A collection of downloadable worksheets, exercises and activities to teach cleft sentences, shared by english language teachers. This is a normal sentence with no special emphasis. Pseudocleft sentences also called whclefts are similar in function to cleft sentences, but they are formed with the pronoun what the things thatwhich. This is a grammar guide to learn the proper use of the cleft sentences and how to add emphasis to a noun. The clause which follows the it clause is connected using that and it contains information that is already understood. What i need, all i need, what happens is, the person who, the thing that, introductory it. Here are some negative adverbs and adverb phrases that we often use with inversion. We only use inversion when the adverb modifies the whole phrase and not when it modifies the noun. The object of the exercise was to prevent the public from seeing what they. Rewrite the replies in these minidialogues to make them more emphatic by using suitable structures cleft sentences, fronting or inversion to emphasise the underlined items. Cleft sentences from longman advanced learners grammar. Unit 34 nick turned up late for work on monday because he got stuck in a traf.
A cleft sentence is used to put emphasis on a part of the sentence by making it the subject. In a cleft sentence, information which could be given in one clause is divided into two parts, each with its own verb. Cleft sentences ordering exercises 2 set of ten sentences. Pseudocleft sentences are introduced by what and the emphasis is postponed to the end in cleftsentences the emphasis is at the beginning. We use them to create emphasis by drawing attention to a particular aspect of the sentence. In a basic sentence, no particular emphasis is expressed.
There are several ways to add emphasis focus to parts of your sentences in english by changing the word order. Cleft sentences also called it clefts result from changing the normal sentence pattern to emphasise a particular piece of information. The clause introduced by what is employed as the subject of the sentence as is followed by the verb to be. The reason why i am wearing glasses is to protect my eyes. This is called auxiliary inversion, and is common among native speakers. This is the hardest of the three but basically it means cutting one clause or sentence into two, again to emphasise a part of a sentence. Cleft sentences are particularly useful in writing. Cleft sentences by eduvinas this is a grammar guide to learn the proper use of the cleft sentences and how to add emphasis to a noun, a person, a time, a phrase or a.
Whcleft sentences cleft structure can include expressions like the reason why, the thing that, the place where, and the person who. Cleft sentences ordering exercises set of five linked segment ordering exercises using cleft sentences for empahasis. Its joey were looking for worksheets most downloaded 21 results. A cleft is also known as a cleft sentence, a cleft construction, and a cleft clause. These sentences put the sentence which needs emphasis in a separate clause for clarity. There are other, far more common, ways of giving emphasis more generally adverbs, superlative adjectives, auxiliaries, cleft sentences etc. These structures are useful in writing because we cannot use intonation for emphasis in written language. In a cleft sentence we put everything into a kind of relative clause except the words we want to emphasize. There are 2 exercises fill in it or what and rewrite the sentences as cleft sentences. Exercise 1a fill the gaps with present simple or past simple forms of the verbs in the box. When emphasis is put on a pronoun two options are available, one formal and the other. Sentences that are written in this fashion are referred to as cleft. Clefting a clause is a means of splitting the clause and moving the content before or after the predicate to produce a particular effect. Many times when we write we try to highlight or emphasis a particular portion of a sentence.
It can ideally used when students have grasped making relative clauses. Luckily nick has a mobile phone so he was able to phone his boss and warn her that he would be late. Note that in the following exercises there is not always one single correct answer, as emphasis is up to the speaker. In the first, the what clause is usually in subject position, but it can also be a subject complement, when it is sometimes called a reversed pseudo cleft. What sentences introduced by a clause beginning with what are also used to emphasize a specific subject or object. What john did yesterday was steal a book from the library. What clefts, also known as pseudoclefts, have three patterns. The basic pattern of a cleft sentence is the following. They are particularly useful in writing where we cannot use intonation for emphasis, but they are also frequently used in speech. The information that gets the emphasis is the new information. Cleft sentences rules and exercises for advanced level. This is an advanced grammar exercise when mastered, it will impress english speakers. Emphasis with inversion complete description english. Whcleft sentences are most often introduced by what, but we can also use why.
This handout checks students ability on making cleft sentences. Cleft sentences look tricky, but youll grasp them quickly. We often omit that in informal situations when it is the object of the verb. The information that follows it is what is most important for the.
Wh cleft sentences are usually considered pseudo cleft because they very often occur in the pattern. What i need is a holiday swan we can emphasize particular words and expressions by putting everything into a kind of relative clause except the words we want to emphasize. Most cleft sentences are constructed by using a relative pronoun. It was my brother that gave the book to ryan yesterday. English esl cleft sentences worksheets most downloaded. The information that comes after it iswas is the one that gets. A cleft sentence is a special structure used for emphasizing particular words or phrases. You can practise this topic with the following exercises. Multiplechoice exercise made by carmen luisa oxford university press.
At first, it can sound a little weird, but this way you can apply more emphasis. Rewrite the sentences using cleft structures with it or what. One way of giving emphasis is by changing the structure of a sentence and using something called a cleft sentence. However, it contains examples of pseudocleft sentences beginning with a whclause. This type of sentence structure, as opposed to normal sentence or unmarked sentence, is used when the writer or speaker wants to highlight a specific bit of information. These structures are called cleft sentences divided. When we divide a sentence into two clauses, each with its own verb, we add emphasis to what we want to say more prominently. There are 2 types of cleft sentences itcleft sentences. In english, cleft sentences are one of the ways which help the speaker or writer to add emphasis to their sentences. Jim decided to find out if playing frisbee in a glass factory was a bad idea. Cleft sentences cleft sentences are used to help us focus on a particular part of the sentence and emphasise this part by fronting it. Rarely have a minister been faced with such a problem.
Fronting with adverbials of place and movement inversion changing the position of the subject and verb is common with fronting. Cleft structures with whatclauses are also often used with doesdodid and with the verb happen when we want to give emphasis to the whole sentence, rather than a. Cleft sentences and inversion english language gives its users, the liberty to express their thoughts in different ways. Please contact me if you have any questions or ntact me if you have any questions or comments. These structures are typically used with the verb be.
Its also common in some idiolects to use emphasized so or such without a that. Learn the usage of cleft sentences, preparatory it, cleft emphasis rules and grammar with various sample sentences and explanations online. We use cleft sentences, especially in speaking, to connect what is already understood to what is new to the listener. A cleft sentence is a sentence that is cleft split so as to put the focus on one part of. In a cleft sentence, a single message is divided cleft into two clauses. For exercises, you can reveal the answers first submit worksheet and print the page to have the exercise and the answers. Seldom is in the normal place, so we dont use inversion. Sometimes, inverted sentences take time to comprehend as the auxiliary verb comes before the subject. Cleft sentences are complex sentences that are used to emphasise one particular part of a sentence. Welcome to esl printables, the website where english language teachers exchange resources. You can put extra emphasis on sentence parts except for the verb by using cleft sentences. Cleft sentences emphasis advanced 7 angelas english.
In english grammar, a cleft is a construction in which some element in a sentence is moved from its normal position into a separate clause to give it greater emphasis. A cleft sentence is used to connect known information with new information. The sentence is changed in such a way that it starts with it. Cleft sentences are one way to add emphasis to what we want to say the word cleft means divided or split a cleft sentence is a sentence in which some part is moved from its normal position into a different place to give it more emphasis. Longman student grammar of spoken and written english, douglas biber et al. Another method of emphasis in a series of sentences is the placement of a short, emphatic sentence to punctuate a crucial point and even add an element of drama. One such way is to invert the word orders in a sentence to give more emphasis on a particular prose or clause. This work is licensed under a creative commons attribution noncommercial noderivatives 4. A cleft with what groups information before or after the predicate so that emphasis can be placed elsewhere in the clause.