For questions on stressing particular words or phrases
Questions tagged [emphasis]
131 questions
18
votes
7 answers
Why is "did" italicized for emphasis in "Where did you come from?"
Where did you come from?
What is the nuance of this emphasis?
I could understand it if the emphasis were on where.
user41481
10
votes
2 answers
8-in-1 sentence - depending on emphasis
I have learned that this sentence has different meanings depending on which word is emphasized:
She said she did not take his money. It was not someone else who said it.
She said she did not take his money. So I believe her.
She said she did not…
Ole Tange
- 229
6
votes
3 answers
Why use "Hell" to emphasize a statement?
I was watching Rocky last night and one of the lines got me thinking.
I was wondering why we use Hell in sentences like "A Hell of a lot better than…," "Hell, that's the best thing that's ever happened to me" and "Hell, I don't know."
The first…
user6352
5
votes
2 answers
How to properly emphasise words with italics in sentences?
I'm not sure if I can ask this question here, because it is more of a writing issue. My native language is French and I have been reading and watching stuff in English and I am quite fluent with the language now (I think).
Though I find some things…
marco-fiset
- 161
3
votes
2 answers
Is it correct to emphasize with "do" when using the verb to be?
I believe the following sentence is grammatically correct:
I do like burgers.
Meaning that the speaker wants to emphasize that he likes burgers.
What about something like:
I do am happy.
She does is married.
when the speaker wants to emphasize…
Jorge
- 149
3
votes
1 answer
How do different languages convey shades of meaning as English does with stress?
Browsing this site recently, I noticed a lot of discussion, not to say bickering, about whether some languages are more expressive or nuanced than others. It reminded me of a question I had in my head long before I discovered Stack Exchange: how do…
David Garner
- 2,137
2
votes
1 answer
Emphasising sentences
It's pretty clear that using do/did we can emphasise a verb. Such as
I do recommend reading that book.
or
I did enjoy the movie.
But the question is, how to emphasise sentences like
I am keen to work with you.
Mysterion
- 7,328
2
votes
2 answers
"because it is she that I have watered": not "her"?
In the book The Little Prince, there’s
because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe
Why “she” instead of “her”?
Penny wang
- 21
2
votes
0 answers
How would I use "the heck" or "on earth" to put emphasis on a "how much" question?
I would like to add "on earth" or "the heck" to put emphasis on a "how much" question. What I mean by this is you can add emphasis to a "what" question like this, for example:
What is a ...
can be changed to
What the heck is a ...
I am just…
2
votes
1 answer
"The" for laying emphasis
Is this a correct statement?
"The lion and tiger belong to the cat family."
Or should it be -
"The lion and the tiger belong to the cat family."
Gautam
- 123
1
vote
1 answer
Using 'so' for emphasis
A quick question. Is it possible to use 'so' for emphasis in the following sentence:
Indeed, the religious ethos so permeates the book
If so, should the following clause be a that-clause? '..so permeates the book that..'
Thank you!
Chris
- 11
0
votes
0 answers
The uses of 'very' as an emphatic word
I have found a sentence in a text in which the word 'very' works as an emphatic word. The sentence is: "These very habits should be formed in student life." The word 'very' emphasizes the noun 'habits' here. I have found this types of emphasizing…
0
votes
1 answer
prepositional phrase after "it is"
People can die after an earthquake from lack of food, water, and medical supplies.
If I change this sentence,
It is from lack of food, water and medical supplies that people can die after an earthquake.
Can I use "prepositional phrase" after…
learner
- 117
0
votes
1 answer
Can I use "have many things to do with"?
Can I use "have many things to do with" to emphasize something has important relationships with others?
For example,
this graph has many things to do with the characteristic of the
equation.
JaeJun LEE
- 103
0
votes
2 answers
what's the difference between "I know." and " I know that."?
example dialog:
"yes, yes, it's your job. I know that."
Can I just say "I know" instead of "I know that"?
another one: do I say
It is very pretty. Where did you buy?
-or-
where did you buy it?
