Casa ESL · B2 Upper Intermediate · Unit 18 of 20 · Step 2
Social justice and fronting for emphasis
Name
Date
Vocabulary
intersectionality
nounThe interconnected nature of social categories such as race, class, and gender.
"Intersectionality helps us understand how different forms of discrimination overlap."
representation
nounThe presence and portrayal of particular groups in media, politics, or institutions.
"Greater representation of women in leadership roles benefits entire organisations."
advocacy
nounPublic support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy.
"Her advocacy for equal pay has influenced national legislation."
systemic
adjectiveRelating to or affecting an entire system rather than individual parts.
"Systemic inequality cannot be solved by individual actions alone."
empower
verbTo give someone the authority, confidence, or means to do something.
"Education programmes aim to empower young women in rural communities."
disproportion
nounA lack of balance or equality in size, amount, or degree.
"The disproportion between male and female executives remains striking."
marginalise
verbTo treat a person or group as insignificant or peripheral.
"Policies that marginalise minority groups undermine social cohesion."
equitable
adjectiveFair and impartial; treating all people equally.
"An equitable society ensures that opportunities are not determined by gender."
Grammar Focus
Fronting for emphasis
Fronting moves an element to the beginning of a sentence for emphasis or focus. Common patterns: fronted adjective phrases ('Particularly important is the role of education'), fronted prepositional phrases ('Of special concern is the pay gap'), fronted complements ('Equally significant are the cultural barriers'). This structure is common in formal, academic, and journalistic writing. Note the subject-verb inversion.
Particularly important is the need for equal representation in government.
Of special concern is the widening gap between policy and practice.
Equally significant are the barriers that prevent women from entering STEM fields.
Most striking is the disproportion between qualifications and opportunities.
Exercises
Exercise 1
Rewrite each sentence using fronting for emphasis. Write only the fronted version.
1. The lack of female representation in boardrooms is particularly worrying. → Particularly worrying the lack of female representation in boardrooms.
2. The economic impact of gender inequality is of great significance. → Of great significance the economic impact of gender inequality.
3. The progress made in education access is equally remarkable. → Equally remarkable the progress made in education access.
4. The legal barriers to equality are of primary concern. → Of primary concern the legal barriers to equality.
5. The voices of grassroots organisations are most compelling. → Most compelling the voices of grassroots organisations.
Exercise 2
Choose the correctly fronted sentence.
1. Which sentence uses fronting correctly?
2. Choose the correct fronted sentence.
3. Which is correctly fronted?
4. Choose the correct version.
5. Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Reading
Closing the Gap
Over the past century, significant progress has been made toward gender equality in many parts of the world. Particularly notable is the increase in women's access to higher education — in several countries, women now outnumber men at university level. Of equal importance is the growing representation of women in political leadership, with more female heads of state than at any point in history. However, most striking is how much work remains to be done. Of special concern is the persistent gender pay gap, which in many industries has barely narrowed in decades. Equally troubling are the rates of gender-based violence, which remain alarmingly high even in countries with strong legal protections. Advocates argue that systemic change requires more than legislation alone. Particularly important is the transformation of cultural attitudes, which often lag behind legal reforms. Of great significance is the role of education — not merely in providing qualifications, but in challenging stereotypes from an early age. Most compelling are the stories of individuals who have fought for change in their communities, proving that progress, while slow, is possible.
1. According to the passage, what areas have seen significant progress in gender equality?
2. What does the passage identify as areas of continuing concern?
Speaking
Discuss these questions with a partner or your teacher.
Writing
Write a short opinion essay (8–10 sentences) about one aspect of gender equality that concerns you. Use at least three fronting structures to emphasise your key points.
Example: Of particular concern is the underrepresentation of women in technology. Particularly troubling is the fact that the proportion of female computer science graduates has actually decreased since the 1980s. Most important is the need to address this imbalance at every stage of education.
Answer Key — For Teacher Use
Exercise 1
1. is · 2. is · 3. is · 4. are · 5. are
Exercise 2
1. Particularly important is access to education. · 2. Of special concern are the rising dropout rates. · 3. Equally significant is the role of mentorship. · 4. Most striking are the differences between rural and urban areas. · 5. Of particular note is her contribution to the field.
Reading Comprehension
1. The passage highlights progress in women's access to higher education and growing representation in political leadership, with more female heads of state than ever before. · 2. Of special concern are the persistent gender pay gap and the high rates of gender-based violence, along with the need to transform cultural attitudes that lag behind legal reforms.