Emphasis

EN Study

• Changing word order to change focus
• Adding words for emphasis
• Other means

Changing word order to change focus

Passive

• All roads to the north have been blocked by snow.

Fronting and inversion

• Prepositional phrase before verb (verb before subject)
  • Suddenly, down came the rain.
  • Up in the air went the balloon.
• Changing the order of clauses
  • I don't know where the money is coming from.
  • Where the money is coming from, I don't know.
• Time phrases at the beginning
  • At six o'clock Monika decided to phone the police.
• May
  • Although it may seem / be difficult, it is not possible.
  • Difficult as it may seem, it is not impossible.
  • Difficult though it may be, it is not impossible.

Cleft and pseudo cleft sentences

• It is / was
  • Sue borrowed my bike last night.
  • It was Sue who borrowed my bike.
  • It was last night that Sue borrowed my bike.
  • It was my bike that Sue borrowed.
• Because
  • It was because I felt ill that I left.
• Modal auxiliaries
  • You can't have read the same book.
  • It can't have been the same book that you read.
• What (with need, want, like, hate)
  • I hate rainy weather.
  • What I hate is rainy weather.
  • I need a holiday.
  • What I need is a holiday.
• Do / did
  • Peter left the windows unlocked.
  • What Peter did was (to) leave the windows unlocked.
  • They are destroying environment.
  • What they are doing is destroying the environment.

Clauses beginning all emphasize 'the only thing'

• I only need another €15.
• All I need is another €15.

Adding words for emphasis

Own (zdůrazní přídavné jméno)

• It was my own idea.

Very and indeed

• At the very same moment, the telephone rang. (Exactly/precisely)
• It was very cold indeed. (intensify the adjective)

Emphasizing negatives

• Not include (at all, in the least, really)
  • It was not at all cold.
  • It was not cold at all.
• In the least / slightest
  • I wasn't interested in the slightest. / Nezaujal mě ani v nejmenším.
  • I wasn't the least bit interested. / Nezajímalo mě to ani v nejmenším.
• No and None - at all and whatsoever
  • There were none left at all. / Nezbylo vůbec nic.
  • There were no tickets left whatsoever. / Nezbyl ani jeden lístek.
• The (čtu vždy [dzí]) - uniqueness
  • Surely you are not the David Backham, are you? / Určitě nejsi ten David Backham, že?
• Question words ending in -ever
  • Whatever are you doing? / Co to vlastně děláš?
  • Whoever told you that? / Kdo ti to vůbec řekl?
• Do
  • I do like the film! It's really great! (emphasize the verb)
  • I do hope you'll come again! Do sit down! (polite form)
• Adverbs and adjectives
  • I actually went inside one of the Pyramids. / Skutečně jsem vlezl do jedné z pyramid.
  • It is by no means certain that the match will take place. / Vůbec není jisté, že se zápas uskuteční.
  • Some people were even wearing two pullowers, it was so cold. / dokonce
  • Her performance was sheer magic! / Její výkon byl naprosto úžasný!
  • This book is utter nonsence! / Tahle kniha je naprostý nesmysl!
• With adjectives which express an absolute opinion (non-gradeable adjectives)
  • It was absolutely fantastic!
  • The third exam question was quite (completely) impossible.
  • This guide book is utterly useless. / Tahle průvodce je naprosto k ničemu.
  • You were simply wonderful!
  • Don't cook the meat any more. It's just right!
• Echoing phrases with so
  • A: This is the book you are looking for.
  • B: So it is!

Other means

Time phrases

• 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 possible to omit the first mention of the noun and use a possessive pronoun.

• Their marriage was a successful marriage.
• Theirs was a successful marriage.