noun · academic

emphasis

/ˈɛmfəsɪs/EM·pha·sis

Band 6-7task2speaking

special attention or importance given to something

Examples

There is a growing emphasis on sustainable development in government policies.

The teacher put emphasis on improving pronunciation in class.

Placing emphasis on skills rather than grades can change how schools teach.

Band 8 sentence

The essay places particular emphasis on the socioeconomic consequences of climate change rather than just the environmental effects.

Collocations

  • place/put/lay emphasis on
  • with an emphasis on
  • strong/particular emphasis

Word family

emphasise / emphasize verbemphatic adjectiveemphatically adverb

Common mistakes

many emphasismuch emphasis / a lot of emphasis

emphasize onemphasize / place emphasis on

Say it for a higher band

5point out6stress7+emphasis

Synonyms

stress

highlight

Easily confused

stress

The report places particular emphasis on long‑term outcomes, while the manager stressed immediate cost savings.

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