C1 · Advanced

Cleft Sentences

Split one idea into two clauses to move the spotlight — correct a wrong assumption, build to a climax, or signal “this and nothing else.” The grammar that separates B2 from C1.

Level: C1 Emphasis & information structure Play · Practise · Score

The Cleft Transformer

Same idea. Different spotlight.

Five cleft types, three contexts — 15 ready-made sentences. Choose a type to see how the same information gets repackaged for different emphasis.

It was the manager’s decision that caused the delay, not the team’s.

Structure:It + was/is + [FOCUS] + that (things, times, places) / who (people) + clause

It-clefts single out one element and are ideal for correcting a wrong assumption. Use who for people and that for everything else.

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The rules — with examples

A cleft (“divided”) sentence splits one clause into two so that a single element is pushed into focus. The facts do not change; only the spotlight moves.

Five cleft types at a glance

It-cleft — most frequent

It + was/is + [FOCUS] + that / who + clause

It was the weather that ruined the trip.
It was Maria who solved the problem.

Wh-cleft — focus at the end

What + clause + is/was + [FOCUS]

What I need is a long holiday.
What he did was cancel the meeting.

Reversed wh-cleft — focus at the front

[FOCUS] + is/was + what + clause

A long holiday is what I need.
Trust is what this team is missing.

All-cleft — the only thing

All + clause + is/was + [FOCUS: noun phrase or bare infinitive]

All I want is peace. · All you have to do is sign here. · All they needed was a simple apology.

Reason- / thing- / place-cleft

The reason (why) / The thing / The place + clause + was + [FOCUS]

The reason I called was to apologise. · The thing that matters is the result. · The place where we first met was a tiny café in Prague.

Wh-cleft agreement: the “what”-clause is a singular subject, so always use is or was — even when the focus noun is plural. What we need are more staff is wrong; What we need is more staff is correct. — It-cleft subject: never repeat the subject inside the relative clause: It was Tom who he fixed it is wrong; It was Tom who fixed it is correct.

When to use a cleft

Correct a wrong assumption or contrast

Caller: “So Anna wrote the report?”
You: “It was Tom who wrote it, not Anna.”

Effect: the it-cleft makes the correction feel precise and direct — exactly the structure native speakers reach for.

Build anticipation — key info at the end

“What finally convinced me was the data.”

Effect: the wh-cleft delays the key information, creating mild suspense. Common in academic writing and formal speech.

Signal exclusivity — “this and nothing else”

“All I need is five more minutes.” · “All you have to do is press Save.”

Effect: the all-cleft adds the nuance that this one thing is sufficient — nothing more is required or wanted.

Neutral order vs clefted

Neutral — no special emphasis

My colleague’s suggestion saved the project.

Correct and clear — but all elements carry equal weight. The listener must infer what the speaker wants to highlight.

Clefted — spotlight on the cause

It was my colleague’s suggestion that saved the project.

The it-cleft signals: “Let me tell you exactly what saved it.” The focus is unmistakable — and the door is open to add “… not the budget cuts.”

Same fact, different spotlight. A cleft never adds information — it repackages it. Choosing a cleft is a decision about where the reader’s attention should land, not about what to say.

Common C1 pitfalls

Wrong: It was in Paris where they met.

Correct: It was in Paris that they met.

In an it-cleft, use that as the relativizer for times, places, and things — not where, when, or which. Use who only for people.

Wrong: What we need are more resources.

Correct: What we need is more resources.

The verb agrees with the singular “what”-clause (the subject), not with the focus noun. Use is or was even when the focus is plural.

Wrong: It was Tom who he fixed the car.

Correct: It was Tom who fixed the car.

The focus element (“Tom”) supplies the subject of the relative clause. Do not add a pronoun (“he”) that repeats it.

Wrong: What he did was cancelled the project.

Correct: What he did was cancel (or to cancel) the project.

After “What + subject + do + was”, use the bare infinitive or to-infinitive — not the past form.

Wrong: All I want is singing.

Correct: All I want is to sing. (or: All I want is a quiet life.)

After “All … is”, use a bare or to-infinitive (for actions) or a noun phrase (for things). The gerund is not used here.

Practise & score yourself

Ten questions — five multiple choice, five gap-fills. Instant scoring and a short explanation for every answer.

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The one rule to remember

A cleft never adds information — it repackages it. Decide which element deserves the spotlight, then choose the structure that puts it there: it-cleft to correct or single out, wh-cleft to build to the key point, all-cleft to signal “nothing more than this.” Master that instinct and your English moves firmly into C1 territory.

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