Emphatic structures

We can use emphatic structures to 'point out' or emphasize particular ideas.

Cleft sentences are special constructions which are used to give emphasis to a particular part of the sentence, by putting this part of the sentence into a separate clause. Because there are two parts to the sentence it is called cleft (from the verb cleave) which means divided into two.

Example: Bill broke the vase →→ It was Bill who/that broke the vase (It was Bill, not somebody else)

→→ It was the vase that Bill broke (It was the vase, not something else)

This structure is particularly useful in writing where we cannot use intonation for purposes of focus or emphasis, but it is also frequently used in speech.

• There are two common ways of doing this:

A.- Sentences are introduced by: It is/It was ... that ...

SENTENCE	Mike saw Helen in the park on Friday
EMPHASIS ON THE SUBJECT	It was Mike who saw Helen in the park on Friday
EMPHASIS ON THE OBJECT	It was Helen that Mike saw in the park on Friday
EMPHASIS ON THE ADVERBIAL (WHERE)	It was in the park that Mike saw Helen on Friday
EMPHASIS ON THE ADVERBIAL (WHEN)	It was on Friday that Mike saw Helen in the park

This structure can be used to emphasize any part of the sentence, except the verb.

B.- Sentences introduced by: What ... is/was ... This structure can be used to emphasize the subject or object. In these sentences WHAT means THE THING(S) THAT ...

Example: I can't stand the noise →→ What I can't stand is the noise

I enjoyed the brilliant music most of all in the performance →→ What I enjoyed most (of all) in the performance was the brilliant music

• Cleft structures with what-clauses are also often used with does/do/did and with the verb happen when we want to give emphasis to the whole sentence.

Example: The manager interviewed all the applicants for the post first → → What the manager did first was (to) interview all the applicants for the post