text-supported.

Topic vocabulary: family (familja, qraba), school (skola, għalliema), work (xogħol, impjieg).

Environment: ambjent, tniġġiż, riċiklaġġ, enerġija.

Health: saħħa, mard, tabib, sptar.

Technology: teknoloġija, kompjuter, internet, telefon.

Culture: kultura, arti, mużika, letteratura.

Learn words in collocations and example sentences, not isolated lists.

ċ = /tʃ/ as in 'ċavetta'; ġ = /dʒ/ as in 'ġelat'.

ħ = pharyngeal /ħ/; q = glottal stop /ʔ/.

x = /ʃ/; ż = /z/; z = /ts/.

għ is silent but lengthens adjacent vowels.

h is silent in final position and between vowels.

ie represents a long vowel or diphthong depending on context.

Thesis statement: a clear, arguable claim.

Evidence: facts, examples, statistics, or expert opinion.

Counterargument: acknowledge the opposing view fairly.

Rebuttal: show why the counterargument fails or is limited.

Conclusion: restate the thesis and synthesise the argument.

Avoid logical fallacies: ad hominem, straw man, false dilemma.

Dialogue drives character and conflict.

Stage directions (didaskaliji) indicate setting, movement, and tone.

Dramatic irony: the audience knows more than the characters.

Soliloquy reveals inner thought.

Conflict is external (between characters) or internal.

Performance context matters: theatre, radio, and television drama differ.

Declarative: subject + predicate.

Interrogative: wh- or yes/no; verb-initial or intonation.

Imperative: verb stem without prefix.

Exclamatory: intonation and exclamation mark.

Compound: coordinated clauses with u, jew, imma.

Complex: main clause + subordinate clause with li, meta, biex.

Check subject–verb agreement in number and person.

Check gender and number agreement of adjectives.

Check article assimilation.

Check -x negation placement.

Check spelling of ċ, ġ, ħ, għ, q, x, ż.

Check punctuation and capitalisation.

Formal register: complete sentences, no contractions, standard vocabulary.

Informal register: colloquialisms, contractions, direct address.

Academic register: impersonal constructions, hedging, citations.

Journalistic register: concise, factual, inverted pyramid.

Literary register: figurative language, varied sentence rhythm.

Register consistency is an examinable criterion.

Compare theme, form, and context across texts.

Identify similarities and differences explicitly.

Use comparative structures: 'bħal', 'filwaqt li', 'mentri'.

Support comparisons with quotations.

Contextualise each text in its period.

Conclude with a synthesising judgement.

Cardinal numbers 1–10: wieħed, tnejn, tlieta, erbgħa, ħamsa, sitta, sebgħa, tmienja, disgħa, għaxra.

11–19: ħdax, tnax, tlettax, erbatax, ħmistax, sittax, sbatax, tmintax, dsatax.

Tens: għoxrin, tletin, erbgħin, ħamsin, sittin, sebgħin, tmenin, disgħin.

Hundreds: mija, mitejn, tliet mija.

Time: 'is-siegħa u ...', 'nieqes ...', 'u nofs'.

Dates: 'l-ewwel ta' Jannar', 'it-tieni ta' Frar'.

Identify the main idea and supporting points.

Cut examples and repetition, keep claims.

Use your own words; do not copy phrases.

Preserve the original order of ideas.

Respect the word limit.

Check that the summary is coherent without the source.

Identify the speaker and addressee.

Identify the theme and tone.

Analyse form: stanza, meter, rhyme.

Analyse figurative language: simile, metaphor, personification.

Analyse sound devices: alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia.

Connect form to meaning.

fi (in), ma' (with), minn (from), għal (for), fuq (on), taħt (under).

Prepositions take pronominal suffixes: fija, miegħi, minni, għalija, fuqi, taħti.

Prepositions govern noun case or article: 'fil-ġnien', 'mal-ħajt'.

Compound prepositions: 'quddiem', 'wara', 'ħdejn', 'bejn'.

Temporal prepositions: 'fi', 'nhar', 'għall-'.

Spatial prepositions: 'fuq', 'taħt', 'ġewwa', 'barra'.

Orientation: who, what, when, where.

Complication: the inciting incident.

Climax: the turning point.

Resolution: the outcome.

Show, don't tell: use action and dialogue.

Maintain tense consistency.

Maltese became an official language in 1934.

The language question shaped 19th- and 20th-century literature.

Post-independence writing addresses identity and migration.

The Church influenced education and literary production.

Print culture and journalism expanded readership.

Contemporary literature engages with global themes.

'bla dubju' = without doubt.

'fl-aħħar mill-aħħar' = in the end.

'ma tantx' = not much.

'jieħu ħsieb' = take care of.

'jagħmel ħsara' = do damage.

'jaqta' qalbu' = lose heart.

Hook the reader with a question or statistic.

State the thesis clearly.

Support with evidence and examples.

Address the counterargument.

Use rhetorical devices sparingly.

End with a call to action or reflection.

Identify physical and psychological traits.

Use direct and indirect characterisation.

Analyse motivation and conflict.

Track character development.

Support with quotations.

Relate character to theme.

Nouns: gender, number, definiteness.

Verbs: tense, aspect, person, number.

Adjectives: agreement, comparison.

Adverbs: manner, time, place.

Prepositions: government and suffixes.

Conjunctions: coordination and subordination.

Use sensory details: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste.

Organise spatially: foreground to background.

Use adjectives agreeing in gender and number.

Vary sentence length for rhythm.

Show mood through detail.

Avoid clichés.

Setting includes time, place, and social context.

Atmosphere is the emotional tone created by description.

Pathetic fallacy links weather to mood.

Setting can symbolise theme.

Contrast settings to highlight change.

Support with textual detail.

Perfect: completed past.

Imperfect: present, habitual, future.

Pluperfect: 'kien' + participle.

Future: 'se' + imperfect.

Progressive: 'qed' + imperfect.

Aspect distinctions are examinable.

Salutation: 'Għażiż Sinjur' or 'Għażiża Sinjura'.

Opening: state purpose.

Body: one idea per paragraph.

Closing: 'Dejjem tiegħek'.

Signature and name.

Formal register throughout.

Symbols carry meaning beyond the literal.

Common symbols: sea, light, darkness, journey.

Symbols may be conventional or private.

Support interpretation with textual evidence.

Distinguish symbol from allegory.

Relate symbols to theme.

Adjectives agree in gender and number.

Verbs agree with subject in person and number.

Pronouns agree with antecedent.

Article assimilation follows phonological rules.

Collective nouns may take singular or plural agreement.

Check agreement in complex sentences.

Use first names and direct address.

Contractions and colloquialisms are acceptable.

Structure: greeting, body, closing.

Closing: 'Saħħa' or 'Narawk'.

Maintain consistency.

Avoid inappropriate slang in semi-formal contexts.

First-person: 'I' narrator, limited perspective.

Third-person limited: narrator knows one character's thoughts.

Omniscient: narrator knows all.

Objective: no access to thoughts.

Unreliable narrator: credibility is questioned.

Voice affects tone and theme.

Main clause: independent.

Subordinate clause: dependent.

Relative clause: introduced by 'li'.

Complement clause: introduced by 'li'.

Adverbial clause: time, cause, condition, concession.

Identify clause boundaries for punctuation.

Objective tone.

Headings and subheadings.

Factual sequence.

Passive or impersonal constructions.

Conclusion with recommendations.

Avoid personal opinion unless requested.

Thesis statement.

Textual evidence.

Analysis of form and theme.

Contextual knowledge.

Coherent structure.

Conclusion synthesising argument.

Use synonyms to avoid repetition.

Learn topic-specific terms.

Use collocations correctly.

Distinguish register.

Avoid false friends.

Check dictionary definitions.

Summary of content.

Evaluation with reasons.

Balance strengths and weaknesses.

Recommendation.

Appropriate register.

Avoid unqualified praise.

Simile: 'bħal'.

Metaphor: direct comparison.

Personification: human qualities.

Alliteration: initial consonants.

Assonance: vowel repetition.

Onomatopoeia: sound imitation.

Verbal negation: 'ma ... -x'.

Nominal negation: 'mhux'.

Negative pronouns: 'xejn', 'ħadd'.

Negative adverbs: 'qatt', 'imkien'.

Double negation is standard in Maltese.

Check placement of -x.

Subject line: concise and informative.

Salutation: formal or informal.

Body: purpose and details.

Closing: appropriate register.

Signature.

Proofread for tone.

Single focus or epiphany.

Economy of characters.

Suggestive endings.

Setting contributes to theme.

Conflict is often internal.

Support with quotations.

Agreement in gender and number.

Comparison: -aħ/-eħ or 'aktar'.

Superlative: 'l-aktar'.

Position: usually after the noun.

Relational adjectives: -i.

Avoid double comparatives.

Short and imperative.

Who, what, when, where.

Contact details.

Clear heading.

Appropriate register.

Avoid ambiguity.

Plot and subplot.

Character development.

Setting and society.

Narrative voice.

Theme and symbolism.

Support with quotations.

Manner: 'bil-mod', 'malajr'.

Time: 'illum', 'għada', 'lbieraħ'.

Place: 'hawn', 'hemm'.

Frequency: 'dejjem', 'spiss', 'qatt'.

Degree: 'ħafna', 'ftit'.

Position varies with function.

Hook the audience.

State the purpose.

Structure with signposts.

Use rhetorical devices.

Conclude with a call to action.

Adapt register to audience.

Compare theme, form, context.

Use comparative structures.

Support with quotations.

Contextualise each text.

Synthesise judgement.

Avoid mere description.

Coordinating: 'u', 'jew', 'imma'.

Subordinating: 'li', 'meta', 'biex', 'għalkemm'.

Causal: 'għax', 'minħabba'.

Concessive: 'għalkemm', 'madankollu'.

Conditional: 'jekk'.

Use correctly to signal relations.

Headline: concise and informative.

Lead: who, what, when, where, why.

Body: inverted pyramid.

Quotations and attribution.

Objective tone.

Conclusion with context.

Sonnet: 14 lines.

Ballad: narrative stanzas.

Free verse: no regular meter.

Ode: elevated address.

Elegy: lament.

Identify form and its effect.

Subject: jien, int, hu, hi, aħna, intom, huma.

Object suffixes: -ni, -k, -h, -ha, -na, -kom, -hom.

Possessive suffixes: -i, -ek, -u, -ha, -na, -kom, -hom.

Demonstratives: dan, din, dawk.

Relative: 'li'.

Check agreement.

Informal but coherent.

Personal voice.

Clear structure.

Engage the reader.

Use headings and images sparingly.

Proofread.

Dialogue and stage directions.

Character and conflict.

Dramatic irony.

Soliloquy.

Setting and staging.

Performance context.

ċ, ġ, ħ, għ, q, x, ż are distinct letters.

Silent h and għ.

Article assimilation.

-x negation.

Check dictionary forms.

Avoid phonetic spelling.

Read aloud for fluency.

Check agreement.

Check article assimilation.

Check spelling of diacritics.

Check punctuation.

Check register consistency.

Emigration and sea.

Religion and Church.

Family and village.

National identity.

Social justice.

Love and loss.

Perfect suffixes: -t, -t, -, -na, -tu, -u.

Imperfect prefixes: n-, t-, j-, n-, t-, j-.

Imperative: stem without prefix.

Participle: m- or -i.

Verbal noun: -a or -ija.

Check stem class.

State the issue.

Argue a position.

Support with evidence.

Address counterarguments.

Formal register.

Sign with name and locality.

Foreshadowing.

Flashback.

Irony.

Symbolism.

Motif.

Support with quotations.

Combine short sentences with conjunctions.

Use relative clauses.

Avoid run-ons.

Maintain clarity.

Vary sentence length.

Check punctuation.

Clear heading.

Bullet points.

Imperative verbs.

Contact details.

Visual hierarchy.

Concise language.

Meter: syllable count.

Stress patterns.

Rhyme scheme.

Enjambment.

Caesura.

Relate rhythm to meaning.

Use surrounding sentence.

Check register.

Check collocations.

Avoid false friends.

Use dictionary.

Vary vocabulary.

Persuasive language.

Slogan.

Target audience.

Visual and verbal interplay.

Call to action.

Concise.

Love.

Loss.

Nature.

Faith.

Identity.

Social justice.

Full stop.

Comma.

Question mark.

Exclamation mark.

Quotation marks.

Hyphen.

Hook.

Purpose.

Signposts.

Rhetorical devices.

Call to action.

Audience adaptation.

Visual imagery.

Auditory imagery.

Tactile imagery.

Olfactory imagery.

Gustatory imagery.

Relate to theme.

SVO neutral.

VS for focus.

Topicalisation.

Question word fronting.

Adjective after noun.

Check clarity.

Headline.

Lead.

Inverted pyramid.

Quotations.

Objective tone.

Context.

Alliteration.

Assonance.

Consonance.

Onomatopoeia.

Rhyme.

Relate to meaning.

Synonyms.

Antonyms.

Collocations.

Idioms.

Register.

Topic terms.

Objective tone.

Headings.

Factual sequence.

Impersonal constructions.

Recommendations.

No personal opinion.

Stanza.

Line break.

Enjambment.

Caesura.

Refrain.

Relate to meaning.

Vary vocabulary.

Use precise terms.

Avoid repetition.

Check collocations.

Match register.

Proofread.