Grammar Rules: Fronting and Comparative Phrases

9 Questions

What is the purpose of fronting in spoken English?

To add emphasis to a sentence

Which of the following is an example of fronting with a comparative or superlative phrase?

Best of all is the Colosseum

What is the correct way to emphasize an adjective using so + adjective + a form of be + subject?

So big is the house

When can we front an infinitive form?

When it echoes an earlier verb

What is the correct rule about inversion with pronouns?

We never use inversion with pronouns

Which of the following expressions cannot be inverted?

No doubt

What is the function of 'but' in a sentence?

To express an element of surprise

What is the difference between 'while' and 'whereas'?

'While' is more informal, 'whereas' is more formal

What is the purpose of using 'though' in a sentence?

To provide an informal alternative to although

Study Notes

Fronting

Fronting is used to make a strong contrast with something in a previous statement by moving objects or complements to the front of the clause.
It makes the information more emphatic, e.g., "Friendly she may be, but reliable she isn't!"

Comparative and Superlative Phrases

Comparative and superlative phrases can be used at the beginning of a sentence to make an emphatic comparison with information in a previous sentence.
The pattern is: a form of the verb "be" + subject, e.g., "Best of all is the Colosseum."

Emphasizing Adjectives

Adjectives can be emphasized by using "so" + adjective + a form of "be" + subject + a that clause.
Example: "So intense was the heat (that) the firefighters were unable to enter the building for two hours."

Emphasizing Known Information

Adverbial phrases that describe position or place can be used to emphasize known information by starting a sentence with them.
Verbs related to position and movement can also be used to start a sentence, e.g., "stand," "attach," or "lie."
To achieve this emphasis, the subject and verb "be" are inverted in the front position.

Fronting Infinitives

Infinitive forms can be fronted when they "echo" an earlier verb.
Example: "And he did (arrive on time) → And arrive on time he did."

Fronting with As and Though

Verbs and adjectives can be fronted using "as" and "though."
Example: "Battered though he was, he never lost his will to succeed."

Inversion

Inversion is not used if the subject of the clause is a pronoun.
Auxiliary verbs (do, have, should, can, etc.) are sometimes put before the subject in statements.
Expressions with "no", "not", etc. cannot be inverted.

Contrast in English

English can express contrasts using conjunctions, adverbs, and prepositions.
Conjunctions of contrast are used to express a difference between two clauses.

Conjunctions of Contrast

"But" is used to express a simple difference between two clauses.
"While" is more informal than "whereas", and "whilst" is very formal.
A clause starting with "while", "whilst", or "whereas" can be placed before or after the main clause.
A clause starting with "but" has to come second.
Clauses starting with "while", "whereas", and "whilst" are separated with a comma, but not usually with "but".
"Though" is a more informal alternative to "although".