Fundamental Questions & Answers on Nominal Agreement

What is Nominal Agreement?

Q: What does nominal agreement mean? A: Nominal agreement is the adjustment made between the noun and the words that refer to it (adjectives, articles, pronouns, numerals) to ensure harmony in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) in the sentence.

Basic Rules of Nominal Agreement

Q: What are the basic rules of nominal agreement? A: The basic rules include the agreement of the adjective with the noun in gender and number, articles and pronouns that must agree with the noun they refer to, and the agreement of numerals that must follow the same pattern.

Agreement with Compound Nouns

Q: How does nominal agreement work with compound nouns? A: In compound nouns, the adjective usually goes to the plural and agrees in gender with the closest element, although there are cases where the use in the masculine plural prevails, as in "países-membros".

Invariable Linking Words

Q: Are there words that do not vary in gender and number? A: Yes, some words are invariable and do not undergo changes in gender and number, such as certain adverbs, the interjection "menos", etc.

Agreement with Collective Sense Words

Q: How is the agreement with words indicating collectivity done? A: When a collective noun is followed by an adjective, it can agree with both the singular noun or go to the plural, agreeing with the collectivity it suggests.

Pronoun Agreement Issues

Q: Do pronouns follow specific agreement rules? A: Yes, personal, possessive, demonstrative, and indefinite pronouns must agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to.

Special Cases of Nominal Agreement

Q: What are some special cases of nominal agreement? A: Among the special cases are: expressions that always remain in the plural ("é proibido entradas"), use of articles that can change the meaning of a sentence ("o obrigado" x "a obrigada"), and variations in agreement with words like "anexo", "mesmo", among others.

Agreement with Pluralized Proper Names

Q: When a proper name is pluralized, how is the agreement done? A: Adjectives must agree with the gender and number of the proper name. If the "Andrades" are a family composed of men and women, for example, we use "Os Andrades são simpáticos".

Nominal Agreement in Everyday Language

Q: Is nominal agreement always followed in everyday language? A: Not necessarily. In daily life, many people use language more flexibly, which can lead to deviations from the standard norm, however, for academic and formal purposes, it is important to follow the rules.

Importance of Nominal Agreement

Q: Why is it important to learn nominal agreement? A: Nominal agreement is crucial for the clarity and correctness of discourse. It helps to avoid ambiguities and ensures that communication is done precisely and appropriately to the standard language.

Remember: mastering nominal agreement is key to refined writing and eloquent speech!

Questions & Answers by Difficulty Level on Nominal Agreement

Basic Q&A

Q: If a masculine noun is plural, how should the accompanying adjective be flexed? A: The adjective should also be in the plural and masculine. For example: carros antigos.

Tip: Always match the number and gender inflection of the main noun.

Q: What happens to nominal agreement when we have a singular feminine noun? A: Any word that agrees with this noun (such as adjectives, articles, and pronouns) must be in the singular feminine. Example: a casa branca.

Tip: Visualize agreement as a pact between words, every companion should be 'in tune' with the noun.

Q: Should a numeral always agree with the noun it modifies? A: Yes, numerals should agree in gender and number with the noun. Example: duas canetas.

Tip: Remember that numerals can be inflected just like adjectives.

Intermediate Q&A

Q: When there are two or more nouns with different genders, with which one should the adjective agree? A: The adjective can go to the plural and agree with both or agree only with the closest noun. Example: O caderno e a caneta azuis or O caderno e a caneta azul.

Tip: The choice may depend on the emphasis you want to give to one element or another.

Q: How is agreement in a sentence with plural nouns indicating collectivity? A: The adjective can agree with the collective noun in the singular or go to the plural, reflecting the idea of collectivity. Examples: Um grupo de jovens animado or Um grupo de jovens animados.

Tip: If the collective noun is specified, the tendency is for the adjective to go to the plural.

Q: In expressions like "é proibido", does the adjective remain invariable regardless of the accompanying noun? A: Yes, expressions like "é proibido", "é necessário", among others, remain invariable because here the adjective functions as a subject complement. Example: É proibido entrada de animais.

Tip: Remember that certain expressions adopt a fixed form.

Advanced Q&A

Q: When a proper noun is pluralized, like "Os Andrades", and is followed by a predicative, what is the agreement rule? A: The predicative must agree in number and gender with the proper noun. Example: Os Andrades são inteligentes.

Tip: The idea of plurality prevails, bringing the predicative to the plural.

Q: How is nominal agreement when the adjective functions as a subject complement in a sentence with linking verbs? A: The adjective must agree in gender and number with the subject of the clause. Example: As flores parecem murchas.

Tip: The linking verb does not influence the agreement; the focus should be on the subject of the verb.

Q: In sentences where the noun is accompanied by both an adjective and words like "anexo", "menos", and "alerta", what is the rule? A: Words like "anexo", "menos", and "alerta" are invariable and do not inflect, but the adjective must agree normally with the noun. Example: Documentos anexos; Entradas menos dispendiosas; Estudantes alerta.

Tip: Pay attention to words that remain invariable and those that inflect normally.

These questions and answers are designed to guide your learning in a structured way, facilitating the understanding and increasing mastery of nominal agreement.

Practical Q&A on Nominal Agreement

Applied Q&A

Q: In a journalistic text, we find the following sentence: "Foi emitido alerta e recomendações aos moradores da região." Considering the rules of nominal agreement, is this sentence correct? If not, how should it be written? A: The sentence presents a case of nominal agreement that can be confusing. The word "alerta" is invariable, so it is correct in its form, but "recomendações" requires the verb and the words linked to it to be in the plural, as they are variable. The correct sentence would be: "Foram emitidos alerta e recomendações aos moradores da região."

Tip: When reviewing a sentence, identify the invariable and variable words to correctly apply the rules of nominal agreement.

Experimental Q&A

Q: Imagine you are responsible for creating a manual for new writers of a magazine. How would you incorporate the rules of nominal agreement to ensure clarity and precision in article writing? A: The manual should include a section dedicated to nominal agreement with practical examples, describing the rules and special cases, such as "anexo", "menos", and "alerta", and explaining the importance of agreement for the clarity and professionalism of the text. Additionally, it would be useful to create review exercises and sentence analysis, encouraging writers to apply the rules in different contexts. The manual could also have a list of invariable words and a quick reference guide for consultation during writing.

Tip: Providing resources and regular practices can significantly enhance writers' ability to apply the rules of nominal agreement.

The Practical Q&A is designed to promote the active application of knowledge in nominal agreement, assisting in practical understanding and improvement of students' writing skills.