Cleft Sentences — How English Splits a Sentence for Emphasis
Quick Answer A cleft sentence splits a normal sentence into two parts so you can put a spotlight on one piece. The word “cleft” means “split”. Normal: John broke the vase. It-cleft: It was John who broke the vase. (spotlight on John) Wh-cleft: What John broke was the vase. (spotlight on the vase) See the…