🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What are Cleft Sentences?

Cleft sentences are structures that split a simple sentence into two clauses to emphasize or focus attention on one particular element. They use the pattern "It is/was + focused element + relative clause" to draw attention to the part that matters most.

Short answer

A cleft sentence is an emphatic structure that reorganizes a simple sentence into "It + be + focused element + relative clause" to highlight a specific word or phrase. For example: "It was John who called me" emphasizes John, not the action of calling.

Normal sentence → Cleft sentence transformation

1
Simple sentence
John called me yesterday.
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2
Identify focus
What do we want to emphasize? John? The time?
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3
Build cleft structure
It + was/is + [focus] + who/that + rest
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4
Cleft sentence
It was John who called me yesterday. / It was yesterday that John called me.

Step-by-step worked examples

Convert to cleft: 'Mary won the competition.'

Identify what to emphasize: Mary or winning?
Cleft focusing on Mary: It was Mary who won the competition.
Cleft focusing on competition: It was the competition that Mary won.

Convert to cleft: 'I discovered the problem on Tuesday.'

To emphasize the time:
It was on Tuesday that I discovered the problem.

To emphasize the problem:
It was the problem that I discovered on Tuesday.

Create a cleft sentence emphasizing 'in the library' from: 'We met him in the library.'

It was in the library that we met him.
This uses a cleft to highlight the location.
The stressed element is in the initial position after 'was'.

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.Which is a correct cleft sentence?

Correct answer: A. Cleft pattern: It + be + focus + relative clause. 'It is John who stole the cookies' is correct.

Q2.What is being emphasized in: 'It was her talent that impressed us'?

Correct answer: B. The focus element ('her talent') comes right after the 'be' verb, so that's what's emphasized.

Q3.Cleft sentences are used to…

Correct answer: C. Cleft sentences reorganize to highlight or emphasize a particular part of the message.

Q4.Convert to cleft, emphasizing the time: 'She called me yesterday.'

Correct answer: B. To emphasize time, put 'yesterday' in the focus position: 'It was yesterday that she called me.'

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Common mistakes

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Thinking cleft sentences are grammatically incorrect or non-standard. — Correct: Cleft sentences are a standard, formal grammar structure used to emphasize and are very common in writing and speech.

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Using a cleft without a clear reason for emphasis. — Correct: Choose a cleft when you want to highlight or focus attention on a specific element — don't overuse.

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Forgetting the relative pronoun (who/that/where/when). — Correct: Always include the relative pronoun to complete the cleft structure correctly.

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Placing the focus element in the wrong position. — Correct: Focus element must come immediately after 'It + be' in cleft sentences for proper emphasis.

FAQ

What is a cleft sentence?

A cleft sentence is a structure that splits a simple sentence into two clauses using 'It + be' to emphasize one specific element.

What is the cleft sentence formula?

It + be + [focused element] + relative pronoun (who/that/where/when) + rest of clause.

How do you form a cleft sentence?

Take your simple sentence, identify what to emphasize, then insert it after 'It + was/is' and restructure around a relative clause.

When should you use cleft sentences?

Use them when you want to emphasize a specific word or phrase for effect, clarity, or to draw attention in formal writing or persuasive speech.