Cleft Sentences for Emphasis

• CEFR C1
• Grammar
• Printable
• Answer key

Cleft Sentences for Emphasis is a printable grammar worksheet for English language learners at CEFR level C1. It covers it-clefts, what-clefts, and all-clefts for highlighting information, with 5 exercises and an answer key.

Cleft sentences divide one message into two parts so the writer or speaker can highlight important information.

It-clefts often focus on a person, time, place, or reason: It was the lack of evidence that weakened the claim.

What-clefts and all-clefts often focus on actions, needs, causes, or results: What we need is a clearer policy.

Examples

• It was the lack of evidence that weakened the argument.
• It is the timing of the announcement that worries investors.
• What made the proposal convincing was its practicality.
• What the report fails to explain is the cost.
• All the team wanted was a clear decision.
• The reason why we objected was the lack of consultation.
• The person who raised the issue was the junior analyst.
• What matters most is whether the policy can be implemented fairly.

What's in this worksheet

1. Complete the sentence
2. Correct the mistake
3. Transform the sentence
4. Mixed practice
5. Controlled production

Common mistakes

• It was the cost what worried us.  →  It was the cost that worried us. Use that, not what, in a standard it-cleft.
• What made the proposal convincing were its practicality.  →  What made the proposal convincing was its practicality. Use a singular verb when the focused complement is singular.
• All what I need is a clear answer.  →  All I need is a clear answer. Do not use what after all in this cleft pattern.
• The reason why we left it was the noise.  →  The reason why we left was the noise. Avoid an unnecessary object after an intransitive verb.