B2Word order and emphasis

Cleft sentences

Use it-clefts and wh-clefts to move important information into focus: It was Ana who called / What I need is more time.

Overview

What this grammar does

Use it-clefts and wh-clefts to move important information into focus: It was Ana who called / What I need is more time.

Form and rules

How it works

It-cleft pattern: It + be + focused element + who/that clause: It was Ana who noticed the error.

Wh-cleft/pseudo-cleft pattern: What + clause + be + focus: What we need is more time.

A reversed wh-cleft places the focus first: More time is what we need.

Clefts highlight contrast/correction and can focus people, things, times, places or reasons depending on structure.

Do not use clefts merely to make prose longer; they are marked information-structure choices used when focus matters.

A closer look

Meaning and use

Clefts highlight contrast/correction and can focus people, things, times, places or reasons depending on structure.

Do not use clefts merely to make prose longer; they are marked information-structure choices used when focus matters.

Examples

See the pattern in complete sentences

It was Maya who suggested the change.

It was on Friday that we discovered the error.

What I need is a quiet place to work.

The cost is what concerns me most.

It wasn't the deadline that caused the problem.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

What was Leo who found the missing file.

It was Leo who found the missing file.

An it-cleft uses It + be + focused element + relative clause.

What we need it is a clearer plan.

What we need is a clearer plan.

A wh-cleft uses What + clause + be + focus.

Ready to practise?

The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.