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Emphasis

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 12:57 pm
by DustBSH
Hi Jan
I had a short question about emphasis.
There have been occasions where I wanted to put the emphasis on a word.
For example, I take a sentence like: Joe just had to have the new computer.
If I want to put the emphasis on 'had' because he really, really wanted it, how do I write that?
Is 'Joe just had to have the new computer,' the right way? Is there a rule for this? Or is it simply better not to even right it, but just make it clear through showing that Joe really wanted it?
Thanks so much.
Kind regards

Re: Emphasis

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 1:59 pm
by glorybee
DustBSH wrote:Hi Jan
I had a short question about emphasis.
There have been occasions where I wanted to put the emphasis on a word.
For example, I take a sentence like: Joe just had to have the new computer.
If I want to put the emphasis on 'had' because he really, really wanted it, how do I write that?
Is 'Joe just had to have the new computer,' the right way? Is there a rule for this? Or is it simply better not to even right it, but just make it clear through showing that Joe really wanted it?
Thanks so much.
Kind regards
Italics can be used for emphasis. It's best if you don't rely too heavily on them, but instead choose your words in such a way that the emphasis is obvious. But if you're concerned that your reader may get put the emphasis in the right place as they're reading, go ahead and italicize. Just don't have lots of italics on each page.

In the example you gave about the computer, that's a fairly common way to indicate desire for a thing, and the emphasis wouldn't be needed.

Although you didn't ask, I'll add that in contemporary writing, underlining and bolding shouldn't be used for emphasis.

Re: Emphasis

Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 12:41 pm
by DustBSH
Thanks Jan
XXX