Cleft Sentences

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It

Regina masters Indian dance.

S
V
O
tense: present tense
It is Regina who/that masters Indian dance.
John didnt take a bath this morning.
tense: past tense
It was John who didnt take a bath this
morning.

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It

That Professor Bolt

conference is an honour.

is

It is an honour that
attending the conference.

Professor

Bolt

is

Purpose: to
information.

important

or

new

put

the

attending

the

Such sentence is called CLEFT-SENTENCE.

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It

Why Don decided to leave Spain is clear.

It is clear why Don decided to leave Spain.
To sing in a choir is very enjoyable.
It is very enjoyable to sing in a choir.

It + be + adj/noun Clause

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Choosing the focus

Why Don decided to leave Spain is clear.

It is CLEAR why Don decided to leave Spain.

FOCUS
To sing in a choir is very enjoyable.
It is VERY ENJOYABLE to sing in a choir.

FOCUS

In a cleft sentence, FOCUS occurs in the

end of the it clause
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Subject (S) as the focus

John wore a white suit at the dance last night.

S
tense: past tense

It was JOHN who/that wore a white suit at the dance

FOCUS
Mary achieved the highest score in the previous
quiz.
It was MARY who achieved the highest score in.

FOCUS
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Subject (S) as the focus

Mike took Sally to the party on Saturday.

S

It was MIKE who took Sally to the party on Saturday.

FOCUS

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Direct Object (Od) as the

focus
John wore a white suit at the dance last night.
S
Od
tense: past tense

It was A WHITE SUIT that John wore at the dance last

night.

Mike took Sally to the party on Saturday.

S
Od
It was SALLY who/that Mike took to the party on
Saturday.
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Adv time (Atime) as the

focus
John wore a white suit at the dance last night.
S
Od
Atime
tense: past tense

It was LAST NIGHT that John wore a white suit at the

dance.

Mike took Sally to the party on Saturday.

S
Od
Atime
It was ON SATURDAY that Mike took Sally to the
party.
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Adv Position(Aposition) as
the focus
John wore a white suit at the dance last night.
S
Od
Aposition
Atime
tense: past tense

It was AT THE DANCE that John wore a white suit last

night.

It was THE DANCE that John wore a white suit last

night. informal

Mike took Sally to the party on Saturday.

It

Od
was

Saturday.

TO

THE

Aposition
PARTY

that

Atime
Mike

took

Sally

on

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Indirect Object (Oi) as the

focus

He gave me
the book.
S
Oi
Od
He
gave the book to me.
S
Od
Oi
tense: past tense

??It was ME (that) he gave the book.

It was me he gave the book to.
It was to me that he gave the book.

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It +Verb+(O)+that-clause

I was worried that she drove so fast.

tense: past tense
It worried me when she drove so fast.

I wasnt surprised that Pete left the company.

It did not surprise me when Pete left the
company.
other verbs: amaze, annoy,
frighten, please, surprise.

bother,

concern,

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Exercise!

1. The grandparents speak proudly about their

successful offspring. (S)
2. After the earthquake, assistance was sent to
the damaged areas. (time adv)
3. The production manager quitely requested a
complete report of the incident. (Od)

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