一、考查强调结构的基本形式
即考查it was…that…这一强调句式的用法，其考点主要涉及句首it的正确使用（通常用this, that, he, she等进行干扰），句中that的正确使用（通常用what, which, how, when, since, before, after, as等进行干扰）等。如：
(1) David said that it was because of his strong interest in literature _______ he chose the course. (上海卷)
A. that B. what C. why D. how
答案为A。考查“it be+被强调成分+that…”这一强调句式，被强调成分为介词短语because of his strong interest in literature。
(2) I don’t mind her criticizing me, but _______ is how she does it that I object to. (江西卷)
A. it B. that C. this D. which
答案为A。此题考查强调结构it is...that…的用法，被强调成分为how she does it。句意为：我不介意她批评我，我反对的是她批评我的方式。
二、考查强调结构特殊疑问句形式
强调结构it is (was)…that…的特殊疑问句形式为“疑问词+is (was) it that…”。遇到这类题时，关键是要能够识别它是强调结构，同时根据句意或句子成分确定相应疑问词的选择。如：
(1) — _______ that he manage to get the information?
—Oh, a friend of his helped him. (山东卷)
A. Where was it B. What was it C. How was it D. Why was it
答案为C。考查强调结构的特殊疑问句形式，根据答语的意思可知，问句用疑问词how最合适。how在此表示方式。
(2) I just wonder _______ that makes him so excited. (山东卷)
A. why it does B. what he does C. how it is D. what it is
答案为D。考查强调结构的特殊疑问句形式。由于其中的动词makes缺主语，说明空格处应填一个能用用主语的疑问词，由此可排除how，故可确定正确答案只能在B和D之间；再根据强调结构的基本句式“疑问词+is (was) it that…”可知，答案只能是D。
三、综合考查强调结构和not…until句式
not…until句式用于强调结构时，其基本结构为it was not until…that…格式，命题切入点主要有三个方面：一是考查it was not until的正确形式（通常用其肯定式进行干扰），二是考查其中的that的正确用法（通常用when等干扰），三是考查not until后的语序（应用正常语序，但可能用倒装语序来干扰）。如：
(1) It was ________ he came bank from Africa that year ________ he met the girl he would like to marry. (江西卷)
A. when; then B. not; until C. not until; that D. only; when
答案为C。考查not…until…的强调句形式，其基本结构是it was not until…that…，如：It was not until I met you that I knew real happiness. 直到我遇到你以后，我才真正体会到幸福。
(2) It _______ we had stayed together for a couple of weeks _______ I found we had a lot in common. (浙江卷)
A. was until; when B. was until; that
C. wasn’t until; when D. wasn’t until; that
答案为D。此题考查not…until…句式的强调形式It was not until…that…的用法。注意不要想当然地将其中的that换成when。
四、综合考查强调结构和not…but…句式
综合考查强调结构与not…but…句式所采用的命题形式通常为it is (was) not…but…that…形式。如：
(1) It is not who is right but what is right _______ is of importance. (重庆卷)
A. which B. it C. that D. this
答案为C。此题考查it is…that…这一强调句式，被强调的是not who is right but what is right，全句意为：重要的不是谁是对的，而是什么才是对的。
(2)—I’ve read another book this week.(www.yygrammar.com)
—Well, maybe ________ is not how much you read but what you read that counts. (浙江卷)
A. this B. that C. there D. it
答案为D。此题考查强调句式的用法。It is not how much you read but what you read that counts其实是一个强调句，其意为“重要的不是你读了多少，而是你读了些什么”。句中的count意为“重要”“有重要性”，与动词matter意思相同。又如：You really count with me. 对我来说你确实很重要。
有时也考查not…but…的同义结构…rather than…与强调结构的综合运用。如：
(2) It is what you do rather than what you say _______matters (天津卷)
A. that B. what C. which D. this
答案为A。被强调成分为what you do rather than what you say，全句意为：重要的是看你怎么做，而不是看你怎么说