How to Show Emphasis in a Sentence

By WR!TERS@WORK

Emphasis is an important part of speaking and writing the English language. When we emphasise something, we are stressing a point – this highlights to the reader or audience that this part is important, and it is something that should not be ignored. There are many ways to show emphasis in a sentence. This important writing technique of showing emphasis is something that WRITERS AT WORK students learn to master to improve their writing. When students are able to emphasise something important be it in PSLE or O Level English composition writing, they can use their words to greater effect, proving to the examiner the student’s ability to write purposefully with skill and nuance.

How to Emphasise Using Strategic Words or Clauses

When you write an essay, you want to point the reader towards key facts and phrases. Instead, you can use strategic word or clause placement to emphasise what you want highlighted.

1. Introductory Adverbs

When you want to emphasise something, one of the ways you can do this is by using introductory adverbs and adverb phrases such as “especially”, “particularly”, “most importantly”, and “above all”. Here are some examples of how to use these phrases.

“Remarkably, he emerged from the car wreck relatively unharmed.”

“He emerged from the car wreck relatively unharmed, remarkably.”

2. Repeating a Phrase

Repetition shows that you are trying to draw attention to a particular sentence.

I repeat – if you want to emphasise a sentence, you would do well to repeat it.

3. Placing a Short, Emphatic Sentence

Another way of emphasising in a series of sentences is the placement of a short, empathic sentence to punctuate a crucial point and add an element of drama to the composition.

“I thought that it would be a bad idea to chase after that rabid dog. Well – it was.”

Examples of Showing Emphasis in Your Writing

“Young people are making the world a better place.” What is your opinion?

(O Level Composition Question, 2021)

The world is filled with turbulence and turmoil. It seems as though every day, there are many news stories about how the world is in trouble. However, I would argue that with each passing generation, young people have more progressive values which allow them to try to do better than the generations before them, thus making the world a better place. What does “better” mean, anyway? Every generation has complained that the generation after them is lazy, spoilt, and entitled. This is true especially now – Generation Z is dubbed lazy and having too much time to focus on the wrong things, such as mental health. Is this true? Are we really that bad?

Learning how to respond to mistakes is essential for success. What is your opinion?

(O Level Composition Question, 2020)

“A great part of courage is the courage of having done the thing before.” Learning how to respond to your mistakes is essential for success. After all, everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes shape our learning process and tell us what to do and what not to do the next time round. Does it hurt us to know that we have made a mistake? Well – it does. We face humiliation and shame when our mistakes are presented to others. However, we must overcome this feeling, as if we take our mistakes as a lesson, we are bound not to repeat them again. We must respond positively to our mistakes – we should not mope and wallow in our sorrow and disappointment.

Remember – writing is a tough literacy skill to master. Don’t worry if you cannot show emphasis in a sentence well yet. Our dedicated Writers At Work teachers are here to help you master these skills! All you need is more practice and good guidance – with time and effort, your writing skills will surely improve. The English language requires a lot of nuance – there are not many hard and fast rules which are fixed, like Mathematics. Reading a lot and practising writing are just some ways in which students are able to learn valuable literacy skills.

Master the English Language with WRITERS AT WORK!

English is a compulsory subject which all students must undertake. However, mastering the English language is not something which happens overnight – it takes consistent practice and effort to learn the nuances of the language. Students must read more and practice writing to gradually improve. Cramming for a language subject nearer to the exams is an impossible feat. After all, Rome was not built in a day! Attaining such a skill will have positive implications for not only your child’s education in school, but also employment prospects in future.

At WRITERS@WORK, we are committed to providing the smoothest learning experience for your child sitting for their English exams. With our carefully curated methods of teaching your child how to write well, your child will learn how to present their thoughts and arguments in a coherent and concise manner. W@W reinforces your child’s language skills and provides a strong foundation for their academic success, keeping up with all aspects of their progress both inside and outside of the classroom to nurture them holistically. For more information about how W@W makes a difference, feel free to explore our website and watch our YouTube videos!

If you are interested in our primary English tuition and secondary English tuition in Singapore, WRITERS@WORK has expanded to 9 convenient locations. To find the nearest location that suits your needs, please explore our options. If you have any inquiries regarding our range of programs or class schedules, please feel free to contact WRITERS@WORK!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

1. What is Creative Writing in Primary School?

In primary school, creative writing starts from using pictures to develop a coherent storyline. Students will learn how to use key phrases to build tension and develop a satisfying conclusion. The plots of the stories crafted at the primary school level are usually simple and have a central conflict which is usually resolved at the end of the story. Students will need to use good grammar and appropriate vocabulary to describe the things they see in the pictures when writing.

2. What is an Enrichment Class in English?

An enrichment class allows your child to not only learn the basics of the mechanics of English such as good grammar and sentence structure, but it also teaches your child to appreciate the nuances of the English language. Students in an English enrichment class will learn skills like inference and critical reading – these skills are highly important even when students graduate out of school and go into higher education or the working world, as it will teach them to process and filter information to determine what is being said and evaluate the veracity of the information.

3. What Does a Writing Specialist Teach?

A writing specialist teaches your child how to formulate sentences in a logical manner. Writing has various contexts, and if the assignment is a narrative essay, there are certain requirements such as a well thought-out plot, fleshed-out characters, and a good denouement. There are other types of essays a student will learn in his lifetime, such as an argumentative essay, expository essay, and descriptive writing, which all require different skill sets learned during class.

4. How Does My Child Benefit From Writing Classes?

Writing classes build systematic thinking and logic in children. Crafting a story plot is the same as thinking, step by step, what events chronologically happen in the context of a given scenario. Students will be able to express their ideas and thought processes in a coherent and concise manner, which will help them in their other subjects as they will be able to formulate sentences to better understand the material. English proficiency is a highly transferable skill.