Fronting: strange as it may seem – fronting exercises for style and emphasis

This C1 drill lesson gives fronting exercises: a place up front (Down came the rain), a word + as (Strange as it may seem) and an object (That I can't accept).

Grammar: The verb before a noun after a place, usual order with a pronoun (Here it comes), Gone are the days, Much as or Try as I might for although.
Topic: Travel writing: an essay on three days on Halvra, an invented ferry island, with the writer's notes, a guest book, a reader's letter and a friend's texts.
Activities: True or false, sorts, choices, typed gaps, rewrite tables, word order, matching, quizzes, drag-and-drop stories, memory games and a chat.

What's inside

Chapter 1The rule
- PictureUnlock
- Study the scheme: fronting and emphasisGrammar schemeTry it
- Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
- Sort the sentences: what comes first?Sort into columnsTry it
- Choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps with the words in bracketsFill in the gapsUnlock
Chapter 2Inside was a letter: place first
- Fill in the gaps: the verb after the placeFill in the gapsTry it
- Choose the right words: a noun or a pronoun?Choose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the table: put the place firstFill in the tableUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: place firstUnjumbleUnlock
- Match the beginnings and the endingsMatchUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: place firstQuizUnlock
- Read the opening of Nadira's short story and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
Chapter 3Strange as it seems: as and though
- Fill in the gaps: a word + as + subject + verbFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right words: as and thoughChoose the optionTry it
- Fill in the table: although → a word + asFill in the tableUnlock
- Match the two halves of each sentenceMatchUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: as and thoughUnjumbleUnlock
- Choose the right meaningQuizUnlock
- Read Matilda's message and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
Chapter 4That I can't accept: the object first
- Write the sentences again: put the object firstFill in the gapsUnlock
- Choose the right words: the object firstChoose the optionUnlock
- Sort the sentences: correct or wrong?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: the same meaningMemory gameUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: all three kindsQuizUnlock
- Fill in the table: start with the words givenFill in the tableTry it
- Read Oriane's book review and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
Chapter 5Real life: Three days on Halvra
- Read the travel essayReal-life documentUnlock
- Read the essay again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
- Read Honora's notes from the ferry and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the windmill guest book and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Read Edmund's letter to the magazine and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Choose the right replies: Tavish texts youChatTry it
- Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock
Chapter 6Homework
- Choose the right words: at home and at workChoose the optionUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: place first in town and in natureFill in the gapsUnlock
- Fill in the gaps: a word + as in everyday lifeFill in the gapsUnlock
- Put the words in the right order: fronting at homeUnjumbleUnlock
- Fill in the table: plain and frontedFill in the tableUnlock
- Sort the sentences: place, as-clause or object first?Sort into columnsUnlock
- Match the halves of the sentences: everyday lifeMatchUnlock
- Find the matching pairs: two ways to say itMemory gameUnlock
- Find the mistake and choose the right words: everyday EnglishQuizUnlock
- Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock
- Read the soccer commentary and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the ad for Puffin Cottage and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
- Read Perrin's postcard and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
- Read the review of a cooking class and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
- Decide: is the sentence correct? True or falseTrue or falseUnlock

Grammar: fronting: a place, a word + as or an object first

Fronting moves a place, an adjective or an object to the start of a sentence to set a scene, link two ideas or add weight: A letter was inside the box becomes Inside the box was a letter. It is a choice of style, not a rule, so the plain order stays right; stories and travel writing use it often.

Fronting: Inside was a letter. Strange as it seems…

Put a place, an adjective or an object first to set a scene, link ideas or add emphasis. Writers and storytellers love it.

A place or direction first

After the place comes be or a verb of place or movement, then the noun: Across the road stands an old church. There's no do, and the verb agrees with the noun that follows it: Behind the barn stand two old tractors.

Place or direction first: verb + noun subject

place / directionbe · stand · lie · come · go…noun subject

Inside the box was a letter.

Across the road stands an old church.

Through the window flew a ball.

Watch the verb, the pronoun and the object

After a place, use be or a verb of place or movement (stand, lie, hang, come, go, walk, run) with no do, and match it to the noun after it: Behind the barn stand two old tractors. A pronoun never goes after the verb. After an object, keep the normal order and don't repeat it: That I can't accept (not: That can't I accept. That I can't accept it.).

A noun or a pronoun?

Only a noun subject goes after the verb: Here comes the taxi. Up went the prices. A pronoun keeps its usual place: Here it comes. Up they went. Off we went.

A noun: the verb comes first

Here comes the taxi.
Up went the prices.
Off went the kids.

A pronoun: normal order

Here it comes.
Up they went.
Off we went.

Strange as it seems, much as, try as

An adjective or adverb + as or though + subject + verb means although: Tired as she was, she kept going. Much as I love the city and Try as I might work the same way. American English also says As strange as it seems.

Adjective + as / though, Much as, Try as = although

With although	Fronted
Although it may seem strange, I like rain.	Strange as it may seem, I like rain.
Although she was tired, she kept going.	Tired as / though she was, she kept going.
Although I love the city, I couldn't live there.	Much as I love the city, I couldn't live there.
Although I tried hard, I couldn't find it.	Try as I might, I couldn't find it.

Two right answers

Fronting is a choice of style, so the plain order is right too: A letter was inside. = Inside was a letter. Strange as it seems = Strange though it may seem = Although it seems strange. Americans also say As strange as it seems and As much as I like him. Try as I might is usual for the past; Try as I may also works for now.

Gone are the days; that I can't accept

A participle at the front takes be + noun: Gone are the days of paper maps. An object at the front keeps the normal order: Tea I like; coffee I love. Nothing is inverted and no pronoun repeats it.

What comes first	Word order	Example
a place or direction	verb + noun subject (no do)	Into the room walked a tall man.
a place or direction + a pronoun	pronoun + verb (normal order)	Up the hill she ran. · Off it went.
Here / There	come / go + noun · pronoun + verb	Here comes the bus! · There she goes.
a participle (gone, hidden…)	be + noun subject	Gone are the days of paper maps. · Hidden in the wall was a safe.
an adjective or adverb + as / though · Much as · Try as	subject + verb, then the main clause	Strange as it seems, … · Hard as we tried, … · Much as I like him, … · Try as I might, …
an object (this, that, a noun)	subject + verb (normal order)	That I can't accept. · Tea I like; coffee I love.

Common mistakes

Four slips: Here comes it!, Down did the rain come., As strange it may seem and Much as I like the hotel, but… The fixes: Here it comes!, Down came the rain., Strange as it may seem, and no but.

Here comes it!
Here it comes!
a pronoun stays before the verb
Down did the rain come.
Down came the rain.
no do: the main verb moves
As strange it may seem, he's right.
Strange as it may seem, he's right.
the adjective first, then as + subject + verb
Much as I like the hotel, but it's too far from the beach.
Much as I like the hotel, it's too far from the beach.
no but: much as already means although

Examples

Beyond the village lay miles of empty beach.a place first: setting the scene
The door opened, and in walked the mayor.a direction first: a sudden action
There goes the last train!There / Here + go / come + a noun
Expensive as it was, the trip was worth it.= although it was expensive
Much as I'd love to join you, I have an early flight.= although I'd really love to
Pizza I can eat every day; sushi only on special days.an object first: a contrast

Try the fronting exercises

Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.

What's in the lesson

41 auto-checked exercises
5 games
1 real-life document
1 grammar scheme
1 picture

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

put the verb before a noun after a place or direction: Down came the rain. On the shelf stand three old radios.
keep the normal order with a pronoun: Here it comes, not Here comes it; Off we went, not Off went we
open with a word + as to mean although, with no but after it: Much as I'd love to, I can't afford a trip this year.
say that hard effort failed with Try as I might: Try as I might, I couldn't open the jar.
move an object to the front without repeating it: That I can't promise, not That I can't promise it

Grammar:: fronting · inversion after place · here comes / there goes · strange as it seems · much as · try as I might · object fronting · emphasis
Topic:: grammar practice · travel writing · islands · storytelling

Teaching tips

Narrate a mimed entrance: one student walks in and acts something out while the class describes it with the place first (In walks Marta. Down goes her bag.), then again with Here she comes.
Rewrite a week of although sentences: students write three about their own week, and a partner turns each into a word + as: Much as I love my job, I need a break. No but allowed.
Open a story the way Nadira does: each student writes four lines, three starting with a place (At the end of the lane stood…) and one with a word + as, and the class guesses what happens next.

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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · C1

English Grammar Practice · C1 has 16 drill lessons on advanced grammar, one point each: inversion, cleft sentences, the subjunctive, advanced passives, ellipsis, nominalization, hedging, fronting and concession. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words.See the course

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