Welcome to your second lesson. In our first session, we focused on enhancing your grammatical accuracy by targeting the small but significant errors that can keep a score at Band 7. We addressed tense consistency, articles, and prepositions—the foundation of clear, error-free writing.
Today, we shift our focus from accuracy to grammatical range and flexibility. To achieve a Band 8 or higher, you need to demonstrate not only that you can write without errors, but also that you can use a variety of complex structures to make your points with precision and style. This lesson addresses the learning outcome: Construct complex sentences using cleft structures (e.g., 'It is/was...', 'What...') to add emphasis. This skill is invaluable for both Writing Task 2, where you need to present a clear and forceful argument, and the Speaking test, where emphasis helps convey your meaning and attitude effectively.
What are Cleft Sentences?
The word "cleft" means divided or split. A cleft sentence is a complex sentence that has been split into two parts to emphasize a particular piece of information. This is especially useful in academic writing, where you cannot use your tone of voice to add stress. Instead, you use grammar to direct the reader's attention.
Consider this simple sentence:
Industrial pollution significantly harms marine ecosystems.
While grammatically correct, it has no particular emphasis. Using a cleft structure, we can highlight different parts:
- To emphasize the cause: It is industrial pollution that significantly harms marine ecosystems. (This implies: not something else).
- To emphasize the effect: What industrial pollution does is significantly harm marine ecosystems. (This focuses on the action/consequence).
These structures make your writing more dynamic and allow you to guide your reader's focus, which is a hallmark of sophisticated communication.
Here is a quick overview of the most common types of cleft sentences.
To begin, let's establish a clear definition.
Cleft Sentences: Structure and Practice Guide
Please read the introductory sections from this guide by IDP, an official IELTS partner. This will give you a concise definition and purpose for using these sentences.
Focus on the sections What Is a Cleft Sentence? and Why Use Cleft Sentences?. Notice how the structure shifts the focus without changing the core meaning.
The 'It' Cleft: Highlighting the Key Element
The most common type of cleft sentence begins with 'It'. This structure is incredibly versatile, allowing you to emphasize the subject, object, or adverbial phrases of time and place.
The general structure is:
It + be + [emphasized element] + that/who/which/when/where + [clause]
The video below offers an excellent walkthrough of 'It' clefts, explaining how and why they are used to add emphasis or correct information.
CLEFT SENTENCES | advanced complex sentences in English + TEST!
Watch the first part of this video from Arnel's Everyday English. The presenter clearly breaks down the structure and provides helpful examples.
Pay close attention to the section from the explanation of "cleft", where the concept of dividing a sentence into new and old information is introduced. Then, watch the examples from the 'It' cleft sentence examples, noting the use of different relative pronouns (that, who, which).
As the video explained, the choice between who, which, and that follows the standard rules for relative clauses (who for people, which for things). That is a versatile option for both. A key point for advanced usage is knowing when you can omit the relative pronoun. This is possible when the emphasized element is the object of the verb in the relative clause.
- It was my passport [that] she dropped. (You can omit 'that' because 'my passport' is the object of 'dropped'.)
- It was Shel Silverstein who wrote the book. (You cannot omit 'who' because 'Shel Silverstein' is the subject of 'wrote'.)
For further clarification, the British Council provides a very clear, text-based explanation.
Emphasis: cleft sentences, inversion and auxiliaries - British Council
This resource from the British Council provides another clear breakdown of 'It' clefts.
Please read the section titled Cleft sentences beginning with it. The examples clearly demonstrate how to shift the emphasis to different parts of the same original sentence.
The 'Wh-' Cleft (Pseudo-Cleft): Highlighting Actions and Concepts
Another powerful structure is the 'wh-' cleft, often called a pseudo-cleft. These sentences typically begin with 'What' and are used to emphasize actions or entire ideas. The emphasized information is placed at the end of the sentence, which can create a sense of suspense or importance.
The general structure is:
What + [subject] + [verb] + be + [emphasized information]
Let's return to the Arnel's Everyday English video to see how these work in practice.
CLEFT SENTENCES | advanced complex sentences in English + TEST!
Continue with the video to learn about 'Wh-' cleft sentences.
Watch the segment from the start of 'Wh' clefts. Notice the comparison with 'It' clefts and the key difference: in 'Wh-' clefts, the new/emphasized information comes at the end. Also note the possibility of reversing the structure (e.g., "More funding is what we need").
A common and very useful variation for IELTS is emphasizing an action, using the structure What + subject + do/does/did + be....
Instead of simply stating "Governments should fund renewable energy research," you can add emphasis:
What governments should do is fund renewable energy research.
This structure is excellent for proposing solutions in Task 2 essays.
The video below provides more examples of 'Wh-' clefts, reinforcing their structure and use.
Cleft Sentences and Inversions: How to Add Emphasis in English
This video from the channel Writing Better offers a concise explanation of 'Wh-' or 'pseudo-cleft' sentences.
Watch from the beginning of the section on 'wh- or what cleft sentences'. The presenter clearly explains why these are called "pseudo-clefts" and how the 'what' clause functions as the subject of the sentence.
Application Practice
Now, let's put this into practice. Being able to use these structures flexibly is key. Take the following simple sentence relevant to an IELTS topic:
Technology has dramatically changed the way people work.
Try rewriting this sentence to emphasize different elements:
- Emphasize 'Technology' using an 'It' cleft:
Answer
*It is technology that has dramatically changed the way people work.* - Emphasize 'the way people work' using a 'What' cleft:
Answer
*What technology has dramatically changed is the way people work.* - Emphasize the action using the 'what...do' structure:
Answer
*What technology has done is dramatically change the way people work.*
For more structured practice, please complete the exercises in the IDP article.
Cleft Sentences: Structure and Practice Guide
Now it's time to test your understanding by applying these structures.
Scroll down to the section Practice. Attempt to rewrite the 10 sentences provided. Afterwards, check your work against the answers at the bottom. Don't worry about getting them perfect; the goal is to practice manipulating the sentence parts into the correct cleft structure.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have moved beyond basic sentence construction to explore how cleft sentences can add emphasis and sophistication to your writing and speaking. Mastering these structures is a clear way to demonstrate the grammatical range and control expected for a Band 8.5 score.
Key Takeaways:
- Cleft sentences split a single idea into two clauses to emphasize a specific element.
- 'It' clefts (
It is/was... that/who...) are ideal for highlighting a noun (person, thing, idea) or an adverbial phrase (time, place) at the beginning of the structure. - 'Wh-' clefts (
What... is/was...) are powerful tools for emphasizing the action or the outcome of a situation, with the focus placed at the end of the sentence. - Using these structures demonstrates advanced grammatical control and helps you guide your audience's attention with precision.
In our next lesson, we will continue to expand your grammatical toolkit by looking at another method for creating emphasis and stylistic variety: inversion after negative adverbials. Structures like "Not only..." and "Hardly..." will add another layer of sophistication to your English.