C1 English Grammar – Cleft Sentences – Ex 38

What Are Cleft Sentences?

A cleft sentence divides one idea into two clauses so you can emphasize a specific part—like the subject, object, time, place, or reason. The word “cleft” means “split,” and that’s exactly what these sentences do.

Why use them? To avoid ambiguity, add dramatic emphasis, or guide the listener’s attention in complex explanations.

Main Types of Cleft Sentences

1. It-clefts (most common)

Structure: It + be + emphasized part + that/who-clause

• ✅ “It was John who broke the window.” (emphasizes who)
• ✅ “It was in June that they got married.” (emphasizes when)
• ✅ “It was the noise that woke me up.” (emphasizes what)

Note: Use “that” for things, “who” for people—but in informal English, “that” is often used for both.

2. Wh-clefts (also called pseudo-clefts)

Structure: What/Where/When/Why + subject + verb + is/was + emphasized part

• ✅ “What I need is a good night’s sleep.” (emphasizes the thing needed)
• ✅ “Where she went was to the hospital.” (emphasizes the place)
• ✅ “Why he left was never explained.” (emphasizes the reason)

Key point: The emphasized part comes at the end, after “is/was.”

3. Reversed Wh-clefts (less common but C1-appropriate)

Structure: Emphasized part + is/was + what/where/when-clause

• ✅ “A good night’s sleep is what I need.”
• ✅ “The hospital was where she went.”

These sound more formal and are common in writing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using clefts unnecessarily: Don’t say “It was a book that I read” when “I read a book” is simpler.
• Wrong relative pronoun: “It was John which called” → should be “who” or “that.”
• Subject-verb agreement: “It are my friends who helped me” → should be “It is my friends…”
• Overusing in informal speech: Clefts sound formal. In conversation, stress and intonation often replace them.

Cleft Sentence Types:

correct “It was because of the rain that the game was canceled.”
incorrect “It was because the rain that the game was canceled.” — missing “of”

How This Quiz Works

• 20 questions randomly selected from a pool of 50
• Tests your ability to choose the correct cleft structure and avoid common errors
• Hints guide you without revealing the answer
• Immediate feedback: correct or incorrect, with clear explanations
• Click “Check Answers” to view the full answer key
• “Change Questions” gives you a new quiz