IELTS Grammar Topics
Cleft Sentences
Cleft sentences use an extra clause to emphasise the importance of something. They can use 'What' or 'It' to bring the emphasised thing to the front. They can be useful in both IELTS speaking (particularly part 2 and 3), and IELTS writing (both parts 1 and 2).
Take a look at this sentence where there is no special emphasis:
His mother took him to the hospital yesterday.
We can emphasise different elements of this sentence by using a cleft sentence:
What my mother did yesterday was take me to the hospital. (emphasises action)
It was my mother who took me to the hospital yesterday. (emphasises person)
It was the hospital where my mother took me. (emphasises place)
It was yesterday that my mother took me to the hospital. (emphasises time)
In cleft sentences information which could be given in one clause, is divided into two clauses, each with its own verb. In more formal writing we often separate the clauses with a comma if the inversion is in the first clause.
Example: A successful public awareness campaign informs and educates citizens about an important issue.
Cleft sentence: What a successful public awareness campaign does, is inform and educate citizens about an important issue.
What cleft sentences
What cleft sentences emphasise the verb
Structure: What clause with emphasised action verb + be + emphasised action
What the government should do is focus on education and health.
What most people choose is the chocolate cake.
What happened was he drove the car into a tree.
We can also use the same structure with non-action verbs:
What most employees want is a friendly working environment.
What is needed is a change of policy.
It is possible to reverse the clauses in what cleft sentences.
A total change of government policy is what is needed.
Focus on education and health is what the government should do.
The thing/ all (that) can be used instead of what
The thing that made her unhappy was her husband’s bad temper.
All (that) I want for Christmas is a new pair of socks
It cleft sentences
It cleft sentences can also emphasise a person, place or time:
Structure: It + be + emphasised person/ place/ time + that clause
It was my sister that won the prize. (person)
It was at my brother's wedding that I met your mother. (place)
It is tomorrow that I am meeting the customer. (time)
The thing which is emphasised can be the subject or object:
It was bars and clubs that went out of business first during the pandemic. (emphasises subject)
It is small shop owners that will be hardest hit when the supermarket opens. (emphasises object)
We can also emphasise a adverbial or prepositional phrase describing how, where or the time that something happens:
It was greedily and speedily that Homer Simpson drank his beer. (empahasises adverbial phrase - how something happens)
It was under the bridge that the homeless man took shelter. (emphasises prepositional phrase - where something happens)
It is after lunch that I feel very tired. (emphasises adverbial phrase - when something happens).
Exercise:
Rewrite the sentences below as cleft sentences. Start with the words given and emphasise the thing which is given in brackets.
1. Susan won the competition.
It was… (person)
2. His sudden disappearance surprised me.
What… (verb)
3. You’ll find the missing keys in the garden.
It’s… (place)
4. She needs a good night’s sleep.
What… (verb)
5. My brother took the last piece of cake.
It’s…(person)
6. I most enjoy reading a good book
What… (verb)
7. I met your cousin at the party.
It was…(place)
8. He lacks experience in the field.
What…(verb)
9. The new employee fixed the computer issue.
It's…(person)
10. He wants a chance to prove himself.
What…(verb)
11. We lost power during the storm.
It was…(time)
12. The recipe requires fresh herbs.
What…(verb)
13. The red car belongs to my neighbour.
It's…(object)
14. I appreciate your honesty.
What…(verb)
15. They announced the changes after the meeting.
It was…(time)
16. She likes spending time outdoors.
What…(verb)
17. The large painting caught my attention.
It's...(subject)
18. We need more time to complete the project.
What…(verb)
19. The loud noise woke me up.
It was…(subject)
20. He dislikes unnecessary drama.
What…(verb)
Answer Key:
1. It was Susan who won the competition.
2. What surprised me was his sudden appearance.
3. It's in the garden where you'll find the missing keys.
4. What she needs is a good night's sleep.
5. It's my brother who took the last piece of cake.
6. What I enjoy most is reading a good book.
7. It was at the party that I met your cousin.
8. What he lacks is experience in the field.
9. It's the new employee who fixed the computer issue.
10. What he wants is a chance to prove himself.
11. It was during the storm that we lost power.
12. What the recipe requires is fresh herbs.
13. It's the red car that belongs to my neighbor.
14. What I appreciate is your honesty.
15. It was after the meeting that they announced the changes.
16. What she likes is spending time outdoors.
17. It's the large painting that caught my attention.
18. What we need is more time to complete the project.
19. It was the loud noise that woke me up.
20. What he dislikes is unnecessary drama.