I can use cleft sentences to emphasise a piece of information.
1 Read the article. What qualities does she think young people should have to set up their own business successfully?
Amelia Humfress is a 24-year-old entrepreneur whose aim is to make her own company, Steer, the best in the world for teaching people how to make their own websites. She has decided that it is the courses of Steer that can make it different from other companies. The courses vary from web design to computer coding. They focus more on the learners' chances to experience and practice rather than theoretical lessons. Amelia did not start out setting up such a school. It was when she was looking for a web design course for herself that the idea for the company Steer came to her. Her plan grew slowly. At first, she lacked confidence, but she then found an office where she could start the business. Soon her business grew quickly. Amelia thinks that more young people should start the businesses that they dream about. It is just a lack of confidence, not any other factor that holds them back.
LEARN THIS! Cleft sentences
a We use cleft sentences It is/was... that... to emphasise a piece of information.
It was the sales assistant that persuaded me to buy that tie.
b We use cleft sentences to make contrast.
It was a tablet that Joe bought, not a laptop.
c The emphasised part can be a noun (phrase) or an adverb (phrase or clause).
It was the question 5 that Mark missed.
It was because of the tattoo on her hand that Kate could not get a job.
d If the emphasised information is a proper noun
(a personal subject or object), who/whom can be used instead of that.
It was Joe who bought a tablet last week.
It was Monet whom I admire the most.
2 Read the Learn this! box. Underline three examples of use a, b and c in the article.
3 Finish each of the following sentences emphasising the underlined information.
1 Dancers in A O Show gave their performance with great devotion.
It was with great devotion that dancers in A O Show gave their performance.
2 The Vietnamese silk paintings typically depict the countryside and landscapes.
It___________________________________________________________________________________
3 Vincent van Gogh painted Starry Night, not Gaugin.
It___________________________________________________________________________________
4 We missed the chance to meet a celebrity because we came so late.
It___________________________________________________________________________________
5 The young entrepreneur has mentioned some new design techniques.
It___________________________________________________________________________________
4 Make cleft sentences from the following cues.
1 It/be/creativity and inspiration/most artists / need It is creativity and inspiration that most artists need.
2 It/be/with/self-confidence/scientists/make/good inventions
3 It/be/sociability/some jobs/require / not intelligence
4 It/be/Dame Anita Roddick / found / The Body Shop/in 1976
5 It/be/because/they/have/ colourful tones and optimistic images / Dong Ho paintings/be/part of Vietnamese Tet holidays
5 USE OF ENGLISH Reread the Learn this! box. Identify the mistake in each of the following sentences.
1 It is sympathy, not pride brings friends together.
2 It is a leading environmentalist that came to our school club last month.
3 It was Monday that the winners of the school sports games were awarded.
4 It was when Jack came back from the war we learnt the truth about his cousins.
5 It is shyness that the teacher wants the children to grow out of it.
6 It was Rachel Carson that wrote Silent Spring, not Julia Hill.
Grammar Builder 6.1 page 124
6 SPEAKING Work in pairs. Ask and answer about your favourite high flyer. The following cues can help you.
1 The high flyer you admire
2 How you got to know about him/her
3 The reason why you like him/her
4 What you think decides his / her success
Answer the questions again using cleft sentences to emphasise some information.
Who is your favourite high flyer?
Rachel Carson. It is Rachel Carson whom I admire.
