diff --git a/src/arabic/NounAra.gf b/src/arabic/NounAra.gf
index 63ca7065..108f09bf 100644
--- a/src/arabic/NounAra.gf
+++ b/src/arabic/NounAra.gf
@@ -47,7 +47,14 @@ lin
 
   UsePron p = p ;
 
-  DetNP det = emptyNP ** {s = det.s ! NoHum ! Masc} ; ----
+  DetNP det = case det.isEmpty of {
+    True => case <det.d,det.n> of {  -- if the s field is empty, make up some other determiner
+              <Def,One>   => he_Pron ;
+              <Def,_>     => theyMasc_Pron ;
+              <Indef,One> => emptyNP ** {s = someSg_Det.s ! NoHum ! Masc} ;
+              _           => emptyNP ** {s = somePl_Det.s ! NoHum ! Masc}
+            } ;
+    False => emptyNP ** {s = det.s ! NoHum ! Masc} } ;
 
   PredetNP det np = np ** {
     s = \\c => case det.isDecl of {
@@ -75,7 +82,7 @@ lin
 
   DetQuantOrd quant num ord = quant ** {
     s = \\h,g,c => let d = toDef quant.d num.n in
-         quant.s ! Pl ! h ! g ! c
+         quant.s ! Pl ! h ! g ! c -- TODO what is this Pl? Was there when I started /IL
       ++ num.s ! g ! d ! c
       --FIXME check this:
       ++ ord.s ! g
diff --git a/src/arabic/ResAra.gf b/src/arabic/ResAra.gf
index 91445056..37cad39e 100644
--- a/src/arabic/ResAra.gf
+++ b/src/arabic/ResAra.gf
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ oper
   is1sg : Agr -> Bool = \a ->
     case a.pgn of {Per1 Sing => True; _ => False} ;
 
+  someSg_Det = mkDet "أَحَد" Sg Const ;
+  somePl_Det = mkDet "بَعض" Pl Const ;
+
   mkQuant7 : (_,_,_,_,_,_,_ : Str) -> State -> Quant =
     \hava,havihi,havAn,havayn,hAtAn,hAtayn,hA'ulA,det -> lin Quant (baseQuant **
     { s = \\n,s,g,c =>
diff --git a/src/arabic/StructuralAra.gf b/src/arabic/StructuralAra.gf
index e419ae53..8eb4cd31 100644
--- a/src/arabic/StructuralAra.gf
+++ b/src/arabic/StructuralAra.gf
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 concrete StructuralAra of Structural = CatAra **
-  open MorphoAra, ResAra, ParadigmsAra, Prelude in {
+  open MorphoAra, ResAra, ParadigmsAra, (N=NounAra), Prelude in {
 
   flags optimize=all ;  coding=utf8 ;
 
@@ -47,10 +47,11 @@ concrete StructuralAra of Structural = CatAra **
     } ; -- IL
   how8much_IAdv = ss "كَمْ" ;
   if_Subj = mkSubj "إِذَا" Verbal ;
+  --whether_Subj = mkSubj "مَا إِذَا" Verbal ;
   in8front_Prep = mkPrep "مُقَابِلَ" ;
   i_Pron  = ResAra.i_Pron ;
   in_Prep = mkPrep "فِي" ;
-  it_Pron = emptyNP ** {s = \\_ => "هَذَا"} ; -- was: it_Pron = mkPron "ِت" "ِت" "ِتس" (Per3 Masc Sg);
+  it_Pron = N.DetNP (N.DetQuant this_Quant N.NumSg) ; -- was: it_Pron = mkPron "ِت" "ِت" "ِتس" (Per3 Masc Sg);
 --  less_CAdv = ss "لسّ" ;
   many_Det = mkDet "جَمِيع" Pl Const ;
 --  more_CAdv = ss "مْري" ;
@@ -74,8 +75,8 @@ concrete StructuralAra of Structural = CatAra **
   she_Pron = ResAra.she_Pron ;
   so_AdA = very_AdA ;
   somebody_NP = regNP "أَحَد" Sg Indef ;
-  someSg_Det = mkDet "أَحَد" Sg Const ;
-  somePl_Det = mkDet "بَعض" Pl Const ;
+  someSg_Det = ResAra.someSg_Det ;
+  somePl_Det = ResAra.somePl_Det ;
   something_NP = regNP "شَيْء" Sg Indef ;
 --  somewhere_Adv = ss "سْموهري" ;
   that_Quant = mkQuant3 "ذَلِكَ" "تِلكَ" "أُلٱِكَ" Def;
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ concrete StructuralAra of Structural = CatAra **
 --  therefore_PConj = ss "تهرفْري" ;
 ----b  these_NP = indeclNP "هَؤُلَاء" Pl ;
   they_Pron = theyMasc_Pron ;
-  this_Quant = mkQuant7 "هَذا" "هَذِهِ" "هَذَان" "هَذَيْن" "هَاتَان" "هَاتَيْن" "هَؤُلَاء" Def;
+  this_Quant = mkQuant7 "هَذا" "هَذِهِ" "هَذَان" "هَذَيْن" "هَاتَان" "هَاتَيْن" "هَؤُلَاء" Def ;
 ----b  this_NP = indeclNP "هَذا" Sg ;
 ----b  those_NP = indeclNP "هَؤُلَاءكَ" Pl ;
   through_Prep = mkPrep "عَبْرَ" ;