You know that moment when you’re telling a story and you really need to underline one thing? Maybe you want to say who did it, not what happened generally. Or you want to correct someone without being rude.
That’s exactly where cleft sentences in English grammar come in. They let you split a simple sentence into two parts so you can put the spotlight exactly where you want it.
Let’s get straight to it. No fluff.
What Is a Cleft Sentence?
A cleft sentence takes one idea and breaks it into two clauses. The word “cleft” comes from an old English word meaning “split” or “divided.” And that’s what you do — you split the information so the important bit stands out.
Compare these:
Simple: John bought the car yesterday.
Cleft: It was John who bought the car yesterday.
Same fact. But the cleft version makes it very clear: you’re talking about John, not anyone else. The emphasis shifts entirely to the subject.
The Two Main Types of Cleft Sentences
Most learners only need these two patterns to sound natural and precise.
1. The It-Cleft (Most Common)
Structure: It + be + emphasised element + that/who + rest of sentence
You use this when you want to highlight:
- A person: It was Maria who found the mistake.
- A thing: It’s the grammar rules that confuse me most.
- A time: It was last Tuesday that we submitted the report.
- A place: It was in the kitchen that we had the idea.
Notice something? After the emphasised element, you use that for things and who for people. In less formal English, people sometimes use “that” for people too, but “who” sounds more careful.
2. The Wh-Cleft (or Pseudo‑Cleft)
Structure: What + subject + verb + be + emphasised element
This type draws attention to an action or a thing, rather than a person.
- What I need right now is a good cup of coffee.
- What surprised me most was her reaction.
You can also move the emphasis to the end: A good cup of coffee is what I need right now. This version puts even more weight on the final word.
Emphasises a person, thing, time, or place.
Emphasises an action or the whole event.
Using "it's" with a plural – wrong: "It's the books that is heavy."
When Should You Use Cleft Sentences?
Not every sentence needs emphasis. If you overuse this structure, your English sounds dramatic or unnatural. Use it sparingly and deliberately.
Here are the moments it works perfectly:
1. Correcting a misunderstanding
Someone says: “You bought the tickets, right?”
You say: “No, it was Sarah who bought the tickets.”
That one word — was — carries the correction.
2. Answering a specific question
Question: “When did you decide to move?”
Answer: “It was after the lockdown that we finally decided.”
3. Adding drama in storytelling
“What happened next was something none of us expected.”
A Quick Exercise to Lock It In
Take this basic sentence:
My brother fixed the old bike in the garage last night.
Write three cleft versions:
- Emphasise the person:
- Emphasise the place:
- Emphasise the time:
Here’s how I’d do them:
- It was my brother who fixed the old bike in the garage last night.
- It was in the garage that my brother fixed the old bike last night.
- It was last night that my brother fixed the old bike in the garage.
Does your third one use last night naturally? Good. You’re getting it.
One Last Tip
Don’t try to write long cleft sentences with multiple emphasised elements. Keep one focus per sentence. If you emphasise everything, you emphasise nothing.
Cleft sentences in English grammar give you a simple, elegant way to control where your listener’s attention goes. Practice with real conversations — next time someone says something you want to correct or underline, try it out loud.
And if you want to check your understanding in a more structured way, test your English level for free on English Measure. We cover reading, listening, writing, and speaking — so you’ll know exactly where you stand and what to improve next.
Take your free English test here →
📝 Related Practice Section
Writing Practice: Check out our free, AI‑powered writing practice section to improve your English writing and grammar!
Öğrenmeye Devam Etmeye Hazır Mısın?
Sadece okumakla kalma! English Measure üzerindeki interaktif araçlarla pratik yap, dinleme ve konuşma becerilerini geliştir.