# Chapter 21 — Qal Infinitive Absolute Parsing Drill

For each form: (a) Identify as IA, IC, Imperative, Imperfect, or Perfect — and briefly explain how you know; (b) Root; (c) Root class; (d) Function (if IA: Emphatic / Imperatival / Manner / Progressive / Serial). Click ▶ Answer to reveal.

IA vs. IC diagnostic: Strong roots — IA has qamets under R1 (שָׁמ֣וֹר); IC/Imper. have shewa (שְׁמֹר). III-ה: IA ends in ה; IC ends in וֹת. I-י: IA retains yod-shape (הָל֣וֹךְ); IC is contracted (לֶ/כֶת). Biconsonantals: IA and IC are identical — context distinguishes.

## Part A — Emphatic Pairs (IA + Finite Verb)

Both members of each pair are given. Identify the IA, name the root, root class, and function.

# | Form Pair | Which is IA? | Root | Root Class | Function | Gloss |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | מ֥וֹת — תָּמוּת |  |  |  |  |  |
IA = מ֥וֹת · מות · Biconsonantal · Emphatic — "you shall surely die"; death-penalty formula; IA before Imperfect 2ms of same root
2 | אָכֹ֥ל — תֹּאכֵֽל |  |  |  |  |  |
IA = אָכֹ֥ל · אכל · I-aleph · Emphatic — "you may freely eat" (Gen 2:16); qamets under aleph; permission formula
3 | שָׁמ֣וֹעַ — תִּשְׁמָע |  |  |  |  |  |
IA = שָׁמ֣וֹעַ · שמע · Strong B (gutt. R3) · Emphatic — "hear attentively"; qamets + holem-waw + patach before ע
4 | שָׁמ֣וֹר — תִּשְׁמְרוּן |  |  |  |  |  |
IA = שָׁמ֣וֹר · שמר · Strong A · Emphatic — "carefully keep"; qamets R1 + holem-waw R2
5 | רָאֹ֣ה — רָאִ֛יתִי |  |  |  |  |  |
IA = רָאֹ֣ה · ראה · III-ה · Emphatic — "I have surely seen" (Exo 3:7); ה retained in IA; qamets + holem
6 | טָרֹ֥ף — טֹרַ֖ף |  |  |  |  |  |
IA = טָרֹ֥ף · טרף · Strong A · Emphatic — "he has surely been torn" (Gen 44:28); IA + passive Perfect; qamets + holem
7 | נָת֤וֹן — יִנָּתֵן |  |  |  |  |  |
IA = נָת֤וֹן · נתן · I-נ · Emphatic — "it shall certainly be given"; both nuns retained (contrast IC: תֵּת)
8 | אָבֹ֖ד — תֹּאבֵדוּן |  |  |  |  |  |
IA = אָבֹ֖ד · אבד · Strong A · Emphatic — "you shall utterly perish"; Deuteronomy threat formula; qamets + holem

## Part B — Standalone IA Forms

No paired finite verb given. Identify as IA, give root, root class, and function.

# | Form | IA or other? | Root | Root Class | Function |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
9 | זָכ֕וֹר |  |  |  |  |
IA · זכר · Strong A · Imperatival — "Remember!" (Exo 20:8); qamets + holem-waw; IA functions as command
10 | שָׁמ֗וֹר |  |  |  |  |
IA · שמר · Strong A · Imperatival — "Keep!" (Deu 5:12); same structure as זָכ֕וֹר
11 | הָל֣וֹךְ |  |  |  |  |
IA · הלך · I-י · Manner/Progressive — "going"; paired with another IA to express ongoing motion; full yod-shape (contrast IC לֶכֶת)
12 | יָצוֹא֙ |  |  |  |  |
IA · יצא · I-י + III-א · Emphatic/Manner — "going out"; I-י IA retains yod-shape (contrast IC: צֵאת)
13 | הָי֧וֹ |  |  |  |  |
IA · היה · III-ה · Emphatic/Verbal noun — "being/surely be"; ה retained in IA (contrast IC: הֱיוֹת)
14 | גָּאֹ֖ל |  |  |  |  |
IA · גאל · Strong A · Emphatic — "surely redeem"; Leviticus legal formula; qamets + holem

## Part C — Discrimination: IA, IC, Imperative, Imperfect, or Perfect

Identify each form correctly. Note any context clues given.

# | Form | Context | Identification | Root | Notes |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
15 | מ֥וֹת | preceded by לָ |  |  |  |
IC · מות · The preposition לָ before this form = IC, not IA; "to die"
16 | מ֥וֹת | followed by תָּמוּת |  |  |  |
IA · מות · Same form, different context: no preposition, paired with Imperfect of same root = emphatic IA
17 | שָׁמ֣וֹר | no context |  |  |  |
IA · שמר · Qamets under R1 is the key: IA always has qamets; IC/Imper. have shewa (שְׁמֹר)
18 | שְׁמֹר | no context |  |  |  |
IC or Imperative 2ms · שמר · Shewa under R1 = IC or Imper.; ambiguous without context
19 | שָׁמַ֣ר | no context |  |  |  |
Perfect 3ms · שמר · Qamets + patach = Perfect 3ms; IA would have holem-waw on R2 (שָׁמ֣וֹר)
20 | יִשְׁמֹ֣ר | no context |  |  |  |
Imperfect 3ms · שמר · יִ– prefix = Imperfect; cannot be IA (which has no prefix)
21 | זָכ֕וֹר | imperatival context (Exo 20:8) |  |  |  |
Imperatival IA · זכר · Qamets + holem-waw; no paired finite verb; IA functions as command (Exo 20:8)
22 | לִ/זְכֹר | preceded by כִּי |  |  |  |
IC · זכר · לִ prefix = IC; shewa under ז = Strong A IC; "in order to remember"
23 | לֶ/כֶת | no context |  |  |  |
IC · הלך · I-י contracted IC (seghol-taw); IA of הלך would be הָל֣וֹךְ (qamets + holem-waw)
24 | הָל֣וֹךְ | followed by וָ/שׁ֑וֹב |  |  |  |
IA (Manner) · הלך · Paired IAs (hālôk wāšôb) = "going and returning" — manner/progressive (Gen 8:3)
25 | הָלַ֥ךְ | no context |  |  |  |
Perfect 3ms · הלך · Qamets + patach = Perfect 3ms; IA is הָל֣וֹךְ (holem-waw, not patach final)