Teaching of Focus Structures in English

Abstract

English permits certain non-prototypical sentence forms that have focusing or foregrounding effect. Focus structures place certain elements of the basic version of the sentence in different positions in order to make them more prominent. Due to the widespread usage of them, EFL/ESL teachers should be familiar with the grammar of these structures and how they are usually used, the points learners have difficulty with, and the necessary pedagogical implications for teaching these structures. However, the problems that ESL/EFL students have while using English focus structures have not been widely investigated. Thus, this paper firstly looks into the cleft sentences, formed through movement of constituents and other changes, and the sentences with fronting and left-dislocation involving only movement. Then, studies which reveal a clearer picture of learners' problems with these structures are presented. Finally, some activities are designed in order to show how focus structures can be handled in language learning classroom. IntroductionEnglish permits certain non-prototypical sentence forms that have focusing or foregrounding effect. Focus structures place certain elements of the basic version of the sentence in different positions in order to make them more prominent. These structures have also been termed information-packaging structures, as by Hudleston and Pullum (2002). They use the term to refer to sentences that have a corresponding S-V-O, or -basic canonical form‖ and are used for several functions: (1) maintaining given-new flow of discourse; (2) focusing; (3) shifting heavy NPs; and (4) topicalizing. Focus structures are widely used in both conversation and writing; thus EFL/ESL teachers should understand the grammar of these structures and how they are usually used. This paper will look into the cleft sentences, formed through movement of constituents and other changes, and the sentences with fronting and left-dislocation involving only movement. FrontingFronting refers to the initial placement of core elements which are normally found in post-verbal position. There are patterns which differ in stylistic effect and in register distribution. A full understanding is not possible without also considering variation in the order of the subject and the verb (Biber et al.,1999). Fronting has different functions such as organizing information flow to achieve cohesion, expressing contrast, enabling particular elements to gain emphasis. Fronting with subject-operator inversionIn some instances, fronting a negative adverbial constituent or an adverbial constituent expressing extent, degree, or comparison gives a more emphatic or exclamatory reading to the sentence as a whole; in such cases, subject-operator inversion accompanies the constituent fronting (Celce-Murcia & Larsen-Freeman,1999). Present participle frontingOur missing uncle was sitting at the kitchen table.Sitting at the kitchen table was our missing uncle. Past participle frontingSeveral barrels of wine were hidden in the cellar.Hidden in the cellar were...

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