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Grammar By Edumynt

Cleft Sentences: "It Was..." and "What I Need..." Explained

English में cleft sentences सीखें — it-clefts और wh-clefts — sentence के specific parts को emphasize करने के लिए, rules, examples और practice के साथ।

Sentence Structure , Clauses 4 min read

एक cleft sentence एक idea को दो parts में split करता है ताकि एक element पर emphasis हो।

I met Rahul yesterday. → It was Rahul that I met yesterday.
I need more time. → What I need is more time.

Information वही है। Focus shift होता है। यह article दो main types cover करता है: it-clefts और wh-clefts


Rule box: Emphasis के लिए clefts use करें। It + be + focus + that/who clause. Wh-clause + be + focus.

TypeStructureExample
It-cleftIt + be + focus + that/who + clauseIt was Rahul that I met.
Wh-cleftWhat + subject + verb + be + focusWhat I need is more time.

I met Rahul yesterday. → It was Rahul that I met yesterday.
She needs help. → It is help that she needs.

Rahul helped me. → It was Rahul who helped me.
The noise woke me up. → It was the noise that woke me up.

I met him yesterday. → It was yesterday that I met him.

Formal it-clefts में time के लिए that use करें (when नहीं)।

I need more time. → What I need is more time.
She wants honesty. → What she wants is honesty.
He did leave early. → What he did was leave early.

Wh-clefts में be के बाद bare infinitive आता है (to + verb नहीं)।

I want to leave. → All I want is to leave.


  1. क्या emphasize करना है? Subject, object, time, या action?
  2. Subject/object/time focus के लिए: It-cleft: It + be + focus + that/who + clause
  3. Action या general focus के लिए: Wh-cleft: What + subject + verb + be + focus
  4. People के लिए who, things और time के लिए that use करें।
  5. Wh-clefts में be के बाद bare infinitive use करें।

It was yesterday when I met Rahul.

Formal it-cleft में that use करें।

It was yesterday that I met Rahul.

What he did was he left early.

Wh-cleft में bare infinitive।

What he did was leave early.


  1. It was Rahul that I met yesterday.
  2. It is honesty that matters most.
  3. It was the noise that woke me.
  4. What I need is more time.
  5. What she wants is a new phone.
  6. What he did was leave early.
  7. It was yesterday that I realised the truth.
  8. It is practice that makes perfect.
  9. What they need is better communication.
  10. All I want is to help.

Wrong: It was yesterday when I met him.
Right: It was yesterday that I met him.

Formal it-clefts में that use करें।

Wrong: What he did was to leave early.
Right: What he did was leave early.

Wh-clefts में bare infinitive use करें।

Wrong: It was Rahul that helped me. (acceptable but less precise)
Right: It was Rahul who helped me.

Formal writing में people के लिए who use करें।

Clefts emphasis के लिए हैं। Default sentence structure के रूप में use न करें।


WrongRightWhy
It was yesterday when I met him.It was yesterday that I met him.Use that in it-clefts.
What he did was to leave early.What he did was leave early.Bare infinitive in wh-clefts.

Cleft sentences में rewrite करें।

  1. I need rest. (wh-cleft)
  2. Rahul broke the window. (it-cleft, Rahul emphasize)
  3. She realised the truth last night. (it-cleft, time emphasize)
  4. Error spotting: It was last week when I visited them.
  5. Error spotting: What she did was to apologise.
  6. Fill in the blank: It was the teacher ___ explained this. (who/that)
  7. Rewrite: I want peace. (wh-cleft)
  8. Choose: What he needs ___ more practice. (is / are)

  1. What I need is rest.
  2. It was Rahul who broke the window.
  3. It was last night that she realised the truth.
  4. It was last week that I visited them.
  5. What she did was apologise.
  6. who — people के लिए।
  7. What I want is peace.
  8. is — singular.

Rule: It-cleft = It + be + focus + that/who + clause. Wh-cleft = What + clause + be + focus (bare infinitive).

Memory trick: It-cleft star की ओर इशारा करता है। Wh-cleft point को wrap करता है।

ये revise करें:

  • It was Rahul that I met.
  • What I need is more time.
  • It was yesterday that I realised.
  • What he did was leave early.