我们在说话、写文章的过程中，为了要突出句子中的某一部分时，就常使用某种方法、手段使它突出，以便能引起他人的注意，这就是强调。
英语中，表示强调的方法一般分为三种：位置的强调;用词强调;句型强调。如：
一、位置强调
英语句子的语序，一般为：主、谓、宾、表、状。有时为了强调某个成份，就故意将它移到句首或句末。如：
A.强调主语及状语。如：
(1) I was reading English this morning. — This morning, I was reading English. 今天早晨，我一直在读英语。
(2) I’ll go to see Li Lei tomorrow. — Tomorrow, I’ll go to see Li Lei. 明天，我要去看李蕾。
B. 强调谓语(as, though引导的让步状语从句)
(1) Though he will try, he can’t succeed. — Try as / though he will, he can’t succeed. 尽管他会尝试，但他不会成功。
(2) Though she can sing, she can’t sing well. — Sing though / as she can, she can’t sing well. 尽管她会唱，但唱得不好。
C. 强调宾语或表语(as, though引导的让步状语从句)
(1) Though he learnt English, he didn’t learn it well. — English as / though he learnt, he didn’t learn it well. 尽管他学过英语，但他学得并不好。
(2) Though he is ill, he keeps on working. —Ill as / though he is, he keeps on working. 尽管他有病，他仍坚持工作。
二、用词强调
英语中强调的另一种方法，就是用不同的词进行夸张从而达到强调的目的。用词强调主要有以下几种形式。
A. 在句子中的谓语动词前加助动词do, 对谓语进行强调。如：
(1) I do like swimming. 我的确喜欢游泳。
(2) He did go there last night. 他昨天晚上的确去过那儿。
B. 用awfully, badly, dead, deeply, ever, extremely, highly, indeed, lightly, not…at all, particularly, pretty, really, so, strongly, terribly, utterly, very, very much,等副词修饰以加强语气。如：
(1) He wants to get it very much. 他非常像得到它。
(2) I miss you terribly. 我非常思念你。
C. 用短语at all, on earth, in the world, under the sun等表示强调，意思是：到底，究竟，根本。如：
(1) I don’t know it at all. 我一点也不知道。
(2) What on earth are you doing there? 你到底在那干什么?
4) 用重复某一个词或短语来强调。如：
(1) He thought and thought, and suddenly he got a good idea. 他想啊想啊，突然想到了一个好主意。
(2) He ran and ran, and at last he caught up with other students. 他跑啊跑啊，终于赶上了其他的同学们。
三、用句子来强调
A.句型强调
英语中最常见的强调手段，也是我们必须要掌握的方法就是句型强调，即：强调句型。It is / was + 被强调的部分 + that (who)…如：
(1) It was in the room that Li Lei was born. 李蕾出生就在这间房子。
(2) It is Wei Fang who has broken the record. 就是魏方打破了纪录。
B.在使用强调句型时须注意的几个问题：
(A) 原句子是现在时或将来时，强调句用It is + 被强调的部分 + that (who)…; 若原句子是过去时，强调句用：It was + 被强调的部分 + that (who)…
(1) Li Lei’s father will work in America. —It is in America that Li Lei’s father will work. 李蕾的父亲的工作将就在美国。
(2) I studied at this school a few years ago. —It was at this school that I studied a few years ago. 几年前我就在这所学校读书。
(B) 即使被强调的部分是复数，It后面始终用单数形式。如
(1) Tom and Lucy gave us much help. —It was Tom and Lucy that gave us much help. 正是汤姆和露西给了我们很多的帮助。
(2) I saw swans in the lake yesterday. —It was swans that I saw in the lake yesterday. 昨天我看到在湖里的就是天鹅。
(C) 强调人时，可用who 代替that, 但若强调时间、地点、原因、方式时，不能用when, where, why, how代替 that。如：
(1) It is our teacher who / that helps us make great progress. 正是我们的老师帮助我们取得了很大的进步。
(2) It is by bus that I go to school every day. 每天我就是乘公共汽车上学。
(D) 在强调not…until结构中的时间状语时，应将not移到until前，再将not until部分移到被强调的位置。如：
I didn’t go to bed until twelve o’clock last night. — It was not until twelve o’clock last night that I went to bed. 昨天晚上我一直到十二点才睡。
(E) 强调一般疑问句中的某一成分时，将强调句中的主句用一般疑问语序。如：
(1) Do you like English?—It is English that you like? 英语就是你喜欢的吗?
(2) Will you go to London?—It is London that you will go to? 你要去的就是伦敦吗?
(F)特殊疑问句中只有疑问词可以被强调。句型为：特殊疑问词+be + it that+…? 如：
(1) What made him so angry?—What is it that made him so angry? 是什么东西使他如此生气?
(2) Why did she cry?—Why was it that she cried? 是什么原因使他哭了起来?
(G) 强调主语时，who 或that后面的谓语形式须与被强调的主语保持一致。如：
(1) Lily speaks Chinese very well. —It is Lily who / that speaks Chinese very well. 李丽的汉语讲得很好。
(2) Children like stories. —It is Children that like stories. 孩子们喜欢故事。
(H) 强调句中的be前可用表推测的情态动词：must, can, may等。如：
(1) It must be Piney that sent us this present. 肯定是Piney 给我们寄来了这件礼物。
(2) How can it be that he didn’t pass the exams. 他考试没有通过怎么可能呢?
(I) 强调句型不用于强调谓语、表语、since, as等引导的原因状语从句。如：
He is better today since he can walk around without my help. 就不能有下列强调形式：
It is better today that he is today since he can walk around without my help. (错)
It is since he can walk around without my help that he is better today. (错)
