Meaning & Structure
What is a cleft sentence?
A sentence split into two parts to emphasize information.
Complete the sentence: What I love about weekends is...
…that I can sleep in. (or other logical answer)
It was my friend who told me the truth.
Это мой друг сказал мне правду.
Translate: What she needs is rest.
То что ей нужно — это отдых. (Literal: What she needs…)
What I do is to go home early.
Remove to: What I do is go home early.
Name the two main types of cleft sentences.
What-clauses and It-clauses
Translate: What he did surprised everyone.
То, что он сделал, удивило всех. *(Literal: What he did...)
Turn this into a cleft sentence: Tom broke the window.
It was Tom who broke the window.
Translate: It’s him that’s always gossiping.
Это он всё время сплетничает.
It was the party which was boring.
It was the party that was boring.
Which part of a cleft sentence carries the main focus?
The second part (new or important info)
Make a cleft sentence to emphasize “I talk to her.”
What I do is talk to her.
Find the mistake: It are his friends who annoy me.
Error: It is his friends… ("is" used even for plural nouns)
What is emphasized in: What matters is that you tried.
The fact that you tried (the result or effort)
What do I need is help.
What I need is help.
What comes immediately after the "what" clause?
The verb to be (is/was)
Rephrase: We often argue. (using What happens is…)
What happens is we often argue.
Complete: It wasn’t until last week that…
I realized the truth. (or another logical ending)
Translate: It wasn’t the money that mattered.
Дело было не в деньгах.
It’s they who helped us.
It’s them who helped us.
Why do we use cleft sentences?
To highlight important, new, or contrasting information
Find the mistake: What I like is you cook well.
Needs a full clause: that you cook well
What usually follows it + be when referring to a person?
who or that (usually who)
Translate: What annoyed me most was the noise.
Больше всего меня раздражал шум.
What I want is that you to listen.
What I want is that you listen.