The back, marked by the grave accent (`), is seen as the villain. But the poor thing is simply a + a, that is, the sum of the definite article "a" with the preposition "a".
Students keep complaining about it and asking about its use after the new spelling agreement. There are still those who put the crasis on everything with the illusion that this way they run less risk of making mistakes.
Calm down, nothing has changed with the new spelling.
Ready to abandon this fearful idea and start looking at the backlash with new eyes?
when to use backquote
Before feminine words
- I went to school.
- We went to the square.
When accompanying verbs that indicate destiny (go, return, come)
- I go to the bakery.
- We went to the beach.
In adverbial, prepositional and conjunctive phrases
- We go out at night.
- As time passes, friendships increase.
Examples of locutions: as, in the evening, in the afternoon, in a hurry, sometimes, in front of, the fashion of.
Before the demonstrative Pronouns that, that, that
- In summer, we return to that beach.
- It refers to what happened yesterday at the party.
Before the phrase "in the fashion of" when it is implied
- He wears clothes in (the fashion of) Louis XV.
- Dribbles in (fashionable) Pelé.
Use of the crasis in the indication of the hours
The crasis is used before the cardinal numeral that indicate the exact hours:
- I finish my work at five o'clock in the afternoon.
- I leave school at 12:30.
On the other hand, when accompanied by prepositions (to, from, after, before, with), the backquote is not used, for example:
- We've been at the meeting since 12:00.
- We arrived after 6pm.
- The congress is scheduled for 3pm.
Learn more at:
Crasis: rules of use
Crasis before hours
When not to use a backstroke
before masculine words
- Jorge has an alcohol car.
- Samuel bought a diesel jeep.
Before verbs that do not indicate destination
- He was willing to save the girl.
- He spent the day singing.
Before personal pronouns of the straight case and the oblique case
- We told her about what happened
- I was offered movie tickets.
The pronouns of the straight case are: I, you, he, we, you, them.
The pronouns of the oblique case are: me, me, me, te, ti, with you, if, si, o, him.
Before the demonstrative pronouns this, this, this, this, this
- That's what we meant.
- When you join this plan, the internet will be cheaper.
Optional Crasis
Tip
To find out if the backquote is used in the target verbs, use this trick:
Exercises
Easy, isn't it? Now just practice!
1. (ESAN - School of Business Administration of São Paulo) Of the sentences below, only one is correct, regarding the crasis. Tick it:
a) We must combine theory with practice.
b) In two weeks he will be back.
c) Day by day, the company grew.
d He seemed given up to sad cogitations.
e) They began to discuss out loud.
Alternative to: We must combine theory with practice.
2. (FCC - Carlos Chagas Foundation) It is necessary to suppress one or more signs of crasis in:
a) For lack of something better to do, many people watch television without even paying attention to what they are seeing.
b) It is up to the youth of today to dedicate themselves to replacing the market's appeals with impulses that, in their natural truth, do justice to the human capacity to dream.
c) Dreams are not acquired on sight: it takes time to elaborate within us the material they are made of, sometimes without our own selves.
d) It is understood who aspires to the stability of a job, but pay all respects to those who cultivate their dreams.
e) Anyone who thinks he graces the youth of today with praise for his pragmatism is not safe from being responsible for the frustration of an entire generation.
Alternative e: Anyone who thinks they grace today's youth with praise for their pragmatism is not safe from being responsible for the frustration of an entire generation.
3. (ESAF - School of Finance Administration) Check the sentence in which the accent indicative of a back letter was incorrectly used:
a) When I return from vacation, I will return everything to Your Lordship.
b) The candidate spoke to the working classes.
c) I was waiting for my friends.
d) His way of speaking is similar to Paul's.
e) You can only be seen at 9 am.
Alternative a: Upon returning from vacation, I will return everything to you.
Read too
back exercises
Super easy tips for knowing when to use CRASE