Cleft Sentences
Understanding “It is… that” and “What… is” structures
What Are Cleft Sentences?
Cleft sentences are special sentence structures that we use to emphasize particular information in a sentence. The word “cleft” means “divided” or “split,” and these sentences are called “cleft” because they split a simple sentence into two clauses to create emphasis.
Instead of presenting information in a neutral way, cleft sentences highlight specific parts of the sentence, making them stand out to the listener or reader. This is particularly useful in both spoken and written English when you want to draw attention to something important.
Type 1: It-Cleft Sentences (It is/was… that/who)
Structure and Usage
It-cleft sentences follow this pattern: It + be + focused element + that/who + rest of the sentence
Normal sentence: Sarah broke the window yesterday.
Emphasizing Sarah: It was Sarah who broke the window yesterday.
Emphasizing the window: It was the window that Sarah broke yesterday.
Emphasizing yesterday: It was yesterday that Sarah broke the window.
Notice how each version emphasizes a different part of the original sentence. The emphasized part comes right after “It is/was,” making it the focus of the sentence.
When to Use It-Cleft Sentences
Use it-cleft sentences when you want to:
Correct misconceptions:
A: “Did John win the prize?”
B: “No, it was Mary who won the prize.”
Emphasize contrast:
It’s your attitude that needs to change, not your skills.
Highlight unexpected information:
It was in Paris that we finally met, after years of correspondence.
Type 2: Wh-Cleft Sentences (What… is)
Structure and Usage
Wh-cleft sentences (also called pseudo-cleft sentences) follow this pattern: What/Where/When/Why + clause + be + focused element
Normal sentence: I need a vacation.
Wh-cleft: What I need is a vacation.
Normal sentence: She did all the work.
Wh-cleft: What she did was all the work.
Normal sentence: The price surprised me most.
Wh-cleft: What surprised me most was the price.
When to Use Wh-Cleft Sentences
Wh-cleft sentences are particularly effective when you want to:
Define or explain:
What a computer does is process information.
Emphasize actions:
What he did was apologize immediately.
Express opinions strongly:
What I think is we need to start over.
Key Differences
It-cleft sentences can emphasize any part of a sentence and typically sound more formal or emphatic.
Example: It was the manager who made the final decision.
Wh-cleft sentences often emphasize the subject or verb and can sound slightly more conversational.
Example: What made the difference was our teamwork.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Incorrect: It is yesterday that Sarah broke the window.
✓ Correct: It was yesterday that Sarah broke the window. (Use past tense “was” for past events)
❌ Incorrect: What I need are a vacation.
✓ Correct: What I need is a vacation. (Subject-verb agreement)
❌ Incorrect: It was Sarah whom broke the window.
✓ Correct: It was Sarah who broke the window. (Use “who” as the subject, not “whom”)
Test Your Understanding
Complete the quiz below to check your understanding of cleft sentences
