Cleft Sentences
Formula
Examples
Usage
- •Emphasizing a particular part of a sentence
- •Creating focus and contrast in discourse
- •Sophisticated written English for academic and professional contexts
More Examples
What I need is a good rest.
Wh-cleft (pseudo-cleft) to emphasise the object
It was in 1969 that the first moon landing happened.
It-cleft to emphasise time
What surprised me most was her reaction.
Wh-cleft to emphasise the subject
Tips
- ✓Two main types: it-cleft (It was X that...) and wh-cleft / pseudo-cleft (What I want is...).
- ✓Cleft sentences are powerful for written emphasis; use them sparingly in speech.
Advanced Notes
Cleft sentences are a hallmark of sophisticated English prose. The "It-cleft" (It was John who broke it) shifts focus to the subject; the "Wh-cleft" (What I need is more time) front-focuses the predicate. Politicians and journalists use them constantly for rhetorical impact. The pseudo-cleft "All I want is..." is a useful softer variant. In formal writing, prefer it-clefts; in speech, wh-clefts feel more natural.
Compare With
Other C2 Topics
Subjunctive Mood
Expresses necessity, demands, or hypotheticals in formal registers
Advanced Passive Voice
Used for distancing, causative, and impersonal reporting in formal contexts
Future in the Past
Expresses what was planned or expected from an earlier point in the past
Fronting and Marked Themes
Used for moving elements to sentence-initial position for contrast or thematic emphasis
Information Packaging (Existential There, Extraposition)
Used for controlling where given and new information falls for maximum clarity
Stylistic Devices: Parallelism, Anaphora, Tricolon
Forms memorable rhythm using repeated structures, patterns, or word groups