5 exercises — it-clefts, wh-clefts, not only/but also, fronting, and only-inversion.
0 / 23 completed
1 / 23
Which sentence uses an it-cleft correctly to emphasise the cause of a problem?
It-cleft structure: "It is + [emphasised element] + that/who + rest of sentence." This structure highlights a specific cause, actor, or detail. It is widely used in technical RCAs: "It is the missing index that accounts for 90% of query time."
2 / 23
Choose the correct wh-cleft to emphasise the solution:
Wh-cleft: "What + subject + verb + is + [emphasised element]." The structure splits the sentence to foreground the most important information (the solution). Common in technical proposals: "What this architecture requires is a message queue."
3 / 23
Which correctly uses "not only...but also" with proper inversion?
When "not only" starts a clause, the auxiliary verb inverts: "Not only does X...". When "not only" appears mid-sentence after the subject, no inversion is needed: "The service not only reduces... but also improves..." Both patterns in this question appear — the correct one uses inversion only at the start.
4 / 23
Choose the sentence with correct fronting for emphasis:
Fronting moves an object or complement to the front of the sentence for emphasis: "The documentation we have updated thoroughly." The verb remains after the subject. This pattern is used in technical writing to signal what was specifically addressed.
5 / 23
Which sentence uses "only" inversion correctly?
"Only when/if/after + clause" triggers subject-auxiliary inversion in the main clause: "Only when X does Y..." This is a formal emphasis structure used in technical specifications and constraint descriptions. Other triggers: "Never", "Rarely", "Seldom", "Not until."
6 / 23
Alex: 'The server crashed after the deploy. It's baffling!'
Which of these Slack messages best emphasizes *why* the crash occurred?
This question tests the use of 'only' inversion. The correct phrasing highlights that *both* the code update and the race condition were contributing factors. The other options either misapply 'only' or present a single cause without the necessary emphasis on multiple elements. Importantly, this simulates a common Slack conversation where developers are troubleshooting.
7 / 23
Sarah (PR Description): 'We fixed the memory leak in Module X. It was causing intermittent failures.'
Which of these PR descriptions best emphasizes the *severity* of the issue?
Here, 'not only...but also' is used to amplify the impact of the memory leak. The incorrect options either downplay the problem (optimizing a single function) or fail to connect the issue directly with its potential consequences for system stability. This tests understanding of how to use complex structures to highlight severity.
8 / 23
Ben (Code Review Comment): 'This function returns the wrong value when input is null! The logic is completely flawed.'
Which of these options best uses an 'it-cleft' to emphasize the *nature* of the error?
The 'it-cleft' structure ('It was…that') is used here to focus attention on the specific aspect of the problem – the incorrect return value. The other options misplace the emphasis or address related but distinct issues. This reinforces the correct grammatical usage for highlighting a key element within a technical explanation.
9 / 23
David (Standup Update): 'We refactored the authentication service. The previous version was incredibly complex.'
Which of these options best uses fronting to emphasize *how* the service was improved?
Fronting (placing the emphasized phrase at the beginning of the sentence) is used here to highlight *how* the service was improved – by simplifying the architecture. The other options focus on different aspects of the change or simply state facts without a clear emphasis. This tests understanding of fronting techniques for highlighting key benefits.
10 / 23
Alex: 'The server crashed after the deploy. It's baffling!'
Which of these Slack messages best emphasizes *why* the crash occurred?
This question tests the use of 'only' inversion. The correct phrasing highlights that *both* the code update and the race condition were contributing factors. The other options either misapply 'only' or present a single cause without the necessary emphasis on multiple elements. Importantly, this simulates a common Slack conversation where developers are troubleshooting.
11 / 23
Sarah (PR Description): 'We fixed the memory leak in Module X. It was causing intermittent failures.'
Which of these PR descriptions best emphasizes the *severity* of the issue?
Here, 'not only...but also' is used to amplify the impact of the memory leak. The incorrect options either downplay the problem (optimizing a single function) or fail to connect the issue directly with its potential consequences for system stability. This tests understanding of how to use complex structures to highlight severity.
12 / 23
Ben (Code Review Comment): 'This function returns the wrong value when input is null! The logic is completely flawed.'
Which of these options best uses an 'it-cleft' to emphasize the *nature* of the error?
The 'it-cleft' structure ('It was…that') is used here to focus attention on the specific aspect of the problem – the incorrect return value. The other options misplace the emphasis or address related but distinct issues. This reinforces the correct grammatical usage for highlighting a key element within a technical explanation.
13 / 23
David (Standup Update): 'We refactored the authentication service. The previous version was incredibly complex.'
Which of these options best uses fronting to emphasize *how* the service was improved?
Fronting (placing the emphasized phrase at the beginning of the sentence) is used here to highlight *how* the service was improved – by simplifying the architecture. The other options focus on different aspects of the change or simply state facts without a clear emphasis. This tests understanding of fronting techniques for highlighting key benefits.
14 / 23
Alex: 'The server crashed after the deploy. It's baffling!'
Which of these Slack messages best emphasizes *why* the crash occurred?
This question tests the use of 'only' inversion. The correct phrasing highlights that *both* the code update and the race condition were contributing factors. The other options either misapply 'only' or present a single cause without the necessary emphasis on multiple elements. Importantly, this simulates a common Slack conversation where developers are troubleshooting.
15 / 23
Sarah (PR Description): 'We fixed the memory leak in Module X. It was causing intermittent failures.'
Which of these PR descriptions best emphasizes the *severity* of the issue?
Here, 'not only...but also' is used to amplify the impact of the memory leak. The incorrect options either downplay the problem (optimizing a single function) or fail to connect the issue directly with its potential consequences for system stability. This tests understanding of how to use complex structures to highlight severity.
16 / 23
Ben (Code Review Comment): 'This function returns the wrong value when input is null! The logic is completely flawed.'
Which of these options best uses an 'it-cleft' to emphasize the *nature* of the error?
The 'it-cleft' structure ('It was…that') is used here to focus attention on the specific aspect of the problem – the incorrect return value. The other options misplace the emphasis or address related but distinct issues. This reinforces the correct grammatical usage for highlighting a key element within a technical explanation.
17 / 23
David (Standup Update): 'We refactored the authentication service. The previous version was incredibly complex.'
Which of these options best uses fronting to emphasize *how* the service was improved?
Fronting (placing the emphasized phrase at the beginning of the sentence) is used here to highlight *how* the service was improved – by simplifying the architecture. The other options focus on different aspects of the change or simply state facts without a clear emphasis. This tests understanding of fronting techniques for highlighting key benefits.
18 / 23
Code Review: 'The API response time is consistently high. It's a significant bottleneck!'
Which of these options best uses an 'it-cleft' to emphasize the *impact* of the slow response time?
Option 1 uses an 'it-cleft' effectively – 'It was…' – to highlight the *cause* of the problem and its consequence. The other options either offer a general explanation or don't use the 'it-cleft' structure for emphasis in this scenario. Focusing on 'it-cleft' constructions is key to concise, impactful technical communication.
19 / 23
Mark is reviewing a pull request for a new feature. He writes: 'The database query was slow. It's unacceptable!' Which sentence best demonstrates the most effective use of emphasis in this context?
Consider how Mark wants to convey the urgency and severity of the issue.
Option 1 correctly uses fronting with 'which is' to highlight the core problem – the slowness of the query – and immediately establishes its undesirability. Options 2, 3, and 4 all use less direct phrasing, weakening the emphasis on the specific issue and shifting focus unnecessarily. Fronting here creates a stronger, more immediate impact.
20 / 23
Alex, a senior developer, is drafting a Slack message to his team about a critical bug. He types: 'The new authentication flow *only* fails intermittently.' Which of these options best demonstrates the most effective use of emphasis in this context?
Here, 'only' acts as a negative adverbial phrase, emphasizing the unexpected and problematic characteristic of the intermittent failure. This is a key technique for drawing attention to a specific detail in a technical communication. It's crucial to use such phrasing sparingly and accurately.
21 / 23
Ben is writing a PR description for a performance optimization. He writes: 'We reduced the latency of the API endpoint by 30%. It was a major bottleneck!' Which option best demonstrates the most effective use of emphasis in this context?
Using 'It was a major bottleneck!' adds significant emphasis by directly connecting the optimization to its previous negative impact. This is crucial for demonstrating the value of the work and justifying the effort invested. Quantifying the improvement (30% reduction) further strengthens this statement.
22 / 23
David is giving a standup update on his progress. He says: 'We migrated the legacy system to the new microservices architecture. The previous system was incredibly complex.' Which of these options best demonstrates the most effective use of emphasis in this context?
Fronting with 'We' immediately emphasizes the team's proactive role in achieving the migration. Pairing this with 'incredibly complex' effectively contrasts the old system with the new architecture, highlighting the positive outcome and reinforcing the value of the work. This is a common technique for impactful updates.
23 / 23
A code review comment reads: 'The API endpoint returns a 500 error when invalid input is provided. It's unacceptable.' Which of the following options best demonstrates the most effective use of emphasis in this context? This failure to handle incorrect data represents a serious design flaw
This question tests the ability to combine different techniques. Option 1 combines fronting with a strong concluding statement – 'represents a serious design flaw'. This powerfully conveys the severity of the problem and why it's unacceptable.
What will I practise in "Emphasis Structures in Technical Writing — Grammar Exercise"?
Practice cleft sentences, fronting, and inversion to add emphasis in technical writing: 'It is X that causes Y' and 'What we need is X'.
How many exercises are in this module?
This module has 23 multiple-choice exercises, each with instant feedback and a full explanation of the correct answer.
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Where can I find more Grammar exercises?
Browse the full Grammar hub for related drills, or check the "Next up" link below to continue with a connected topic.
How is this different from reading an article on the same topic?
Articles explain grammar rules in prose; this exercise tests and reinforces those rules through active recall with immediate feedback — the two work best together.
Who writes these exercises?
Every exercise is written by the CoderSlingo team, drawing on real workplace English used in IT roles, then reviewed for accuracy and clarity.