What a word requires
What needs to go with this word, and in what form?
المعنى
Some words require a partner in a particular form, not just any word that makes sense. Knowing the pattern helps you connect a person, a thing, or another action to that word. Languages may use word endings, small linking words, or particular verb forms; some have no word endings for these links. Unlike Words that go together, What a word requires concerns the form of the connection, not just a usual choice of words.
طريقة التعرّف عليه
Choose a word and check what can go with it, whether its partners can be left out, and which forms are accepted.
في اللغة الأم
An Arabic word can require a noun directly, a particular preposition, or a clause describing another action. The choice affects the following word's form as well as the meaning. When connecting two actions, many verbs use ʾan followed by a verb or a noun naming the action.
انْتَظَرْتُ الْحَافِلَةَ عَشْرَ دَقَائِقَ. (intaẓartu al-ḥāfilata ʿashra daqāʾiqa.)
The bus follows intaẓartu directly, without a preposition.
أَحْتَاجُ إِلَى قَلَمٍ. (ʾaḥtāju ʾilā qalamin.)
Iḥtāja uses ilā to introduce the needed thing.
أُحَاوِلُ أَنْ أَفْهَمَ السُّؤَالَ. (ʾuḥāwilu ʾan ʾafhama al-suʾāla.)
The attempted action follows ʾan, with the verb ending in -a.
في اللغة قيد التعلم
English verbs, adjectives, and nouns can call for a particular preposition or a partner in a certain form. A following action may need to plus a verb or an -ing form, depending on the word. Some partners can be left out when the meaning is clear, but their form is not freely chosen when they appear.
I often listen to the radio.
Listen uses to to introduce what is heard.
I'm afraid of dogs.
Afraid uses of to introduce what causes the fear.
I enjoy cooking.
An action after enjoy takes the -ing form, not to plus a verb.
Learners whose language marks these links with endings may omit English prepositions or choose the wrong ones. Learners whose language uses one verb form for following actions may use to plus a verb where English requires an -ing form.