B2 · 中上級 チャプター 1

Adding Focus and Balance

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47 例文
6 分
このチャプターのルール クイック練習

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of emphasis and balance to make your English sound more professional and persuasive.

  • Structure complex sentences using anticipatory 'it'.
  • Highlight specific information with cleft sentences.
  • Apply the end-weight principle for better flow.
Command attention with every sentence.

学べること

Ready to make your English truly shine? We'll explore how to emphasize your message with It structures and impactful

The more, the better
comparisons. Get ready to craft more balanced sentences that flow naturally and sound just right!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'it' as a placeholder to avoid awkward subject-heavy sentences.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Create cleft sentences to emphasize specific facts.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Organize information to place new or long data at the end of a sentence.
  4. 4
    By the end you will be able to: Construct persuasive arguments using comparative inversion.

チャプターガイド

Overview

As you move into B2 English, you're not just learning new grammar; you're refining your ability to express yourself with precision and natural flow. This chapter on English adding focus and balance is your key to making your speech and writing truly shine. We’re moving beyond just being understood to sounding sophisticated and genuinely natural, just like a native speaker.
These techniques are vital for mastering B2 English grammar and interacting fluently in diverse situations.
You'll discover how to use the versatile word It in two powerful ways: first, as an anticipatory placeholder to set up long ideas gracefully, and second, through It-clefts to spotlight specific pieces of information, making your meaning perfectly clear. We'll also explore the End-Weight Principle, a fundamental aspect of natural English rhythm that guides you to arrange your sentences so they sound just right.
Finally, we’ll tackle comparative inversion with structures like
The more, the better,
allowing you to express cause-and-effect relationships with elegance. By integrating these strategies, you’ll gain greater control over emphasis and clarity, transforming your English from functional to fluent and persuasive. Get ready to elevate your communication and feel more confident in every conversation!

How This Grammar Works

Let's dive into how these structures empower your English. First, consider Using 'It' as a Placeholder (Anticipatory It). This is incredibly useful when your subject is a long phrase or clause.
Instead of starting with a heavy, complex idea, we use 'It' to introduce the concept smoothly, pushing the longer subject to the end. For example, instead of
That you are learning these advanced structures is fantastic,
which can sound a bit clunky, we say:
It is fantastic that you are learning these advanced structures.
This makes the sentence flow much better, following a common pattern in English.
Building on that idea of focus, Focusing with It (It-Clefts) takes 'It' a step further. An It-cleft allows you to put a spotlight on a particular part of a sentence – the subject, object, or an adverbial phrase – to give it special emphasis. If someone asks,
Who broke the glass?
, you could just say, John broke it. But to strongly emphasize *who* did it, you’d use a cleft:
It was John who broke the glass.
Or, if you want to emphasize *what* was broken:
It was the glass that John broke.
This structure clearly highlights the most important information.
Both anticipatory 'It' and It-clefts inherently relate to the End-Weight Principle. This principle states that sentences sound most natural when the heaviest (longest or most complex) information is placed at the end. Our brains find it easier to process information that builds up to a conclusion.
For instance, rather than "That you've decided to pursue a new career path after so many years in your previous role surprised everyone," we apply End-Weight and use anticipatory 'It': "It surprised everyone that you've decided to pursue a new career path after so many years in your previous role."
Finally, we have The More, The Better: Comparative Inversion. This powerful structure links two changing ideas proportionally. It creates a natural cause-and-effect relationship using the pattern 'The more/less [S] [V], the more/less [S] [V]'.
For example, if you want to express the idea that increased practice leads to improved fluency, you would say:
The more you practice, the more fluent you become.
This elegant construction clearly shows how one thing influences another, making your arguments or observations more impactful and well-balanced.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1✗ Using anticipatory 'It' when the subject is simple and direct, making the sentence unnecessarily wordy.
✓ It is important to remember this. (If 'to remember this' is a complex idea)
✗ It is cold. (Redundant 'It', just "It's cold or The weather is cold")
✓ The weather is cold.
  1. 1✗ Overusing It-clefts for simple statements, which can sound overly dramatic or unnatural in everyday conversation.
✓ It was Sarah who called me. (Emphasizes Sarah)
✗ It was I who went to the store. (Usually,
I went to the store
is sufficient and more natural.)
  1. 1✗ Ignoring the End-Weight Principle by placing long, complex clauses at the beginning of a sentence.
✓ It became clear that the decision to relocate the office would have significant consequences.
✗ That the decision to relocate the office would have significant consequences became clear.

Real Conversations

A

A

"I'm finding it hard to grasp some of the more advanced grammar points."
B

B

"Don't worry, it's completely normal to feel that way at this stage. Keep practicing!"
A

A

Who organized this incredible surprise party?
B

B

"It was Maria who thought of everything – she's amazing!"
A

A

"I'm still not confident speaking English in front of groups."
B

B

The more opportunities you take to speak, the more your confidence will grow.

Quick FAQ

Q

How does 'It' help with clarity in B2 English?

Using anticipatory It allows you to smoothly introduce a long or complex subject by placing it later in the sentence, making the start of your sentence lighter and easier to process. It-clefts then help by explicitly highlighting specific information you want to emphasize.

Q

Can I use

The more, the better
in formal writing?

Absolutely! The comparative inversion structure is perfectly acceptable and often used in both formal and informal contexts to express a proportional relationship clearly and concisely.

Q

What's the main benefit of the End-Weight Principle?

The End-Weight Principle makes your sentences sound more natural and flow better in English. By saving the most complex or longest parts of your sentence for the end, you help your listener or reader process information more effectively.

Q

Are It-clefts always necessary for emphasis?

No, It-clefts provide strong emphasis. You should use them strategically when you really want to highlight a particular piece of information. Often, simply stressing a word in speech or using adverbs can provide sufficient focus.

Cultural Context

These structures are fundamental across all English-speaking regions. Anticipatory It and the End-Weight Principle are deeply ingrained in the natural rhythm of English, making sentences easier to process. It-clefts are frequently used in spoken English for emphasis, but you might find them used a bit more sparingly in very formal academic writing, where other rhetorical devices might be preferred.
Comparative inversion (
The more, the better
) is universally understood and employed in all registers of English, from casual chats to academic papers. There are no significant regional differences in how these patterns are used, making them excellent tools for any B2 learner aiming for natural, balanced English.

重要な例文 (6)

1

It was the unexpected snowstorm that delayed all flights.

全てのフライトを遅らせたのは、予期せぬ吹雪だったんです。

「It」を使った強調（It-Clefts）
2

It is my best friend who always motivates me to study.

いつも私を勉強にやる気にさせてくれるのは、親友なんです。

「It」を使った強調（It-Clefts）
3

It is important to remember the deadlines for the project.

プロジェクトの締め切りを覚えておくことが重要です。

最後にとっておく：エンドウェイトの原則
4

She announced her decision to move to Paris after finishing her degree.

彼女は学位取得後、パリへ移住する決断を発表しました。

最後にとっておく：エンドウェイトの原則
5

The sooner we start the project, the earlier we will finish it.

プロジェクトを早く始めれば始めるほど、早く終わらせることができます。

〜すればするほど：比較の倒置
6

The more you practice your English, the more confident you'll feel speaking.

英語を練習すればするほど、話すことに自信が持てるようになります。

〜すればするほど：比較の倒置

ヒントとコツ (4)

💡

長い主語をスッキリさせる

主語が長くなりそうな時は、まず 'It' で始めて文をスッキリさせましょう。
It is better to start your project early.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 「It」を仮主語として使用する（予測のIt）
💡

強調されている部分に耳を傾けよう

「It is...」や「It was...」で始まる文を聞いたり読んだりする時は、その直後に何が来るかに注目してください。それが話し手が最も伝えたいポイントである可能性が高いです。こうすることで、英語の「強調」を耳で捉える練習になりますよ。「It was the unexpected snowstorm that delayed all flights.」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 「It」を使った強調（It-Clefts）
💡

流れに耳を傾けて

自分で書いた英文を声に出して読んでみましょう。もし「なんかぎこちないな」「読みにくいな」と感じたら、語順を入れ替えてみてください。耳で聞く感覚は、文末重心が足りない文を見つけるのに最高のガイドになります。「I found it difficult to understand the instructions.」
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 最後にとっておく：エンドウェイトの原則
💡

「The」を見つけよう

「The」は両方の比較級の節の前につけるのを忘れないでくださいね。これが文法的に正しく、エレガントな文を作るための小さな「合図」だと思ってください。例えば、「The more you learn, the more you grow.」のように、両方に「the」が必要です。
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜すればするほど：比較の倒置

重要な語彙 (6)

Placeholder A word used to occupy a grammatical position Cleft A split structure for emphasis Emphasis Special importance given to something Inversion Reversal of the usual word order Flow The smooth progression of a sentence Anticipatory Coming before the real subject

Real-World Preview

briefcase

The Persuasive Pitch

Review Summary

  • It + be + adjective + to-infinitive
  • It + be + [highlighted info] + that/who + rest of clause
  • Move long/new info to the end of the sentence
  • The + comparative + [subject + verb], the + comparative + [subject + verb]

よくある間違い

You cannot leave the placeholder 'it' at the end of the sentence. It must go in the subject position.

Wrong: To finish is hard it.
正解: It is hard to finish.

Do not repeat the subject pronoun 'he' after the relative clause in an it-cleft.

Wrong: It was John that he broke the vase.
正解: It was John who broke the vase.

The comparative adjective or adverb must immediately follow 'the' in both parts of the structure.

Wrong: The more you study, the you learn more.
正解: The more you study, the more you learn.

Next Steps

You have built a strong foundation today. Keep practicing these structures in your daily emails or conversations to make them second nature!

Rewrite a news article using at least one cleft and one inversion.

Continue to: Creating Dramatic Effects

クイック練習 (9)

形式主語 'it' を正しく使っている文はどれですか？

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It is important to review for the exam.
'It' は常に単数扱いなので 'is' を使い、一般的な意見には 'there' は使いません。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 「It」を仮主語として使用する（予測のIt）

強調された文の間違いを見つけて修正しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

It are the small details that make a big difference.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It is the small details that make a big difference.
「It」の後のbe動詞は、強調されている複数名詞（「details」）に関わらず、常に単数形（「is」または「was」）でなければなりません。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 「It」を使った強調（It-Clefts）

空所に当てはまる最も適切な語を選んでください。

___ is essential to stay hydrated, especially during workouts.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It
真の主語（to stay hydrated）が後ろにあるため、仮の主語として 'It' を使います。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 「It」を仮主語として使用する（予測のIt）

強調に適切な関係代名詞を選びましょう。

It was my laptop ___ crashed during the presentation.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: that
「my laptop」は物なので、「that」が文の残りの部分と接続するのに最も適した関係代名詞です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 「It」を使った強調（It-Clefts）

文末重心の原則に従って、最も適切な文を選びましょう。

最も自然に聞こえる文を選んでください。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It was amazing news to everyone that she had won the lottery.
2番目の選択肢は、長く新しい情報（「that she had won the lottery」）を文の最後に配置しているため、より自然な流れになります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 最後にとっておく：エンドウェイトの原則

文末重心を適用するように文を完成させましょう。

The company decided to delay the launch of the new product, ___ unexpected technical issues.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: because of
理由「because of unexpected technical issues」を最後に配置することは、説明の詳細な部分であるため、文末重心の原則に従っています。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 最後にとっておく：エンドウェイトの原則

正しい形を選んで文を完成させましょう。

The more you read, the ___ you become.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: wiser
比較級を作るには、「wise」に「-er」を付けて「wiser」にします。「the more」と対になるように比較級の形が必要です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜すればするほど：比較の倒置

文の中の間違いを見つけて修正してください。

Find and fix the mistake:

Is true that reading helps with language learning.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It is true that reading helps with language learning.
この文には主語が欠けています。形式主語の 'It' を補う必要があります。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 「It」を仮主語として使用する（予測のIt）

間違いを見つけて修正しましょう。

Find and fix the mistake:

More you give, happier you are.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The more you give, the happier you are.
この構文では、両方の比較級の節の前に「the」が必要です。「happier」は「happy」の正しい比較級の形です。

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: 〜すればするほど：比較の倒置

Score: /9

よくある質問 (6)

これは、本来の主語（to不定詞やthat節など）が長すぎる場合に、文の最初に置く「仮の主語」のことです。文のバランスを整えるために使われます。例えば、
It is easy to learn new things.
のように使います。
英語には「重要な情報や長い情報を文の最後に置く（エンド・ウェイトの法則）」というリズムがあるからです。これにより、文の流れがスムーズになり、聞き手が理解しやすくなります。
It improves the flow of the sentence.
主な目的は、文中の特定の情報に特別な「強調」や「焦点」を与えることです。聞き手や読み手に、あなたが「まさにこれに注目してほしい」という部分を際立たせるのに役立ちます。例えば、「It was John who broke the window.」のように使います。
元の行動の時制や、あなたが言及している文脈に合わせて使い分けます。「It is」は現在の行動や一般的な真実（例: 「It is her smile that I love」）に使い、「It was」は過去の行動（例: 「It was the rain that ruined our plans」）に使います。
これは、英語において、より長く、より複雑な情報、または新しい情報を文の最後に配置する自然な傾向のことです。これにより、聞き手や読み手が文を処理し、理解しやすくなります。
文の「重い」（つまり、長くて複雑な）部分が最後に移動されるため、「文末重心（End-Weight）」と呼ばれます。安定性のために、一番重い部分を最後に置く文のバランスを想像してみてください。
次のチャプター
Creating Dramatic Effects
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