Grammar Rules: Fronting and Comparative Phrases
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Questions and Answers

What is the purpose of fronting in spoken English?

  • To add emphasis to a sentence (correct)
  • To make a sentence shorter
  • To change the meaning of a sentence
  • To make a sentence more formal

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

  • The biggest house on the street is mine
  • Best of all is the Colosseum (correct)
  • I like the Colosseum the most
  • The Colosseum is the biggest of all

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

  • The house so big is
  • The house is so big
  • So big the house is
  • So big is the house (correct)

    • When can we front an infinitive form?

    <p>When it echoes an earlier verb</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the correct rule about inversion with pronouns?

    <p>We never use inversion with pronouns</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following expressions cannot be inverted?

    <p>No doubt</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

    <p>To express an element of surprise</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

    <p>'While' is more informal, 'whereas' is more formal</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

    <p>To provide an informal alternative to although</p> Signup and view all the answers

    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".

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    Test your knowledge of grammar rules involving fronting and comparative phrases, and learn how to use them effectively in sentences.

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