LanGYM — Word Order and Emphasis

Section 1 — Context Listening

1.1 Which of these qualities and characteristics might people use in describing you?

passionate · talented · inspiring · persuasive · determined · visionary · generous · humble

1.2 Listen to this speech made in honour of Maria Adams, a music teacher. Which of the qualities and characteristics in 1.1 does the speaker use to describe her?

🎧 Recording 27

Recording 27 — Transcript

Good evening. I am delighted to be here this evening to pay tribute to Maria Adams. It was in the mid-1990s that we first met, when Maria had been writing to me for some weeks, suggesting that I might be able to help her plan a series of educational concerts for schoolchildren in the city. Making music she sees as a fundamental part of a child's development. And so, in front of the committee sat Maria, speaking with enormous passion, and what impressed us most was the way she calmly and clearly argued her case. Seldom had I met anyone with such passion for their beliefs.

The result of our meeting was the Music in Schools project. It's among children from poorer backgrounds that the Music in Schools project has had most impact. What she was suggesting was that members of the Young City Orchestra would volunteer their services free of charge in schools in the city. All she ever wanted to do as she was growing up was play the violin. And now, as conductor of the YCO, what she did was convince us of the value of a musical education for every child in the city.

The council has tried a number of times to make changes to the Music in Schools project in order to save money. Only after Maria threatened to withdraw her support did the council back down. Not only has she persuaded YCO members to give up their time, but she has also encouraged visiting musicians to give free concerts in schools. So successful has Music in Schools been that those involved in music education around the world have visited the city to see the project in action. Such was her understanding of music education that the government wanted to draw on her expertise, and then came an invitation to be a special adviser to the government on music education. Were she ever to leave the orchestra, it would be a great loss to music education in this city.

Ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses to Maria Adams.

1.3 Listen again. Say whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F). If a sentence is false, say why.

1.4 These ideas are expressed in a different way by the speaker. Listen again and write down exactly what he said.

1

We first met in the mid-1990s.
→

2

She sees making music as a fundamental part of a child's development.
→ Making music she sees as a fundamental part of a child's development.

3

The way she calmly and clearly argued her case impressed us most.
→ What impressed us most was the way she calmly and clearly argued her case.

4

I have rarely met anyone with such passion for their beliefs.
→ Seldom had I met anyone with such passion for their beliefs.

5

The council has tried to make changes to the Music in Schools project a number of times in order to save money.
→ The council has tried a number of times to make changes to the Music in Schools project in order to save money.

6

The council backed down only after Maria threatened to withdraw her support from the project.
→ Only after Maria threatened to withdraw her support did the council back down.

Section 2 — Grammar

2.1Fronting and cleft sentences

Start Point

Fronting: Making music she sees as a fundamental part of a child's development. (object fronted)

It-cleft: It was in the mid-1990s that we first met. (it + is/was + emphasised part + relative clause)

Wh-cleft: What impressed us most was the way she argued her case. (what-clause + is/was + emphasised part)

Use fronting to place emphasis on the moved element. It-clefts emphasise any part of the sentence. Wh-clefts (also called pseudo-clefts) emphasise actions or things; all can replace what to mean "the only thing". To emphasise an action: What she did was (to) convince us…

It was in the mid-1990s that we first met.

What impressed us most was the way she calmly and clearly argued her case.

Making music she sees as a fundamental part of a child's development.

2.2Inversion · Inversion in conditional sentences

Start Point

Seldom had I met anyone with such passion. (inversion after negative adverb)

Only after Maria threatened to withdraw her support did the council back down.

So successful has Music in Schools been that those involved … have visited the city.

Inversion (verb before subject) occurs after: negative adverbs (never, rarely, seldom, barely, hardly, scarcely); only + time/prep phrase; at no time, on no account, under no circumstances, in no way, not only, not until, little (with negative meaning); so + adjective; such + be. In conditional sentences: Were she to leave… / Should you need… / Had Maria not been around… replace if in formal/literary style.

Seldom had I met anyone with such enthusiasm.

Only after Maria threatened to withdraw her support did the council back down.

Were she ever to leave the orchestra, it would be a great loss.

So successful has Music in Schools been that those involved have visited the city.

Section 3 — Grammar Exercises

3.1 Write a new sentence with a similar meaning to the original. Emphasise the information underlined using an it-cleft or a wh-cleft at the beginning of the sentence. Sometimes both are possible.

1 (example)

I want you to hold the cat tightly while I put on this collar.
→

2

She announced she was going to join the air force at her 18th birthday party.
→ It was at her 18th birthday party that she announced she was going to join the air force.

3

A: So how did you get the car out of the mud?
B: We asked a farmer to pull us out with his tractor.
→ What we did was (to) ask a farmer to pull us out with his tractor.

4

A: What do you think's wrong with the car?
B: The battery could be flat.
→ It could be the battery that's flat. / What could be wrong is the battery.

5

This huge bunch of flowers arrived for me this morning. I don't know who sent them.
→ I don't know who it was that sent them.

6

My parents must have given Wei my telephone number.
→ It must have been my parents who/that gave Wei my telephone number.

7

The research shows a link between salt intake and rates of heart disease.
→ What the research shows is a link between salt intake and rates of heart disease.

8

His nervous laugh made me think he was lying.
→ It was his nervous laugh that made me think he was lying.

3.2 Match the sentence halves. Write new sentences with a similar meaning starting Should …, Had … or Were ….

1 If you require further details,

2 If today's match has to be postponed,

3 If anyone had been looking at Maria when the police arrived,

4 If taxes were to be increased further,

5 If the doctors had operated sooner,

6 If I were president,

7 If your flight is cancelled,

8 If heavy snow had been forecast,

a she might have made a full recovery.

b the insurance covers a full refund.

c please contact our public information office.

d there would be a huge public outcry.

e we would not have begun the climb.

f it will be replayed next week.

g they would have noticed the expression of panic on her face.

h I would introduce three-day weekends.

1 (example → c)

2 → f

Should today's match have to be postponed, it will be replayed next week.

3 → g

Had anyone been looking at Maria when the police arrived, they would have noticed the expression of panic on her face.

4 → d

Were taxes to be increased further, there would be a huge public outcry.

5 → a

Had the doctors operated sooner, she might have made a full recovery.

6 → h

Were I president, I would introduce three-day weekends.

7 → b

Should your flight be cancelled, the insurance covers a full refund.

8 → e

Had heavy snow been forecast, we would not have begun the climb.

3.3 Complete the sentences with appropriate words. Use three words only in each sentence.

1 I thought the insurance policy would pay my hospital fees. At no time that it did not cover skiing injuries.

2 Seldom piano playing of such maturity from someone so young. I'm very impressed indeed.have I heard

3 He felt someone bump against him on the crowded bus, but only later that his wallet had been stolen.did he realise

4 I found the old bracelet while I was walking along the beach. Little then that I had made one of the most important archaeological discoveries of recent years.did I know

5 Not since Philip and Gary Neville last played in 2004 two brothers in the England football team.have there been

6 I asked her to describe her attacker, but only after several minutes .did she speak

7 No sooner into bed than his flatmate started playing his drums.had he got

8 The Atlantic crossing took eight days. I was in Isabella's company on several occasions, but not a word to me until near the end of the journey.did she say

3.4 Rewrite the underlined parts of the conversation, emphasising the word(s) in italics. In each case use fronting, a cleft sentence or inversion.

A: I hear you and Anna didn't have a great holiday on the island.

B: No, not really, although (1) we liked the island a lot. (2) The hotel was the real problem.

A: Why? What was wrong with it?

B: Our room was just awful. … Anna was pretty annoyed and went down to reception to complain. But they told her she was just being fussy and (3) she got really furious about that. She insisted on seeing the manager, and demanded that something should be done.

A: And was it?

B: Well, we had a steady stream of workers coming into the room after that. (4) An electrician came first and then the next day a plumber. But neither of the problems got fixed. (5) It took them three days to decide that we needed another room.

A: You must have been fed up with the hotel by that time.

B: I think (6) the attitude of the staff annoyed me most — they really just didn't care. (7) I have never seen such a total lack of interest from people who are supposed to be providing a service. (8) No one apologised once the whole time we were there…

1 (example)

2

It was the hotel that was the real problem.

3

Really furious she got about that. / So furious did she get about that.

4

First came an electrician and then the next day a plumber.

5

Not until three days later did they decide that we needed another room.

6

What annoyed me most was the attitude of the staff.

7

Never have I seen such a total lack of interest …

8

Not once did anyone apologise the whole time we were there.