- Ejercicio
- Explicación
- Video
📝 Instructions for the Activity
In this activity, you will see 10 sentences, each with a blank space.
Your task is to choose the correct answer from three options.
👉 Only one option is correct, so read carefully and choose the best one!
When you select an answer, the system will automatically check it and tell you if your choice is right or wrong.
At the end of the activity, you will get a summary of all your answers,
plus explanations for the correct ones, so you can learn and improve.
💪 Take your time, do your best, and most importantly—have fun learning!
Good luck!
💬 Cleft Sentences in English: Emphasizing Specific Information
Cleft sentences are used in English to give special emphasis to a particular part of a sentence—whether it’s a person, an action, or an idea. Rather than presenting all information in a flat, neutral way, cleft structures allow the speaker or writer to highlight what is most important.
🔹 Basic Structure Using “What”
The most common type of cleft sentence begins with “What” and focuses on things, actions, or ideas.
Structure:
What + subject + verb + is + focus
Examples:
- ✅ What I need is a vacation.
(The emphasis is on what I need → a vacation.) - ✅ What surprised me was her decision.
(The surprising thing was her decision.)
This structure is often used when we want to draw attention to a situation, event, or abstract idea.
🔹 Cleft Sentences Using “Who”
When we want to emphasize a person, we use “Who” in a relative clause.
Structure:
The person + who + verb + is/was + focus
Examples:
- ✅ The person who called me was my friend.
(The focus is on who made the call.) - ✅ The man who helped me was very kind.
(The focus is on who helped.)
This structure helps identify the subject of an action and gives it more prominence.
🔹 Alternative Cleft Structure with “It is/was”
Another way to express emphasis is through the “It is/was…” structure. This is especially useful when you want to emphasize a specific person, time, or place.
Structure:
It is/was + emphasized element + that/who + rest of the sentence
Examples:
- ✅ It was John who solved the problem.
(Focus: John is the one who solved it.) - ✅ It is today that we start the new project.
(Focus: today is when it happens.)
This structure is often found in formal writing or speech.
🔹 Cleft Sentences with “What” + Verb + Subject
This variant is used when we want to emphasize an action.
Example:
- ✅ What he did was amazing.
(We’re highlighting the action—what he did.)
This form gives weight to the deed rather than the person or object involved.
✅ Summary
| Focus | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Thing/idea | What + S + V + is… | What I want is a new phone. |
| Person | The person who… was… | The person who helped me was kind. |
| Action | What + S + did + was… | What he did was amazing. |
| Emphasis | It is/was + X + that/who + rest | It was Sarah who made the decision. |
🧠 Why Use Cleft Sentences?
Cleft structures help you:
- Add emphasis without sounding informal
- Sound more precise and expressive
- Highlight important contrasts or surprises
- Make your writing and speaking more dynamic and sophisticated