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282
Off he went.
Up they rushed.
For attributes emphasis may be achieved by putting them after their headword. In this way the modifier
becomes the focus and has the principal stress of the word-group.
The day following was to decide our fate.
Note:
In assessing the emphatic effect of a postmodifying attribute we should bear in mind that for certain
attributes this position is normal (see § 86).
However, the fixed patterns in English limit the opportunities to shift prominence or emphasis from one part
of the sentence to another, especially for main parts. Therefore prominence and emphasis are generally
achieved not by reordering, but by using special constructions. One such construction used for emphasizing the
subject is the introductory non-local there + verb + noun, followed by an attributive clause.
There was a girl whom he loved.
There comes a time when one should make up one’s mind.
Another device for shifting emphasis is the construction with the introductory it, the main information being
supplied by the subordinate clause. By means of this construction emphasis may be thrown upon any part of the
sentence, except the predicate. Such sentences are called cleft sentences. This can be illustrated by the
following:
It was she who opened the door.
It is not easy to find a position.
It was to Moscow that she went.
Special emphasis on words functioning as direct or indirect object may be achieved by the use of the passive
construction, in which the words to be emphasized are moved either to front position or closer to the end.
Compare the sentences:
The teacher gave the children an easy task.
The children were given an easy task by the teacher.
An easy task was given to the children by the teacher.
The linking function of word order
§ 122. The third function of word order is to express continuity of thought in sentences
(or clauses) following one another. This continuity is often supported by demonstrative pronouns and adverbs.
Some people looked down on him. Those people he despised.
They must sow their wild oats. Such was his theory.
And, oh, that look! On that look Euphemia had spent much anxious thought.
Women are terribly vain. So are men - more so, if possible.
Similarly, for purposes of enumeration, a word (or words) marking continuity is sometimes placed at the
beginning of the sentence, with the verb immediately following.
Next comes the most amusing scene.