What Are Cleft Sentences?
What is the purpose of cleft sentences?
To emphasize specific parts of a sentence for clarity or focus.
What is the basic structure of an it-cleft sentence?
"It + be + [emphasized element] + who/that + [rest of the sentence]."
What word is commonly used to start a wh-cleft sentence?
"What."
What is the basic structure of a pseudo-cleft?
"[Emphasized element] + be + who/that + [rest of the sentence]."
Name two common structures used in cleft sentences.
"It is/was" and "What."
Transform this sentence into an it-cleft: "John ate the pizza."
"It was John who ate the pizza."
Rewrite this sentence as a wh-cleft: "He needs a vacation."
"What he needs is a vacation."
Convert this sentence into a pseudo-cleft: "I love sunsets."
"What I love is sunsets."
True or False: Cleft sentences are used to de-emphasize information.
False. They are used to emphasize information.
True or False: It-clefts can emphasize places and objects as well as people.
True
Identify the emphasized element: "What surprised me was her reaction."
"Her reaction."
Identify the pseudo-cleft in this sentence: "The thing that matters most is honesty."
"The thing that matters most is honesty."
Give an example of a cleft sentence.
"It was Mary who won the prize."
Identify the emphasized element in this sentence: "It was the book that she borrowed from the library."
"The book."
True or False: Wh-clefts can only emphasize actions.
False. They can emphasize objects, people, or places.
"The thing that matters most is honesty."
Pseudo-clefts place the emphasized part at the end of the sentence, while it-clefts place it after "It is/was."
How do cleft sentences improve communication?
By making key information stand out, helping clarify meaning and avoiding confusion.
Transform this sentence into an it-cleft: "They met at the cafe last week."
"It was at the cafe that they met last week."
Create a wh-cleft from this sentence: "The teacher explained the concept."
"What the teacher explained was the concept."
Rewrite this sentence into a pseudo-cleft: "He enjoys traveling to new places."
"What he enjoys is traveling to new places."