What are Cleft Sentences?
Cleft sentences (phrases clivées) split a single idea into two clauses to shift focus and create emphasis. They highlight what matters most, transforming 'Paul ate the apple' into 'It is the apple that Paul ate.'
A cleft sentence is a two-part construction that separates a clause to emphasize a specific element — common in formal French (C'est X qui/que…, C'est à cause de X que…) for rhetorical focus and clarity.
- 1↓Simple clausePierre a acheté une voiture
- 2↓Cleft (focus object)C'est une voiture que Pierre a achetée
- 3↓Cleft (focus subject)C'est Pierre qui a acheté une voiture
- 4Cleft (focus reason)C'est parce qu'il était riche que Pierre a acheté une voiture
Step-by-step worked examples
Transform 'Jean a parlé français' into a cleft emphasizing the object (French).
Simple: Jean a parlé français Cleft: C'est le français que Jean a parlé
Use a cleft to emphasize the reason: 'Elle est partie parce qu'elle était fâchée.'
Simple: Elle est partie parce qu'elle était fâchée Cleft: C'est parce qu'elle était fâchée qu'elle est partie
Create a cleft emphasizing 'demain' (tomorrow) in 'Nous arrivons demain'.
Simple: Nous arrivons demain Cleft: C'est demain que nous arrivons
Flashcards
Quick quiz
Q1.'C'est la maison que j'aime' emphasizes:
Q2.How to emphasize 'hier' (yesterday)?
Q3.'C'est parce que c'est cher que je n'achète pas' emphasizes:
Q4.Cleft sentences are most common in:
The full card deck, worked steps and AI-tutor support for “What are Cleft Sentences?” are in Notek — study by hand before your exam.
Common mistakes
Cleft sentences are only for grammar rules. — Correct: They are rhetorical tools for emphasis, especially in formal and literary French.
'C'est…qui' and 'C'est…que' are always interchangeable. — Correct: 'qui' focuses the subject; 'que' focuses the object — not interchangeable.
Cleft sentences are simple rewrites. — Correct: They reorder and split clauses to shift meaning and rhetorical weight.
Everyday spoken French uses many cleft sentences. — Correct: They are rarer in casual speech, more common in writing and formal contexts.
FAQ
What is the purpose of a cleft sentence?
To emphasize one element of a sentence by isolating it in a separate clause.
What is the most common cleft pattern?
C'est X que… for object focus and C'est X qui… for subject focus.
Can cleft sentences emphasize adverbials?
Yes — C'est demain que…, C'est ici que…, C'est parce que… all emphasize adverbials.
Are cleft sentences common in speech?
No, they are primarily literary and formal — rarely used in casual conversation.