How to Add Emphasis in English - Improve Your Spoken English

Hi, my name’s Marie.

嗨，我是Marie。

welcome to Oxford Online English!

歡迎來到Oxford Online English!

In this video, we’re going to show you how to add emphasis while speaking English.

在本影片裡，我們會教您在說英文時， 怎樣加強語氣。

But what does it mean to add emphasis?

但是，加強語氣是什麼意思？

Adding emphasis is a way to show your listener that certain words or ideas are more important.

加強語氣是一種會讓您的聽眾知道某些字或意見 很重要的一種方式。

In this lesson, you’ll see how to use different pronunciation features and grammar structures

在本課程裡，您會看到怎樣用不同的發音特點 和語法結構

to add emphasis to your spoken or written English.

來給您講的英文或書寫的英文加強語氣。

Another thing: don’t forget to turn on subtitles if you need them!

還有一件事：如果您需要， 不要忘記打開字幕！

This video has English subtitles; click the ‘CC’ button on the video player to turn

本影片有中英文字幕：點擊 影片播放軟體的“CC”鍵

them on.

來打開字幕。

On your mobile phone, use the settings icon.

在您的行動電話上，用設定圖示來打開字幕。

Let’s start with one of the most common ways to add emphasis to an idea.

我們用一個最常用的方式來開始對 一個想法加強語氣。

What time is John flying to Paris tomorrow?

John明天幾點飛到巴黎？

He isn’t flying to Paris *tomorrow.* Did you hear the stressed word?

他飛到巴黎不是“明天”。 您聽到了重讀的字嗎？

Which one was it?

那是哪一個？

Hopefully, you heard that ‘tomorrow’, was stressed.

希望您能聽到“tomorrow” 是重讀的。

Why do you think this is?

您覺得為什麼是這個？

Before we answer that question, let’s have a look at three more examples.

我們回答問題之前，我們多看 三個例句。

Listen for the stressed words and think about what the stress means.

聽重讀的字並考慮重讀的意思。

What time is John flying to Paris tomorrow?

John明天幾點飛到巴黎？

He isn’t *flying* to Paris tomorrow.

明天他不是“飛”到巴黎。

What time is John flying to Paris tomorrow?

John明天幾點飛到巴黎？

*He* isn’t flying to Paris tomorrow.

不是“他”明天飛到巴黎。

What time is John flying to Paris tomorrow?

John明天幾點飛到巴黎？

He isn’t flying to Paris tomorrow.

明天他不飛到巴黎。

In the first sentence, ‘flying’ was stressed.

在句一裡，重讀的是“飛”。

In the second, ‘he’ was stressed.

在句二裡，重讀的是“他”。

And the third?

那麼句三呢？

There were no stressed words!

沒有重讀的字。

Trick question.

技巧問題。

When you stress one word, you show that this idea is more important.

當您重讀一個字，您表明這個想法很重要。

Often, you do this to show contrast with an opposite idea, or to disagree with someone.

通常，您這樣做是用一個相反的意見來反對， 或是不同意某人的意見。

In the first sentence, adding stress to ‘flying’ means that he is going to Paris

在句一裡，重讀“飛”意思是他明天去巴黎，

tomorrow, but that he isn’t going by plane.

但他不是搭飛機過去。

Maybe he’s taking the Eurostar train

也許他搭歐洲之星火車

or driving.

或開車。

What about the second sentence?

那句二呢？

What does it mean if you stress the word ‘he’?

如果您重讀“他”，是什麼意思呢？

This suggests that other people we know are flying to Paris tomorrow, but

這就是說我們認識的其他人 明天飛去巴黎，但

‘*he’* isn’t.

不是“他”。

What about our first example?

那我們的第一個例子呢？

What does it mean if you stress the word ‘tomorrow’?

如果您重讀“明天”這個字，是什麼意思呢？

Think about it.

考慮一下

Adding stress to ‘tomorrow’ means he is flying to Paris, but not tomorrow.

重讀“明天”就是說他是飛到巴黎的， 但不是明天。

Maybe he’s flying today, or the day after tomorrow.

也許他今天飛到巴黎，或後天。

Adding word stress is a simple way to add emphasis to your idea.

字彙重讀是一個對您要表述的意思 加強語氣的簡單方式。

This is especially useful when you want to correct someone, or disagree with somebody

這對您想糾正某人說的， 或不同意某人的意見

else.

特別有用。

So, what did you think of the movie?

那麼，您覺得電影怎樣？

Amazing!

It was so tense!

精彩！

太緊張了！

Yeah, I saw you jump so many times!

真的，我看到您跳起來好幾次！

I know!

我知道！

*Never* have I been so scared.

“從來”我都沒有這麼害怕過。

That basement scene was so frightening, I could hardly watch.

地下室的場景非常恐怖， 我幾乎都不敢看。

And the ending!

而結局！

What a twist!

則是不可思議！

At no point did I see that coming.

我從未看過這樣的。

What was the director’s name again?

再問一下，導演的名字是什麼？

Maria Thornby, I think.

我想是Maria Thornby。

Not only did she direct it, but she also wrote and starred in it too!

她不僅導演這部電影，她還寫 這個電影的劇本，也參與演出！

She’s one to watch, then.

那麼，看她的作品。

Look at two sentences.

看看兩個句子

You heard one of these in the dialogue.

您在對話中聽到了一個。

Do you remember which?

您記得是哪一個嗎？

You heard number two.

您聽下句二。

Next question: what’s the difference between these two sentences?

下個問題：這兩句有什麼不同？

The structure in sentence two is called an inversion.

句二的句型結構是倒裝。

This is another way to add emphasis to your ideas.

這是對您的意見加強語氣的另一種方式。

When you make an inversion, you do two things: first, you start the sentence with an adverb,

當您做一個倒裝時，要做兩件事： 首先，您用一個副詞作為句子的起始，

like ‘never’, ‘only’, ‘not only’ or ‘at no point’.

像是‘never’、‘only’、‘not only’ 或是‘at no point’。

The adverb can be a single word or a phrase.

副詞可以是一個字或一個片語。

Secondly, you put an auxiliary verb before the main verb.

其次，您在主動詞前放一個助動詞。

You can make inversions in different verb tenses.

您可以在不同的動詞時態做倒裝。

For example, look at four sentences.

例如，看四個例句。

Can you say what verb tenses they are?

您可以說出這些是什麼動詞時態嗎？

Could you do it?

您可以做嗎？

Pause the video if you want more time to think.

如果您想多考慮一下，暫停影片。

Sentence one is past perfect.

句一是過去完成式。

Two is present simple.

句二是簡單完成式。

Three is future, with ‘will’, and four is past simple.

句三是有“will”的未來式， 句四是過去簡單式。

Inversions like this are more common written English,

類似這樣的倒裝在英文書寫裡很常見，

but you might hear them in conversations, too.

但您也可能在對話裡聽到他們。

Like all emphasis, you shouldn’t overuse them.

像是所有的加強語氣一樣， 您不能過度地用他們。

You’re not coming to the party tonight, right?

今晚您不會參加聚會，對嗎？

I *am* coming!

“會的”我來！

Why would you think I wasn’t?

為什麼您覺得我不會去？

Well, last time we went to their place, you were in a terrible mood.

好吧，上次我們去他們的地方，您看上去感覺很糟糕。

It didn’t look like you were enjoying yourself at all.

您玩得不是很開心。

Well, I was quite tired, but I *did* have a good time.

是的，我很累，但是我玩得還不錯。

OK, well that’s good.

好的，好，那就好。

I *do* hope you’re bringing Michelle with you, too?

我想您帶上Michelle一起來？

I haven’t seen her for ages.

我幾年沒看到她了。

Yes, she’ll be there.

好的，她會來的。

Is she going to make her orange cake again?

她又去做她的香奇士蛋糕？

That was the best!

那很好吃！

I’ll ask her.

我會問她的。

She *does* make the best cakes.

她做最好的蛋糕。

In the dialogue, you heard four examples of adding emphasis by stressing an auxiliary verb.

在對話裡，您聽到四個有重讀助動詞 來加強語氣的例句。

Can you remember the sentences you heard?

您能記得您聽到的那些例句嗎？

Which auxiliary verb did they use?

他們用哪一些助動詞？

You heard these four sentences.

您聽到了這四個句子。

One of these four is different from the others.

四個句子裡有一句與其他的不同。

Can you see which sentence is different, and why?

您能看出是哪一句不同嗎？為什麼不同？

The sentence ‘I *am* coming’ is different.

句子“I *am* coming”是不同的。

It’s different because in the other three sentences, you add an auxiliary verb for emphasis:

不同之處在於其他的三個句子裡， 您增加了一個助動詞來加強語氣：

‘do’, ‘does’ or ‘did’.

‘do、‘does’ 或‘did’。

Here, there’s already an auxiliary verb – ‘am’ – and you simply pronounce

這裡，有一個助動詞—‘am’ – 您簡單地

it with more stress.

用較重的發音。

If you have a sentence in the present simple or past simple, and you want to add emphasis,

如果您有一個現在簡單式或過去簡單式 的句子，您想加強語氣，

with most verbs you can add an auxiliary verb ‘do’, ‘does’ or ‘did’ to make

可以給大部分的動詞添加一個 助動詞，如‘do’、‘does’或‘did’，

your idea sound stronger.

這樣您的意見聽上去更突出。

You need to pronounce the auxiliary verb with stress, too.

您也要重讀助動詞。

Don’t say ‘I did have a good time’.

不要說“I did have a good time”。

Say ‘I *did* have a good time.

說“I *did* have a good time”。

In other verb tenses, there is already an auxiliary verb.

在其他的動詞時態，已經有一個助動詞了。

For example: ‘I am going to tell her.’

例如：“I am going to tell her.”

‘They can speak Italian.’

‘They can speak Italian.’

‘You have grown a lot.’

‘You have grown a lot.’

To add emphasis to sentences like these, simply pronounce the auxiliary verb with stress,

給類似這些句子加強語氣， 簡單地重讀助動詞就好，

like this: ‘I *am* going to tell him.’

像是這個： ‘I *am* going to tell him.’

‘They *can* speak Italian.’

‘They *can* speak Italian.’

‘You *have* grown a lot.’

‘You *have* grown a lot.’

Now, let’s look at one more way you can add emphasis when you speak.

現在，我們再看一個在您說話時 能加強語氣的方式。

Olivier, can you come downstairs, please?

Olivier，您可以下樓嗎，拜託？

What’s happened?

什麼事？

Look in the living room.

來起居室看一下。

Did you break the TV?

您打破了電視機嗎？

I didn’t break the TV!

我沒有打破電視機！

Well, what happened then?

好吧，那這發生了什麼事？

It was the dog who did it!

那是狗做的！

He ran through the living room chasing the cat and got caught on the wires.

他穿過起居室去追貓， 抓住了電線。

OK, sorry, my mistake.

好的，抱歉，我的錯。

Look at a sentence you heard.

看下您聽到的一個句子。

Here’s a question: why say it like this?

這有一個問題：為什麼這麼說？

Why not just say ‘The dog did it’?

為什麼不說：“狗做的？

You can probably guess the answer: saying it this way adds emphasis.

您可能猜到了答案：這是加強語氣的方式。

But, do you know what this sentence structure is called?

但是，您知道這個句子的結構是什麼嗎？

It’s called a cleft sentence, also known as a focusing sentence.

他是分裂句，也稱為重點句。

‘Cleft’ has a similar meaning to ‘split’ or ‘divided’.

‘Cleft’ 有一個與‘split’或‘divided’相似的意思。

In the sentence we used – ‘It was the dog who did it’ – you can see that the

在我們用的句子裡 – ‘It was the dog who did it’ – 您可以看到

sentence is in two parts.

句子有兩個部份。

The first, ‘it was the dog’ and the second ‘who broke the TV’.

第一部份，‘it was the dog’和第二部份 ‘who broke the TV’.

A cleft sentence will always have at least two verbs: one in the first part, and one

一個分裂句總會有至少兩個動詞： 一個在第一部份裡，一個

in the second.

在第二部份裡。

Cleft sentences often start with the word ‘it’, but they can also start in different

分裂句通常會用字‘it’開頭， 但是他們也可以用不同的

ways.

方式開頭。

You can also start a cleft sentence with ‘what’ plus a clause.

您也可以用‘what’加一個從句 來開始一個分裂句。

For example ‘what I hate most about living here is the dark winters.’

例如”住在這裡我最討厭的 是黑暗的冬季。“

‘What I need right now is a good long holiday.’

“現在我需要的是一個很棒的長假。”

‘What I’d like to do is put this aside and think about it again after a good night’s

“我想做的是把這放一邊， 睡個好覺之後

sleep.’

再考慮它。”

It’s also possible to make cleft sentences starting with ‘all’, ‘something’ or

用“all”、“something”或是“one thing” 來做分裂句的開頭也是

‘one thing’.

有可能的。

For example ‘All I want is to lie down.

例如“所有我想做的就是躺下來。

I feel terrible!’

我覺得恐怖！“

‘Something you should think about is choosing the words you use more carefully.’

”有些您必須考慮的事情是 更小心地選擇您的用字。“

In the last sentence, you could also use ‘one thing’, which is interchangeable with ‘something’.

在最後一個句子裡，您也可以用”one thing“， 他是可以和”something“互通的。

There are other ways to form cleft sentences, but these are the most common.

有其他的方式來構建分裂句， 但是這是最常見的。

All these sentences follow the same pattern; they’re divided into two parts, with at

所有這些句子有相同的構造； 他們被分割成兩個部份，

least one verb in each part.

每個部份至少一個動詞。

Thanks for watching.

感謝觀看。

See you next time!

下次見！