Cleft Sentences
Master cleft sentences to add emphasis and sophistication to your English. Learn it-clefts, wh-clefts, and all-clefts for advanced C1-C2 writing and speaking.
What are Cleft Sentences?
A cleft sentence is a complex sentence structure used to emphasize a particular piece of information. The word "cleft" means "divided." We divide a simple sentence into two parts to give special focus to one element. Cleft sentences are common in formal writing, academic English, and sophisticated spoken English.
📘 Simple Sentence
"John broke the window."
📘 Cleft Sentence (Emphasis)
"It was John who broke the window."
Key idea: Cleft sentences divide information to highlight what is most important.
It-Clefts (It + be + emphasized element + that/who/which)
The most common type of cleft sentence. We use "it + be" to focus on a specific element.
📘 Emphasizing the Subject
"It was John who broke the window."
"It was the manager that made the decision."
"It is you who I trust."
📘 Emphasizing the Object
"It was the window that John broke."
"It was a new car that she bought."
"It was this book that I recommended."
📘 Emphasizing Adverbials (Time, Place, Reason)
"It was in Paris that I first met her."
"It was yesterday that he called."
"It was because of the rain that we stayed home."
📘 Negative & Question Forms
"It wasn't John who broke the window."
"Was it you that called?"
"Why was it that you left?"
Wh-Clefts (What-clefts)
Also called "pseudo-clefts." We use "what" (or other wh-words) to focus on information. Structure: What + clause + be + emphasized element.
📘 What-clefts
"What I need is a good rest."
"What she wants is a new car."
"What happened was an accident."
"What we saw was incredible."
📘 Emphasizing Verbs
"What he did was apologize."
"What she did was leave without saying goodbye."
"What we did was wait for hours."
📖 More Wh-cleft Examples:
- What I love is traveling to new places.
- What you need is a vacation.
- What matters most is your health.
- What I remember is her smile.
Reversed Wh-Clefts
In reversed wh-clefts, the emphasized element comes first. Structure: Emphasized element + be + what-clause.
"A good rest is what I need."
"A new car is what she wants."
"An accident is what happened."
"Her smile is what I remember."
All-Clefts
We use "all" to focus on the only thing that matters or the only thing that happened. Structure: All + clause + be + emphasized element.
"All I want is a little peace and quiet."
"All she did was complain."
"All we need is love."
"All that matters is your happiness."
Other Wh-Clefts (where, when, why, how)
We can also use other wh-words to focus on place, time, reason, or manner.
📘 Where-clefts
"Where I met her was in Paris."
"Where we live is a small village."
📘 When-clefts
"When I need you most is now."
"When we met was a cold winter day."
📘 Why-clefts
"Why he left is still a mystery."
"Why I'm here is to help you."
📘 How-clefts
"How she did it is amazing."
"How we succeeded was through teamwork."
Comprehensive Examples
📖 It-Clefts:
- It was the president who made the announcement.
- It was in 1999 that the company was founded.
- It wasn't me who broke the vase.
- Was it you that called me yesterday?
📖 What-Clefts:
- What I really need is a cup of coffee.
- What she did was shocking.
- What we need to do is work together.
- What happened next was unexpected.
📖 All-Clefts & Other Wh-Clefts:
- All I want is a little respect.
- Where I grew up was a small town.
- Why she left remains a mystery.
- How they survived is incredible.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Incorrect:
"It was John which broke the window."
✅ Correct:
"It was John who broke the window." (use who for people)
❌ Incorrect:
"What I need are a rest."
✅ Correct:
"What I need is a rest." (singular verb with what-clause)
❌ Incorrect:
"It was yesterday when he called."
✅ Correct:
"It was yesterday that he called." (use that for time)
❌ Incorrect:
"What did he do was apologize."
✅ Correct:
"What he did was apologize." (no inversion)
Cleft Sentence Types Comparison
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| It-cleft | It + be + emphasized + that/who/which | It was John who broke it. |
| Wh-cleft | What + clause + be + emphasized | What I need is a rest. |
| Reversed Wh-cleft | Emphasized + be + what-clause | A rest is what I need. |
| All-cleft | All + clause + be + emphasized | All I want is peace. |
Interactive Exercises
Practice cleft sentences. Choose the correct form.
Quick Summary
It + be + emphasized + that/who
It was John who called.
What + clause + be + emphasized
What I need is a break.
All + clause + be + emphasized
All I want is peace.
💡 Remember: Cleft sentences divide information to emphasize key elements. Use them to add sophistication and focus to your English!