Cleft Sentences — B2 Grammar — English Nerd

Exercise 1 (Easy) — It-cleft or wh-cleft?

Choose the correct type: It-cleft = 'It was X that/who…' (emphasises a specific element). Wh-cleft = 'What I need is…' (emphasises the idea/action).

Exercises:

JOHN called me, not Sarah. (emphasise the subject)

What called me was John.It was John who called me.It is John that calling me.

I need TIME, not money. (emphasise the object)

What I need is time.It is time what I need.What need is time.

She left BECAUSE of the noise, not the smell. (emphasise the reason)

What she left was because of the noise.It was because of the noise that she left.It was the noise why she left.

I want you to LISTEN, not to argue. (emphasise the action)

It is listen that I want.What I want is for you to listen.What I want you doing is listen.

She FORGOT to lock the door — that's what happened.

It was forgetting the door that she did.What she did was forget to lock the door.What she forgot was locking the door.

He told HER, not me. (emphasise the indirect object)

It was her who he told.What he told was her.It was her that he told.

IN 1969 they landed on the moon. (emphasise the time)

It was in 1969 that they landed on the moon.What they did in 1969 was landing on the moon.It was 1969 when they landed on the moon.

I find her HONESTY most impressive. (emphasise with wh-cleft)

It is her honesty that I find most impressive.What I find most impressive is her honesty.What most impresses me is that her honesty.

The NOISE, not the smell, woke me up. (it-cleft)

It was the noise that woke me up.What woke me up was the noise.It was the noise which it woke me up.

She really wants to TRAVEL the world. (wh-cleft, emphasise the desire)

It is travelling that she really wants.What she really wants is to travel the world.What she really wants is travel the world.

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Exercise 1 (Easy) — It-cleft or wh-cleft?

Choose the correct type: It-cleft = 'It was X that/who…' (emphasises a specific element). Wh-cleft = 'What I need is…' (emphasises the idea/action).

Exercises:

JOHN called me, not Sarah. (emphasise the subject)

What called me was John.It was John who called me.It is John that calling me.

I need TIME, not money. (emphasise the object)

What I need is time.It is time what I need.What need is time.

She left BECAUSE of the noise, not the smell. (emphasise the reason)

What she left was because of the noise.It was because of the noise that she left.It was the noise why she left.

I want you to LISTEN, not to argue. (emphasise the action)

It is listen that I want.What I want is for you to listen.What I want you doing is listen.

She FORGOT to lock the door — that's what happened.

It was forgetting the door that she did.What she did was forget to lock the door.What she forgot was locking the door.

He told HER, not me. (emphasise the indirect object)

It was her who he told.What he told was her.It was her that he told.

IN 1969 they landed on the moon. (emphasise the time)

It was in 1969 that they landed on the moon.What they did in 1969 was landing on the moon.It was 1969 when they landed on the moon.

I find her HONESTY most impressive. (emphasise with wh-cleft)

It is her honesty that I find most impressive.What I find most impressive is her honesty.What most impresses me is that her honesty.

The NOISE, not the smell, woke me up. (it-cleft)

It was the noise that woke me up.What woke me up was the noise.It was the noise which it woke me up.

She really wants to TRAVEL the world. (wh-cleft, emphasise the desire)

It is travelling that she really wants.What she really wants is to travel the world.What she really wants is travel the world.

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