Usual Cleft sentence
SECTION 2
Emphasis wing What, Al2 and It
1 EMPHASlSlNG A N ACTION WlTH WHAT
To emphasise an action, we can use a structure with
What + do. (The full structure is What + subject + do
+ be + infinitive with or without to.):
Usual What ...
He put the pot on What he did was (to) put
the table. the pot on the table.
I'm going to persuade What I'm going to do is
him to come earlier. persuade him to come earlier.
We commonly use this structure when
demonstrating a procedure or telling someone
about a sequence of events:
What you do next is fold the top left corner back on
itsey
2 OTHER WAYS O F USING WH-CLAUSES
We can emphasise a whole action or series of actions
with a similar structure using What + happen + be +
that-clause:
What happened next was (that) he dropped it.
What happened was (that) they al1 ran away as soon
as they saw the police car coming.
We can also use fronted wh-clauses with be as a sort
of introductory phrase:
What 1 think is (that) she should resign.
What you need is a holiday.
What Clive is is a pain in the neck.
Occasionally, the what-clause comes at the end of
the sentence:
A good rest is what 1 need.
Your lateness is what 1 want to talk about.
3 USlNG ALL INSTEAD O F WHAT
We can use al1 instead of what to mean 'the only
thing'. This suggests that what happens is not very
big or important:
Al1 we are going to do is take your teeth out.
Al1 that happened was that a window was broken.
4 EMPHASlSlNG NOUNS WlTH I T + BE +
THATI WHO
To emphasise nouns, we can use a structure with
It + be + that l who. These structures are sometimes
called 'cleft sentences':
She threw the jug It was the jug (that) she threw
out ofthe window. out ofthe window. (= not, for
example, the cup)
or: It was the windmv (that) she
threw the jug out of: (= not,
for example, the door)
Richard ran into the It was Richard who ran into
ofice. the ofice. (= not Bernard)
or: It was the ofice (that) Richard
ran into. (= not the kitchen )
Clefi sentences allow us to stress a noun, often in
contrast to what we have already said:
I love going to Cornwall in summer, but it's in the
winter that it's at its best.
5 EMPHASlSlNG OTHER PARTS O F THE
SENTENCE
We can also use a cleft sentence to focus on other
parts of the sentence, not just nouns. We can use it:
to emphasise an action by using a gerund:
It was learning to speak French that hefound most
enjoyable at school. (not, for example, playing
football)
to emphasise a prepositional phrase:
It was from Heather that I heard the news.
It was in London that he met his first wifi.
with because to give reasons:
It was because you're clever that I married you.
with when or until to emphasise time:
It was only when he phoned that I realised what had
happened.
It wasn't until Tuesday that theyfinally delivered the
equipment.
Write W next to the sentences that contain a what-
clause or all-clause, C next to those that contain a
clefi sentence, and )t next to any that contain neither.
a What we did was to go back to the beginning and
start again.
b Your progress is al1 I'm concerned with.
c He promised to cal1 me but it wasn't until later
that week that he eventually phoned.
d It is unbelievable the lengths 1 had to go to in
securing the contract.
e 1 think it's because we have the same sense of
humour that we work so well together.
 EMPHASIS USING WHAT, ALL AND IT

@ Rewrite each sentence in three different ways.

Begin with the words given.
O In each sentence one of the underlined words Example: The rising tide frightened me.
or phrases does not fit. Write the number beside it a What frightened me was the rising tide.
in the space and the correct word or phrase. b 1 was frightened by the rising tide.
c It was the rising tide that frightened me.
Example: Al1 you (1) have to do is te11 me (2)
i We took him to the hospital.
everything what (3) happened once vou (4) left the
a Where ... b It was ... c The hospital is ...
hotel. 3 that
2 1 went to see my GP.
a What vou did (1) wrong was that (2) you started a My GP ... b It was my GP ... c The person ...
on the top coat before (3) the undercoat 3 The spices are amazing.
that was (4) dry. . . . . . . . . a It's the ... b What ... c The spices are what ...
b Al1 that (1) happened (2) told him what 1 4 The location was important.
thought of (3) him in no uncertain (4) terms. . . . . . . . a it's the ... b What. .. c The location ...
c it was (1) while trving (2) to mend the window 5 1 spent £15 on the ticket.
when (3) 1 fe11 off the ladder. . . . . . a£15washow ... b I t w a s £ i 5 ...
d He claimed to like (1) music but it was (2) c The amount 1...
literature (3) he loved more than anything
6 He looks amazing for his age.
-else (4). . . . . . . . . a How ... b What is ... c It is ...
e (1) 1 love most about the weather (2) in this
country is that (3) it is totally unreliable. . . . . . . . . Finish each of the following sentences in such a
f He left the country at the age of (1) twenty and ~ way that it is as similar as possible in meaning to
was (2) only after severa1 years when (3) he
- the sentence printed before it.
returned. .. Exampk: We only noticed the stain on the carpet
g i mislaid my wedding ring once and it (1) wasn't when al1 the guests had gone.
before (2) we eventually moved house that it (3)
It wasn't until al1 the guests had gone that we noticed
came to light (4) again. . . . . .
the stain on the carpet.
h It's (1) not learning (2) new words that 1 find (3)
difficult, & (4) remembering them. . . . . . . . . a in some organisations what you know is not
important; who you know is.
@ Rewrite each of the sentences in such a way In some organisations it's not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
that it is as similar as possible in meaning to the b He took his hat off and then 1 recognised him.
sentence before it. The first word and one other is It wasn't . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
given as guidance. c i only realised she was a foreigner when she
opened her mouth.
Exampk: 1 know what you did to her. You broke her
It was . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
heart. (What / break)
d Your place of birth doesn't determine your accent;
What you did to her is break her heart.
the place you spend your childhood in does.
a 1 know what happened. You lost your nerve, didn't it's not where . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
you? e His actions didn't bring about his downfall; lying
What / chickened ................................................... about them did.
b i know what she did. She upset al1 her colleagues it wasn't what . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... . ... . ....
by being so arrogant. f You don't know who your real friends are until a
What / arrogance ....................................................... time like that.
c 1 know how you feel after getting your results. It's only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Many others are feeling the same way. g His jokes in themselves are not funny; his manner
How / how . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . of telling
- them is.
d 1 know where you made your mistake; you it's how . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
underestimated the competition. h The salary increase wasn't why 1 stayed on; you
Where 1 appreciate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . were the reason.
e i know why he was attracted to this job; he It wasn't .........................................................................
wanted to give people orders.
What / authority .............................................. .....