Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksExport to PDFBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Cleft sentences for emphasis====== =====Introduction===== <html><p><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/62_5833d3bc9f7bd65d2264b31660aca054.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="485" height="247" id="62" style="width: 150px; height: 75px;" alt="team équipe employees employés de bureau manager boss crossing arms croiser les bras men hommes women femme" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/62_5833d3bc9f7bd65d2264b31660aca054.jpg"></a> <strong><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; ; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>What </span><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; ; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>I love most about my job is being part of a great team. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">It</span>'s their enthusiasm that really inspires me.</span></strong></p><p><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; ; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'></span></strong><br></p></html> =====Definition===== <html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>These are structures that we use in order to focus on a particular part of a sentence. The sentence is cleft (split) into two in order to emphasise one part. </span></b></p> <br></html> =====Construction===== <html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>The two most common structures use 'it' or 'what' at the beginning of a sentence or clause:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>I saw a tiger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[normal sentence]</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><u><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">It</span> was a tiger</u> / that I saw. [cleft sentence - second part is a defining relative clause] </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span><u><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What</span> I saw</u> / was a tiger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[cleft sentence - the whole is a nominal relative clause]</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Note that:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal; direction: ltr;"><li style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;'><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;'><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>With 'it' clefts, we use a singular verb after 'who' or 'that' when talking to one person. </span></b></p></li></ol> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 72pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 72pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>You <u>have</u> agreed to chair the meeting.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 72pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>It</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'s you who <u>has</u> agreed to chair the meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal; direction: ltr;"><li style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;'><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;'><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>After the verb 'to be', we usually use an object pronoun to emphasise a subject pronoun.</span></b></p></li></ol> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <table width="693" style="margin: auto auto auto 36pt; border: currentColor; border-image: none; width: 415.95pt; border-collapse: collapse; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-border-insideh: none; mso-border-insidev: none;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes;"> <td width="374" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-image: none; width: 224.55pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 34.9pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>I'm in charge of the accounts.</span></b></p> </td> <td width="319" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-image: none; width: 191.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td width="374" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-image: none; width: 224.55pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 34.9pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>It</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'s <u>me</u> who's in charge of the accounts.</span></b></p> </td> <td width="319" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-image: none; width: 191.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>[conversational]</span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td width="374" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-image: none; width: 224.55pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt 34.9pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>It</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'s I who's in charge of the accounts<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">.</span></span></b></p> </td> <td width="319" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-image: none; width: 191.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 6pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>[very formal and not natural]</span></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td width="374" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-image: none; width: 224.55pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 34.9pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>I'm the one/person who's in charge of the accounts.</span></b></p> </td> <td width="319" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-image: none; width: 191.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>[a good neutral alternative in conversation or writing]</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; line-height: normal;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal; direction: ltr;"><li style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;'><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;'><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'What' clefts can be reversed:</span></b></p><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;'><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;'><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>What</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> I don't like is the way he disagrees with everything.</span></b></p><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;'><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>The way he disagrees with everything is <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">what</span> I don't like.</span></b></p><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;'><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p></li><li style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;'><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;'><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>When focusing on an action by a particular subject, the sentence is split before the verb and a form of 'do' is used:</span></b></p></li></ol> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 72pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Joe forgot to cancel the order.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 72pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>What</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> Joe did was (to) forget to cancel the order.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-add-space: auto;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>When focusing on an entire event, we can introduce another verb. For example:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>What</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> <u>happened</u> was that Joe forgot to cancel the order.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>What</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> <u>went wrong</u> was that Joe forgot to cancel the order. Etc. </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>We use 'is' with all present tenses and the present perfect. For example:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What</span> I enjoy most <u>is</u>...</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What</span> I'm enjoying most <u>is</u>...</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What</span> I've enjoyed most <u>is</u>...</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>We use 'was' with all past tenses. For example:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What</span> I enjoyed most <u>was</u>...</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What</span> I was enjoying most <u>was</u>...</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What </span>I'd enjoyed most <u>was</u>... </span></b></p> <br></html> =====Uses===== <html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'It' clefts</span></u></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>These are used to emphasise people, places and things. Our attention is drawn to important information by placing it near the beginning of a sentence or clause. </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Note that:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal; direction: ltr;"><li style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;'><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;'><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>We often use question tags after 'it' clefts.</span></b></p><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;'><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;'><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>It</span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> was Richard who organised that meeting, wasn't it?</span></b></p><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;'><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>It</span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'s Friday that you're going on holiday, isn't it?</span></b></p><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;'><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p></li><li style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;'><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;'><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'It' clefts are often used to correct information.</span></b></p></li></ol> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>It </span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>wasn't in London that we met, but Birmingham.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>It</span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jane</i> you need to speak to - not her manager.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>In this kind of sentence, we often emphasise the noun when speaking. Similarly, we can emphasise the verb when asserting the truth or denying something:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>It</span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> a tiger that I saw - honestly!</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>It</span></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">isn't </i>me that eats all the biscuits.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal; direction: ltr;"><li style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;'><p style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 0cm; margin-bottom: 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1;'><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'It' clefts can be used to avoid ambiguity.</span></b></p></li></ol> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <table width="772" style="margin: auto auto auto 36pt; border: currentColor; border-image: none; width: 462.95pt; border-collapse: collapse; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-border-insideh: none; mso-border-insidev: none;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; ;"> <td width="374" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); width: 224.55pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt; line-height: normal;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Did you visit the site with Paul?</span></b></p> </td> <td width="397" valign="top" style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); width: 238.4pt; background-color: transparent;"> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 15.9pt; line-height: normal;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>[We don't know if this question <br> is about 'you' or Paul.]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Was <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">it </span><u>you</u> who visited the site with Paul?</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 70.9pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Was<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);"> it </span><u>Paul</u> who you visited the site with?</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><u><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>'What' clefts</span></u></b><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>These are used to emphasise verbs and actions - very often related to feelings:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What</span> I need/hate/prefer/wish...etc.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>They can be used to announce something, especially to an expectant audience:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What</span> I'd like to talk about today is the drop in our sales figures.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">What</span> we're going to do in today's meeting is look for a long-term solution.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <br></html> =====Using 'all'===== <html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>We can use 'all' instead of 'what' in 'what' clefts. It means 'the only thing'.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">All</span> I want is a pay rise, please.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">All</span> I did was ask for a pay rise.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b style=";"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">All</span> that happened was that I asked for a pay rise.</span></b></p> <br></html> =====Using other 'wh' words===== <html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>We sometimes use other words instead of 'what':</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">Where</span> I'd really like to live is Italy.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">Why</span> we moved offices was to cut costs.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">How</span> we managed it was by combining two teams.</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>Note that </span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'>we can't use 'who' in this way:</span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'> </span></b></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span><strong><font face="arial" size="2">Who I don't want to work with is Susan.</font> </strong><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/40_457126aaf23a65c1331eea83d27fb7c4.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="37" height="36" id="40" style="width: 22px; height: 16px;" alt="red x, red cross" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/40_457126aaf23a65c1331eea83d27fb7c4.jpg"></a></span></p> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span><strong><font face="arial" size="2">The person (who) I don't want to work with is Susan.</font> </strong><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/39_db7196aad25f86da510b9bb08610a187.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="39" height="28" id="39" style="width: 25px; height: 22px;" alt="green check mark, tick mark" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/39_db7196aad25f86da510b9bb08610a187.jpg"></a></span></p><p> <br></p></html> =====Exception===== <html> <p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/30_c26f02c159496f4f4dabd1e4a1310bde.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="234" height="149" id="30" style="width: 122px; height: 81px;" alt="greetings, greeting, meeting hand shake serrer main" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/30_c26f02c159496f4f4dabd1e4a1310bde.jpg"></a><strong> Hi, <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204);">it</span> was at the Tokyo conference where we last met, wasn't it?</strong></span></p><p><strong> </strong><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/2738_6c4a3d24ade41a89583630fbd96a4e7e.png" rel="image_show"><img width="180" height="148" id="2738" style="width: 124px; height: 100px;" alt="car broken down bonnet hood " src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/2738_6c4a3d24ade41a89583630fbd96a4e7e.png"></a><strong> It</strong></span><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><strong> wasn't David whose car broke down on the motorway; it was Mark.</strong></span></p><p><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/1389_4a24bc553ae2b706b0b52f7f9b4dba04.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="366" height="285" id="1389" style="width: 131px; height: 111px;" alt="conflict, disagree, meeting, arms crossed, unhappy" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/1389_4a24bc553ae2b706b0b52f7f9b4dba04.jpg"></a><strong> It</strong></span><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><strong>'s them that I blame - they can never compromise! </strong></span></span></p><p><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/260_6d50f55bdb002099fcd2b4aa130c9819.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="188" height="155" id="260" style="width: 135px; height: 102px;" alt="Meeting presentation businessmen" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/260_6d50f55bdb002099fcd2b4aa130c9819.jpg"></a><strong> What</strong></span><strong> we're hoping to achieve is 35% of the market by the end of the year.</strong></span></span></p><p><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/3790_6e23bde33fafeafe9750801b9d3b5f5a.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="226" height="150" id="3790" style="width: 132px; height: 105px;" alt="ingenieur visit engineer hard hat blueprint" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/3790_6e23bde33fafeafe9750801b9d3b5f5a.jpg"></a><strong> Is</strong></span><strong> it Jake that you're working with on the new site?</strong></span></span></p><p><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/3909_90c33ba1fce15eabc84b97a8a07ec65d.jpg" rel="image_show"><img width="282" height="208" id="3909" style="width: 134px; height: 106px;" alt="blue cheese fromage bleu" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/3909_90c33ba1fce15eabc84b97a8a07ec65d.jpg"></a><strong> All </strong></span><strong>we need now is a bottle of port.</strong></span></span></p><p><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><a class="various" href="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/793_b0278a8c5a02a66d35caa813992cc7a4.png" rel="image_show"><img width="580" height="250" id="793" style="width: 256px; height: 121px;" alt="graphique bleu" src="https://www.e-exercises.com/img/bibliotheque/793_b0278a8c5a02a66d35caa813992cc7a4.png"></a><strong> </strong></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span lang="EN-GB" style='color: rgb(0, 0, 204); line-height: 107%; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><strong>When</strong></span><strong> we usually see the highest number of passengers is around rush hour.</strong></span></span></p><p><br></p></html> [[en:grammar:home|{{ :file_-_back_3_.png?150 }}]]