Using clefts and other structures to highlight information
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it-cleft sentences | page 3 of 4 |
Cleft sentences with more than one focus
Although the noun group 
or an adverbial
following it + be always receives
focus, there may be other focuses in a cleft sentence, particularly if it is a fairly long
sentence. Consider the following extract from a newspaper article on the Syrian
businessman Wafic Said. Following the normal rhythm of English speech, it would be natural
to read the cleft sentence with three focuses:
After university, through his father's connections, he got a job in a bank in Switzerland, where he remained for several years. It was in Geneva that he met his wife Rosemary, who was working there as a secretary.
(Bank of English)
Since the article is recounting key moments in Said's life, it is highly likely that
the main focus would be on Rosemary, which is new, unpredictable and important
information. The phrase in Geneva is new information, but predictable, as
Switzerland has been mentioned in the previous sentence 
.
Teaching implications
This illustrates the point that it would be inaccurate to teach students simple rules such as "whatever follows it + be in a cleft sentence is the most important information in the sentence". Structures used to organise information in sentences such as cleft structures need to be taught in context along with activities to raise students' awareness of the rhythms of English.
Introduction
Cleft sentences used with more than one focus
