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La mise en relief : It was... that, What I need is..., do emphatique

Fiche à imprimer : le cours, les trois exercices et le corrigé (sur une page à part). Revenir au cours en ligne

Pour insister sur un élément de la phrase, le français dit « c'est ... qui / que ». L'anglais a plusieurs moyens.

1. It is / It was ... that (who)

It was Tom who broke the window, not me! / It's on Friday that we leave.
C'est Tom qui a cassé la fenêtre, pas moi ! / C'est vendredi que nous partons.

2. What ... is / was

What I need is a holiday. / What surprised me was his answer.
Ce dont j'ai besoin, c'est de vacances. / Ce qui m'a surpris, c'est sa réponse.

3. Le do emphatique

À l'affirmative, on peut ajouter do / does / did (accentué à l'oral) pour insister ou contredire :

I do like your dress! / She does work hard. / I did tell you!
J'adore vraiment ta robe ! / Elle travaille vraiment dur. / Je te l'avais bien dit !

4. L'inversion (style soutenu)

Après un mot négatif placé en tête de phrase, on inverse sujet et auxiliaire, comme dans une question :

Mot en têteExempleSens
NeverNever have I seen such a beautiful place.Jamais je n'ai vu un endroit aussi beau.
Rarely / SeldomRarely does he make mistakes.Il fait rarement des erreurs.
Not onlyNot only is she clever, but she's also kind.Non seulement elle est intelligente, mais elle est aussi gentille.
No sooner ... thanNo sooner had we arrived than it started to rain.À peine étions-nous arrivés qu'il s'est mis à pleuvoir.

Mise en situation : une dispute entre colocataires

Sarah : Who left the door open? It was you, wasn't it?
Qui a laissé la porte ouverte ? C'était toi, non ?
Lucas : No, it was Ben who went out last. I did close it when I came in!
Non, c'est Ben qui est sorti en dernier. Je l'ai bien fermée en rentrant !
Sarah : What annoys me is that nobody ever says sorry.
Ce qui m'agace, c'est que personne ne s'excuse jamais.
Lucas : OK, OK. Never again will I leave the door open. Promise!
D'accord, d'accord. Jamais plus je ne laisserai la porte ouverte. Promis !

À retenir

  • It is / was ... that / who = c'est ... que / qui.
  • What I need is... = ce dont j'ai besoin, c'est...
  • do / does / did + base verbale pour insister : I do like it!
  • Never / Rarely / Not only en tête → inversion : Never have I seen...

Exercice 1 : La mise en relief : exercice 1 (QCM)

  1. « C'est Tom qui a cassé la fenêtre. »
    1. It was Tom who broke the window.
    2. It was Tom which broke the window.
    3. That was Tom what broke the window.
  2. « Ce dont j'ai besoin, c'est de sommeil. »
    1. That I need is sleep.
    2. Which I need is sleep.
    3. What I need is sleep.
  3. « J'aime vraiment ton pull ! » (insistance)
    1. I like do your jumper!
    2. I am like your jumper!
    3. I do like your jumper!
  4. « Je te l'avais bien dit ! »
    1. I did told you!
    2. I did tell you!
    3. I do told you!
  5. Never ___ such a beautiful view.
    1. have I seen
    2. I have seen
    3. I saw
  6. Rarely ___ late.
    1. is he
    2. he does
    3. he is
  7. Not only ___ clever, but she's also funny.
    1. she is
    2. is she
    3. does she
  8. « Ce qui m'a surpris, c'est sa réaction. »
    1. Which surprised me was his reaction.
    2. That surprised me was his reaction.
    3. What surprised me was his reaction.
  9. « C'est lundi que nous partons. »
    1. It's on Monday what we leave.
    2. This is Monday who we leave.
    3. It's on Monday that we leave.
  10. She ___ work hard, believe me! (insistance)
    1. is
    2. does
    3. do

Exercice 2 : La mise en relief : exercice 2 (à compléter)

  1. It was my sister .......................... found the cat. (qui)
  2. .......................... I want is a quiet evening. (ce que)
  3. I .......................... love this song! (insistance, présent)
  4. He .......................... say that, I heard him! (insistance, passé)
  5. Never .......................... I eaten such a good meal. (inversion)
  6. Rarely .......................... she complain. (inversion)
  7. Not only .......................... it cheap, but it's also good. (inversion)
  8. It's in Paris .......................... they met. (que)
  9. What surprised me .......................... the price.
  10. She .......................... speak French, I promise! (insistance)

Exercice 3 : La mise en relief : mise en situation

  1. On t'accuse d'avoir mangé le gâteau : c'est ton frère !
    1. It was my brother who ate the cake!
    2. That was my brother what ate the cake!
    3. It was my brother which ate the cake!
  2. Tu es épuisé : ce dont tu as besoin, ce sont des vacances.
    1. Which I need are holidays.
    2. What I need is a holiday.
    3. That I need is a holiday.
  3. Ton amie croit que tu n'aimes pas son cadeau. Tu insistes.
    1. I like it do!
    2. I do like it!
    3. I am liking it!
  4. Ton ami prétend que tu ne l'as pas prévenu. Tu protestes.
    1. I warned you did!
    2. I did warn you!
    3. I did warned you!
  5. Dans une rédaction, tu écris que tu n'as jamais vu un tel paysage.
    1. Never have I seen such a landscape.
    2. Never I saw such a landscape.
    3. Never I have seen such a landscape.
  6. Tu dis que ce qui t'énerve, c'est le bruit.
    1. That annoys me is the noise.
    2. What annoys me is the noise.
    3. Which annoys me is the noise.
  7. Tu précises que c'est samedi que la fête a lieu.
    1. It's on Saturday what the party is.
    2. This is Saturday who the party is.
    3. It's on Saturday that the party is.
  8. Dans un essay, tu écris « Non seulement c'est cher, mais c'est aussi dangereux ».
    1. Not only is it expensive, but it's also dangerous.
    2. Not only it is expensive, but it's also dangerous.
    3. Not only does it expensive, but also dangerous.
  9. Tu insistes : ton frère travaille vraiment beaucoup.
    1. He do works a lot!
    2. He does work a lot!
    3. He is work a lot!
  10. Tu racontes : à peine étais-tu sorti qu'il s'est mis à pleuvoir.
    1. No sooner had I gone out when it started to rain.
    2. No sooner had I gone out than it started to rain.
    3. No sooner I had gone out than it started to rain.

Corrigé

Exercice 1

1. a) It was Tom who broke the window. · 2. c) What I need is sleep. · 3. c) I do like your jumper! · 4. b) I did tell you! · 5. a) have I seen · 6. a) is he · 7. b) is she · 8. c) What surprised me was his reaction. · 9. c) It's on Monday that we leave. · 10. b) does

Exercice 2

1. who · 2. What · 3. do · 4. did · 5. have · 6. does · 7. is · 8. that · 9. was · 10. does

Exercice 3

1. a) It was my brother who ate the cake! · 2. b) What I need is a holiday. · 3. b) I do like it! · 4. b) I did warn you! · 5. a) Never have I seen such a landscape. · 6. b) What annoys me is the noise. · 7. c) It's on Saturday that the party is. · 8. a) Not only is it expensive, but it's also dangerous. · 9. b) He does work a lot! · 10. b) No sooner had I gone out than it started to rain.