Cleft Sentences
Cleft sentences split one idea into two clauses to emphasise a particular element. 'It-clefts' begin with 'It is/was', and 'what-clefts' (pseudo-clefts) begin with a 'what'-clause.
Level C1
Sentence Structure & Emphasis
Summary
- Cleft sentences split one idea into two clauses to emphasise a particular element. 'It-clefts' begin with 'It is/was', and 'what-clefts' (pseudo-clefts) begin with a 'what'-clause.
Structure
It + be + emphasised element + that/who ... ; What + clause + be + element
Examples
- It was Maria who solved the problem.
- It's the noise that bothers me, not the people.
- What I need is a long holiday.
- What surprised us was how calm she stayed.
Common mistakes
- • Mismatching the verb in what-clefts: 'What I need are a holiday' should be 'is a holiday'.
- • Overusing clefts so that nothing stands out as emphasised.
More sentence structure & emphasis
Basic Word Order
A1
English statements normally follow subject + verb + object order. Adverbs and time expressions go in fixed positions rather than between the verb and its object.
And, But, Or
A1
These conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses. 'And' adds, 'but' contrasts, and 'or' offers a choice.
Inversion After Negative Adverbials
C2
When a negative or restrictive adverbial begins a sentence for emphasis, the subject and auxiliary invert as in a question. This is a formal, dramatic device.
Subjunctive / Were
C1
English keeps a small subjunctive. The present subjunctive uses the base verb after verbs of demand or suggestion, and the past subjunctive 'were' is used for all persons in unreal conditions.
Ellipsis and Substitution
C1
To avoid repetition, English omits words (ellipsis) or replaces them with shorter forms like 'so', 'do', 'one', and 'neither' (substitution). Both keep sentences economical and cohesive.
Fronting and Emphasis
C1
Fronting moves a word or phrase to the start of a sentence to give it emphasis or to improve cohesion. The element is highlighted simply by its unusual position.