Today, we are going to check out over 35 examples of cleft sentences to see just how they are used in natural English. Let’s look further into what they are and how to use them in English.
Cleft Sentences
What are cleft sentences, then? A cleft sentence is a grammatical construction that divides a simple sentence into two parts, typically with the goal of emphasizing a particular part of the sentence. The most common elements that can be emphasized are the subject, object, or time. Cleft sentences are especially useful when you want to draw attention to specific details or aspects of an idea. They provide a clearer structure and allow speakers and writers to focus on what’s important. By splitting a sentence in this way, you can give more weight to the part that matters most, making your communication more effective and expressive.
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Cleft Sentences
Cleft sentences are used to emphasize a particular part of a sentence by splitting it into two parts. This structure highlights the key information and draws attention to it clearly.
- It was her birthday that we celebrated yesterday.
- It is the car that I want to buy.
- It was the movie that made me cry.
- It is the news that I heard last night.
- It was at the park that we met.
- It is him I’m looking for.
- It was last week that we visited the museum.
- It is chocolate that she loves most.
- It was the song that made everyone dance.
- It is in the morning that I do my exercise.
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Wh Cleft Sentences
One of the most common types of cleft sentences is the wh cleft sentence. This structure is useful for emphasizing a particular element of the sentence, such as the subject, object, or time. A wh cleft sentence starts with a question word, like “what,” “who,” “where,” “when,” or “why,” followed by a form of the verb “to be” and then the main clause. These sentences can help provide additional clarity and focus on a particular detail.
Here are some examples of wh cleft sentences:
- What I need is a new phone.
- Where she lives is a mystery to me.
- Who he is talking to is none of your business.
- When we leave is still undecided.
- Why she did that remains unclear.
In each of these examples, the wh cleft sentence introduces a specific element of the sentence as the focal point, such as the object (phone), the location (she lives), or the time (when we leave). This type of structure adds emphasis to the part of the sentence that is the most important or relevant in the context.
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Cleft Sentence Exercise
Now, let’s try to put your understanding of cleft sentences into practice. Below are some sentences that you can transform into cleft sentences by shifting the focus to a particular part of the sentence. Rewriting these sentences will help you get a better sense of how cleft sentences work.
- Sarah made the best cake.
- What Sarah made was the best cake.
- They moved to Spain last year.
- When they moved to Spain was last year.
- The teacher explained the lesson.
- Who explained the lesson was the teacher.
- The concert was amazing.
- What was amazing was the concert.
Now, create your own cleft sentences using the prompts below:
- Who (play the guitar in the band)
- What (make the most delicious coffee)
- Where (you spend your holidays)
- When (she visit her grandmother)
When creating cleft sentences, remember that the key part of the sentence should be emphasized. The wh cleft structure helps to give prominence to whatever you think is most important, whether it’s the subject, the object, the time, or the reason.
Cleft Clauses
A cleft clause is the part of the sentence that follows the main clause in a cleft sentence. This clause is often the part that has been split out to be emphasized. The cleft clause can be anything from the subject, object, or time of the action to the place where something happened or the reason for it.
For example:
- In the sentence “What I need is a new phone,” the cleft clause is “I need a new phone.” By splitting the sentence this way, the focus is placed on “what I need,” with the rest of the information following in the cleft clause.
- In the sentence “When we leave is still undecided,” the cleft clause is “we leave.” This structure emphasizes the timing of the departure, rather than just stating it simply.
The cleft clause serves as the crucial element in these constructions because it carries the essential information in the sentence. The introduction of a question word such as “what” or “when” allows the writer or speaker to highlight a specific part of the sentence.
Cleft Sentence Examples
Now that we’ve learned the theory behind cleft sentences, let’s look at more examples in different contexts to see how they function in everyday communication. These examples will help you see how cleft sentences can emphasize different parts of a sentence.
- What I really enjoy is hiking in the mountains.
- The focus is on the activity of hiking in the mountains.
- Where we should go for vacation has not been decided yet.
- The location for the vacation is what is being emphasized.
- Who invited you to the party is still a mystery.
- The person who invited the listener is the important piece of information.
- When the meeting will start hasn’t been confirmed.
- The time of the meeting is the emphasized detail.
- Why she decided to leave early is not clear.
- The reason she left early is highlighted.
- What he wanted to say was important, but he didn’t get the chance.
- The content of what he wanted to say is the focal point.
- Who helped you with the project was Mary.
- The person who helped with the project is emphasized.
- When they got married is a story I don’t know.
- The timing of their marriage is the key focus here.
- Where she works is in a small office downtown.
- The location of her workplace is what we’re emphasizing.
- Why they left early is still unclear to me.
- The reason for their early departure is what needs attention.
These cleft sentence examples show how flexible and useful this construction can be. By rearranging the sentence to emphasize specific elements, you can guide your listener’s or reader’s attention to the part of the sentence that matters most.
Simple cleft sentences
- It was John who broke the vase.
- What I need is a cup of coffee.
- It’s the book that she loves most.
- What we saw was a huge dog.
- It was in the kitchen that I found the keys.
- What I want is some quiet time.
- It’s the movie that made her cry.
- What I like is playing guitar.
- It was on the beach that they met.
- What he enjoys is watching football.
Cleft sentences: Conclusion
Cleft sentences are an essential tool for structuring your thoughts and emphasizing the parts of your sentence that need to stand out. Whether you’re using a wh cleft sentence to focus on a specific piece of information, or you’re breaking down a sentence with cleft clauses to clarify and highlight a subject, object, or time, cleft sentences help you communicate more effectively.
With a better understanding of cleft sentences, including wh cleft sentences, cleft clauses, and various sentence examples, you now have a powerful tool to help with both written and spoken English. Practice using cleft sentences to stress important details in your conversations and writing, and you’ll soon be more confident in emphasizing key information where it matters most.