Braille Special Symbols Writing 5 - Accent Marks

Hadley presents Braille Special Symbols Writing, Workshop 5: Accent Marks.

If you don't already know how to read accent marks, we recommend first doing Hadley's reading workshop, Braille Special Symbols, Workshop 5: Accent Marks.

Okay, let's take a look at these symbols. Turn to page 14 in the workbook. At the top of the page, read the symbols: ´, `, ~, ˆ, and ¨.

Let's practice writing these symbols in sentences. We will do something a little different here. Each sentence will be read two times. It'll be read naturally the first time, and then words with accent marks will be pointed out during the second reading.

To begin, start on a new line and write 1. Be sure to indent each runover line two spaces. Use capitalization and punctuation as you would in print, and do not divide words between lines. Also, write all numbers with numerals, not words.

  1. I walked 2 blocks to meet Zoë at the café on Main Street.

1. I walked 2 blocks to meet Zoë (the e in Zoë has a diaeresis accent) at the café (the e in café has an acute accent) on Main Street.

  2. I ordered coffee with crème and strawberry piña-colada crêpes.

2. I ordered coffee with crème (the first e in crème has a grave accent) and strawberry piña, hyphen, colada (the n in piña has a tilde accent) crêpes (the first e in crêpes has a circumflex accent).

  3. My friend, Chloë ordered a jalapeño-cheddar biscuit and a latté.

3. My friend, Chloë (the e in Chloë has a diaeresis accent) ordered a jalapeño-cheddar (the n in jalapeño has a tilde accent) biscuit and a latté (e in latté has an acute accent).

  4. Salads are ordered á la carte with bacon, jalapeños, and croûtons as optional toppings.

4. Salads are ordered á la carte (the a in á la carte has an acute accent) with bacon, jalapeños (the n in jalapeños has a tilde accent), and croûtons (the u in croûtons has a circumflex accent) as optional toppings.

  5. The children gathered around the piñata for the señora's fête.

5. The children gathered around the piñata (the n in piñata has a tilde accent) for the señora's (the n in señora's has a tilde accent) fête (the first e in fête has a circumflex accent).

  6. When the piñata burst, candy and bonbons showered to the ground.

6. When the piñata (the n in piñata has a tilde accent) burst, candy and bonbons showered to the ground.

  7. Josh is my compañero, or partner, in crime, when it comes to seeking out wild adventures such as skydiving.

7. Josh is my compañero (the n in compañero has a tilde accent), or partner in crime, when it comes to seeking out wild adventures such as skydiving.

  8. We will depart from the depôt at 7 in the morning, after you put your luggage in the boot of the Citroën.

8. We will depart from the depôt (the o in depot has a circumflex accent) at 7 in the morning, after you put your luggage in the boot of the Citroën (the e in Citroën has a diaeresis accent).

  9. Francisco exclaimed "Voilà!" as he revealed his new masterpiece to the awaiting audience.

9. Francisco exclaimed, opening quotation mark, Voilà, exclamation mark, closing quotation mark (the a in Voilà has a grave accent), as he revealed his new masterpiece to the awaiting audience.

  10. Please top the fruit salad with crème fraiche.

10. Please top the fruit salad with crème (the first e in crème has a grave accent) fraiche.

  11. The éclair was topped with a thin layer of chocolate ganache.

11. The éclair (the e in éclair has an acute accent) was topped with a thin layer of chocolate ganache.

  12. Élisabeth vacationed in a lovely château in the countryside.

12. Élisabeth (the first e in Élisabeth has an acute accent and uses an s not a z) vacationed in a lovely château (the first a in château has a circumflex accent) in the countryside.

  13. Jérôme reviewed Sam's résumé and noticed that he had a significant amount of experience in financing.

13. Jérôme (Jérôme has two accent marks: the first e has an acute accent, and the o has a circumflex accent) reviewed Sam's résumé (the two e's in résumé have acute accent marks) and noticed that he had a significant amount of experience in financing.

  14. Noël was naïve to believe the old folk tale about the beast in the forest.

14. Noël (the e in Noël has a diaeresis accent) was naïve (the i in naïve has a diaeresis accent) to believe the old folk tale about the beast in the forest.

  15. "She is as sharp as a tack," is a common cliché to describe an intelligent woman.

15. Opening quotation mark, She is as sharp as a tack, closing quotation mark, is a common cliché (the e in cliché has an acute accent) to describe an intelligent woman.

  16. My fiancé ordered a frappé from the café on the corner.

16. My fiancé (the e in fiancé has an acute accent) ordered a frappé (the e in frappé has an acute accent) from the café (the e in café has an acute accent) on the corner.

  17. The señor and señorita sipped piña-coladas by the ocean.

17. The señor (the n in señor has a tilde accent) and señorita (the n in señorita has a tilde accent) sipped piña, hyphen, coladas (the n in piña has a tilde accent) by the ocean.

  18. The crowd cheered, "Olé!" as Manuel galloped down the field toward the goal.

18. The crowd cheered, opening quotation mark, Olé, exclamation mark, closing quotation mark (the e in Olé has an acute accent) as Manuel galloped down the field toward the goal.

  19. We would like to begin our trip in Zürich, Switzerland.

19. We would like to begin our trip in Zürich, comma (the u in Zürich has an umlaut accent), Switzerland.

  20. "Heléna told Rosie to meet 'mañana'," said Carlos.

20. Opening quotation mark, Heléna (the second e, in Heléna has an acute accent) told Rosie to meet, opening single quotation mark, mañana (the n in mañana has a tilde accent), closing single quotation mark, comma, closing quotation mark, said Carlos.

You can check your work by comparing your sentences to the contracted braille sentences on pages 15 and 16.

Congratulations! You learned to braille accent marks. Was anything tricky or do you have other questions you'd like to ask an expert? Call Hadley and speak to a braille learning expert at 847-784-2816. We'd love to help.