How do you make one part of your sentence “pop” and grab the listener’s attention? Cleft sentences act like a spotlight, allowing you to highlight the most important piece of information. Using them will make your speaking more dynamic and expressive. 🔦
Function & Usage
We “cleave” (or split) a normal sentence into two parts to emphasize one piece of information. This is very common in spoken English to give focus or correct a misunderstanding.
- ‘It’ Clefts: To emphasize the person or thing (the noun) that did the action.
Normal: “John broke the window.” → Emphatic: “It was John who broke the window.” (Not Mary, not me… John!) - ‘Wh-‘ Clefts (often with ‘What’): To emphasize the action or the object of the sentence.
Normal: “I need a coffee.” → Emphatic: “What I need is a coffee.” (The most important thing for me right now is a coffee).
The Structure (Form)
There are two main patterns to learn. The key is to identify which part of the sentence you want to put under the “spotlight.”
| Cleft Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ‘It’ Cleft | It + is/was + [Focus] + that/who + … | It was the dog that ate my homework. |
| ‘Wh-‘ Cleft | What + [subject/clause] + is/was + [Focus] | What I want is a new phone. |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Verb Agreement: With ‘What’ clefts, the verb ‘to be’ is usually singular (`is`/`was`). Incorrect: “What I need are new shoes.” Correct: “What I need is new shoes.” (Although you may hear ‘are’ in informal speech).
- Confusing the two types: Don’t mix the structures. Focus on either the noun (`It was…`) or the action/thing (`What I need is…`).
Let’s see it in action! 🎬
Person A: That was a delicious meal. I especially loved the dessert.
Person B: Me too! And it was Maria who made it, not the restaurant!
Friend 1: You seem really stressed out from work.
Friend 2: I am. What I really need is a long weekend to relax and do nothing.
Person A: So, you didn’t like the movie because it was too long?
Person B: Not exactly. What I didn’t like was the ending. It was so disappointing.
Check Your Understanding! ✅
1. (Emphasize the person) broke the window.
2. (Emphasize the thing) What I want for my birthday a new bike.
3. (Emphasize the place) they met for the first time.
4. (Emphasize the action) sell his car and buy a bicycle.
5. (Emphasize the reason) It was because he was tired he left the party early.
6. ___ I need is a good night’s sleep.
7. It was my brother ___ ate the last piece of cake.
8. What she wants ___ a new job.
9. It was the traffic ___ made us late.
10. ___ happened was that we missed the train.
