cleft sentences english grammar in use – cleft sentences prepared by tran xuan thoai kien luong high school cleft sentences câu chẻ câu nhấn mạnh a cleft sentences in the active 1 subject focus we

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English Grammar in Use – Cleft sentences prepared by Tran Xuan Thoai Kien Luong High School.

<b>CLEFT SENTENCES</b>

<b>( Câu chẻ - câu nhấn mạnh )</b>
<b>A. Cleft sentences in the active : </b>

<b>1. Subject focus</b> : We use cleft sentence to emphasize the subject of the action.

<b>It is / was + S + clause ( S + V + …..)</b>

Ex1<b>: My brother</b> bought a new car from our next- door neighbour last Saturday.

 It was <i><b>my brother</b></i> who bought his new car from our next- door neighbour last Saturday.
Ex2 : <b>The man</b> gave her the book. => It was <i><b>the man</b></i> who gave her the book.

<b>2. Object focus</b> : We use cleft sentences to emphasize the object of the action.

<b>It is / was + O + clause ( S + V + …..)</b>

Ex1 : My brother bought <b>a new car</b> from our next- door neighbour last Saturday.

 It was <i><b>a new car</b></i> that my brother bought from our next- door neighbour last Saturday.
Ex2 : The boy hit <b>the dog</b> in the garden. => It was <i><b>the dog </b></i> that the boy hit in the garden.

<b>3. Adverbial focus</b> : We use cleft sentences to emphasize the adverb ( time / place / …… )

<b>It is / was + adverbial phrase + clause ( S + V + …..)</b>

Ex1 : - My brother bought a new car from our next- door neighbour <b>last Saturday</b>.

 It was <b>last Saturday </b> when my brother bought a new car from our next- door neighbour.

Ex2 : - She bought him a present <b>at the shop</b>. => It was <i><b>at the shop</b></i> that she bought him a present.
<b>B. Cleft sentences in the passive</b> : Cleft sentences can also be used in the passive voice.
Ex1 : The boy hit <b>the dog</b> in the garden. => It was <i><b>the dog</b></i> that <b>was hit</b> in the garden.

Ex2 : A. I heard that a dog bit you yesterday.

B. No. It was <i>the postman</i> that was bitten by the dog.

<b>EXERCISES</b>

<i><b>Exercise 1</b></i> : Rewrite the following sentences; using <b>Cleft sentences</b>

1.The boy visited his uncle last month.

=> ...
2. My mother bought me a present on my birthday.

=> ...
3. Huong and Sandra sang together at the party.

=> ...
4. Nam’s father got angry with him.

=> ...
5. The boys played football all day long.

=> ...
6. The girl received a letter from her friend yesterday.

=> ...

7. His presence at the meeting frightened the children.

=> ...
8. The man is learning English.

=> ...
9. The woman gave him the book..

=> ...
10. She sent her friend the postcard.

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English Grammar in Use – Cleft sentences prepared by Tran Xuan Thoai Kien Luong High School.

=> ...
11. Hoa borrowed the book from Long.

=> ...
12. The little boy greeted his grandfather in a strnge language.

=> ...
13. The pedestrian asked the policeman a lot of questions.

=> ...
14. The dog barked at the stranger.

=> ...
15. She made some cakes for tea.

=> ...
16. His father repaired the bicycle for him.

=> ...
17. She presented him a book on his birthday.

=> ...
18. He met his wife in Britain. => ...
19. She bought that present from the shop.

=> ...
20. The meeting started at 8.00 a.m.

=> ...
<i><b>Exercise 2</b></i>: Change the sentences into cleft sentences in the passive.

1.Fans gave Christina lots of flowers.

=> ...
2. The pedestrian asked the policeman for direction to the post office.

=> ...
3. People talked a lot about his house.

=> ...
4. His father bought him a bicycle for his birthday.

=> ...
5. He described his hometown in his novel.

=> ...
6. She frightened the children.

=> ...
7. Her younger sister broke her glasses.

=> ...
8. The prince kissed my younger sister at the party.

=> ...
9. My father gave me this story book as a birthday present.

=> ...
10. Vietnamese people celebrate Tet as the greatest occasion in a year.

=> ...

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