GRAMMAR – CLEFT SENTENCES

Cleft sentences add emphasis to a noun, a person, a time, a phrase or a clause using the
structure it is/was and followed by that/who… or what… is/was. In the following
examples the underlined part of the sentence is being emphasized.

 It was an Australian, Albert Ellis, who made the discovery from which Nauru is
still reeling.
 What strikes one first about the island is its size.
 What they did was to ship the phosphate to Australia.

Note: in sentences referred to time that is usually preferred to when.

 It was only in 1968 that the Nauruans could begin to benefit from their riches.

LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES

 It is my car’s keys that I was looking for.

 It was Groucho who said. Excuse I can’t stand up.
 It was last week that I heard about your car crash.
 It was until I got home that I realized I’ve lost my keys

Note: a number of other words could be used instead of what like the thing (that),
something (that), the person/people (who) or someone/body (that).

 The people who extracted the phosphate were Chinese labourers.

 The thing that strikes one first about the island is its size.

Note: all might be used rather than what to mean “the only thing that”.

 All the islanders did in the way of exercise was walk to the government offices
once a week.

SOME EXAMPLES OF USING CLEFT SENTENCES

1. It was after I read John Naish’s book that I began to make changes in my life.
2. All I did was look at the cover and I knew the book would interest me.
3. One thing I’m curious to know is what kind of people come to the recycling center
to buy things.
4. What I mostly look out for is flashy jewellery
5. All we have got is a wooden crate.
6. What is remarkable is that Sonya is the overall eating champion

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Exercise: Use a cleft sentence to rewrite the following statements. The emphasis
is put on the word in bold.
1. The person who told me about the hotel was Keith.
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2. Only when the plane landed I felt a great sense of relief.
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3. I left because I felt Ill.
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4. Sarah saw a plane not a UFO.
_______________________________________________________________ ____
5. I had to borrow my father’s car to go to the job interview.
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6. The reason why I’ve come is to discuss my future with you.
___________________________________________________________________
7. My brother bought his new car from our next-door neighbour last Saturday.
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8. Last night I lent my bike to Sue.
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9. Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492.
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10.His wife killed Peter in a fit of jealousy.
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11.The person who recommended me to become a doctor was my father.
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12.My teenage daughter is missing and I don’t know what I can do.
___________________________________________________________________
13.The Great Dictator was the very first sound film of Charles Chaplin
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ANSWER KEY
1. It was Keith the person who told me about the hotel.
2. It was only when the plane landed that I felt a great sense of relief.
3. It was because I felt ill that I left.
4. It was a plane that Sarah saw, not an UFO.
5. It was my father’s car that I had to borrow to go to the job interview
6. It is to discuss my future with the reason that I’ve come.
7. It was our next-door neighbour who my brother brought his new car last
Saturday.
8. It was my bike that I lent to sue.
9. It was Christopher Columbus the person who discovered America in 1492.
10.It was his wife who killed Peter in a fit of jealousy.
11.It was my father who recommended me to become a doctor.
12.It is my teenage daughter who is missing.
13.It was The Great Dictator the very first sound film of Charles Chaplin