The words in capital letters have the emphatic stress. Choose the option to which the given sentence relates. Lamide is VERY hostile?

Analyze the question This is an emphatic stress question. The capitalized word (VERY) carries the emphasis, so the sentence is highlighting the degree of Lamide's hostility. We need the option that the sentence answers or relates to.

Concept Emphatic stress puts focus on one word to show what is being stressed or questioned:

• Stress on a name → the question is about who ("Who is hostile?")
• Stress on the verb → the question is about tense or truth ("Was she...?")
• Stress on an intensifier like very → the question is about the degree or extent ("Is Lamide so hostile?" - to what extent?)

Solution Stress on VERY means the speaker is stressing how much, or the extent of, Lamide's hostility. Check each option:

• A. Is Lamide so hostile? This asks about the degree of hostility ("so" is an intensifier like "very"). The statement "Lamide is VERY hostile" fits as a response. ✔
• B. Is Lamide friendly? This would focus on the quality (hostile vs. friendly), so the stress would be on HOSTILE.
• C. Was Lamide very hostile? This changes the tense, so the focus would be on the time (is vs. was).
• D. Who is hostile? This would put the stress on LAMIDE.

Only option A matches the degree focus created by the emphasis on VERY.

Answer: A

Tip: Ask yourself, "Which word is stressed, and what question would that word answer?"

• Stress on a name → Who?
• Stress on an adjective → What kind?
• Stress on an intensifier (very, so, too) → How much?
• Stress on a verb → Is it true? When?