Cleft Sentences: "It Was..." and "What I Need..." Explained
Learn cleft sentences in English — it-clefts and wh-clefts — to emphasize specific parts of a sentence, with rules, examples, and practice for exams.
A cleft sentence splits one idea into two parts to emphasize one element.
I met Rahul yesterday. → It was Rahul that I met yesterday.
I need more time. → What I need is more time.
The information is the same. The focus shifts. This article covers the two main types: it-clefts and wh-clefts.
Rule box: Use clefts to highlight focused information. It + be + focus + that/who clause. Wh-clause + be + focus.
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| It-cleft | It + be + focus + that/who + clause | It was Rahul that I met. |
| Wh-cleft | What + subject + verb + be + focus | What 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.
Use that (not when) for time in formal it-clefts.
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.
In wh-clefts, the verb after be is a bare infinitive (no to).
I want to leave. → All I want is to leave.
- What do you want to emphasize? Subject, object, time, or action?
- For subject/object/time focus: Use it-cleft: It + be + focus + that/who + clause.
- For action or general focus: Use wh-cleft: What + subject + verb + be + focus.
- Use who for people, that for things and time.
- In wh-clefts, use bare infinitive after be (not to + verb).
It was yesterday when I met Rahul.
Formal it-cleft uses that for time.
It was yesterday that I met Rahul.
What he did was he left early.
Wh-cleft uses bare infinitive.
What he did was leave early.
- It was Rahul that I met yesterday.
- It is honesty that matters most.
- It was the noise that woke me.
- What I need is more time.
- What she wants is a new phone.
- What he did was leave early.
- It was yesterday that I realised the truth.
- It is practice that makes perfect.
- What they need is better communication.
- All I want is to help.
Wrong: It was yesterday when I met him.
Right: It was yesterday that I met him.
Use that (not when) in formal it-clefts.
Wrong: What he did was to leave early.
Right: What he did was leave early.
Use bare infinitive after be in wh-clefts.
Wrong: It was Rahul that helped me. (acceptable but less precise)
Right: It was Rahul who helped me.
Use who for people in formal writing.
Clefts are for emphasis. Do not use them as default sentence structure. Use them when you need to highlight specific information.
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
Rewrite as cleft sentences.
- I need rest. (wh-cleft)
- Rahul broke the window. (it-cleft, emphasize Rahul)
- She realised the truth last night. (it-cleft, emphasize time)
- Error spotting: It was last week when I visited them.
- Error spotting: What she did was to apologise.
- Fill in the blank: It was the teacher ___ explained this. (who/that)
- Rewrite: I want peace. (wh-cleft)
- Choose: What he needs ___ more practice. (is / are)
- What I need is rest.
- It was Rahul who broke the window.
- It was last night that she realised the truth.
- It was last week that I visited them.
- What she did was apologise.
- who — for people.
- What I want is peace.
- is — singular.
Rule: It-cleft = It + be + focus + that/who + clause. Wh-cleft = What + clause + be + focus (bare infinitive).
Memory trick: It-cleft points at the star. Wh-cleft wraps the point.
Revise these:
- It was Rahul that I met.
- What I need is more time.
- It was yesterday that I realised.
- What he did was leave early.