一、考查结构词的选择与使用

强调句的基本结构是“It+be+被强调成分+that (who)…”，其中的结构词it和that (who)为高考英语考查强调句时最常考查的考点。如：

1. I don’t mind her criticizing me, but _____ is how she does it that I object to. (江西卷)

A. it B. that     C. this     D. which

【解析】答案选A。此题考查it is ...that…这一强调句句型。句意为：我不介意她批评我，我反对的是她批评我的方式。句中空格处填强调句结构词it。

2. It is not who is right but what is right ___C___ is of importance. (重庆卷)

A. which        B. it        C. that    D. this

【解析】答案选C。此题考查it is…that…这一强调句式，被强调的是not who is right but what is right，全句意为：重要的不是谁是对的，而是什么才是对的。句中空格处填强调句结构词that。

二、考查强调句的特殊疑问句形式

强调句型的陈述句形式和一般疑问句形式一般还好理解，但若以特殊疑问句形式出现，则很容易误解。

Jim told us the news.（非强调句）

It was Jim that told us the news.（强调句型的陈述句形式）

Was it Jim that told us the news?（强调句型的一般疑问句形式）

Who was it that told us the news?（强调句型的特殊疑问句形式）

特殊疑问句形式的强调句可视为对陈述句强调中的被强调成分提问得来，如对It was yesterday that he arrived. 这一句中的yesterday提问，即得到When was it that he arrived?

请看高考真题：

1. I just wonder _______ that makes him so excited. (山东卷)

A. why it does              B. what he does      C. how it is    D. what it is

【解析】答案选D。注意what it is that makes him so excited为宾语从句，用作动词wonder的宾语。如果去掉主句I just wonder将原句改为疑问句则是：What is it that makes him so excited?

2.— _____ that he manage to get the information?

—Oh, a friend of his helped him. (山东卷)

A. Where was it    B. What was it       C. How was it       D. Why was it

【解析】答案选C 。由答语的内容可知，空格处应填how。

三、考查not…until…句式的强调句形式

not...until用于强调句时的基本形式为“It is (was) not until…that…”。如：

1. It ______ we had stayed together for a couple of weeks ______ I found we had a lot in common. (浙江卷)

A. was until; when B. was until; that

C. wasn’t until; when           D. wasn’t until; that

【解析】答案选D。此题考查not…until…句式的强调形式。又如：It was not until she took off her dark glasses that I realized she was a famous film star. 直到她取下墨镜，我才意识到她是一位著名影星。

2. It was not until she got home _______ Jennifer realized she had lost her keys. (全国III)

A. when  B. that     C. where D. before

【解析】答案选B。考查not…until…句式的强调形式。又如：It was not until I met you that I knew real happiness. 直到我遇到你以后，我才真正体会到幸福。

四、考查强调句与非强调句的辨别

1. It will soon be five years ______ we came to live in Cairo.

A. that    B. when  C. since   D. as

【解析】答案选C。此题不是考查强调句，而是考查since的用法，句意为“我们来到开罗居住快五年了”。又如：It is two years since he left the country.  他离开这个国家已经两年了。/ It’s quite some time since we wrote to each other. 我们互相通信已有不少时间了。

2. “Was it here _____ you were away talking to a friend?” “Sure. But when I got back there, it was gone.”

A. that    
B. while       
C. which       
D. where   

【解析】答案选B。此题不是考查强调句，而是考查while的用法，while在此表示“在……期间”，句意为：当你离开去跟朋友说话的时候它在这儿吗？