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Cleft sentences: What I need is a rest

What I need is …​

In this kind of cleft sentence, the words to be emphasised are connected to a what-clause (or similar structure) by is/was.

  • A rest is what I need.
  • A motorbike is what Emily kept in the garden shed.

The words to be emphasised are often put last: this gives them even more force.

  • What I need is a rest.
  • What Emily kept in the garden shed was a motorbike.

This structure can be used to emphasise a complement.

  • The secretary is what Jake is, actually. (or Actually, what Jake is is the secretary.)

To emphasise words that refer to people, we use structures like the person who.

  • The person who kept a motorbike in the garden shed was Emily.

Instead of what or the person, we can use less general expressions.

  • ‘Casablanca’ is a film (that) I watch again and again.
  • You’re the woman (that) I always see in my dreams.

A what-clause is normally considered to be singular; if it begins a cleft sentence it is followed by is/was. But a plural verb is sometimes possible before a plural noun in an informal style.

  • What we want is/are some of those cakes.
note

For more information about what-clauses, (see here).

the place where …; the day when …; the reason why …​

We can use these expressions to emphasise a place, time or reason.

  • Jake spent Tuesday IN LONDON.
    London was the place where Jake spent Tuesday.
    The place where Jake spent Tuesday was London.
  • Jake went to London ON TUESDAY.
    Tuesday was the day when/that Jake went to London.
    The day when Jake went to London was Tuesday.
  • Jake went to London TO SEE TOM..
    To see Tom was the reason why Jake went to London.
    The reason why Jake went to London was to see Tom.

The place, the day or the reason can be dropped in an informal style, especially in the middle of a sentence.

  • Spain’s where we’re going this year.
  • Why I’m here is to talk about my plans. (More formal: The reason why I’m here is …)

Emphasising verbs: What he did was …​

When we want to emphasise a verb (or an expression beginning with a verb), we have to use a more complicated structure with what … do. Infinitives with and without to are possible.

  • What he did was (to) scream.
  • What she does is (to) write science fiction.

Instead of an infinitive, we often use subject + verb in an informal style.

  • What she does is, she writes science fiction.
  • What I’ll do is, I’ll phone Jack and ask his advice.

In a very informal style, is/was may be dropped.

  • What I’ll do, I’ll have a word with Dan.
  • What they did, they took his money and then just vanished.

Emphasising a whole sentence: What happened was that …​

A whole sentence can be given extra emphasis by using a cleft structure with what and the verb happen. Compare:

  • The car broke down.
  • What happened was (that) the car broke down.

Other structures​

All (that), and expressions with thing, can be used in cleft sentences.

  • All I want is a home somewhere.
  • All you need is love.
  • All (that) I did was (to) touch the window, and it broke.
  • The only thing I remember is a terrible pain in my head.
  • The first thing was to make some coffee.
  • My first journey abroad is something I shall never forget.

Time expressions can be emphasised with It was not until … and It was only when …

  • It was not until I met you that I knew real happiness.
  • It was only when I read her email that I realised what was happening.

At the beginning of a cleft sentence, this and that often replace emphasised here and there. Compare:

  • You pay here.
    This is where you pay. (or Here is where you pay.)
  • We live there.
    That’s where we live. (or There’s where we live.)
note

For more about question-word clauses, (see here).

For more general information about sentence structure and the arrangement of information in sentences, (see here).