Cleft Sentences: It-Clefts, Wh-Clefts and All-Clefts —
Forms in Context.

Question 1

The director approved the proposal, but did not write it. Correcting the claim that she wrote it: It was _____ who wrote the proposal, not the director.

Options: the proposal, her assistant, on Monday

Question 2

They did meet, but not at headquarters. It was at the warehouse _____ they met.

Options: where, who, that

Question 3

The closure was not caused by low demand. It was because the equipment was unsafe _____ the factory closed.

Options: that, because, what

Question 4

The summary is accurate; the figures are the problem. It _____ these figures that _____ revision.

Options: are, is, be, needs, needing, need

Question 5

The arrangements are now confirmed. It _____ Rosa who will lead tomorrow’s inspection.

Options: being, are, is

Question 6

Use a clear, neutral written subject cleft: It was the technician _____ discovered the fault.

Options: who, whom, whose

Question 7

Only one section needed changing. It was the introduction _____ before submitting the report.

Options: that I revised it, I revised, I revised it

Question 8

We have agreed on the venue but not the price. What we need _____ a written estimate.

Options: that is, is that, is

Question 9

Asked how I dealt with the duplicate charge, I explained: What I did was _____ the supplier directly.

Options: to contact, contacted, to contacting

Question 10

I am not asking for a permanent change. What I want is _____ from home on Friday.

Options: work, to work, worked

Question 11

She has not reached a decision yet. What she is doing at the moment is _____ the two offers.

Options: compared, compares, comparing

Question 12

A colleague has just suggested independent advice. Pick up that suggestion by putting the answer before the issue: _____.

Options: What we need is independent advice, Independent advice is exactly what we need, It is independent advice that we need

Question 13

Use an all-cleft to present the request as the only remaining requirement: _____ we need is your approval; nothing else remains to be done.

Options: All, What, It

Question 14

He insists that he took no other action: All he did was _____ the shared folder, although his colleague says this caused serious problems.

Options: renamed, to renaming, rename

Question 15

Use the neutral written all-cleft pattern to limit the event described: All _____ happened was _____ the screen went blank for a second.

Options: what, that, which