一、基本定义
强调句(The Emphatic Pattern)是一种修辞，是人们为了表达自己的意愿或情感而使用的一种形式。通过各种方式对句子中的某个部分进行强调，从而起到修辞的作用。 英语常用的强调结构是"It is (was)+被强调部分(主语、宾语或状语)+who (that)..."。一般说来,被强调部分指人时,用who;指事物时用that,但that也可以指人。在美国英语中指事物时常用which来代替that。
二、常用句型
1. 陈述句的强调句型
It is/ was + 被强调部分(通常是主语、宾语或状语)+ that/ who(当强调主语且主语指人)+ 其他部分。
例子 It was yesterday that he met Li Ping.
2. 一般疑问句的强调句型
同上，只是把is/ was提到it前面。
例子 Was it yesterday that he met Li Ping?
3. 特殊疑问句的强调句型
被强调部分(通常是疑问代词或疑问副词)+ is/ was + it + that/ who + 其他部分?
例子 When and where was it that you were born?
4.not … until … 句型的强调句
A. 句型为：It is/ was not until + 被强调部分 + that + 其他部分
普通句：He didn't go to bed until/ till his wife came back.
强调句：It was not until his wife came back that he went to bed.
B. 注意：
此句型只用until，不用till。但如果不是强调句型，till, until可通用;因为句型中It is/ was not ... 已经是否定句了，that后面的从句要用肯定句，切勿再用否定句了。
5.谓语动词的强调
A. It is/ was ... that ... 结构不能强调谓语，如果需要强调谓语时，用助动词do/ does或did
Do sit down. 务必请坐。
Do be careful when you cross the street. 过马路时，务必(千万)要小心啊!
B. 注意：
此种强调只用do/ does和did，没有别的形式;过去时用did，后面的谓语动词用原形。
三、强调形式
常见到的强调形式，共有以下七类：
⒈用do\does\did + V可表强调
Some people do believe that nuclear power poses a threat to the world peace.
⒉adv或adj可表强调：Never \ only\ Very
This is the very question that deserves careful analysis.
⒊双重否定可表强调
Taking part-time jobs is never without drawbacks.
⒋what引导的主从可表强调
What really matters is cooperation.
⒌倒装可表强调(凡是倒装都可以表示强调)
Little do people take into account the seriousness of this problem.
⒍比较状语从句可表强调
Nothing is more imperative than to learn from the past.
⒎强调句型可表强调
It is \was +被强调部份+ that \ who +原句剩余部份
It is stability that destroys people’s ambition and barricades people’s steps.
四、注意事项
that后的强调句如果是原因状语从句，从句只能用because引导，不能用since，as或why。
It was because the water had risen that they could not cross the river。
