Contextualization
Textual cohesion is one of the most important pillars for building a comprehensible and fluid text. It is responsible for joining words and sentences in a logical and coherent way, allowing the reader to follow the writer's reasoning. The subject omitted, also known as elliptical or hidden subject, is one of the tools used to maintain cohesion in a text. It occurs in cases where the subject is not made explicit, but can be easily identified when considering the context of the sentence.
To better understand the subject omitted, we can compare it to a missing piece in a puzzle. Even when the piece is not present, we can still understand the complete image thanks to the other pieces around it. In the same way, even when the subject of a sentence is not made explicit, we can still understand who or what is performing the action in the sentence by considering the general context.
It is worth mentioning that in Portuguese the use of the subject omitted is very common, especially in formal written language. This is because our language allows the agreement between the verb and the subject, making it possible in most cases to identify the subject by the ending of the verb.
Importance of the subject omitted
The subject omitted is extremely important in the construction of texts, as it allows the writer to avoid unnecessary repetitions, giving more fluidity to the text. Consider the following example: "John went to the bakery. John bought bread". Note that the repetition of the name "John" makes the text redundant. In contrast, by using the subject omitted, the sentence becomes "John went to the bakery and bought bread", which is more concise and enjoyable to read.
In addition, the correct use of the subject omitted can give more dynamism and vividness to the text, as it allows the writer to play with words and the structure of the sentence, making their work more engaging and engaging for the reader.
For a deeper look at the subject, we recommend the following resources:
- Book "Grammar of the Portuguese Language" by Maria Helena de Moura Neves. This work is a reference when it comes to the Portuguese language and dedicates an entire chapter to textual cohesion.
- Page on hidden subject in the Portal of the Portuguese Language
- Video "Subject omitted" on the channel GrammarInVideo - Prof. Fábio Alves
Practical Activity: "Find the Invisible: The Subject Omitted Game"
Goal
The goal of this project is to develop the ability to identify the subject omitted in sentences, deepening the concept of textual cohesion and improving the ability to write fluently.
Detailed Description
Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 members. Each group will receive a series of texts and will be responsible for identifying, discussing and demarcating where the subject is omitted.
After this step, the groups must rewrite a smaller text (a short story, for example), eliminating the repetition of the subject and using the subject omitted correctly, making the text more fluid and well connected.
Required Materials
- Texts for analysis (which will be provided by the teacher)
- Paper and pen for notes
- Computer or tablet for research and writing of the final text
Step by step
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Divide into groups of 3 to 5 students, defining a leader for each group.
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The teacher will distribute a series of texts (narratives, news, short stories, etc.) to each group.
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Each group should analyze each text, searching and marking the sentences where the subject is omitted.
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After the analysis, the group should meet and discuss their results, seeking to reach a consensus on each sentence.
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Each group will then write a short text (a story, for example), using the subject omitted to avoid repetition of the subject and improve the fluidity of the text.
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Finally, each group should write a report following the following format:
Project Report
The project report should have the following parts:
Introduction: Include here a brief summary of what is subject omitted, its importance in textual cohesion and the objective of the activity.
Development: In this section, you should indicate the methodology used to identify the subject omitted in the texts provided. Describe the process step by step and present the results. Then, explain how you rewrote the sample text, detail the decisions you made and the reasons for those decisions. Show the previous version and the final version of the text.
Conclusions: Here, you should list what you learned from the project, your main observations and any difficulties you faced. Highlight the importance of using the subject omitted in writing.
Bibliography: List all the resources you used to assist in understanding the topic and completing the tasks.
The project's workload is two to four hours per participating student and the deadline is one week.
