Marina C1-Emphatic structures

Emphatic structures

Index

Definition

Cleft sentences

Negative inversion

Do, Does, Did.

Thank you!

Section 1

Definition

We often emphasise a particular part of a sentence, perhaps to contradict what someone else has said or for dramatic effect. While speaking, we can do this with stress and intonation alone, but we can also do this by changing the position of elements in a sentence in speech and writing.

Section 2

Cleft sentences

‘Cleft’ means divided. In a cleft sentence, information which could be given in one clause is divided into two parts, each with its own verb:

Examples

• Vanessa has made the greatest impact. (normal sentence: single clause, one verb).

• It is Vanessa who has made the greatest impact. (cleft sentence: two clauses, two verbs)

This gives extra emphasis to part of the sentence. We often use this pattern to emphasise some piece of new information, to give explanations or to make a contrast with a previous statement (the emphasised information is in bold):

Why do we use cleft sentences?

This gives extra emphasis to part of the sentence. We often use this pattern to emphasise some piece of new information, to give explanations or to make a contrast with a previous statement (the emphasised information is in bold):

• All of the Redgrave family are gifted actors. But it is Vanessa who made the greatest impact in the world of feature films.
• ‘I remember your uncle taking us to the fair.’ ‘No, it was my father that took us there.’

IT cleft sentences

it + a form of be (+ not and/or adverb) + emphasised word/phrase + that /which/ who clauseIt isn’t just his outlandish sense of humour that I’m complaining about

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WH-cLEFT SENTENCES.

We can use this pattern to highlight the action in a sentence. For example, if we want to highlight Mike’s action of taking Sally to the party: wh- clause + a form of be + emphasised word or phrase What Mike did was take Sally to the party

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Other types of cleft sentences.

We can use wh- clauses with when, where, why and who to highlight a person, a place, a time and a reason, but we usually use an introductory noun phrase (underlined below). The wh- clause acts like an ordinary relative clause: X Who we forgot to invite was Ian. ✓ The one (who) we forgot to invite was Ian

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Reversed cleft sentences.

We can reverse the order of the parts in wh- cleft sentences and put the emphasised part at the beginning:

• Taking Sandy to the match is what the boys are doing.
• Zack was the guy who told me about the new club.

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SECtion 3

Negative inversion.

We sometimes put an auxiliary (do. have, should, can, etc.) before the subject in statements; the rest of the verb phrase follows the subject. We use this pattern of inversion for emphasis in the following cases:

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Section 4

Emphatic auxiliaries

Auxiliaries can be used in positive sentences to give emphasis. When they are emphatic they are never contracted.

Further explanation

In the present simple tense and the past simple tenses the appropriate form of do is used to show emphasis. I do like Penny. – So do I. We did have a lovely time.

Thank you!