the rules of Graphic accentuation were created to, through writing, guide the correct pronunciation of words regarding the stressed syllable. There are two graphic accents: acute (´) and circumflex (^). The rules, already updated by Orthographic Reform, apply to oxytones, paroxytones, proparoxytones, open diphthongs, gaps and differential accents.
Read too: Tonic accent and graphic accent
General rules for graphic accents
1. Tonic monosyllables: they are words formed by a single syllable. Are accented when ending in:
At): man, there, ace (deck)
And (s): foot faith reverse
You): dust, pity
2. Oxytones: are the words whose stressed syllable is the last. Receive accent when finished in:
At): so-fa, Pa-rá, ma-ra-cu-jas, Pa-ra-ná.
And (s): you, ca-fe, babies.
You): a-grandpa, a-you.
IN: someone, too, but no-one.
TEACHING: Happy birthday.
3. Paroxytones: are the words whose stressed syllable is the penultimate. Receive accent when finished in:
L: level, rep-til, i-na-cre-di-ta-ble.
A: a-su-car, re-vol-ver, cha-ra-ter.
N: hy-phen, ab-do-men, proton, neu-tron, e-le-tron.
X: climax, thorax.
I(s): pencil, taxi, grandfather, pony, jockey.
U(s): bo-nus, bo-nus.
ONE ONES: fo-rum, quo-rum.
At): or-fan.
To the): just-so, or-gao, or-phan.
ONS: protons, e-letrons, neutrons.
PS: bi-ceps, tri-ceps, quad-drí-ceps, force-ceps.
GROWING THINGS: history, series, water, mare, Má-rio, rosy.
Observation: Before New Spelling, there were two other rules for accentuating paroxytones: when they had AND IS and OO. These were the cases of VOO, ENJOO, CREEM, LEEM and VEEM. These words had circumflex accent. Today, they are spelled without an accent.
4. Proparoxytones: they are the words whose stressed syllable is the third to last. All are accented. Examples: mé-di-co, ar-vo-re, mai-ús-cu-lo, bus, Pi-ta-go-ras.
Read too: Anxious or anxious?
Special accent rules
5. Open diphthongs: the open diphthongs ME, HEY and HEY are accented so that their pronunciations are not confused with their respective closed forms ME, HEY and HEY.
Look:
- Open forms: sky, defendant, hat, rings, faithful, pastels, hurts, heroes, destroys.
Closed forms: yours, mine, co-my, a-vei-a, ba-lei-a, fa-lei, ox, hi-to.
Observation: With New Spelling, the open diphthongs HEY and HEY lost accent in paroxytone words. Examples: i-dei-a, as-sem-blei-a, i-ro-pei-a, ge-lei-a, ji-boi-a, joi-a, he-roi-co. These words had an acute accent (idea, assembly, European, jelly, boa constrictor, jewel and heroic), but they lost it due to the Orthographic Reform.
See too: Five Super Tips on Verbal Doubts
6. Gap: gaps are accentuated with I or U alone in the syllable or followed by S.
Look:
Pa-ís, sa-ú-de, ba-ú, mi-ú-do, a-ça-í, Lu-ís, roots, ju-i-zo.
Comments:
- gaps followed by NH are not accented. Look:
Mo-i-ho, m-a-ha.
- With New Spelling, gaps preceded by diphthongs are not accentuated in paroxytone words. Look:
fei-u-ra, ox-u-no, Bo-ca-u-va.
7. Differential accent: receive differential accent some words perfect namesakes which, in certain contexts, can generate duplicity of meaning or confusion in interpretation.
Look:
Put (verb) – By (preposition)
(they) Have (plural) – (he) Have (singular)
(they) Come (plural) – (he) Has (singular)
(the/one) Why (noun) – Because (conjunction)
(they) Contains (plural) – (he) Contains (singular)
(they) Come (plural) – (he) Come (singular)
Comments:
→ The words for (verb), for (noun) and polo (noun) they had a differential accent before the Orthographic Reform (para, hair and pole). These accents have been phased out.
→ The differential accent in form (closed) to differentiate from shape (open) is optional.
→ the verb form might (past) has differential accent to distinguish it from can (present) even though they are not perfect homonyms.
Read too: Why, why, why or why?
Exercises on graphic accents
01 – Check the alternative where the word has a graphic accent according to the current spelling.
a) Skirmish
b) Idea
c) fur
d) Pole
e) Boa
02 – Check the alternative whose words are accented due to the same rule:
a) Defendant - sofa - açaí
b) Music - you - history
c) Grandmother - also - Pará
d) Mare - shovel - jequitibá
e) Health - bus - faith
Templates: A, C.