Nominal Agreement | Active Summary

Objectives

1.  Master nominal agreement, correctly flexing words in gender and number that relate to a noun, including articles, adjectives, pronouns, and numerals.

2.  Identify and correct nominal agreement errors in various texts, developing a critical skill essential for producing cohesive and clear writings.

Contextualization

Did you know that nominal agreement is one of the main factors responsible for a text's grammatical correctness?  Without it, sentences may not make sense or convey incorrect information. For example, in a scientific text, precision is essential. An agreement error could completely change the meaning of a discovery! The importance of this concept goes beyond grammar; it is fundamental for clarity and precision in communication. Therefore, mastering agreement is not just about writing correctly, but also about ensuring that your ideas are understood exactly as you intend.

Important Topics

Articles

Articles are words that precede a noun to determine or indeterminate. They must agree in gender and number with the noun they accompany. For instance, if the noun is feminine, the article must be feminine; if the noun is plural, the article must also be. Correct agreement of articles helps make the sentence structure clearer and more precise.

• Definite articles (the) agree in gender and number with the noun, for example, 'the car / the house / the books / the tables.'

• Indefinite articles (a, an) also agree in gender and number, such as in 'a book / a pen / some cars / some houses.'

• The absence of the article can indicate a plural noun, as in 'I ate apples' (the article is not used).

Adjectives

Adjectives are words that characterize or qualify nouns, expressing their qualities. They must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Correct agreement of adjectives is crucial for maintaining the cohesion and clarity of a text, avoiding ambiguities and incorrect grammatical structures.

• Adjectives ending in -o generally change to -a in the feminine and -os in the plural, as in 'big / big / big ones.'

• Adjectives ending in -or, -e, -z, -m, -ão, -al, -ês, -il, -ul, -uir, -dor, -tório, -nte, -ento, -oso, -oso, and -z are invariant regarding the gender and number of the noun they qualify.

• The position of adjectives in the sentence can alter the agreement, especially when they come before the noun, as in 'poor children.'

Pronouns

Pronouns replace or accompany a noun, referring to it. Just like articles and adjectives, pronouns must agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to. Correct agreement of pronouns is fundamental for clear and effective communication, avoiding confusion about the reference of what is being said.

• Pronouns in the nominative case (I, you, he, we, you, they) must agree with the subject of the sentence in person and number, as in 'I went / they went.'

• Possessive pronouns (my, your, his, our, your, their) agree in gender and number with the possessed noun, for example, 'my car / my house / my books / my tables.'

• The agreement of relative pronouns (that, who, whose) must be made with the antecedent they refer to in gender and number, as in 'the book that I read / the friends that I met.'

Key Terms

• Nominal Agreement: A grammatical rule that determines that terms related to a noun must agree with it in gender and number.

• Gender: A grammatical category that classifies words as feminine, masculine, or neuter, influencing nominal agreement.

• Number: A grammatical property that indicates whether a term is in the singular or plural, also essential for nominal agreement.

To Reflect

• Why is nominal agreement so important in the Portuguese language? How does it affect the clarity and precision of texts?

• What are the main challenges you face when trying to apply the rules of nominal agreement in your texts?

• How can knowledge of nominal agreement benefit your oral and written communication in formal situations?

Important Conclusions

• In this lesson, we explored the importance of nominal agreement and how it directly impacts the clarity and precision of a text. We learned to correctly flex articles, adjectives, pronouns, and numerals in gender and number, ensuring effective communication.

• We discussed practical examples and everyday situations that demonstrate the relevance of agreement, both in formal writing and informal contexts, reinforcing the idea that the correct use of language is fundamental in various situations.

• We encourage constant practice and attention to detail, as mastering nominal agreement not only improves your writing skills but also enhances your ability to express ideas clearly and coherently.

To Exercise Knowledge

1. Create an agreement diary: For one week, write down sentences from books, social media, and conversations that contain agreement errors you find. Correct them and explain why the correction is necessary. 2. Write a short narrative text, including at least five examples of nominal agreement. Ask a colleague to review it and point out any errors they find. 3. Editor's Challenge: Rewrite a paragraph from a book or article, maintaining the original meaning, but altering the nominal agreement to make it incorrect. Then, correct the wrong version and explain the rules applied.

Challenge

Create a poster or infographic about nominal agreement that is visually appealing and informative. Include rules, examples, and tips to avoid common errors. Share your work with the class or on your social media to help other students better understand this topic!

Study Tips

• Use grammar check apps to verify the agreement in texts you write, and review the suggestions given to better understand where your errors are.

• Practice reading aloud correctly written texts to develop a more refined ear for nominal agreement.

• Form study groups with classmates and challenge each other to create sentences that explore different aspects of nominal agreement, discussing the solutions found.