LIFT - Session 03 - Cleft Sentences

Cleft Sentences

We sometimes use cleft sentences when we want to give emphasis on a particular part of the sentence, usually by splitting a sentence into two parts.

It-cleft

We use the it-cleft in order to emphasize one of the parts.

Multiple Choice

It-cleft:

We use the it-cleft in order to emphasize one of the parts.

Which one is being emphasized?

• The blue part

• The underlined green part

It-cleft

We use the it-cleft in order to emphasize one of the parts.

The part of the sentence we want to minimize is put into a type of relative clause.

What-cleft

We also use the what-cleft to add emphasis.

Multiple Choice

What-cleft:

We use the what-cleft to put the content we want to emphasize...

• at the beginning of the sentence

• ... at the end of a sentence

What-cleft

We use the what-cleft to put the content we want to emphasize at the end of a sentence.

The minimized content is put at the beginning of the sentence followed by ‘what’.

'The thing (that)'

or

'The person who'

An alternative for a what-cleft is using the thing (that) or the person who to put the content we want to emphasize at the end of a sentence and the minimized content at the beginning.

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite each sentence to emphasise the underlined phrase.

Start the sentence using the It-cleft structure.

_{She liked the smell of coffee in the morning.}

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite each sentence to emphasise the underlined phrase.

Start the sentence using the It-cleft structure.

_{He found studying Maths most difficult at school.}

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite each sentence to emphasise the underlined phrase.

Start the sentence using the It-cleft structure.

_{I only realised who he was when he started speaking.}

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite each sentence to emphasise the underlined phrase.

Start the sentence using the It-cleft structure.

_{I didn't hear about it until yesterday.}

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite each sentence to emphasise the underlined phrase.

Start the sentence using the what-cleft structure.

_{This city needs more low-cost housing in the downtown area.}

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite each sentence to emphasise the underlined phrase.

Start the sentence using the what-cleft structure.

_{I am particularly concerned about the lack of basic services in the area.}

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite each sentence to emphasise the underlined phrase.

Start the sentence using the what-cleft structure.

_{Debbie doesn't deserve being treated like that.}

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite each sentence to emphasise the underlined phrase.

Start the sentence using the the thing (that)/the person who structure.

Sarah knows all about this software.

Fill in the Blanks

Rewrite each sentence to emphasise the underlined phrase.

Start the sentence using the the thing (that)/the person who structure.

Carlos doesn't really understand the risk he is taking.