he first

12
GRAMMAR
t'
.--,::flf\'1{/

Emphasis
:eting.
Changing word order to change focus
o Passive
1sition.
Passive constructions vary the way information is given in a sentence, putting more
emphasis on what comes first. See Grammar 5 and 6.
Ali roads to the north have been blocked by snow.
<lay and night.
o Fronting and inversion
Inversion here refers to changing the normal word order in the sentence so that a
prepositional phrase is emphasized befare the verb. This also involves putting the verb
paid. before the subject.
Suddenly, down came the rain!
Up in the air went the balloon.
)asís. Fronting involves changing the order of clauses in a sentence and putting first for
emphasis a clause that would usually not be first.
I don't know where the money is coming from.
Where the money is comingfrom, I don't know.
for.
Time phrases can vary in position, and are often put first because the time reference is
important.
At six o'clock Monica decided to phone the police.
,rong. There is a type of may clause introduced by although which can be inverted. 11 is a
highly formal expression.
Although it may seem / be difficult, it is not impossible.
ÍJi.fficult as it may seem, it is not impossible.
done.
Difficult though it may be, it is not impossible.
e Cleft and pseudo cleft sentences
These are sentences introduced by it is/ it was or by a clause beginning what.
Different parts of the sentence can be emphasized in this way. In speech, stress and
intonation also identify the emphasis.

farch. With it is/ was

Sue borrowed my bike las/ night.
It was Sue who borrowed my bike.
It was last night that Sue borrowed my bike.
It was my bike that Sue borrowed.
Sentences with because are also possible.
It was because I felt ill that I left.
Modal auxiliaries are also possible.
You can't have read the same book.
It can't have been the same book that you read.

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LANGUAGE PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED

With what clauses

These are common with verbs such as need, want, like, hate.
I hate rainy weather.
What I hate is rainy weather.
You need a holiday.
What you need is a holiday.
lt is also possible to emphasize events, using auxiliary do I did.
Peter left the windows unlocked.
What Peter did was (to) leave the windows unlocked.
They are destroying the environment.
What they are doing is destroying the environment.

@ Clauses beginning ali emphasize 'the only thing'.

I only need another €15.
Ali I need is another €15.

Adding words for emphasis

@ Own
This intensifies possessive adjectives.
It was my own idea.
@ Very and indeed
Very can be used emphatically to mean 'exactly/precisely'.
At the very same moment, the telephone rang.
Very ... indeed is another way of intensifying adjectives.
It was very cold indeed.
@ Emphasizing negatives
Ways of emphasizing not include: at ali, in the least, really.
It was not at ali cold.
It was not cold at ali.
In the leas// slightest usually adds bit if used before an adjective.
I wasn't interested in the slightest.
I wasn't the least bit interested.
No and none can be emphasized by at ali and whatsoever.
There were none left at ali.
There were no tickets left whatsoever.
@ The
The can emphasize uniqueness. lt is heavily stressed in speech.
Surely you are not the David Beckham, are you?
@ Question w0rds ending in -ever
These add an air of disbelief to the question.
Whatever are you doing?
Whoever told you that?

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 GRAMMAR 12 EMPHASIS

® Auxiliary do
This can emphasize the verb, and is stressed in speech.
Ido like this film! It's real/y great!
It is also used in polite fonns.
Ido hope you'll come again! Do sit down!

® Adverbs and adjectives

A large number of adverbs and adjectives are used to add emphasis.
Common examples are:
I actually went inside one of the Pyramids.
It is by no means certain that the match will take place.
Some people were even wearing two pullovers, it was so cold,
Her performance was sheer magic!
This book is utter nonsense!
The following examples are only possible with adjectives which express an absolute
opinion (non-gradeable adjectives).
It was absolutely fantastic!
The third exam question was quite (complete/y) impossible.
This guide book 'is utterly useless.
You were simply wonderful!
Don't cook the meat any more. It's just right!
® Echoing phrases with so
These express agreement.
A: This is the book you are looking far.
B: So it is!

Othermeans
® Time phrases
Common examples are day after day; time and time again; over and over again; day in,
day out.
David reads the same books over and over again!
® Repetition of main verb
I tried and tried, but it was no use.
® In the repetition of a phrase with a possessive, it is pos~ible to omit the first mention
of the noun and use a possessive pronoun.
Their marriage was a successful marriage.
Theirs was a successful marriage.

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 LANGUAGE PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED

1 Complete each sentence with a phrase from the box.

the least bit waited and waited as it may seem by no means not at al!
what we did time and time again can't have been none at al! clo think

1 I know you're busy, but I .02..t.~fr.:B. ............................ you could have

helped me with the decorating.
2 lt's .............................................. certain that the president will be re-elected.
3 You may have lots of restaurants where you live, but there are
.............................................. in this part of town.
4 I told you .............................................. about the leaking pipes, but you wouldn't
listen.
5 You don't seem .............................................. interested in my problems!
6 Strange ............................................. , the bus is actually faster than the !rain.
7 In the end, .............................................. was to cal! a plumber.
8 We .............................................. all day, but Chris never turned up.
9 Nicola was ...................•........................... bothered by our turning up so late.
10 It .............................................. Jim that you saw; he is in Germany at the moment.

2 Complete the text with the words from the box. Use one word in each gap.

again al! as at is utter what whatever whatsoever why

What really makes me furious is the sort of language used in official letters.
For example, 1 can't make any sense of this letter from the council
(1) .flt.. ................. ali. lt's (2) ....................... nonsense, if you ask me.
(3) ............ : .......... the council can't write in plain English is beyond me.
(4) ....................... 1 really can't stand is this kind of long-winded, complicated
English. In my opinion, what they're doing (5) ....................... systematically
destroying the language with ali this new jargon - 'input', 'time window',
'feasibility study' - (6) ........................ are they talking about?
(7) ....................... we get is the same meaningless drivel over and over
(8) ........................ Listen to this: 'Difficult (9) ....................-... it may be for
all parties concerned, this is the most viable solution on offer.' 1 have no idea,
none (1 O) ....................... , what that means. Can nobody write in plain English
nowadays? Or is there something wrong with me?

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 GRAMMAR 12 EMPHASIS

3 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

,lected.

ou wouldn't
1 The car doesn't need anything else except new tyres.
ns! NEEDS
te train.
All Jh~.e.!lr..!'!<M0/iJli ........................................................................ new tyres.
2 Liz didn't worry at ali about her exams.
BIT
;o late.
Liz wasn't the .................................................................. about her exams.
the moment.
3 The person who told me about the hotel was Keith.
WHO
,ach gap.
It ................................................................................ told me about the hotel.
rer why 4 I had spent every last penny of my money.
ABSOLUTELY
I had ............................................................................................... whatsoever.
ti letters.
5 Although the ticket may seem expensive, it is good value for money.
THOUGH
ne.
,Expensive .................................................. , the ticket is good value for money.
1 me.
6 I really hate lukewarm food.
omplicated
STAND
rnatically
What I ...................................................................................... lukewarm food.
1dow',
7 In the end Martha went to the police.
WAS
over
In the end what Martha ................................................,............. to the police.
,y be for
8 I think you must have seen a ghost.
re no idea,
THAT
plain English
It .......................................................................................................... you saw.
9 Her car was the last car you'd expect to be stolen.
VERY
Hers .......................................................................... you'd expect to be stolen.
10 The accident happened because someone was very careless.
CAUSED
Sheer ..................................................................................................... happen.

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LANGUAGE PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED

4 Underline the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence. 6 Cho,

1 Don't worry, I'm none at al/ I not at al/ tired. l
2 I thought that speech was utter / utterly rubbish.
2
3 It was because / why the car broke down that we missed our plane.
3
4 A: You are sitting on my hat!
4
B: So am I I So I am!
5 The sea was so rough that actual/y I even the experienced sailors were seasick. 5
6 Whatever I Why ever are you looking at me like that for? 6
7 I would like to make it quite I simply clear that we are just good friends. 7
8 This is my very prívate/ very own computer. 8
9 On this course, we absolutely expect / do expect you to work hard.
9
10 There were warnings, but nothing whatsoever I nothing simply was done.
10
5 Read the dialogue and decide which option (A, B or C) best fits each gap.
a
Jane: Well, <lid you see Western Warrior at the cinema? b
Ben: Yes, and I thought it was very good ( 1) .....!:... A lot of people had warned me that e
the plot gota bit far-fetched, but I didn't notice anything like that (2) ........... What d
about you? e
Jane: No, I'm afraid I wasn't interested (3) ........... I find these action films (4) ....... ,.. f
g
unbelievable and over the top. Give me Lave on the Danube any <lay. I could watch
h
that film (5) .......... .
i
Ben: Well, I (6) .......... hope you'll come with me to see The Fall of Julian. j
Jane: lt hasn't exactly done very well, has it?
Ben: (7) .......... makes you think that? I heard it's been very popular. Sorne newspaper 7 Corr
critics have (8) .......... suggested it'll win severa! Oscars. 1
Jane: Well, I think it's (9) .......... not possible to predict these things. You never know 2
what the judges will go for. Last year I was certain that The Leaping Lady would
sweep the board, but in the end it got no awards (10) .......... . 3
4
1 A certainly B indeed C surely 5
2 A at ali B byno means C absolutely
6
3 A whatever B slightly C in the least
7
4 A very B sheer C utterly
B whatsoever C at the very moment 8
5 A over and over again
6 Awould Bdo e utterly 9
7 A Whatever B Whatsoever CWhoever 10
8 A quite B utterly Ceven
9 A completely B simply e utterly
10 A whatsoever B at least C indeed
Grar
Con,

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 GRAMMAR 12 EMPHAS!S

6 Choose the best continuation (a-j) for each sentence (1-10).

1 Ali of the trains were delayed by fog .....0. ....
2 lt wasn't so much my qualifications that impressed them ......... ..
3 I found that I was spending more time staying late at the office ......... ..
4 I don't find that the buses are especially late, actually......... ..
, seasick. 5 Actually, my fridge is in quite good condition, considering its age ......... ..
6 I don't find watching television particularly relaxing......... ..
Is. 7 !'ve decided to buy a new stereo after ali. ..........
8 This book didn't teach me everything I know about cooking ......... ..
9 The flight itself didn't really bother me at ali ......... ..
1e.
10 Actually, I wasn't in the office yesterday......... ..
gap.
a Where I am going to get the money from is another matter.
b What I really need is a new washing machine.
rned me that e It must have been my assistant who you dealt with .
........... What d lt was after 10.00 when I finally got home.
e What really gets on my nerves is people who push into the queue.
4) .......... f It was when I got off the plane that I felt ill.
could watch g What I <lid in the end was to ask for a pay rise.
h lt was Sarah who taught me how to make bread.
i It was because I spoke well at the interview that I got the job.
j What I like most is a long walk in the country.

1ewspaper 1 Complete each sentence with one word.

1 You can't complain. It's your ........9.W.':'r........ fault, isn't it?

,er know 2 A: That looks like Jane!.
idywould B: ....................... it is! My goodness; hasn't she changed.
3 I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I ....................... hope you haven't been here long.
4 It is by no ....................... certain that the prime minister will attend the meeting.
5 ....................... I really enjoy in winter is a bowl ofhot soup.
6 I searched and ....................... for my keys but I couldn't find them.
7 ....................... you are al! going to sleep I can't quite work out!
nt 8 What the government then ....................... was to raisdncome true
9 There isn't much to eat. ....................... we've got is sorne leftovers.
10 Cathy wasn't the ....................... bit put out when I couldn't make it to her wedding.

-~SEEALSO
Grammar 5 and 6: Passive 1 and 2
Consolidation 3: Units 9-12

91