Context

The Portuguese language is rich and full of specificities that often go unnoticed in our daily lives. One of these nuances is the existence of the 'subjectless clause', that is, a clause in which we do not identify a term on which the verb is acting. Although it may seem strange at first, subjectless clauses are more common than we imagine and are present in various communicative situations.

Therefore, understanding and correctly identifying subjectless clauses is essential for a deeper and more meaningful comprehension of the structure and functioning of the Portuguese language, as well as for the development of more refined reading and writing skills.

Introduction

The subjectless clause occurs when we have a verb that does not need a subject to make sense, such as verbs that indicate natural phenomena (to rain, to blow, to dawn, among others) or the verbs 'to be', 'to have', and 'to do', when used to indicate time and distance. These clauses are a challenge in syntactic analysis, as they go against the common idea that every verb needs a subject.

Studying subjectless clauses involves understanding the different uses of the verb and requires the development of a keen perception of the contexts in which such clauses may appear. Furthermore, this topic allows us to reflect on the various possibilities of organizing terms in the clause and on how syntactic choices can impact the meaning of statements.

In addition to deepening linguistic knowledge, studying subjectless clauses also promotes reflection on the importance of linguistic variation and on how language uses reflect the characteristics and needs of different communities of speakers.

Practical Activity: 'Drama without Subject'

Project Objective

The project's objective is to broaden students' understanding of the topic 'subjectless clause', encouraging them to explore and apply this concept in a creative and playful way.

Project Description

Students will be challenged to create a short film in which the narrative is mainly constructed with sentences representing subjectless clauses.

Required Materials

1. Camera (a smartphone with a camera is sufficient)
2. Computer with video editing software (there are many free and easy-to-use options)
3. Script (to be created by the students)
4. Accessories and costumes for the production of the short film (according to the chosen story)
5. Software for creating subtitles (optional)

Step by Step

1. Group Formation and Research: Divide the class into groups of 3 to 5 students. Each group should research the concept of 'subjectless clause', using the indicated resources and other reliable sources they find. They should learn to identify this type of clause and understand its context and use.

2. Ideas Brainstorming: The groups should brainstorm to create a story that can be mainly told through subjectless clauses.

3. Script Creation: With the story defined, the students should create a script for the short film. The script should contain all the dialogues (subjectless clauses) and actions that happen in the video. It is important that the script explores a variety of subjectless clauses.

4. Production of the Short Film: After the script is approved, the group should film the short film. Here they can use their creativity to create scenarios, choose costumes, and explore different camera angles.

5. Video Editing: The video should be edited to add any desired effects, such as background music, lighting effects, scene fades, among others. If desired, the group can add subtitles to the video to emphasize their subjectless clauses.

6. Writing the Written Document: Simultaneously with the video production, students should write the written document of the project. This document should contain:

   • Introduction: The group should contextualize the concept of 'subjectless clause' and explain the importance of its study. Additionally, they should justify the choice of the short film format for this project and the objectives they intended to achieve with this activity.
   • Development: In this section, the group should detail the theory about the 'subjectless clause', explain how they elaborated the script, describe the process of producing the short film, and discuss the difficulties and solutions encountered during the execution of the activity.
   • Conclusion: The students should reflect on what they learned during the project, what skills they developed, and how this experience contributed to the understanding of the studied topic.
   • Bibliography: All research sources used for the project should be listed.

7. Project Presentation: Finally, each group should present their short film to the class, followed by a discussion about the experience of learning about the concept of 'subjectless clause' in a playful and creative way.

Project Duration: Approximately 12 hours per student.