English grammar › C1
Cleft sentences
Level C1 · What I need is…
What is a cleft sentence?
A cleft sentence splits one sentence into two parts to put the focus on the most important information.
When you use it
- Correcting someone: It was Tom who called, not Ben.
- Highlighting what you want or need.
Pattern
It was … that / who … · What … is …
Examples
- **What I need is** a holiday. — focus on “a holiday”
- **It was** my sister **who** told me. — focus on “my sister”
The rule
To focus on one part, split the sentence: It was … that … or What … is / was ….
Neutral → focused: Tom broke the window. → It was Tom who broke the window.
Tip
What-clefts sound natural in speech: What I love about London is the parks.
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