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Cleft Sentences Fronting Inversion Pres

The document explains the use of cleft sentences, fronting, and inversion in English to emphasize different elements of a sentence. Cleft sentences divide information into two clauses to highlight specific parts, while fronting introduces contrast, and inversion alters the typical subject-verb order for emphasis. Various examples illustrate how these structures can be applied to emphasize subjects, objects, adverbials, and other sentence components.

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Nikola Klaudia
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5 views8 pages

Cleft Sentences Fronting Inversion Pres

The document explains the use of cleft sentences, fronting, and inversion in English to emphasize different elements of a sentence. Cleft sentences divide information into two clauses to highlight specific parts, while fronting introduces contrast, and inversion alters the typical subject-verb order for emphasis. Various examples illustrate how these structures can be applied to emphasize subjects, objects, adverbials, and other sentence components.

Uploaded by

Nikola Klaudia
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Emphasis

CLEFT SENTENCES, FRONTING, INVERSION


2
Cleft sentences 1

 In a cleft sentence information is divided into two


clauses.

 Vanessa has given the most inspiring speech.


 It is Vanessa who has given the most inspiring speech.

- emphasis on new information, explanation or contrast

 Structure: it + be + emphasized element + that/wh-


clause
3
Cleft sentences 2

Mike took Sally to the party on Saturday.

Emphasis on the:

subject: It was Mike who took Sally to the party on Saturday.

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

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

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


4
Cleft sentences 3

 wh- cleft sentences: emphasis on the action

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

 Emphasis on the complement:

What Bob is is rude!


5
Cleft sentences 4

Emphasis on:
- person: The person who opened the door was Mark.
- place: The house where I was born is nearby.
- time: The day (when) we met is the one I won’t forget.
- reason: The reason (why) they didn’t come is thay didn’t
know about the meeting.

Reversed: Mark was the person who opened the door.


6
Fronting

 Spoken English: introducing contrast

- She’s such a friendly person.

- Friendly she may be, but reliable she is not!

John was fast. Much faster though was Mark.

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

Tired though he was, he didn’t let it spoil the evening.


7
Inversion 1

 Subject-verb inversion after:

 Adverbs of place: Here is situtated the oldest

building in town.

 Adverbs of time: Afterwards came the turning

scene in the movie.


8
Inversion 2

 Subject-auxiliary inversion after:

 Negative adverbs: Little did we realise what was to follow.

Never have I seen such a situation before.

 only+time expression/PP: Only later did he manage to regain

consciousness.

 Other phrases are listed on p. 323, F&H, Unit 34

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