Types of Cleft Sentences with Examples

Cleft sentences are powerful tools in English that help us emphasise particular parts of a sentence.

This lesson will teach you the basics of cleft sentences in English grammar, explain why we use them, and provide explanations and examples of the different types of cleft sentence:

It-Clefts; Wh-Clefts; All-Clefts; There-Clefts; If-because Clefts

The Basics

How Cleft Sentences Work

A cleft sentence divides a single clause into two parts, typically to place focus on a specific element. The word 'cleft' comes from the verb 'cleave', meaning to split.

Cleft sentences often involve additional words or clauses that aren’t strictly necessary for meaning but serve to emphasise a particular piece of information.

Examples

Lisa wrote the report.

Cleft: It was Lisa who wrote the report.

She bought a new laptop.

Cleft: What she bought was a new laptop.

She needs is more time

Cleft: All she needs is more time.

Why Use Cleft Sentences?

The sentences above convey the same information, but the cleft form highlights specific parts of the sentence that the original did not.

But cleft sentences serve several useful functions:

Focus and emphasis: They help highlight the most important part of a sentence.
Contrast and clarification: They allow for better contrast when correcting or refining information.
Stylistic variation: They add sentence variety, making writing more engaging and dynamic.
Improved communication: In speech, they help clarify or stress information for the listener.

Types of Cleft Sentences

Let’s explore the five main types of cleft sentences, how they are constructed, and how they can transform a sentence.

It-Cleft

One common type of cleft sentence is the it-cleft.

This form uses "it" as the subject, followed by a form of the verb "to be," then the highlighted portion, and finally a relative clause.

It + be + emphasised element + relative clause

It-clefts are used to emphasise a specific subject, object, adverbial or prepositional element in a sentence. For example, the sentence "John helped Mary with the project," when transformed into an it-cleft, becomes "It was John who helped Mary with the project," In this construction, "John" is the element emphasised, revealing him as the main actor in this scenario.

Take a look at the examples below for the sentence 'Sarah baked a cake for her friend's birthday yesterday' and you can see how difference cleft sentences emphasise the sentence in different ways.

Variations:

The sentences can also be negative or in question form.

Negative: It wasn't Sarah who baked the cake.

Question: Was it Sarah who baked the cake.

Wh-Cleft (Pseudo-Cleft)

This version uses a wh-word (such as what, where, who) to create emphasis.

Wh-clefts are structured as follows: the emphasised information is placed within the wh-clause, and typically combined with "be" to complete the thought. For example, "She bought a new laptop" can be transformed into "What she bought was a new laptop."

Wh-word (what, where, when, who, why, how) + clause + be + emphasised information

Wh-Clefts are used to define or highlight an action, result, or reason. They are common in spoken and written English.

Note that the most common are 'what' cleft sentences. Below, examples of all have been given but the others are less common and can sometimes sound slightly awkward. How has also been included as this is a question word.

Reverse Wh-Cleft Sentences (also called Inverted Pseudo-Clefts)

Note that we can reverse Wh-Cleft sentences.

When we do this we flip the structure of a regular Wh-Cleft (or Pseudo-Cleft) by placing the focused or emphasised information at the beginning of the sentence.

[Focused element] + be + what + [clause]

Examples

I need a break.
Reverse Wh-Cleft: A break is what I need.

She enjoys classical music the most.
Reverse Wh-Cleft: Classical music is what she enjoys the most.
He wants honesty from his team.
Reverse Wh-Cleft: Honesty is what he wants from his team.

All-Cleft

A third type of cleft sentence in English grammar is the all-cleft sentence.

This construction uses the word "all" to introduce the clause, directing focus to the whole of something. A straightforward sentence like "She needs more time" can be transformed into an all-cleft by saying "All (that) she needs is more time," stressing the complete requirement.

'That' is usually omitted creating a reduced relative clause.

All + relative clause + be + main clause

They typically carry an emotional or qualitative connotation, emphasising total preoccupation or involvement. For example, "We want peace" becomes "All we want is peace," showing a focused desire.

There-Cleft

The there-cleft is another form of cleft sentence, where "there" serves as the subject of the cleft structure.

This type highlights the existence or occurrence of something within the narrative or description. For instance, "A storm was coming" can be rephrased to "There was a storm that was coming," emphasising the storm's imminence.

There + be + emphasised element + relative clause

There-clefts suit contexts when it is crucial to specify the existence or presence of something as a point of discussion. This technique can effectively introduce new topics or elements by focusing attention on them at the moment of storytelling.

From "A series of challenges was ahead" to "There were a series of challenges that were ahead," it shifts attention to this fact.

You can also use there-clefts for sentences like: "A strong scent filled the room", which converts to "There was a strong scent that filled the room," spotlighting the scent; "Three errors were in the report" changes to "There were three errors in the report," focusing on the errors; and "A solution is needed" becomes "There is a solution that is needed," highlighting the requirement.

'Be' is most common but other verbs like 'come', 'exist', and 'remain' can follow 'there'.

Variations:

Negative: There isn’t a meeting scheduled for Friday
(A meeting hasn't been scheduled for Friday)

Question: Is there someone who can help?
(Can someone help?)

If-Because Cleft

If-because cleft sentences are typically used to present explanations, reasons, or cause-and-effect scenarios.

They help clarify causal relationships by emphasising one part of the sentence over the other. For example, "She didn't come due to traffic" becomes "If she didn't come, it was because of traffic."

If + clause + it’s because + clause

As another example, a statement like "He was late because of the train delay" might be re-expressed as "If he was late, it was because of the train delay," clarifying the reason.

Variations:

Negative: If she’s not here, it’s not because she forgot

Question: If he’s angry, is it because of the news?

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

While cleft sentences are powerful, misusing them can lead to confusion or awkward phrasing. Here are some common pitfalls:

Redundancy:

Avoid repeating the same idea unnecessarily.

Incorrect: It was Lisa who she wrote the report.

Verb tense mismatch:

Ensure that verb tenses in both clauses align.

Incorrect: It was Lisa who writes the report.

Overuse:

Using cleft sentences too frequently can make writing feel forced or unnatural. Use them sparingly for impact.

Incomplete clauses:

Cleft sentences need full relative or dependent clauses.

Incorrect: What I like, is pizza.

Final Thoughts

Cleft sentences are like grammatical spotlights—they let you shine a light exactly where you want your reader or listener to look. By understanding how to form and use them correctly, you can enhance your writing and speaking with clarity, emphasis, and style.

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