Emphatic stress is a linguistic phenomenon where a speaker emphasizes a particular word or phrase to convey a particular meaning or emphasis in a sentence. In the context of exams like the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and West African Examinations Council (WAEC), emphatic stress questions are designed to test a candidate’s understanding of grammar and usage. These types of questions are designed to test a student’s understanding of the language and their ability to recognize the emphasis placed on a word or phrase in a sentence.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at emphatic stress questions and provide tips on how to answer them successfully in JAMB and WAEC exams.
Emphatic Stress Questions
Emphatic stress questions are questions that are designed to test a student’s understanding of the emphasis placed on a particular word or phrase in a sentence. These types of questions are often found in grammar and comprehension sections of exams like JAMB and WAEC.
An emphatic stress question may be phrased in various ways, but the basic idea is to emphasize a particular word or phrase in a sentence to test the student’s understanding of the meaning conveyed. For example, consider the following sentence:
“He didn’t eat the cake, but he ate the ice cream.”
The emphasis here is on the word “cake,” which is contrasted with “ice cream.” An emphatic stress question based on this sentence might be:
“What did he NOT eat?”
The correct answer would be “the cake,” which is emphasized in the sentence.
Tips for Answering Emphatic Stress Questions in JAMB and WAEC
To answer emphatic stress questions successfully, candidates need to have a good understanding of the language and the ability to recognize the emphasis placed on a particular word or phrase in a sentence. Here are some tips that can help you to prepare for emphatic stress questions in JAMB and WAEC:
1. Read the Sentence Carefully.
To answer emphatic stress questions successfully, it is essential to read the sentence carefully and understand the meaning conveyed. If you misinterpret the meaning of a sentence, you will likely choose the wrong answer. Take your time to read the sentence carefully and understand the emphasis placed on the word or phrase.
2. Identify the Emphatic Word or Phrase.
Once you have read the sentence carefully, identify the word or phrase that is emphasized. This will help you to understand the meaning of the sentence and choose the correct answer. Emphatic words or phrases are often emphasized by stressing or raising the pitch of the voice. In some cases, they may be underlined or highlighted in the sentence.
3. Use Context Clues.
Context clues can help you to understand the meaning of a sentence and identify the emphasized word or phrase. Look for clues in the sentence that can help you to understand the meaning conveyed. For example, if the sentence is about food, the emphasized word or phrase may be related to food.
4. Pay Attention to Negatives.
Emphatic stress questions may include negatives to test your understanding of the sentence. For example, consider the following sentence:
“She did not want to go to the party.”
An emphatic stress question based on this sentence might be:
“What did she NOT want to do?”
The correct answer would be “go to the party,” which is emphasized in the sentence.
5. Practice Emphatic Stress Questions.
The more you practice emphatic stress questions, the better you will become at identifying the emphasized word or phrase and understanding the meaning of the sentence. Practice with past questions from JAMB and WAEC exams to improve your skills.
Conclusion
Emphatic stress questions are designed to test a candidate’s understanding of grammar and usage. To answer these questions successfully in JAMB and WAEC exams, candidates need
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