Cleft Sentences: Mastering Emphasis in English Grammar

Cleft sentences are a powerful tool in English grammar, allowing speakers and writers to emphasize specific parts of a sentence. By restructuring the sentence, you can draw attention to the information you want to highlight, making your communication more effective and engaging.

Understanding cleft sentences is crucial for both comprehending nuanced English and expressing yourself with greater precision. This article provides a comprehensive guide to cleft sentences, covering their definition, structure, types, usage rules, common mistakes, and advanced applications.

This guide will benefit English language learners, teachers, and anyone looking to refine their understanding of English grammar and improve their communication skills.

Whether you’re preparing for an English exam, writing an important document, or simply aiming to speak more fluently, mastering cleft sentences will significantly enhance your linguistic abilities.

Table of Contents

• Definition of Cleft Sentences
• Structural Breakdown
  • It-Clefts
  • Wh-Clefts (Pseudo-Clefts)
• Types and Categories
  • Identifying Clefts
  • Relevance Clefts
• Examples of Cleft Sentences
  • It-Cleft Examples
  • Wh-Cleft Examples
  • Clefting Different Sentence Elements
• Usage Rules
  • Formal vs. Informal Usage
  • Tense Agreement
  • Pronoun Use
• Common Mistakes
• Practice Exercises
• Advanced Topics
  • Reversed Wh-Clefts
  • Existential “There” Clefts
• FAQ
• Conclusion

Definition of Cleft Sentences

A cleft sentence is a complex sentence that divides a single simple sentence into two clauses, each with its own verb. This division allows the speaker or writer to emphasize a particular piece of information.

The term “cleft” refers to the splitting or dividing of the original sentence. The purpose of a cleft sentence is to highlight one part of the sentence, making it the focal point of the message.

In essence, cleft sentences are used to shift the emphasis from a neutral statement to one that highlights a specific element. This is achieved by using specific structures that draw attention to the emphasized part.

Cleft sentences are not just about changing the word order; they involve a fundamental restructuring of the original sentence using specific grammatical patterns.

Structural Breakdown

Cleft sentences come in different forms, but they all share the common characteristic of dividing a single idea into two parts to emphasize a specific element. The two main types of cleft sentences are It-clefts and Wh-clefts (also known as pseudo-clefts).

Each type has its own unique structure and usage.

It-Clefts

It-clefts begin with the pronoun “it” followed by a form of the verb “be” (is, was, are, were). The element being emphasized is placed after the verb “be,” and the rest of the original sentence is converted into a relative clause, usually introduced by “that” or “who.” The basic structure is: It + be-verb + emphasized element + that/who + remaining clause

For example, consider the simple sentence: “John broke the vase.” If we want to emphasize that it was John who broke the vase, we can use an It-cleft: “It was John that broke the vase.” Here, “John” is the emphasized element, and the rest of the sentence (“broke the vase”) is placed in a relative clause.

Wh-Clefts (Pseudo-Clefts)

Wh-clefts, also known as pseudo-clefts, start with a clause beginning with a wh-word (what, who, where, when, why, how). This wh-clause refers to the emphasized element, which is placed at the end of the sentence after a form of the verb “be.” The basic structure is: Wh-clause + be-verb + emphasized element

Using the same example, “John broke the vase,” if we want to emphasize the thing that John broke, we can use a Wh-cleft: “What John broke was the vase.” In this case, “the vase” is the emphasized element, and the wh-clause “What John broke” refers to it.

Types and Categories

Identifying Clefts

Cleft sentences can be identified by their unique structure and the way they emphasize a particular part of the sentence. It-clefts always start with “it” followed by a form of “be,” while Wh-clefts begin with a wh-clause.

Recognizing these patterns is crucial for understanding the intended emphasis.

Furthermore, the emphasized element in a cleft sentence is typically the new or unexpected information in the context. The rest of the sentence provides the background or known information.

This distinction helps to guide the listener or reader to focus on the most important part of the message.

Relevance Clefts

Relevance clefts are a specific type of cleft sentence used to indicate that a particular piece of information is relevant or important in a given context. They often involve contrasting one element with another, implying that the emphasized element is more significant than others.

These clefts often use adverbs like “only” or phrases like “the reason why.”

For instance, “It was only because of your help that I succeeded” is a relevance cleft that emphasizes the importance of “your help” in the speaker’s success. This type of cleft sentence is useful for highlighting the specific factor that made a difference in a particular situation.

Examples of Cleft Sentences

To fully understand cleft sentences, it’s important to examine various examples and see how they function in different contexts. The following tables provide numerous examples of It-clefts and Wh-clefts, illustrating how different elements of a sentence can be emphasized.

It-Cleft Examples

The following table provides a range of examples for It-cleft sentences. Notice how the “it + be” structure is used to highlight different elements, such as the subject, object, or adverbial phrase.

These examples demonstrate the flexibility of It-clefts in emphasizing various parts of a sentence.

Original Sentence	It-Cleft Sentence	Emphasized Element
Mary wrote the letter.	It was Mary that wrote the letter.	Mary (Subject)
The dog chased the ball.	It was the ball that the dog chased.	The ball (Object)
John went to Paris last year.	It was last year that John went to Paris.	Last year (Adverbial)
The rain ruined the picnic.	It was the rain that ruined the picnic.	The rain (Subject)
She found her keys in the car.	It was in the car that she found her keys.	In the car (Adverbial Phrase)
He needs to finish the report by Friday.	It is by Friday that he needs to finish the report.	By Friday (Adverbial)
The children ate all the cookies.	It was all the cookies that the children ate.	All the cookies (Object)
My sister bought a new car.	It was a new car that my sister bought.	A new car (Object)
The earthquake destroyed the city.	It was the earthquake that destroyed the city.	The earthquake (Subject)
They celebrated their anniversary at a fancy restaurant.	It was at a fancy restaurant that they celebrated their anniversary.	At a fancy restaurant (Adverbial Phrase)
The cat sleeps on the sofa.	It’s on the sofa that the cat sleeps.	On the sofa (Adverbial Phrase)
The chef prepared the dish with passion.	It was with passion that the chef prepared the dish.	With passion (Adverbial Phrase)
The students studied hard for the exam.	It was for the exam that the students studied hard.	For the exam (Adverbial Phrase)
The artist painted the portrait with oil paints.	It was with oil paints that the artist painted the portrait.	With oil paints (Adverbial Phrase)
The gardener planted the flowers in the spring.	It was in the spring that the gardener planted the flowers.	In the spring (Adverbial Phrase)
The teacher explained the lesson clearly.	It was clearly that the teacher explained the lesson.	Clearly (Adverbial)
The company launched the product last month.	It was last month that the company launched the product.	Last month (Adverbial)
The team won the championship after years of effort.	It was after years of effort that the team won the championship.	After years of effort (Adverbial Phrase)
The scientist discovered the cure in the laboratory.	It was in the laboratory that the scientist discovered the cure.	In the laboratory (Adverbial Phrase)
The musician composed the song for his wife.	It was for his wife that the musician composed the song.	For his wife (Adverbial Phrase)
The detective solved the case with careful investigation.	It was with careful investigation that the detective solved the case.	With careful investigation (Adverbial Phrase)
The writer wrote the novel in a secluded cabin.	It was in a secluded cabin that the writer wrote the novel.	In a secluded cabin (Adverbial Phrase)
The runner won the race due to hard work.	It was due to hard work that the runner won the race.	Due to hard work (Adverbial Phrase)

Wh-Cleft Examples

The following table provides examples of Wh-cleft sentences. These sentences use a “wh-clause + be” structure to emphasize a specific element.

Pay attention to how the wh-clause introduces the element that is being highlighted, and how the rest of the sentence provides additional information about that element.

Original Sentence	Wh-Cleft Sentence	Emphasized Element
Mary wrote the letter.	What Mary wrote was the letter.	The letter (Object)
The dog chased the ball.	What the dog chased was the ball.	The ball (Object)
John went to Paris last year.	Where John went last year was Paris.	Paris (Place)
The rain ruined the picnic.	What ruined the picnic was the rain.	The rain (Subject)
She found her keys in the car.	Where she found her keys was in the car.	In the car (Place)
He needs to finish the report by Friday.	When he needs to finish the report is by Friday.	By Friday (Time)
The children ate all the cookies.	What the children ate was all the cookies.	All the cookies (Object)
My sister bought a new car.	What my sister bought was a new car.	A new car (Object)
The earthquake destroyed the city.	What destroyed the city was the earthquake.	The earthquake (Subject)
They celebrated their anniversary at a fancy restaurant.	Where they celebrated their anniversary was at a fancy restaurant.	At a fancy restaurant (Place)
The cat sleeps on the sofa.	Where the cat sleeps is on the sofa.	On the sofa (Place)
The chef prepared the dish with passion.	How the chef prepared the dish was with passion.	With passion (Manner)
The students studied hard for the exam.	What the students studied hard for was the exam.	The exam (Purpose)
The artist painted the portrait with oil paints.	What the artist painted the portrait with was oil paints.	Oil paints (Instrument)
The gardener planted the flowers in the spring.	When the gardener planted the flowers was in the spring.	In the spring (Time)
The teacher explained the lesson clearly.	How the teacher explained the lesson was clearly.	Clearly (Manner)
The company launched the product last month.	When the company launched the product was last month.	Last month (Time)
The team won the championship after years of effort.	When the team won the championship was after years of effort.	After years of effort (Time)
The scientist discovered the cure in the laboratory.	Where the scientist discovered the cure was in the laboratory.	In the laboratory (Place)
The musician composed the song for his wife.	Who the musician composed the song for was his wife.	His wife (Person)
The detective solved the case with careful investigation.	How the detective solved the case was with careful investigation.	With careful investigation (Manner)
The writer wrote the novel in a secluded cabin.	Where the writer wrote the novel was in a secluded cabin.	In a secluded cabin (Place)
The runner won the race due to hard work.	Why the runner won the race was due to hard work.	Due to hard work (Reason)

Clefting Different Sentence Elements

Cleft sentences are versatile and can be used to emphasize different elements within a sentence, such as the subject, object, adverbial phrase, or even the verb itself. The choice of which element to emphasize depends on the context and the intended message.

The table below illustrates how different sentence elements can be clefted using both It-clefts and Wh-clefts. This comparison provides a clear understanding of how to manipulate sentence structure to achieve the desired emphasis.

Original Sentence	It-Cleft Sentence	Wh-Cleft Sentence	Emphasized Element
John gave Mary the book.	It was John that gave Mary the book.	Who gave Mary the book was John.	John (Subject)
John gave Mary the book.	It was Mary that John gave the book to.	Who John gave the book to was Mary.	Mary (Indirect Object)
John gave Mary the book.	It was the book that John gave to Mary.	What John gave to Mary was the book.	The book (Direct Object)
They met at the park.	It was at the park that they met.	Where they met was at the park.	At the park (Adverbial Phrase)
She sings beautifully.	It is beautifully that she sings.	How she sings is beautifully.	Beautifully (Adverb)
He fixed the car yesterday.	It was yesterday that he fixed the car.	When he fixed the car was yesterday.	Yesterday (Adverb of Time)
The company expanded due to market demand.	It was due to market demand that the company expanded.	Why the company expanded was due to market demand.	Due to market demand (Reason)
The artist created the sculpture with clay.	It was with clay that the artist created the sculpture.	What the artist created the sculpture with was clay.	With clay (Instrument)
The scientist conducted the experiment in the lab.	It was in the lab that the scientist conducted the experiment.	Where the scientist conducted the experiment was in the lab.	In the lab (Location)
The student succeeded through hard work.	It was through hard work that the student succeeded.	How the student succeeded was through hard work.	Through hard work (Manner)
The author wrote the novel for her fans.	It was for her fans that the author wrote the novel.	Who the author wrote the novel for was her fans.	For her fans (Purpose)
The team celebrated their victory enthusiastically.	It was enthusiastically that the team celebrated their victory.	How the team celebrated their victory was enthusiastically.	Enthusiastically (Manner)
The musician played the piano at the concert.	It was at the concert that the musician played the piano.	Where the musician played the piano was at the concert.	At the concert (Location)
The detective solved the mystery quickly.	It was quickly that the detective solved the mystery.	How the detective solved the mystery was quickly.	Quickly (Manner)
The chef prepared the meal with fresh ingredients.	It was with fresh ingredients that the chef prepared the meal.	What the chef prepared the meal with was fresh ingredients.	With fresh ingredients (Ingredients)
The engineer designed the bridge carefully.	It was carefully that the engineer designed the bridge.	How the engineer designed the bridge was carefully.	Carefully (Manner)
The teacher explained the concept clearly.	It was clearly that the teacher explained the concept.	How the teacher explained the concept was clearly.	Clearly (Manner)
The athlete trained rigorously for the competition.	It was rigorously that the athlete trained for the competition.	How the athlete trained for the competition was rigorously.	Rigorously (Manner)
The writer researched the topic thoroughly.	It was thoroughly that the writer researched the topic.	How the writer researched the topic was thoroughly.	Thoroughly (Manner)
The artist painted the landscape beautifully.	It was beautifully that the artist painted the landscape.	How the artist painted the landscape was beautifully.	Beautifully (Manner)

Usage Rules

Using cleft sentences correctly involves adhering to specific grammatical rules. These rules ensure that the emphasis is clear and the sentence remains grammatically sound.

Understanding these rules is essential for effective communication using cleft sentences.

Formal vs. Informal Usage

Cleft sentences are generally considered appropriate for both formal and informal contexts. However, the choice between It-clefts and Wh-clefts might depend on the level of formality.

It-clefts are often perceived as slightly more formal than Wh-clefts, but both are widely used in written and spoken English.

In very informal settings, speakers might use simpler constructions to achieve emphasis, but cleft sentences remain a valuable tool for adding precision and clarity to communication in a variety of contexts.

Tense Agreement

Tense agreement is crucial in cleft sentences. The verb “be” in the main clause (e.g., “It is,” “It was”) must agree in tense with the verb in the relative clause.

If the original sentence is in the past tense, the “be” verb should also be in the past tense.

For example: “John visited Paris last year” becomes “It was last year that John visited Paris” (both verbs are in the past tense). Incorrect tense agreement can lead to confusion and grammatical errors.

Pronoun Use

When clefting sentences with pronouns, it’s important to use the correct pronoun form. If the emphasized element is the subject, use the subjective pronoun (e.g., “I,” “he,” “she,” “we,” “they”).

If the emphasized element is the object, use the objective pronoun (e.g., “me,” “him,” “her,” “us,” “them”).

For example: “She gave the book to him” can be clefted as “It was him that she gave the book to.” Using “he” instead of “him” in this context would be grammatically incorrect.

Common Mistakes

Several common mistakes can occur when using cleft sentences. Being aware of these errors can help you avoid them and use cleft sentences correctly.

One common mistake is incorrect tense agreement, as mentioned earlier. Another frequent error is using the wrong pronoun form.

Additionally, some learners may struggle with the word order in Wh-clefts, particularly when forming the wh-clause.

Here are some examples of common mistakes and their corrections:

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
It is John who broke the vase yesterday.	It was John who broke the vase yesterday.	Tense agreement: “is” should be “was” to match “broke.”
It was he that I saw at the store.	It was him that I saw at the store.	Pronoun form: “he” should be “him” as it’s the object of “saw.”
What I need is buy a new car.	What I need is to buy a new car.	Infinitive form: Use “to buy” after “is” to form a proper infinitive phrase.
It was because of the rain why we stayed home.	It was because of the rain that we stayed home.	Redundancy: Avoid using “why” after “because.” Use “that” instead.
What she likes is dancing.	What she likes is dancing.	This sentence is already correct.
It is him who is responsible.	It is he who is responsible.	Pronoun form: Use “he” as it’s the subject complement.
What I want is eats pizza.	What I want is to eat pizza.	Infinitive form: Use “to eat” after “is” to form a proper infinitive phrase.
It was at the party which I met her.	It was at the party that I met her.	Relative pronoun: Use “that” instead of “which” in It-clefts.
What he did was surprised everyone.	What he did was to surprise everyone.	Infinitive form: Use “to surprise” after “was” to form a proper infinitive phrase.
It was for helping that she volunteered.	It was to help that she volunteered.	Infinitive form: Use “to help” instead of “for helping.”

Practice Exercises

To solidify your understanding of cleft sentences, complete the following practice exercises. These exercises will help you identify and construct cleft sentences correctly.

Exercise 1: Identify the Emphasized Element

For each sentence, identify the emphasized element.

Sentence	Emphasized Element
It was John that won the race.
What she needs is a vacation.
It was yesterday that they arrived.
What he wants is to travel the world.
It was because of her hard work that she succeeded.
Where they met was at the coffee shop.
It was with great enthusiasm that they celebrated.
What she enjoys most is reading novels.
It was in the garden that he proposed.
What he fixed was the broken computer.

Exercise 1: Answer Key

Sentence	Emphasized Element
It was John that won the race.	John
What she needs is a vacation.	A vacation
It was yesterday that they arrived.	Yesterday
What he wants is to travel the world.	To travel the world
It was because of her hard work that she succeeded.	Her hard work
Where they met was at the coffee shop.	At the coffee shop
It was with great enthusiasm that they celebrated.	With great enthusiasm
What she enjoys most is reading novels.	Reading novels
It was in the garden that he proposed.	In the garden
What he fixed was the broken computer.	The broken computer

Exercise 2: Convert to It-Clefts

Convert the following sentences into It-cleft sentences.

Original Sentence	It-Cleft Sentence
She bought the flowers yesterday.
He solved the problem quickly.
They visited Rome last summer.
The cat sleeps on the bed.
The rain stopped the game.
She found the keys in her purse.
The children ate all the cookies.
My friend wrote the letter.
The accident happened on Main Street.
The teacher explained the lesson clearly.

Exercise 2: Answer Key

Original Sentence	It-Cleft Sentence
She bought the flowers yesterday.	It was yesterday that she bought the flowers.
He solved the problem quickly.	It was quickly that he solved the problem.
They visited Rome last summer.	It was last summer that they visited Rome.
The cat sleeps on the bed.	It is on the bed that the cat sleeps.
The rain stopped the game.	It was the rain that stopped the game.
She found the keys in her purse.	It was in her purse that she found the keys.
The children ate all the cookies.	It was all the cookies that the children ate.
My friend wrote the letter.	It was my friend that wrote the letter.
The accident happened on Main Street.	It was on Main Street that the accident happened.
The teacher explained the lesson clearly.	It was clearly that the teacher explained the lesson.

Exercise 3: Convert to Wh-Clefts

Convert the following sentences into Wh-cleft sentences.

Original Sentence	Wh-Cleft Sentence
She bought the flowers yesterday.
He solved the problem quickly.
They visited Rome last summer.
The cat sleeps on the bed.
The rain stopped the game.
She found the keys in her purse.
The children ate all the cookies.
My friend wrote the letter.
The accident happened on Main Street.
The teacher explained the lesson clearly.

Exercise 3: Answer Key

Original Sentence	Wh-Cleft Sentence
She bought the flowers yesterday.	What she bought yesterday was the flowers.
He solved the problem quickly.	How he solved the problem was quickly.
They visited Rome last summer.	Where they visited last summer was Rome.
The cat sleeps on the bed.	Where the cat sleeps is on the bed.
The rain stopped the game.	What stopped the game was the rain.
She found the keys in her purse.	Where she found the keys was in her purse.
The children ate all the cookies.	What the children ate was all the cookies.
My friend wrote the letter.	Who wrote the letter was my friend.
The accident happened on Main Street.	Where the accident happened was on Main Street.
The teacher explained the lesson clearly.	How the teacher explained the lesson was clearly.

Advanced Topics

Reversed Wh-Clefts

Reversed Wh-clefts, also known as inverse pseudo-clefts, are a variation

of Wh-clefts where the emphasized element comes at the beginning of the sentence, followed by a form of the verb “be” and then the wh-clause. The structure is: Emphasized Element + be-verb + Wh-clause

For example, instead of saying “What John broke was the vase,” a reversed Wh-cleft would be “The vase was what John broke.” While both sentences emphasize “the vase,” the reversed cleft places it at the very beginning, potentially giving it even greater prominence.

Reversed Wh-clefts can be useful in specific contexts where you want to ensure that the emphasized element is immediately noticed. However, they are less common than standard Wh-clefts and may sound somewhat formal or literary.

Existential “There” Clefts

Existential “there” clefts are a less common type of cleft sentence that uses the existential “there” to introduce the emphasized element. They are typically used to highlight the existence or presence of something in a particular context. The structure is: There + be-verb + emphasized element + that/who/which + remaining clause

For example, consider the sentence “A problem arose during the meeting.” An existential “there” cleft could be: “There was a problem that arose during the meeting.” This structure emphasizes the existence of “a problem” in the context of the meeting.

These clefts are particularly useful when you want to draw attention to the fact that something exists or occurred, rather than focusing on other aspects of the sentence.

FAQ

Conclusion

Cleft sentences are a valuable tool for emphasizing specific parts of a sentence and enhancing the clarity and impact of your communication. By understanding their structure, types, usage rules, and common mistakes, you can effectively incorporate them into your writing and speaking.

Whether you’re crafting a formal report, engaging in a casual conversation, or preparing for an English exam, mastering cleft sentences will undoubtedly elevate your linguistic abilities and enable you to express yourself with greater precision and confidence.