CAE - Emphasis

EMPHASIS PART 1
EMPHASIS USING NEGATIVE INTRODUCTORY EXPRESSIONS
The following expressions can be placed first in a sentence for emphasis. The subject and
verb are then inverted. We use DO/DOES/DID if there is no auxiliary.

Little, never, rarely, scarcely:

I have never seen so many people
Never have I seen so many people.
We knew very little about his business
Very little did we know about his
business.

No soonerthan; barely/hardlywhen
As soon as he had got the job, he asked for a pay rise
No sooner had he got the
job than he asked for a pay rise
I had hardly got through the door when the phone rang Hardly had I got through
the door when the phone rang.

At no time, under no circumstances, on no account, no way (informal):

You shouldnt let anyone in under any circumstances. Under no circumstances
should you let anyone in.
We didnt talk about it at any time
At no time did we talk about it.

Not since, not for, not a (person/thing), not only(but also):

He hasnt written such a superb novel since the 90s. Not since the 90s has he
written such a superb novel.
They dont only want a pay increase, but they (also) want reduced hours Not only
do they want a pay increase, (but) they (also) want reduced hours.

Only + time expressions or prepositional phrases

Only now has the crime been solved.
Only when I got at the airport did I realise I had forgotten my passport!

PRACTICE
A. REWRITE THESE SENTENCES TO MAKE THEM MORE EMPHATIC, STARTING WITH
THE EXPRESSIONS IN BRACKETS. MAKE ANY CHANGES NECESSARY.
1. We will not enter into correspondence with competitors under any circumstances.
(Under no circumstances)

2. The judges will not discuss their decision on any account.

Prof. Mara Estela Medina
E.I.D.I. Enseanza Integral de Ingls

CAE - Emphasis
( On no account)

3. This slogan is witty and it is also original.

(Not onlyalso)

4. I havent been so excited since winning the school poetry prize.

(Not since)

5. You dont often get the opportunity to visit such a remote place.
(Rarely)

6. We had only just arrived, when we were besieged by reporters.

(Hardly)

7. They are only now beginning to realise what a mistake they made.
(Only now)

8. He didnt say a word all evening.

(Not a)

9. I had just dropped off to sleep, when there was a knock at the door.
(No sooner than)

Prof. Mara Estela Medina

E.I.D.I. Enseanza Integral de Ingls

CAE - Emphasis
10.I refuse to go to the party wearing that!
(No way)

B. COMPLETE THE TEXT BY PUTTING ONE WORD IN EACH SPACE

Recently, I took up my banks offer of a 24-hour telephone banking service. I thought this
would save me time. Not (1) .. could I check my balances, (2) . I
could also pay my bills with a single phone call.
Little (3) .. I know how hard it would turn out to be. I rang the number the other
day, but barely (4) I started talking (5) . the line went dead. I
redialed, but no (6) ..had I managed to get through (7) . I was put
on hold. Only after five minutes (8) . I able to speak to a real person. By that
time, I had forgotten my password! (9) .. have I been so embarrassed in all my
life. Finally, I managed to remember it, only to be told that I didnt have enough in my account
to pay the bill. Never (10) .. it taken so long not to pay a bill!

Prof. Mara Estela Medina

E.I.D.I. Enseanza Integral de Ingls