LoginCleft Sentences
What Are Cleft Sentences?
A cleft sentence is a complex sentence that emphasizes an element by rearranging the normal word order of a simple sentence with the help of a dummy word, such as 'it' or 'there'. This rearrangement allows for emphasis on a specific part of the sentence.
Why Do We Use Cleft Sentences?
Cleft sentences are commonly used in spoken English to connect the part of a message that is already known to the part that presents new information. Cleft sentences allow the speaker to emphasize the part of the message that they want to draw attention to. Here are some examples:
I called you Monday. →
I want a cup of coffee right now. →
Cleft Sentences: Types
There are different types of cleft sentences in the English language. Here are some of the most common ones:
- It-cleft
- Wh-cleft (Pseudo-cleft)
- All-cleft
- There-cleft
- If-because cleft
It-cleft Sentences
The most common type of cleft sentence is it-cleft sentence. The information that comes in the 'it-clause' is the focus of the sentence. A relative clause follows the it-clause and contains information that is already known. For example:
Jane's car got stolen last night. →
"that got stolen last night" is a relative clause that follows the it-clause.
Tom saw me yesterday. →
My boss sent me home today. →
Tip!
When the relative clause describes the object of the original sentence, the relative pronoun or adverb can be omitted from the cleft sentence. For example:
You spoke to my father on the phone. →
Here, "my father" is the object of the original sentence, so "who/that" can be omitted from the cleft sentence.
My father sent me back to Canada. →
In this sentence, "my father" is the subject of the original sentence, so "who" cannot be omitted from the cleft setnence.
Plural Subject in It-cleft
When the sentence has a plural subject, 'it + be' remains the same and only the main verb is plural. Take a look at these examples:
The boys won the cup. →
Here, the speaker wants to emphasize that 'the boys' won the cup, not the girls or some other group.
The grandparents were cheering the most. →
Question Structure
The it-cleft sentences can also take the form of questions in informal speech and writing. Take a look at some examples down below:
Did the girls scream last night? →
Did Tom open the box? →
Negative Structure
The 'it-clause' can also be negative. Remember that when turning the it-clause negative, the second clause must be positive. Here are some examples:
My dad's car got stolen; not mine →
You have met my friend; not my brother. →
Tip!
We can use other pronouns instead of 'it', such as 'that' or 'those'. Take a look at the examples:
You broke my glass →
You borrowed my books →
Inferential Cleft Sentences
An inferential cleft sentence is a type of 'it-cleft sentence' that clarifies what others may wrongly assume. These sentences typically start with 'it' followed by the verb 'be', and consist of two consecutive 'it-that' clauses. The first clause is negative, while the second clause is positive and provides clarification. Adverbs such as 'only' or 'just' may be included in an inferential cleft sentence. Here are some examples:
I love her. I just show my love in a different way. →
I am trying to help you. I only want you to learn. →
Wh-cleft Sentences
Generally, wh-cleft sentences (also called pseudo-cleft) begin with 'what', or occasionally other relative pronouns and adverbs, which form a nominal relative clause that acts as the subject of the cleft sentence. Usually, the wh-clause contains given information, while the following clause contains new information. For example:
I want some peace and quiet. →
As you can see, new information is presented after the "be" verb and is in focus.
You need to rest for a while. →
John wants a good job. →
Warning
Other relative pronouns and adverbs such as why, where, how, etc. can also form wh-cleft setnences. However, their use is not as common as 'what' and the resulting sentence may sound strange. Here are some examples:
I want to go to a place far away from here. →
She paid for her food with her credit card. →
Reversed Wh-cleft Sentences
Reversed wh-cleft sentence (also called Inverted pseudo-cleft) is a type of wh-cleft sentence in which the nominal relative clause comes after the "be" verb. For example:
I want some peace and quiet. → Some peace and quiet
I want to go to a place far away from here. → A place far away from here
The lion chased the giraffe. → Chasing the giraffe
an example of a cleft sentence using 'all'
All-cleft Sentences
All-cleft sentences emphasize the object of the verb. We can form questions from all-cleft sentences, but negative sentences are not very common. Take a look at some examples:
Jimmy wants a brand new bicycle for Christmas. →
Here, 'a brand new bicycle' is the focus.
She complains about everything. →
All she wanted was a good job. →
There-cleft Sentences
There-cleft sentences function similarly to 'it-cleft' sentences. They emphasize the existence of something. The subject of these sentences is the dummy pronoun "there" which is typically followed by the main verb be, and sometimes other verbs like 'come', 'exist', and 'remain'. Like "it-cleft" sentences, a relative clause follows the there-clause. For example:
I'm trying to adopt this orphan kid. →
Camille wanted to buy this new car. →
Someday you have to give up everything in life. →
As you can see, 'there' can be followed by an intransitive verb such as come.
If-because Cleft Sentences
If-because cleft sentences function similarly to inferential cleft sentences. This type of cleft sentence allows the speaker to emphasize the reason for an action. For example:
He wants to be a millionaire to help poor children. →
It seems that she is meddling because she's trying to help the family. →
As you can see, we can use 'just' to emphasize more.
Warning
If-because cleft sentences contain the conjunction 'if' which is normally associated with conditionals; however, they are not conditional sentences.
Review
A cleft-sentence is usually a simple sentence that has turned into a complex sentence to emphasize a particular piece of information. It is usually formed using a dummy subject such as it or that.
There are several types of cleft-sentences in English:
- It-cleft
- Wh-cleft
- All-cleft
- There-cleft sentences
- If-because cleft sentences
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