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Metade da turma quer fazer um teste extra antes das férias.

Metade da turma quer fazer um teste extra antes das férias.
Half of the class wants to take an extra test before the holidays.
FromLesson 31inHardcore Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Metade da turma quer fazer um teste extra antes das férias.

Why is the verb quer in the third person singular and not querem?
Because the grammatical subject is metade (half), a singular noun. Even though metade da turma refers to multiple students, the verb agrees with metade, so you say quer.
Why do we say da turma instead of de a turma or das turma?
We use the preposition de (of) to link metade and turma, and turma is feminine singular. In Portuguese, de + a contracts to da, so metade da turma.
Why is there no article before metade, i.e., why don’t we say a metade da turma?
Quantifier nouns like metade, meio, parte often appear without a definite article when used generically. You can say a metade da turma to emphasize the half, but the article is not mandatory.
What exactly does turma mean, and is it the same as classe?
Turma refers to the set of students taught together by the same teacher at the same time. Classe can also mean a group or a grade level, but in Portugal turma is more commonly used for your cohort of students.
Why is the infinitive fazer used after quer instead of a conjugated or subjunctive form?
When both verbs share the same subject, Portuguese uses the bare infinitive for the second verb: quer + infinitive. The subjunctive construction querer que + subjunctive is used only if the subject of the second verb changes.
What does extra mean in teste extra, and why does it come after the noun?
Extra is an adjective meaning “additional” or “supplementary.” In Portuguese, most adjectives follow the noun they modify, so teste extra = “additional test.”
Why is there an indefinite article um before teste extra?
Using um indicates any extra test (not a specific one). If you referred to a particular test, you would use the definite article o, as in o teste extra.
Why is férias always in the plural, and why do we say antes das férias instead of antes de férias?
Férias (vacation/holidays) is a plural‐only noun. After the preposition antes de, you keep the definite article if you refer to a known period: de + as contracts to das. Omitting it (antes de férias) would sound unnatural here.
Could we rephrase the sentence using a subordinate clause with the subjunctive, such as Metade da turma quer que façam um teste extra antes das férias?
No. Querer que + subjunctive is used when the subject of the action differs. Here the same students want to take the test themselves, so you use the infinitive (quer fazer). Saying quer que façam would imply they want someone else to do it.
Is there any nuance between teste and exame in this context?
Yes. Teste usually refers to a shorter or less formal assessment (a quiz), whereas exame denotes a more formal or final exam. Teste extra suggests an additional quiz, not a major exam.
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