Basic vs.

Cleft Clause

BASIC CLAUSE

In a basic sentence, no particular emphasis is expressed. Clefting a clause is a means of splitting the clause and moving the
content before or after the predicate to produce a particular effect.

SUBJECT VERB OBJECT

Michael Jackson wanted success.

CLEFT (SPLIT) CLAUSE

A cleft with what groups information before or after the predicate so that emphasis can be placed elsewhere in the clause.
This emphasized content is joined to the de-emphasized content with be.

GROUPED iNFORMATION BE EMPHASIS

What he wanted was success.

EMPHASIS GROUPED iNFORMATION

Success was what he wanted.

what = that which that (pronoun) + which (relative pronoun) that which / the thing that / the part that /

the element that

"We can emphasize particular words and expressions by putting everything into a kind of relative clause
except the words we want to emphasize: this makes them stand out." The words to be emphasized are
joined to the relative clause by is or was.
 Creating emphasis or weighting content

LENGTHY CONTENT

Speakers commonly use a what phrase (1) to move lengthy wording to the end of the clause (also called "weighting") or (2)
emphasize what is about to be said.

LENGTHY SUBJECT PREDICATE

His attention to detail and his ability to think outside-of- was brilliant.
the-box and delight audiences distinguished his work.

SUBJECT LENGTHY PREDICATE

He exceeded our expectations and pushed performance art to a new

level.

WHATPHRASE

Lengthy wording is moved to the end the clause by placing everything else in a what phrase at the beginning of the
clause.
WHAT-PHRS PACKAGE BE EMPHASIS

What was brilliant was his attention to detail and his ability to think outside-of-the-
What distinguished his work box and delight audiences.

WHAT-PHRS PACKAGE VERB EMPHASIS

What he did was exceed our expectations and push performance art to a
new level.

In a basic sentence, no particular emphasis is expressed. However, if a question were asked, for
example, "Who popularized the moon-walk step?" one would use a cleft sentence to answer.

SUBJECT PREDICATE

Michael Jackson popularized the moon-walk step.

His performances attracted fans.

ITCLEFT CLAUSE

An it-cleft places the content that we wish to emphasize up front. The rest of the content is
"packaged" into that + a clause. The be verb is singular.

EMPHASIS THATCLAUSE

It was Michael Jackson who popularized the moon-walk step.

It was his performances that attracted fans.

It was the video Thriller

that broke all records.