GRAMMAR FILE UNIT 9 2ND EDITION C1

REFERENCE inversion after adverbs/adverbial phrases with

a negative meaning
emphatic structures We use inversion after adverbs or adverbial phrases to focus on
and give emphasis to what we’re saying (adverb/adverbial phrase
+ modal auxiliary + subject):
cleft sentences No sooner had we got on the motorway than we broke down.
it clefts (it + be + phrase + defining relative clause)
Never before had we seen such a beautiful sunset.
We use it clefts when we want to change the normal sentence
Little did I know what would be waiting for me when I got
structure in order to emphasise or focus on certain information.
home.
It was Nigel Harwood who sang the opening song at the award
Not until we’d finished the meal did he tell us the news.
ceremony.
In no way would I expect you to delay things just for me.
It was at the award ceremony that Nigel Harwood sang the
opening song. Only when I'd read the book did I understand the dedication.
It was the opening song that Nigel Harwood sang at the award Scarcely/Hardly/Barely had I opened the door when my brother
ceremony. shouted for me to help with the cleaning.
The important information is directly after it + be. It can: Note: Using negative adverbs and phrases to front an inverted
sentence is more often used in formal or written English. This is
• emphasise the subject of the defining relative clause.
especially true of sentences using inversion after so and such.
It was Mark who phoned the council last Saturday.
So steep was the cliff that he struggled to climb it.
• emphasise the object of the defining clause.
Such hardship did they suffer that few reached the age of thirty.
It was the council who Mark phoned last Saturday.
• emphasise the whole phrase.
academic and formal language
It was last Saturday that Mark phoned the council.
Note: When the subject of the defining clause is plural, we still complex sentence structures
use it + be in the singular. We use more complex sentence structures:
It was his parents who were applauding the loudest. • by connecting information into one sentence.
wh- clefts I worked on the problem in the early stages. This meant I had
We use wh- clefts to emphasise new or interesting information better insights into how to resolve the problem. → Working
which usually follows the wh- clause. on the problem in the early stages allowed me to have better
What fascinates me is the way the director creates such clever insights into how we could resolve it.
effects. • with a shortened relative clause.
We use: The team, who were satisfied with their results, practised less.
• what (as subject) + verb + be + emphasised word/phrase. → The team, satisfied with their results, practised less.
What is interesting is how the writer integrates several • with emphatic structures such as it or inverted clauses.
storylines. What worried me was that the results were not replicable.
• what + clause + be + emphasised word/phrase. • with a very long object.
What he’s aiming to do is (to) get more qualifications before He invited all the students who had attended his lectures to
applying for jobs. a party.
Note: We can also use phrases such as the reason why, the place • with a participle clause or a clause inside a clause.
where, the person who. Having no way to get home, he finally rang his father.
The place where we first met is just round that corner.
objective language
emphatic auxiliaries We use objective language such as the passive.
We use do/does/did in positive present and past simple The company had lower profits in 2014.
structures, when we want to emphasise an action in the present → Company profits were down in 2014.
simple or past simple.
We do get some strange looks when we travel in Ben’s bright concise expressions
orange car! We use concise expressions such as noun phrases.
We did have a good time when we went to Greece, didn’t we? company profits (the profits of the company)
Note: to emphasise actions or events using different verb forms, foregone conclusion (a conclusion which is foregone)
we stress the auxiliary.
I am trying! I have checked the words in the dictionary. I shall be formal or topic-specific vocabulary
at the concert. made everyone interested → captured everyone’s attention
important point → key factor looked at → examined

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 2ND EDITION C1

PRACTICE 5 You need to be a member to use the club facilities.

IF
1 Rewrite the sentences. Start with it and focus on the Only you use the club
information in bold. facilities.

1 A The Labour government changed the law on fox 6 Many people are irritated by the requirement to wear a suit
hunting in 2004. every day to work.

B The Labour government changed the law on fox IS

hunting in 2004. What to wear a suit
C The Labour government changed the law on fox every day to work.
hunting in 2004.
5 Join each pair of sentences using complex sentence
2 A My sister made the chocolate cakes for Joanne’s party. structures.
B My sister made the chocolate cakes for Joanne’s party. 0 The ability to become skilled at computer coding is
C My sister made the chocolate cakes for Joanne’s party. becoming more important. As a result, it is now being
taught in every school.
2 Add emphasis to these sentences by adding do, does or did. The increasing importance of being skilled at computer
1 It helps if I get a good night’s sleep before an exam. coding means that it is now being taught in every school.
2 The members had a long discussion at the meeting. 1 In some parts of the world, quite dangerous animals are
3 Danny goes on about the year he spent in the USA a lot. left free to roam. They can cause problems for villages they
try to enter.
4 I wasn’t sure before but we have a lesson on Friday.
2 If you want to earn more money, my manager taught
5 Pat gave me his email address but I’ve lost it, I’m afraid.
me that this is possible. This is by becoming skilled at
3 Rewrite the sentences starting with the words/phrases in something others cannot do.
brackets. 3 We hadn’t heard from him for over six months. This
1 I wanted to point out that there won’t be much parking worried us.
space available directly outside our house. (what) 4 The local music event is a tradition which was once free for
2 I’m not going to be able to meet that deadline. (no way) locals. Therefore, it is now offering free drinks.
3 I’m phoning to ask you the best route to the hotel and 6 Read the article and complete the gaps with one word only.
confirm the time of the dinner. (the reason why)
4 I had just read the email when David called me to discuss
the problem. (no sooner) A NEW WORLD?
5 I haven’t ever given James the impression that I was
looking for a change of job. (at no time) Universities worldwide are changing the way
they 0 do business. We live in a world where
4 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar 1
before have so many students studied
meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not
change the word given. Use between three and six words. in countries outside their own. It is 2
category of students that all universities are
1 Our neighbour told us that the house opposite is being
seeking to attract. As a result, most universities,
sold. 3
they are based, are now having to
WHO
offer a significant number of courses in English in
It that the house order to attract students 4 the numbers
opposite is being sold.
they need. At the same time, the travelling students
2 The accident happened just behind that statue. are learning multiple languages and many speak at
WHERE 5
three – their mother tongue, English
The just behind that and the language of the country in which they are
statue. studying. It is only 6 this next generation
3 Ask Mr Reeves because he’s responsible for those queries. of employees has made an impact in the workplace
YOU that we will see 7 the new skills learnt
It because he’s from their alternative studying experiences make a
responsible for those queries. difference both to the way we work and to the way
4 Nobody knows where the thieves hid the money. we communicate at work. 8 travelled
and lived in other cultures, will this group bring new
IS
energies and innovations to our working lives?
Where unknown.

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