Teaching Cleft Sentences — It-Clefts and What-Clefts
March 2026 · Advanced Grammar
Cleft sentences restructure information to emphasize a specific element. "John broke the window" becomes "It was John who broke the window" — same meaning, different focus. For C1-C2 learners, clefts add sophistication to writing and speaking.
Types of Cleft Sentences
It-Clefts
"It + be + focused element + that/who + rest"
"It was the noise that woke me up" (focusing on what)
"It was yesterday that I met her" (focusing on when)
What-Clefts (Pseudo-Clefts)
"What + subject + verb + be + focused element"
"What I need is a holiday"
"What surprised me was her reaction"
All-Clefts
"All + subject + verb + be + focused element"
"All I want is some peace and quiet"
Activities
Transform neutral sentences into cleft sentences emphasizing different elements
Match cleft sentences with the element being emphasized
Write persuasive paragraphs using clefts for emphasis
Identify clefts in news articles and speeches
FAQ
How common are cleft sentences?
More common than students think. "What I mean is..." and "The thing is..." are everyday pseudo-clefts. Formal it-clefts are common in academic writing and journalism.