Cleft Sentences and auxiliary verbs for emphasis

Cleft sentences are complex sentences that are used to emphasize one particular part of a sentence.

To put it another way, in a cleft clause a single message is divided (=cleft) into two clauses, which allow us to emphasize or focus on the new information by re-ordering the words in the sentence.

Types of Cleft Sentences

​The reason why, the thing that, the person/people who, the place where, the day when…

We can focus on an element of the sentence by using these structures with a relative clause. We use the relative pronouns in the same way we use them in any relative clause.

Types of Cleft Sentences

​It + be + phrase + relative clause

Instead of the person who, the thing that, etc. we can also use an introductory it, the verb be in any verb tense that we may need, and the element that we want to focus on.

We can use who/which or that after a noun phrase, e.g. Sheila, the book, etc.  But we should use that after adverbial phrases, e.g. under the mattress, on Monday, etc. 

Note that we can also use when after noun phrases, but not after adverbial phrases. Compare:

It’s Monday when I have to call. 

It’s on Monday that I have to call.

Types of Cleft Sentences

The thing/s that = What/All

We can also use what or all (more emphasis) instead of the thing/s that to focus on an element of the sentence.

Types of Cleft Sentences

What + subject + do/does/did/ + is/was + (to) infinitive

We use this structure when we want to focus on the verb or verb phrase. In these structures, we can use an infinitive with or without to.

Types of Cleft Sentences

What happens is (that) … / What happened was (that)

We use this structure when we want to focus on a whole sentence, and not only on an element in the sentence.

Multiple Choice

Complete the following sentence:
_________ is a good night's sleep.

• She is.

• What I need.

• it was

• The book.

Multiple Choice

______________ about the place is the weather.

• that I don't like

• the reason I don't like

• What I don't like

• I don't like

Multiple Choice

The most challenging part ______________.

• will the final exam be.

• the final exam was.

• the final exam is.

• is the final exam

Multiple Choice

________who lent him the money.

• it was Mary

• Mary

• Mary it was

• can be Mary

Multiple Choice

What we did is _____ a letter to apologize.

• write

• wrote

• writes

• writing

Multiple Choice

The reason why he left ______ the embarrassment.

• was to avoid

• is to avoid

• will be to avoid

• were to avoid

Multiple Choice

__________ that I realized she was leaving me.

• it is when I read the email

• as soon as I read the email

• It was when I read the email

• it were when i read the email

Multiple Choice

______ lent you the money, remember?

• It's me who

• It should be me who

• It was me

• I wasn't me who

Multiple Choice

______ fame and money, among other things.

• What I needed

• I should have

• I need is

• What I want is

Multiple Choice

It's where they are hiding ____ we want to find out.

• where

• what

• that

• so

Multiple Choice

Which paraphrases:

I have never been so relaxed

• Never had I been so relaxed.

• Never I have been more relaxed

• Never have I been so relaxed

Multiple Choice

Jack forgot his passport

• It is Jack that forgot his passport

• It was Jack that forgot his passport

• It is Jack forgot his passport.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

• NOT UNTIL he left, did we notice his phone was on the table.

• NOT UNTIL did he leave, we notice that his phone was on the table.

Multiple Choice

If they HAD ARRESTED him, his career would have been ruined.

• If had they arrested him, his career would have been ruined.

• Had they arrested him, his career would have been ruined.

Multiple Choice

"_________ arrogance and lack of respect"

• The things I hate

• What I hate

• What I hate are

Multiple Choice

" ______ Claudia really wants to learn"

• It's the guitar that

• The guitar is

• The guitar that is

Multiple Choice

" ___________ of the music in that club that I dislike"

• The loudness is

• It's the loudness

• Is the loudness

Multiple Choice

" _________ Bryan held his newborn son for the first time"

• It was joy and pride that

• It was in joy and pride

• It was with joy and pride that

Multiple Choice

" ______ is that he loves the culture and the food"

• The reasons why Fred wants to go and live in Thailand

• The reason why Fred wants to go and live in Thailand

• Reason why Fred wants to go and live in Thailand

Multiple Choice

" ________ that the trouble started"

• The police arrived when

• It was the police arriving

• It was when the police arrived

Auxiliary Verbs: they are used in positive statements. In spoken speech the auxiliary is stressed.

The bride does look georgous!

In spoken English, we often stress the auxiliary verb to add emphasis.

A: Why aren't you coming to my birthday party?

B: I am coming! Who told you I'm not?

If there is no auxiliary verb, we can use do, does, or did to add emphasis.






This works in both spoken and written English.

A: I know you weren't keen on the exhibition.

B: I did like some of it. (You thought I didn't like it.)

A: Maybe that's why she was so happy.

B: That does make sense, actually. (I hadn't understood why before.)

In British English, do can also be used to make a command more emphatic. This sounds quite formal.

• Do sit down, please.

• Do be quiet!

Multiple Choice

I ____ love parties.

• did

• do

• does

Multiple Choice

I ____ enjoy the movie yesterday.

• did

• do

• does

Multiple Choice

Right or Wrong:

I do call my friends every now and then.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Open Ended

Why sometimes do we have to invert the order of a sentence?

Multiple Select

check the adverbs that can be used with inversion

• not only

• Seldom

• Usually

• No

• Never

Open Ended

Complete next inversion with the phrase "not only but"

1) She won the championship and also she was invited to meet the president.

Inversions

• There are two types of Inversions:

• Negative Inversions

• Conditional Inversions

Negative Inversions

• Usually, we put the expression at the beginning of the sentence to emphasize what we're saying. It makes our sentence sound surprising or striking or unusual.

Common Inversions

Structure of Inversions

• Neg Adv + Aux + S + Verb

• Example: Never have I seen such amazing food.

• Neg Adv + Verb TO BE + S

• Example: Never is she late.

Inversions are used after:

Rarely, Seldom, Hardly (ever), Never, Little, Scarcely, Not only ... (but) ....

Nowhere, At no time, (In) no way, Under no circumstances, On no account, Under no condition

Hardly/ Scarcely ... when, often with Past Perfect

No sooner than

Only then/ later/ after/ if/ by, Not until

Adverbs: Here, There, First, Then, FInally

so/ neither/ nor

as

in conditional sentences with auxiliaries were, had and should

Multiple Choice

I have never encountered such rudeness!

• Never have I encountered such rudeness!

• Never I have encountered such rudeness!

• Never had I encountered such rudeness!

• Never I had encountered such rudeness!

Multiple Choice

You can't inform the staff about the food under any circumstances.

• Under no circumstances can you inform the staff about the food.

• Under any circumstances can you inform the staff about the food.

• Under no circumstances you can inform the staff about the food.

• Under any circumstances can't you inform the staff about the food.

Multiple Choice

She is rarely at home.

• Rarely is she at home.

• Rarely does she is at home.

• Rarely she is at home.

• Rarely does she at home.

Multiple Choice

He not only plays soccer but also coaches it.

• Not only does he play soccer but he also coaches it.

• Not only he plays soccer but he also coaches it.

• Not only does he play soccer he coaches it.

• Not only does he plays soccer but he also coaches it.