Learning English

Adding Emphasis - 'It' cleft sentences

Sometimes there's a particular part of a sentence that you really want to stress. It might be because it's new information or because it's the most interesting or important part.

One way of giving emphasis, is by changing the structure of a sentence and using something called a cleft sentence. 

'It' cleft sentences

You can use an 'it' cleft to draw attention to the  most interesting or important part. Compare these two sentences:

• Rob ate my biscuits.
• It was Rob that ate my biscuits

In the second sentence, we are focussing on the fact that Rob did this. It wasn't another person.

Structure

It + is/was + emphasis + (that) + rest of message

• It was Rob that/who ate my biscuits. (not Catherine)
• It was my biscuits that Rob ate. (not my sandwiches)
• It was yesterday that Rob ate my biscuits. (not today)

We can also use this structure in the present tense:

• It is me that/who does all the work.

Question form

Is/was + it + emphasis + (that) + rest of message

• Was it Rob that/who ate my biscuits?
• Was it my biscuits that Rob ate?
• Was it yesterday that Rob ate my biscuits?

Negative form

It + isn't/wasn't + emphasis + (that) + rest of message

• It wasn't Rob that/who ate my biscuits.
• It wasn't my biscuits that Rob ate.
• It wasn't yesterday that Rob ate my biscuits.

Note: These structures are useful when writing because you can add emphasis without using your voice. They're also common when we're speaking, but you have to remember to stress the key information with your voice.