一、概說

英語中表示強調的方式很多，如口語可用重讀來表示強調，書面語中表示強調則較多，如一個比較的簡單的辦法就是在謂語動詞前加do：

He does speak well! 他的確講得很精彩。

He did said that. 他的確說過那話。

有時也可將要強調的成分置一句首：

This the students can understand. 這一點學生們是理解的。

Standing beside the table was his son. 站在桌旁的是他的兒子。

本章討論的是使用It+be+被強調成分+that (who)…這一強調句型來表示強調。

二、強調句的基本結構及用法

1. 基本結構：It+be+被強調成分+that (who)…

He bought the book in this shop yesterday.

→It was he that bought the book in this shop yesterday. (強調主語he)

→It was the book that he bought in this shop yesterday. (強調賓語the book)

→It was in this shop that he bought the book yesterday. (強調地點狀語in this shop)

注：在該強調結構中，it is (was)…that (who)…為結構詞，它通常可以省略，而不影響句子的意思。

2. 關于that與who

當被強調部分指人時，可以用who代that；當被強調部分指物時通常用that。注意：強調事物時，通常不宜用which來代that，另外當強調時間或地點狀語時，通常也不能用when / where代that(尤其是當這些狀語為介詞短語時)。

3. 關于被強調成分

該強調句型中，被強調的成分除了是名詞、代詞、介詞短語等之外, 也可以是從句：

It is when he got back that he knew what had happened. 他回來后才知道所發生的情況。

It was because he loved my money that he married me. 他是因為愛我的錢才同我結了婚。

注：(1) 該句型可強調because引導原因狀語從句，但通常不能強調由 since, as引導的原因狀語從句，另外也不強調由although引導的讓步狀語從句。

(2) 該句型可以強調主語，但不強調表語。

三、兩種值得注意的強調句結構

1. 強調句的特殊疑問句形式

強調句型的陳述句形式和一般疑問句形式一般還好理解，但若以特殊疑問句形式出現，則很容易誤解。比較：

Jim told us the news.(非強調句)

It was Jim that told us the news.(強調句型的陳述句形式)

Was it Jim that told us the news.(強調句型的一般疑問句形式)

Who was it that told us the news.(強調句型的特殊疑問句形式)

特殊疑問句形式的強調句可視為對陳述句強調中的被強調成分提問得來，如對It was yesterdaythat he arrived. 這一句中的yesterday提問，即得到When was it that he arrived?

2. not...until用于強調句

其基本形式為It is (was) not until…that…。比較：

He didn’t come until his wife left. 他妻子走了之后他才來。

It was not until his wife left that he came. 他妻子走了之后他才來。

They didn’t start until the rain stopped. 直到雨停他們才出發。

It was not until the rain stopped that they started. 直到雨停他們才出發。