Using clefts and other structures to highlight information
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it-cleft sentences | page 1 of 4 |
Introduction
In cleft sentences, a one-clause sentence is divided into two clauses. By using cleft structures, authors are able to focus on different parts of the sentence.
This file gives details of it-cleft sentences, where the first clause consists
of the pronoun it + a form of the verb be, followed by a noun group 
or an adverbial .
The second clause resembles a relative clause:
It was a dove that brought good news to Noah with the olive leaf after the flood had receded. (Bank of English)
The author uses the it-cleft structure to highlight the fact that it was a dove (rather than, say, an eagle) which carried the olive leaf to Noah. Compare the simpler version with only one verb:
A dove brought good news to Noah with the olive leaf after the flood had receded.
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Introduction
Cleft sentences used for contrast
