Adding emphasis

Adding emphasis

We often emphasise a particular part of a sentence: 1. To contradict what so has said 2. For dramatic effect We can emphasize by changing the position of elements in the sentence, in 3 ways: a) Intensifiers adverbs before adj. to intensify the meaning adverbs before adj. to emphasize the adjective. b) Sentence adjuncts to emphasize the truth of what we are saying / stress the seriousness of the situation we are describing. to draw attention to one piece of information c) By bringing the element we want to emphasise to the beginning (fronting) d) By splitting one sentence into two parts (cleft sentences) e) By putting the verb or verb phrase in front of the subject after adverbs of place or of time (inversion)

Adding emphasis

Adding emphasis

1. INTENSIFIERS

We can emphasize a statement by putting the auxiliary do, dos or did in front of the infinitive.
I do feel sorry for her He did study hard to pass the exam.

adverbs before an adjective to intensify its meaning.

AWFULLY ESPECIALLY EXTREMELY SO TERRIBLY

Its awfully cold in here. Is the heater on? Feedback is especially important in learning skills. Its get extremely cold in winter Why didnt you call? We were so worried. House prices are terribly expensive at the moment.

adverbs before an adjective to emphasize the adjective

ABSOLUTELY

Jim knew absolutely nothing about the business when he joined the firm. He has absolutely no experience of marketing.

ALTOGETHER QUITE

The clothes he wore were altogether bizarre Im sorry thats quite impossible. I think youve had quite enough to drink already.

SIMPLY TOTALLY PERFECTLY COMPLETELY UTTERLY ENTIRELY

This work is simply not good enough What he did was totally unacceptable. Its perfectly normal to be nervous bf an interview. ...a completely new range of low-cost computers. You look utterly miserable. Our situation is entirely different.

3. SENTENCE ADJUNCTS 2. THE AUXILIARY DO

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EXCLUSIVELY

Its a world or a group or words that are added to a sentence to give more information about the whole sentence a) to emphasize the truth of what we are saying , or to stress the seriousness of the situation we are describing.
ABOVE ALL ACTUALLY SIMPLY REALLY POSITIVELY

This offer is available exclusively to people who call now. Hes just trying to annoy you. Its only a matter of money. I do it purely and simply for the money. what we need is not simply a smaller organization, but a more efficient one. I shall hold you solely responsible for anything that goes wrong.

JUST ONLY PURELY SIMPLY

Above all, dont take it too seriously. We didnt actually finish. Its not simply a matter of hiring more people; they also need to be trained. Im really sorry Some holidays dangerous. destination are positively
SOLELY

c) Sentences to emphasize that sth is true in every respect.

EXACTLY JUST PRECISELY

I know exactly how you feel. That bags just what I was looking for. The new legislation wont solve the problem, itll do precisely the opposite.

SO (were commenting or agreeing)

'It belongs to my father.' ' Is that so?' Morton says his parents kicked him out, but his brothers say this isn't so
EVEN (draw attention to sth surprising)

She did not even bother to phone us.

AT ALL (in negative clauses)

I dont like it at all. I wouldnt be at all surprised.

INDEED (usually with very)

Ten years is indeed a long time. It was very cold indeed.

SURELY (when asking for agreement)

There must surely be some explanation. Surely we can't just stand back and let this happen?

b) Sentences to draw attention to one specific piece of information:

4. FRONTING
We emphasize a part of the sentence by putting it at the beginning.
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Adding emphasis

At the back of the house was an untidy garden

A)

IN SPOKEN ENGLISH, TO MAKE A STRONG CONTRAST WITH SOMETHING IN A PREVIOUS STATEMENT. With objects and complements:
She might be friendly but she isnt reliable. = Friendly she may be, but reliable she isnt.

VERBS OF POSITION AND MOVEMENT

Standing in the corner of the garden was a massively overgrown silver birch tree. Attached to the roof was an unsightly FM aerial.
TO + INFINITIVE FORMS IN THE FRONT POSITION, WITH INVERSION OF THE SUBJECT AND VERB BE

With demonstrative pronouns:

I disagree with that . = That I disagree with.

For years I have been writing to the President in the White House. To meet him is my most fervent wish.

With known information. (also in written information).

The house was large and sprawling, with two wings and a dark attic. Hilary spent most of her time in the drawing room or the garden. The attic she rarely visited.
B)

AN INFINITIVE FORM WHEN IT ECHOES AN EARLIER VERB:

He said he would arrive on time. And he did. = And arrive on time he did.

THOUGH
Battered though he was, he never lost his will to succeed.

FRONTING ADJECTIVE PHRASES; ALSO AND SUCH. When we want to start a sentence with known information or we want to make an emphatic comparison.
COMPARATIVE OR SUPERLATIVE PHRASE

AS
Try as she might, she simply couldnt open the jam jar.

+ VB TO BE + SUBJECT

The first band was dire. Much more exciting was Red Heat, the second group to play. Many of the monuments are truly awesome. Best of all is the Colosseum. The actors were a mixed bunch. Least inspiring of the lot was Pacino.

ALSO
Members of the royal family attended the funeral. Also at the service were several ambassadors.

SUCH
They led a life of abject poverty. Such is the fate of most illegitimate children in this province.

5. INVERSION
SO + ADJECTIVE + A FORM OF BE + SUBJECT + A THAT CLAUSE:
So intense was the heat (that) the firefighters were unable to enter the building for two hours.
C) A)

SUBJECT-VERB INVERSION

FRONTING ADVERBIALS AND INFINITIVES; AS AND THOUGH PHRASES DESCRIBING POSITION OR PLACE
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Adding emphasis

To form a link with the information in the previous sentence (formal), we can put a verb or verb phrase in front of the subject, after adverbs of place / of time + a form of be or verbs of place and movement + subject. PLACE ADVERBS (ON, IN, HERE, THERE, OUTSIDE, OPPOSITE) + BE / VBS OF PLACE AND MOVEMENT. (STAND, SIT, LIE, COME, GO, CLIMB, RUN, SAIL, FLY)
Here lies the body of On one wall there was a beautiful rambling rose. Opposite stood an ancient oak tree over a charming wishing well.

(IN) NO WAY, AT NO TIME, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, ON NO

ACCOUNT

No way am I going to wear that! (INFORMAL) Under no circumstances can refunds be given.

NOT + ONLY / TIME EXPRESSION / PERSON OR THING

Not only is he late, he hasnt even brought a present. Not since the sixties has a pop group won such acclaim. Not a single stone was left unturned in the search.

TIME ADVERBS (NEXT, THEN, FIRST, NOW, FINALLY) + BE / VBS OF PLACE AND MOVEMENT. (STAND, SIT, LIE, COME, GO, CLIMB, RUN, SAIL, FLY)
For the first hour the teams seemed evenly matched. Then came the turning point in the game as Ed scored. That was the final instalment. Next is the news.

NO SOONERTHAN

No sooner had we set out than the skies opened.

CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH NEITHER OR NOR

They have no intention of paying and neither have we. We couldnt face the customers and nor could the boss.

B)

SUBJECT-AUXILIARY INVERSION AFTER ADVERBS WITH RESTRICTIVE / NEGATIVE MEANING: HARDLY, SCARCELY, RARELY, LITTLE, NEVER
Little did we realise the true extent of his involvement. Never have I seen such a disturbing sight. Hardly had I arrived when Suzy collared me.

CLAUSES BEGINNING WITH MAY WHICH DESCRIBE A STRONG WISH

May he live to regret this decision!

AFTER FRONTED COMPARISONS, ALSO, SUCH, AND SO.

The captain is refusing to play under these conditions and so is the rest of the team.

ONLY

+ TIME EXPRESSION OR PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

PREFACING PHRASES
We put them at the beginning of a sentence to indicate that what we are about to say is important.

Only later did he manage to get permission. Only whit a great deal of effort was he able to escape.

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Adding emphasis

THE FACT IS
the money

The fact is that nobody knows who stole The point is, too many people are dying of hunger. The thing is , we have to finish the work by Monday

THE POINT IS THE THING IS

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6. CLEFT SENTENCES
1. 2. Cleft means divided. In these sentences, information which could be given in one clause is divided into two parts (each with its own verb) This gives extra emphasis to part of the sentence: a. b. c. 3. to emphasise some piece of new information to give explanations to make contrast with a previous statement

2.

When /where can be used only in informal English

It was in January when I got the test results

How or why: we do not use them (by doing sth/ because of.)
3.

We cannot use it cleft to highlight the action or a verb complement

What he did was take Sally/ It was taking Sally to the party that he did. (wrong) What he is unscrupulous/ Its totally stingy that he is (wrong).

There are 4 types of cleft sentences: a. b. c. d. It cleft sentences Wh- cleft sentences Other types (with when, where, why, who) Reversed cleft sentences

B)

WH- CLEFT SENTENCE WH CLAUSE + A FORM OF BE + A EMPHASISED WORD OR PHRASE

What Mike did was take Sally to the party. What Mike did was to take Sally to the party

A) IT CLEFT SENTENCES IT + A FORM OF BE (+ NOT AND/OR ADVERB) PHRASE + THAT/WHICH/ WHO *CLAUSE

+ EMPHASISED WORD/

What = the thing (s) that. The WH- CLAUSE MUST CONTAIN A VERB. To HIGHLIGHTED the action we use a FORM OF DO IN THE WHCLAUSE

*never what. What only to beginning Wh-cleft sentences 1.

TO EMPHASISE THE SUBJECT, THE OBJECT, AN ADVERBIAL PHRASE

OR A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE

Mike took Sally to the party on Saturday

The HIGHLIGHTED PHRASE usually CONTAINS A BARE INFINITIVE OR TO + INFINITIVE.

emphasising the subject:

It was Mike who took Sally to the party on Saturday

WH CLAUSE + A FORM OF BE + A EMPHASISED COMPLEMENT

What Jean and Bob are is stingy!
TO GIVE OUR OPINION OF STH OR SBD USING AN ADJECTIVE.

emphasising the object:

It was Sally (that) Mike took to the party on Saturday

emphasising the adverbial phrase:

It was on Saturday (that) Mike took Sally to the party

emphasising the prepositional phase:

It was to the party (that) Mike took Sally to the party)

C)

WHEN, WHERE, WHY AND WHO (USUALLY WITH AN INTRODUCTORY NOUN PHRASE (THE WH- CLAUSE ACTS LIKE AN ORDINARY RELATIVE CLAUSE).
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PERSON
PLACE TIME REASON ALL

The guy who told me about the new club was Zack. The house where I used to live is near here. The day (when) we left was the saddest day of my life. The reason (why) they never told me is they dont trust me.

/ THE (ONLY / LAST) THING

The thing I most disliked about the movie was the scene The only thing we want is a chance to air our grievances. The last thing we did was pack the kettle. All were asking for is to be given a chance.

THE (ONLY) THING WITH A NEGATIVE VERB

The thing we wont do is repair goods bough in other shops. The only thing we didnt find was the key.

D)

REVERSED CLEFT SENTENCES WE CAN REVERSE THE ORDER OF THE PARTS IN WH- CLEFT SENTENCES AND PUT THE EMPHASISED PART AT THE BEGINNING.
Taking Sally to the party is what Mike did.