Grammar Note
Root and Pattern - الجذر والوزن
Read AK pages 133-135 on roots and patterns.
The intersection of a جذر (root) and a وزن (pattern) is a process that is necessary for word formation in Arabic. The جذر has a certain meaning that appears in all the words that are formed from that root. The وزن also has one or more connotations associated with it that are present in the words formed with that pattern. When you learned some irregular plurals in Chapter 2, you saw how certain patterns recurred. For example all of the following words demonstrate a specific أفْعَال :وزن.
أولاد 
أبواب
آداب
أعمال
أيّام
أفراد
Whenever you come across this وزن and before you get to the جذر from which it was derived, you are already aware of a very important aspect: the fact that it is a plural noun.
The وزن demonstrated in the words مذاكرة ومشاهدة ومساعدة is مُفاعَلة, which is the مصدر form of a group of verbs that you will learn in Chapter 14.
Another وزن you may recognize is مَفْعَل or مَفْعَلة. This وزن is used for example in مكتبة ,مكتب and .مدرسة When you see this وزن you immediately know that you are dealing with a noun of place. Thus, مدرسة (school) is the place where one studies (school) while مكتب and مكتبة (respectively office and library) is the place where one writes. Usage generally specifies the exact meaning a noun of place would finally take as in the difference between مكتب and مكتبة (respectively office and library).
Can you guess the meaning of مَعْمَل and مَدْخَل ?
Answerمَعْمَل : factory (Place where one works or makes things)
مَدْخَل : entry (Place from which one enters)
Now try to guess what مَخْرَج means? (Hint: خَرج means to go out.)
Answerمَخْرَج : exit (Place from which one goes out)
Each root ( جذر ) can be inserted in many different patterns (أوزان) to create different but related words.
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This ( جذر ( ج-م-ع always has the meaning of “to gather” or “to collect.” Notice how this meaning infiltrates into each of the words no matter what وزن they are in.