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Voice and Emphasis
How to highlight the important part of what you're saying
🔦 Why do we need it?
Sometimes, what you say is important—but how you say it changes everything.
This family lets you:
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Shift the focus to the most important part of your sentence
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Sound more formal, dramatic, or objective
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Emphasize actions or who did them (or even hide the doer)
It’s like putting a spotlight on the part you want your reader or listener to notice most.
⚙️ How does it work?
This family includes:
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Active voice → “The cat chased the mouse.”
(Clear: who did what)
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Passive voice → “The mouse was chased by the cat.”
(Focus shifts to the mouse)
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Cleft sentences (for emphasis)
→ “What I need is sleep.”
→ “It was Mark who called.”
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Fronting and inversion (rearranging for effect)
→ “Never have I seen such chaos.”
→ “On the desk lay the book.”
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Intonation in speech and bolding/italics in writing
→ Adds dramatic force or clarity
These tools are about stylistic control—guiding your reader’s attention or creating tone.
🎯 When do we use this?
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Writing essays or reports
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Telling dramatic or suspenseful stories
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Giving formal presentations
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Emphasizing the result or object more than the subject
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Changing rhythm or tone in writing
🧠 Tip for Learners:
Imagine a theater spotlight—you can shine it on the action, the person, or the result. This family gives you that power in grammar form.
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