Arabic Lower Intermediate (part 1)

In part 1, you’ll learn how to describe the weather, seasons and people and to talk about activities and past events.

The course also introduces more complex grammar topics, such as the verb position in Arabic sentences and the function of verbs known as Sisters of Kana.

You will also broaden your understanding of Arabic culture and way of life.

It is the first part of the full lower intermediate syllabus, working towards CEFR A1/2 level of the Common European Framework Reference of languages. Try learning at this level without committing to the full year.

Who is it for?

You should be able to communicate at CEFR A1 level of Arabic (60 hours of prior learning). It is ideal if you have completed the Arabic beginners syllabus or have a rusty GCSE. Check the eligibility section.

Timetable

This course takes place one evening a week at 18:30 for 10 weeks.

Benefits

• Develop your skills in just 10 weeks
• Join a small and multi-cultural group of learners
• View learning materials in advance of the lessons, giving you more time to practice
• Emphasis on daily communication, as well as understanding the language’s systems.

By the end of this course you will be able to

• describe the weather and the four seasons
• describe daily routines and activities
• describe events in the past, present, and future
• provide and obtain personal information
• describe people and activities.

Grammatical structures

• introduction to partitive nouns
• verb position in Arabic sentences
• negative imperative
• introduction to passive sentences
• expressing reasons
• introduction to grammatical function of verbs, known as Sisters of Kana
• relative pronouns.

You will be awarded an official City, University of London certificate on completion of the course. You must attend over 70 per cent of the classes to be eligible for the certificate.

There is no formal assessment but there is weekly homework of comprehensive grammar exercises and reading texts, which will be marked.

Although there isn’t an exam, your tutor will monitor and assess your progress throughout the course, via your performance during the lesson and the homework you complete.

Teaching

The teaching methods combine a mixture of role play, group work and discussion, to make your lessons engaging and interactive.

The lessons feature the use of audio and video clips, and you’ll also learn about the Arabic way of life – giving you a deeper insight into Middle East politics, society and religious values.

The book used on this course is Ahlan wa Sahlan: Functional Modern Standard Arabic for Beginners.

It is the right level if you:

• have completed our full Arabic Beginners syllabus, or equivalent course elsewhere
• Can communicate at low CEFR A1 level
• have at least 60 hours of prior formal study
• You have a rusty Arabic GCSE.

You should already know how to:

• request and decline things politely
• report what other people say
• describe daily activities
• express contrast and reasons
• use the verb Kana
• compare and contrast.

If this isn’t the right level for you, take a look at our other Arabic courses.

English requirements

You will need a good level of spoken and written English to enrol on this course.