CLEFT SENTENCE

By :
Aura Fresty R
M. Abi Julianto
Muhammad Faris
Novy Auliya I
 DEFINITION & FUNCTION

• “Cleft” means divided. In cleft sentence,

information which could be given in one
clause is divided into two parts, each
with its own verb.

Example :
It was Novy who ate the cake.
• Function :
1.) To emphasise some piece of new information,
Example :
It was Vanessa who has made the greatest impact.

2.) To give explanations or to make a contrast with a

previous statement.
Example :
• All of the Johnson family are gifted actors. But it is
Vanessa who made the greatest impact in the world of
feature films.
• “I remember your uncle taking us to the fair.”
“No, it was my father that took us there.”
 PATTERN OF ‘IT’ CLEFT
SENTENCE

It + a form of be (+ not and/or adverb) +

emphasised word/phrase +

that/which/who clause

Example : It was the player that hit the tennis ball

over the net.
 ‘IT’ CLEFT SENTENCE
1. Sentence : Mike took Sally to the party on
Sunday.
2. Emphasising the subject : It was Mike who
took Sally to the party on Sunday.
3. Emphasising the object : It was Sally (that)
Mike took to the party on Sunday.
4. Emphasising the adverbial : It was on Sunday
(that) Mike took Sally to the party.
5. Emphasising the prepositional phrase : It was
to the party (that) Mike took Sally on Sunday.
 FUN QUIZ!
Sentence : Fresty bought Freshtea at the minimarket
with her credit card.
1. Emphasising Subject
It was Fresty who bought Freshtea at the minimarket
with her credit card.
2. Emphasising Object
It was Freshtea that Fresty bought at the minimarket
with her credit card.
3. Emphasising Adverbial
It was at the minimarket that Fresty bought Freshtea
with her credit card.
4. Emphasising Prepositional Phrase
It was with her credit card that Fresty bought
Freshtea at the minimarket.
 We can’t use WHY and HOW in cleft
sentence. Example :

1. It was greed why he did it.

It was because of greed that he did it.

2. It is using a calculator how he does it.

It is by using a calculator that he does it.

 We can’t use ‘it’ cleft sentence to highlight
the action or a verb complement in a
sentence. Example :

1. It was taking Sally to the party that Mike

did.

What Mike did was take Sally to the party.

2. It is totally unscrupulous that they are.

What they are is unscrupulous.

 PATTERN OF WH- CLEFT
SENTENCE
WH-Clause + a form of be + emphasised word
or phrase

Example : What Mike did was take Sally to the

party.

WH-Clause + is + emphasised compliment

Example : What Jean and Bob are is stingy.

• We can use WH- cleft sentence to
highlight the action in a sentence.
Example :
1. What Mike did was to take Sally to the
party.

2. What Mike did was take Sally to the party.

3. What Mike was doing was taking Sally to

the party.
What Mike had done was taken
Sally to the party.
 OTHER TYPES OF CLEFT
SENTENCE
• To highlight person :
The guy who told me about the new
movie was Joe.

• To highlight place :
The house where I used to live is
near here.
• To highlight time :
The day (when) they left was the
saddest day of my life.

• To highlight reason :
The reason (why) they never told
me is they don’t trust me.
You can use other pronouns in place of "it"
to make cleft sentences.

• Those were my books that you borrowed.

• That is my pencil that you broke.

• There is the guitar that I want to

purchase.
 We can emphasise an item (described by
noun phrase or verb phrase) with :
• The thing…
• The first thing…
• The last thing…
• The only thing...
• All…
Example :
• The only thing that I remembered from that
movie was the scene in outer space.
• The only thing I didn’t find was the key of my
closet.
 REVERSED CLEFT SENTENCE

What the boys are Taking Sandy to the

doing is taking match is what
Sandy to the match. the boys are doing.

We have to get off This is where we have

here. to get off.
 FUN QUIZ

1. Cleft sentence :
It is the government that should abolish
the capital punishment .
Normal sentence :
The government should abolish the
capital punishment.
 FUN QUIZ
Example : What Mike had done was taken Sally to
the party.
2. Normal sentence :
Joe has bought a necklace for his
girlfriend.
Cleft sentence (WH- cleft and perfect
tense) :
What Joe has done is bought a necklace
for his girlfriend.