Cleft Sentences for Emphasis
Cleft sentences split one idea into two parts to emphasise a particular element. “Cleft” means “divided.” They let you highlight what matters most — a very useful tool for clear,…
Cleft sentences split one idea into two parts to emphasise a particular element. “Cleft” means “divided.” They let you highlight what matters most — a very useful tool for clear, expressive B2 writing and speaking.
It-cleft
Structure: It + is/was + (emphasised part) + that/who…
| Plain | It-cleft (emphasis) |
|---|---|
| Omar broke the window. | It was Omar who broke the window. |
| I want peace. | It’s peace that I want. |
| We met in 2010. | It was in 2010 that we met. |
What-cleft (wh-cleft)Structure: What + clause + is/was + emphasised part. “What I need is a holiday.” “What she did was (to) call the police.” The “what” clause acts as the subject, and the important new information comes after is/was. You can also reverse it: “A holiday is what I need.”
Other emphasis structures
| Structure | Example |
|---|---|
| The thing/reason/place + be… | The reason I left was the noise. |
| All + clause + be… | All I want is a rest. |
Examples from EduCareer
- It was Aisha who got the highest score.
- What helps most is daily speaking practice.
- The reason Omar succeeded was his consistency.
Tutor tip for Arabic speakersTo emphasise a person, use “It + was + person + who.” To emphasise a thing or action, use “What … is/was …”. The verb after the emphasised part agrees with the original tense: “It was yesterday that…” (past), “What I need is…” (present).
Common mistakes
- It was Omar which broke it. → It was Omar who broke it.
- What I need are a holiday. → What I need is a holiday.
- The reason is because I was tired. → The reason is that I was tired.
Practise with the 20 questions below.
Check your understanding
Answer the questions below. You will see instantly if you are right.
1."___ Omar who won the prize."
It-cleft → It was + person.
2."It was Aisha ___ scored highest."
person → who.
3."___ I need is more time."
What-cleft.
4."What I need ___ a break."
'What...' takes singular verb → is.
5.'Cleft' means:
divided into two parts.
6."It was in 2015 ___ we opened."
that for time/things in it-cleft.
7."___ helps most is regular practice."
What-cleft subject.
8.Which is correct?
person → who.
9."The reason I left ___ the noise."
The reason ... was + noun.
10."___ I want is to relax."
All + clause + is/was.
11."What she did ___ apologise."
What she did was (to) apologise.
12."It ___ the price that worried us." (past)
past context → was.
13.Reverse of 'What I need is rest':
emphasised part can come first.
14.Which is correct?
The reason is THAT, not 'because'.
15."It was the teacher ___ encouraged me most."
person subject → who.
16."___ was the weather that ruined the trip."
It-cleft → It was.
17."What surprised me ___ his honesty."
What ... was (singular).
18."It's your support ___ matters."
thing → that.
19."The place ___ we first met was a cafe."
The place where... (emphasis on place).
20.Cleft sentences are used to:
add emphasis.
Want feedback from a real tutor on your reading, writing and speaking?
Book a Free Consultation