15 regras para usar vírgulas em inglês
Regras para a vírgula
Artigo escrito por Andrea.
As vírgulas são complicadas. Como professora de ESL, já vi vírgulas mal utilizadas de várias maneiras. Então, como você usa vírgulas corretamente? Um truque simples que compartilho com meus alunos é que, se eles lerem uma frase em voz alta, eles se ouvirão parando momentaneamente onde deveria haver uma vírgula. Isso não é infalível, mas é uma maneira rápida de verificar você mesmo.
Para me aprofundar neste assunto, reuni essas 15 regras para o uso de vírgulas. Também adicionei um ou dois exemplos para cada regra de vírgula para que você possa entendê-los melhor.
Regra # 1:
Use vírgulas para separar palavras ou frases em uma série de três ou mais.
Examples:
I need to pick up bananas, tuna, bread, and ice cream from the grocery store today.
Our company wishes to grow our customer base, increase our profits, and expand to other markets.
Regra # 2:
Use uma vírgula para separar uma lista de adjetivos ou advérbios quando a palavra “e” puder ser inserida entre eles.
Example:
The man sported a scruffy, coarse beard.
Regra # 3:
Use uma vírgula para separar cláusulas independentes quando elas forem unidas por qualquer uma das sete conjunções de coordenação a seguir: e, mas, para, ou, nem, então, ainda. Você não precisa usar uma vírgula se as duas cláusulas independentes forem curtas.
Examples:
We agreed to come with Sarah, but we told her that we would need to leave early.
The police warned the crowd that they couldn’t stay, but the protesters refused to leave the area.
Regra # 4:
Use vírgulas após frases introdutórias e cláusulas anteriores a uma cláusula independente. Se a frase introdutória tiver menos de três palavras, a vírgula é opcional.
Examples:
When the clock struck midnight, the carriage turned back into a pumpkin.
After you leave school, make sure to pick up the mail.
Next Saturday we will be getting married.
Regra # 5:
Use vírgulas para interromper palavras como “portanto” e “porém”.
Example:
I would, therefore, like to continue this conversation at another time.
Regra # 6:
Use uma vírgula após advérbios introdutórios.
Examples:
Fortunately, Samir had remembered to back up his files.
Unsurprisingly, Raul passed the class with flying colors.
Regra # 7:
Destaque os títulos com vírgulas.
Example:
Sarah Martinez, D.D.S., is our family dentist.
Regra # 8:
Use vírgulas ao se dirigir diretamente a uma pessoa.
Examples:
Have you, Millie, considered going to college?
What do you think that means, Doctor?
Regra # 9:
Use vírgulas para evitar confusão.
Example:
To Monica, Janice was slightly annoying.
Regra # 10:
Use uma vírgula para separar uma afirmação de uma pergunta.
Example:
You’re a senior in college, aren’t you?
Regra # 11:
Use uma vírgula quando a primeira palavra em uma frase for sim ou não.
Examples:
Yes, I’ll come with you to the dance.
No, I haven’t submitted the document yet.
Regra # 12:
Use vírgulas antes e depois de uma citação dentro de uma frase.
Examples:
Mrs. Rucker said, “Make sure you finish your homework before you go out with your friends.”
“Style and class,” she said, “are the keys to elegance.”
Regra # 13:
Use vírgulas em torno das orações relativas não essenciais, significando orações que não alteram o significado do substantivo principal. NÃO coloque vírgulas em torno de orações relativas essenciais, significando orações que são essenciais para a compreensão do substantivo principal.
Examples:
Mr. Perryman, who enjoys playing golf, decided to retire in Florida.
The boy who lives next door to us is in the fourth grade.
Regra # 14:
Use uma vírgula entre a cidade e o estado e depois do estado. Se você usar a abreviatura de duas letras para o estado, não precisará de uma vírgula após o estado.
Examples:
We bought our new car from a dealer in Chicago, Illinois, last Wednesday.
We bought our new car from a dealer in Chicago, IL last Wednesday.
Regra # 15:
Ao escrever as datas, insira uma vírgula após o mês e após o ano. Não insira uma vírgula se a data estiver faltando o dia ou o ano.
Examples:
We celebrated our first Valentine’s Day together on February 14, 2010, in Nashville.
We celebrated our first Valentine’s Day together on February 14 in Nashville.
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Traduzido por Jhessika Nascimento
Jhessika Nascimento
Director of International Partnerships
Jhessika Nascimento is a bilingual teacher of English and Portuguese, with degrees in Portuguese and English letters and Teaching in Higher Education. Jhessika is the Director of International Partnerships for Study With Andrea and lives in Brasilia, Brazil.
The following is a TOEFL Reading practice test to help you prepare for the Reading section of the TOEFL test.
Instructions: Read the sample passage below and then answer the questions that follow.
TOEFL Reading Practice Passage
Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forest of central Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus Gorilla is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas (both critically endangered), and either four or five subspecies. They are the largest living primates. The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of humans, from 95 to 99% depending on what is included, and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the chimpanzees and bonobos.
Gorillas' natural habitats cover tropical or subtropical forest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although their range covers a small percentage of Sub-Saharan Africa, gorillas cover a wide range of elevations. The mountain gorilla inhabits the Albertine Rift montane cloud forests of the Virunga Volcanoes, ranging in altitude from 2,200 to 4,300 metres (7,200 to 14,100 ft). Lowland gorillas live in dense forests and lowland swamps and marshes as low as sea level, with western lowland gorillas living in Central West African countries and eastern lowland gorillas living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo near its border with Rwanda.
(#1) Gorillas move around by knuckle-walking, although they sometimes walk upright for short distances, typically while carrying food or in defensive situations. (#2) A 2018 study investigating the hand posture of 77 mountain gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (8% of the population) found that knuckle walking was done only 60% of the time, and they also supported their weight on their fists, the backs of their hands/feet, and on their palms/soles (with the digits flexed). (#3) Studies of gorilla handedness have yielded varying results, with some arguing for no preference for either hand, and others right-hand dominance for the general population. (#4)
The eastern gorilla is more darkly colored than the western gorilla, with the mountain gorilla being the darkest of all. The mountain gorilla also has the thickest hair. The western lowland gorilla can be brown or grayish with a reddish forehead. In addition, gorillas that live in lowland forest are more slender and agile than the more bulky mountain gorillas. The eastern gorilla also has a longer face and broader chest than the western gorilla. Like humans, gorillas have individual fingerprints. Their eye color is dark brown, framed by a black ring around the iris. Gorilla facial structure is described as mandibular prognathism, that is, the mandible protrudes farther out than the maxilla. Adult males also have a prominent sagittal crest.
A gorilla's lifespan is normally between 35 and 40 years, although zoo gorillas may live for 50 years or more. Colo, a female western gorilla at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, was the oldest known gorilla at 60 years of age when she died on 17 January 2017.
Questions
1. According to the passage, gorillas can live in
a. a variety of altitudes.
b. several different countries in Africa.
c. thick forests.
d. lowland forests only.
2. All of the following is true about gorillas EXCEPT
a. they primarily eat smaller animals.
b. they live in a forest habitat.
c. their genetics are similar to humans.
d. their diet consists of vegetation.
3. Look at the word predominantly in paragraph 1. The word predominantly in this passage refers to
a. impulsively
b. unfortunately
c. mainly
d. lastly
4. Look at the word inhabits in paragraph 2. The word inhabits in this passage refers to
a. lives in
b. protects
c. goes
d. works
5. The author implies that
a. most gorillas prefer using their left hand over their right.
b. gorillas rarely walk on their knuckles.
c. gorillas regularly walk upright for long distances.
d. studies haven't solidly proven which hand gorillas prefer using.
6. Why does the writer mention that the eastern gorilla also has a longer face and broader chest than the western gorilla?
a. To validate the importance a broad chest in western gorillas
b. To define the meaning of "broad"
c. To highlight a physical difference between types of gorillas
d. To demonstrate that most gorillas are identical in physical build
7. Which of the following statements is true for BOTH eastern and western gorillas.
a. Both eastern and western gorrilas are brown with red foreheads.
b. Both eastern and western gorrilas have unique fingerprints.
c. Both eastern and western gorrilas have thin hair.
d. Both eastern and western gorrilas have light brown eyes.
8. In Paragraph 3, look at the four numbers (#1, #2, #3, #4) that indicate where the following sentence would be added to the passage.
Such a range of hand postures was previously thought to have been used by only orangutans.
Where would the sentence best fit?
(View all the correct answers below.)
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Answers: 1. d 2. a 3. c 4. a 5. d 6. c 7. b 8. #3
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Andrea Giordano is the founder of StudyWithAndrea.com and has taught more than 1,000,000 students from 180 countries. Andrea holds a Master of Education (TESOL) from Shenandoah University, and is the former Executive Director of TESOL and ESL programs at Campbellsville University. Andrea is a proven leader in online English teaching and is driven by her passion to help you speak English clearly.
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