Free Advanced English Grammar Lessons - CEFR C1

Fronting

Hear or read four conversations using the grammar point fronting.

Lesson 9 - Fronting

Script
Grammar
Quiz

Conversation 1

Man: I really love that new cafe.
Woman: Really? It's not my cup of tea.
Man: Really? But they have such nice pastries.
Woman: True. The pastries I like, but the decor, I hate.
Man: Really? It's not that bad.
Woman: Yellow wallpaper? It is too loud for my taste.

Conversation 2

Woman: What did you think of the new Star Wars movie?
Man: I have mixed feelings. The action scenes I loved though.
Woman: Yeah, and the acting.
Man: Yeah, it was okay. But the story, I hated.
Woman: Really? I loved it. Why did you dislike it so much?
Man: You know, it just wasn't what I expected.

Conversation 3.

Man: So, how did you like the lecture series?
Woman: Good. I love the professor.
Man: And how was the new lecture hall?
Woman: The building was nice, but the location, I hated.
Man: Yeah. I hear it's way across campus.
Woman: Yeah, it takes forever to get there.

Fronting Grammar Rules

Point 1 : With fronting, the object of a sentence can come before the subject and verb.

The pastries I like, but the decor, I hate.
The pastries I like, but I hate the decor.

Point 2 : This form is used to add emphasis to the object.

The action scenes, I loved, though.
I loved the action scenes though.

Point 3 : There is a short pause to emphasize the object. In writing, there is a comma before the subject.

But the story, I hated.
But I hated the story.

Point 5 : The form is used after a normal statement to show contrast.

The building was nice, but the location, I hated.
The building was nice, but I hated the location.

Point 5 : Sometimes, there is no verb for the second phrase. The verb from the first phrase is used to contrast the two topics.

The town was lovely, but the people, not so much.
The town was lovely, but the people were not so lovely.

Answer these questions about the interview.

More Grammar Listening Practice

C1-07 Passive Present Perfect
The hotel has been booked.

C1-08 Passive Modals of Obligation
The documents need to be proofread.

C1-09 Fronting
The pastries I like, but the decor, I hate.

C1-10 Advanced Conditionals
Should you have any trouble, please call me.

C1-12 Future Perfect
I'll have been married 18 years next week.

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