Introduction: The Importance of Connectives, Conjunctions, and Prepositions

Relevance of the Topic

Connectives are the glue that binds words, sentences, and ideas in our discourse. They are responsible for providing textual cohesion and coherence, key factors for understanding and the effectiveness of communication in Portuguese.

Conjunctions and prepositions are at the heart of connectives, performing crucial tasks in organizing discourse. Conjunctions, for example, link clauses and elements of a period, and can express relationships of cause, consequence, comparison, opposition, among others. Prepositions, on the other hand, establish relationships of subordination between terms in the clause.

Mastering the function and proper use of these connectives in your text is an essential step to improve your writing and oral expression in Portuguese. Therefore, the study of conjunctions and prepositions is an integral component of the Portuguese discipline, and a skill that will be refined throughout your educational journey and beyond.

Contextualization

In the scope of the Portuguese discipline, connectives, particularly conjunctions and prepositions, are fundamental components of the study of the structure and grammar of the language. Their correct use is inseparable from the understanding and production of coherent texts, thus being crucial material for mastering the native language.

Located in the curriculum of the 2nd year of High School, the study of connectives is a natural evolution from mastering the parts of speech and grammatical classes. By deepening our understanding of the functions and uses of conjunctions and prepositions, we are building a solid foundation for more complex layers of grammar, such as syntax and semantics.

At the end of this unit, you will be able to identify, differentiate, and properly use conjunctions and prepositions in your textual productions. Keep in mind that this is a skill that will be constantly applied and refined, not only in the classroom but also in your daily life as a citizen who expresses themselves in Portuguese.

Theoretical Development: Conjunctions and Prepositions

Components

Conjunctions

Conjunctions, also known as coordination and subordination connectors, are words or expressions that link clauses, terms, or sentences, establishing a relationship of dependency or equivalence between them. Their proper use contributes to textual cohesion.

• Coordinating Conjunctions: Link independent clauses, i.e., those that have complete meaning on their own. These clauses may be of equal importance or in opposition. The types of coordinating conjunctions are: additive, adversative, alternative, conclusive, and explanatory.

• Subordinating Conjunctions: Link dependent clauses, i.e., those that depend on another clause to have complete meaning. They indicate a relationship of subordination between the clauses, where one depends syntactically on the other.

Prepositions

Prepositions are invariable words that establish a relationship of subordination between two terms of the clause, where the first term complements the meaning of the second.

• Essential Prepositions: Are independent prepositions, i.e., they do not join with the article. Some examples are: a, ante, até, com, contra, de, desde, em, entre, para, para com, por, sem, sob, sobre, trás.

• Accidental Prepositions: Are prepositions that join with the article and modify their meaning. Some examples are: perante a, acerca de, acerca das, junto a, junto das, a par de, de baixo de, de cima de, a respeito de, depois de.

Key Terms

• Textual Cohesion: This term refers to the connection, continuity, and harmony between the words, sentences, and paragraphs of a text. Connectives, including conjunctions and prepositions, are essential for textual cohesion.

• Grammatical Classes: Conjunctions and prepositions are two of the ten existing grammatical classes. Grammatical classes are groups of words that have similar semantic and syntactic characteristics.

• Clause: Is a linguistic structure that has a verb or verbal phrase and that has complete meaning by itself or in the context in which it is inserted. Understanding the concept of a clause is fundamental to understanding the role of conjunctions, which link clauses to each other.

Examples and Cases

• Example of Additive Coordinating Conjunction: "Carlos likes to play soccer and swim". In this case, the conjunction "and" is linking the verbs "play soccer" and "swim", establishing a relationship of addition between them.

• Example of Causal Subordinating Conjunction: "Since it was very cold, we turned on the heater". Here, the conjunction "since" introduces a clause that explains the cause of what was said before.

• Example of Essential Preposition: "She left the house". The preposition "from" is linking the verb "leave" to the noun "house", establishing a relationship of movement from one place to another.

• Example of Accidental Preposition: "John saw the dog on top of the bed". In this case, the preposition "on" is joining the article "the", and the preposition "top" is modifying the meaning of the noun "bed".

Detailed Summary

Relevant Points

• The importance of connectives: They are fundamental in constructing meaning in a text, linking words, sentences, and clauses, and providing textual cohesion and coherence.

• Conjunctions: Are used to link clauses of the same sentence, establishing a relationship of meaning between them. There are two main types: coordinating, which link clauses of equal syntactic value, and subordinating, which link one clause to another that determines or completes it.

• Prepositions: Are linking elements that introduce terms that complement the meaning of other terms in the clause. Prepositions can be essential or accidental, each with its own particularities.

• Proper use of conjunctions and prepositions: Both are crucial in text production. It is necessary to know their characteristics and particularities, to employ them appropriately and convey the message clearly and concisely.

Conclusions

• Mastery of connectives, especially conjunctions and prepositions, is an essential step for improving writing and oral expression in Portuguese.

• Conjunctions, by establishing relationships between clauses, enable more effective articulation of thoughts in the text.

• Prepositions, by connecting terms within the clause, contribute to the construction of more precise and complex meaning.

Exercises

1. Identify the Conjunctions: Given a text, identify the present conjunctions, classifying them as coordinating or subordinating, according to their use.

2. Complete the Clause with Prepositions: Given a set of incomplete clauses, complete them by inserting the appropriate preposition to establish the correct relationship between the terms.

3. Rewriting of Sentences: Given a set of sentences, rewrite them, changing the original meaning with the use of different conjunctions and prepositions. This exercise aims to demonstrate the variation of meaning that can be obtained through the use of different connectives.