Fronting

Exercises

Explanation

1. What does fronting do?

Fronting does not change the core meaning of a sentence. Instead, it changes what the listener notices first.

Standard word order: We remembered the final scene long after the film ended.

Fronted version: The final scene, we remembered long after the film ended.

The event is the same, but the emphasis shifts to the final scene as the most important piece of information.

2. Fronting for contrast and comparison

Comparative and superlative expressions are often fronted to highlight contrast between ideas.

Examples:

The first proposal was acceptable. Far more convincing was the second one.

Several solutions were suggested. Most effective of all was the digital approach.

This structure allows the speaker to clearly separate weaker options from stronger ones, making evaluations more precise and expressive.

3. Fronting with so + adjective for intensity

Fronting is frequently used with so + adjective to underline an extreme degree or result.

Examples:

So demanding was the training schedule that many participants dropped out.

So unexpected was the announcement that the audience fell silent.

This pattern is more emphatic and stylistically stronger than a regular sentence.

4. Fronting adverbial phrases of place or position

Adverbials of place, direction, or position are often fronted—especially with verbs describing location or movement such as stand, hang, sit, lie, or remain.

Examples:

At the top of the hill stood an abandoned lighthouse.

Along the corridor were displayed portraits of former directors.

This type of fronting is particularly frequent in descriptive writing and storytelling.

5. Fronting with infinitive phrases

Infinitive clauses can be fronted to give emphasis to purpose, intention, or emotional importance.

Examples:

To adapt quickly became essential for the team’s survival.

To question the decision was her natural response.

This structure highlights the action itself as the key idea rather than the subject.

6. Fronting with bare infinitives (dramatic or formal tone)

In short or dramatic statements, a bare infinitive may be fronted for rhetorical emphasis.

Examples:

He pledged to remain neutral — and remain neutral he did.

The company promised transparency — and deliver transparency it did.

This style is deliberate and should be used sparingly, as it creates a strong, formal effect.

7. Fronting objects to create contrast or focus

An object or complement can be placed at the beginning to underline contrast or comparison.

Examples:

Classical music he enjoys; modern pop, he avoids.

Research articles she reads regularly, opinion blogs she ignores.

Fronting here allows the speaker to neatly organise contrast within a single sentence.