Page 2 - SUPPLEMENTARY GRADE 12 UNIT 3

A. CLEFT SENTENCES

What is Cleft Sentence?

is a construction in which some element in a sentence is moved from its
normal position into a separate clause to give it greater emphasis.

There are 2 kinds of Cleft Sentences we learn in this unit, they are:

1. It-cleft or Introductory ‘it’ /impersonal ‘it’

2. What- cleft or What-clause

Let’s discuss them!
1. It- cleft

Look at following examples:

(a) It is important to observe any changes.

(b) It is always rewarding visiting museums.

(c) It is not surprising that antibiotics are becoming ineffective.

(d) It was my father who sent Dyer out to proselyte

( e) It makes sense that the girl is his daughter. They look alike.

From the examples above, here are the rules of creating It-cleft.

Rules :

1. It + Verb + adjective + to-infinitive

2. It + Verb + gerund

3. it + Verb + O + relative-clause (S+ P+O)

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