ADDING

EMPHASIS
P R E PA R E D B Y : L U V T. B U T I L
ADDING EMPHASIS
- one way to make convincing
persuasive texts
- shapes our sentences through
the use of EMPHATIC language
EMPHATIC
- expressing something forcibly
and clearly

imparts emphasis
TECHNIQUES IN
ADDING
EMPHASIS
1. EXCEPETIONAL USE OF
“DO” AND “DID”
- use the auxiliary verbs “DO” and
“DID” to express something contrary
or opposite; or to emphasize negative
sentences
EXAMPLES:
 I do believe that you should
rest now and stop working so
hard.
 No that’s not correct. Jane did
confront Jenny about the issue
between them.
ACTS LIKE THAT OF AN

INTENSIVE
PRONOUN
2. USE OF CLEFT SENTENCES
* CLEFT SENTENCE
- a sentence in which an
element (a word or a phrase) is
emphasized by being put in a
separate clause, with the use of
an empty introductory word
such as “IT” and “WHAT”
A. USE OF CLEFT SENTENCES: IT
- emphasizes the intention of the
message by changing the normal
sentence pattern with the relative
pronoun “IT” + is/was
EXAMPLES:
 It is her loyalty that impressed
the manager.

 It is the friendly atmosphere

that attracts him to the
company.
EXAMPLES:
 It was she who received my
letter.

 It was Bernard who broke her

heart.
B. USE OF CLEFT SENTENCES: WHAT
- emphasizes a specific subject or
object with “WHAT” clauses
- the clause introduced by
“WHAT” is used as the subject or
object of the sentence
EXAMPLES:
 What she needs is a friend
to comfort her.

 What we desire is a salary

increase.
EXAMPLES:
 You must listen to what she
says.

 You must do what is good

for you.
3. USE OF PASSIVE VOICE
* ACTIVE VOICE
- a type of clause or sentence
in which a subject performs an
action and expresses it through
its representative verb
3. USE OF PASSIVE VOICE
* ACTIVE VOICE
- simply, when a subject
performs an action directly, it
is in active voice
- uses a transitive verb to show
the action
* TRANSITIVE VERB
Characteristics:
 must be an action verb
• expressing a doable activity
EX:
kick, want, paint, write, eat, clean,
etc.
 must have a direct object
• something or someone who
receives the action of the verb
EXAMPLES:
 Sylvia kicked Juan
under the table.
subject: Sylvia
transitive verb: kicked
direct object: Juan
EXAMPLES:
 Alicia wrote a love poem
on a restaurant napkin.
subject:Alicia
transitive verb: wrote
direct object: poem
EXAMPLES:
 Antonio eats the fried
chicken drenched in brown
gravy.
subject:Antonio
transitive verb: eats
direct object: fried chicken
3. USE OF PASSIVE VOICE
* PASSIVE VOICE
- a type of clause or sentence
in which an action (through a
verb), or an object of a
sentence, is emphasized rather
than its subject
3. USE OF PASSIVE VOICE
* PASSIVE VOICE
- simply, the subject receives
the action of the verb
- emphasis or focus is on the
action, while the subject is not
known or less important
 WHEN YOU USE A PASSIVE SENTENCE, YOU
MAY EMPHASIZE YOUR TOPIC BECAUSE
YOU SHOW WHAT IS TAKING
PLACE ON SOMETHING
RATHER THAN WHO OR WHAT
ACTS ON SOMETHING.
EXAMPLES:
A book was written.
The focus in this sentence is on the
action of a book that was written;
however, readers do not know who
wrote the book.
EXAMPLES:
 Many people were killed in
the war against terrorism.
The emphasis is on the action “were
killed.” Here again the subject is not
identified.
EXAMPLES:
 Juan was kicked by
Sylvia under the table.
Sylvia kicked Juan under
the table.
EXAMPLES:
 A love poem was
written by Alicia on a
restaurant napkin.
Alicia wrote a love poem
on a restaurant napkin.
EXAMPLES:
 The fried chicken drenched
in brown gravy is eaten by
Antonio.
Antonio eats the fried
chicken drenched in
brown gravy.