HE is the press photographer.

This is an English question on emphasis (stress) and intonation. The capitalised word "HE" shows the word that carries the emphasis in the statement. The correct answer is the question that the statement answers.

1. Analyse the question The sentence is "HE is the press photographer." The capital letters on "HE" mean the speaker is stressing who the press photographer is. The emphasis is on the person, not on the job and not on the tense.

2. Explain the concept In spoken English, the stressed word usually answers or corrects a doubt in a previous question or statement. Such a sentence is normally a reply that contrasts the stressed word with something else.

• "HE is the press photographer" means he, and not someone else, is the press photographer.
• So the earlier question must have been about a different person, for example "Is she the press photographer?"

3. Check each option

• A. Is she the press photographer? The doubt is about the person (she or he?). The reply "HE is..." corrects it. ✔
• B. Was he the press photographer? This questions the tense. The stress would fall on "IS", as in "He IS the press photographer."
• C. Is he the museum photographer? This questions the job. The stress would fall on "PRESS".
• D. Is he the press editor? This questions the role. The stress would fall on "PHOTOGRAPHER".

4. Answer The emphasis on "HE" contrasts with "she", so the correct option is A.

Tip: Look at the capitalised word and ask what it is being contrasted with. Whatever changes between the options and the statement tells you which question is being answered. Here, only option A changes the person.