LCH1109 Preparing for IELTS Grammar: Emphasizing

Grammar: Emphasizing

Examples Because they want to find out if there is life on Mars, NASA has sent a spacecraft
1–3 there.
Fronting The reason is placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis.
Despite its cost, there is a lot of interest in space exploration.
‘despite + noun’ = preposition phrase (placed at the beginning of the sentence for
emphasizing the information)
Yesterday they arrived.
‘yesterday’ = adverb (placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasizing
the information)
Examples The Chinese sent a probe to the Moon.
4–5 What the Chinese did was send a probe to the Moon.
What + subject + auxiliary verb + was/is + focus (‘send a probe to the Moon’)
Examples People don’t think about the level of planning that is involved.
6–7 What people don’t think about is the level of planning that is involved.
What + subject + verb phrase + is/was + focus (‘the level of planning that is
involved)
Examples Space explorers want to find water on other planets.
8–9 What space explorers want is to find water on other planets.
What + subject + verb + is/was + focus (‘to find water on other planets’)
Examples The astronauts enjoyed the space walk most.
10 – 11 It was the space walk that the astronauts enjoyed most.
‘It’ + was/is + focus (‘the space walk’) + that …
Examples We only require political will to set up a permanent base on the Moon.
12 – 13 All (that) we require to set up a permanent base on the Moon is political will.
‘All (that)’ + subject + verb + is/was + focus (‘political will’)
Examples 5,7,9,11,13: Cleft Sentences

Reference: Brook-Hart, G., & Jakeman, V. (2013). Complete IELTS bands 6.5-7.5 student’s book
with answers. Cambridge University Press. (pp.112-113)

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