Emphasis without Changing Meaning

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

C1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Multiple choice

How to approach this practice

Read the complete context. Check both the meaning and the grammar, including word forms, collocations and links between sentences.

1. Question 1 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. The deadline, rather than the cost, worries us.

   1. The deadline and the cost worry us equally.
   2. What worries us is the deadline, not the cost.
   3. It is the deadline, not the cost, that worries us.
   4. It is the cost alone that worries us.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   What worries us is the deadline, not the cost.; It is the deadline, not the cost, that worries us.

   Both correct emphasis structures preserve the focus on the deadline rather than the cost. Equal concern about both, or concern about the cost alone, changes that meaning.

2. Question 2 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. We discovered the error only after publication.

   1. Only after publication we did discovered the error.
   2. We discovered the error before publication.
   3. Only after publication did we discover the error.
   4. It was only after publication that we discovered the error.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Only after publication did we discover the error.; It was only after publication that we discovered the error.

   The inversion and cleft both retain the discovery time.

3. Question 3 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. The lack of consultation was the main objection.

   1. What we object chiefly was consultation lacked.
   2. What we chiefly objected to was the lack of consultation.
   3. It was the lack of consultation that constituted the main objection.
   4. The main objection was excessive consultation.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   What we chiefly objected to was the lack of consultation.; It was the lack of consultation that constituted the main objection.

   Both emphatic versions preserve the content of the objection.

4. Question 4 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. She understood the risk only when she saw the figures.

   1. It was only on seeing the figures that she understood the risk.
   2. She understood the risk before seeing the figures.
   3. Only when she saw the figures did she understand the risk.
   4. Only she understand the risk when figures saw.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It was only on seeing the figures that she understood the risk.; Only when she saw the figures did she understand the risk.

   Both correct sentences preserve the trigger and sequence.

5. Question 5 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. We need a clear answer above all else.

   1. It is a clear answer that we need above all else.
   2. It a clear answer what we need above all.
   3. What we need above all else is a clear answer.
   4. What we need is to avoid any clear answer.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It is a clear answer that we need above all else.; What we need above all else is a clear answer.

   Both cleft patterns retain the priority of a clear answer.

6. Question 6 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. The chair alone approved the exception.

   1. The only person to approve the exception was the chair.
   2. Everyone except the chair approved the exception.
   3. It was the chair alone who approved the exception.
   4. It was alone the chair which approval exception.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The only person to approve the exception was the chair.; It was the chair alone who approved the exception.

   Both correct options retain the exclusive approving person.

7. Question 7 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. We had never encountered such resistance before.

   1. We had often encountered such resistance before.
   2. Never before we had encounter such resistance.
   3. It was the first time we had encountered such resistance.
   4. Never before had we encountered such resistance.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It was the first time we had encountered such resistance.; Never before had we encountered such resistance.

   Both correct versions preserve the absence of earlier comparable resistance.

8. Question 8 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. The missing context makes the claim misleading.

   1. It is the missing context that makes the claim misleading.
   2. The claim is misleading because it includes too much context.
   3. What makes the claim misleading is the missing context.
   4. What make misleading claim is missing context of.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It is the missing context that makes the claim misleading.; What makes the claim misleading is the missing context.

   Both focus constructions keep the stated cause.

9. Question 9 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. The delay was caused by a faulty sensor.

   1. It was a faulty sensor what cause delay.
   2. It was a faulty sensor that caused the delay.
   3. The delay caused the sensor to become faulty.
   4. What caused the delay was a faulty sensor.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It was a faulty sensor that caused the delay.; What caused the delay was a faulty sensor.

   The clefts preserve the direction of causation.

10. Question 10 · Multiple choice

    Choose all the correct answers.

    Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. We became aware of the problem only then.

    1. Only then we became aware did of problem.
    2. We had been aware of the problem long before then.
    3. It was only then that we became aware of the problem.
    4. Only then did we become aware of the problem.
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    It was only then that we became aware of the problem.; Only then did we become aware of the problem.

    Both correct structures retain the first-awareness time.

What to review next

Explain why each answer fits the meaning and structure. Record useful phrases and write a new example using each pattern you found difficult.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.