It-Clefts anglais : Mettre l'accent sur l'objet (It was the...)
emphasis, clarity, impact.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
It-clefts move the object to the front to highlight it as the most important piece of new information.
- Start with 'It' + 'be' (It is/was) to introduce the focus: 'It was the cake...'
- Place the object you want to emphasize immediately after 'be': '...the cake...'
- Connect the rest of the sentence with 'that' or 'who': '...that I ate.'
Overview
It-clefts. Pourquoi ? Parce que notre langue adore cette structure.It-cleft. Au niveau C1, on ne se contente plus de phrases simples en Sujet-Verbe-Complément. On cherche la précision chirurgicale, l'emphase rhétorique et le contrôle du rythme de la phrase.It-clefts (phrases clivées en « It ») sont des outils de mise en relief. Elles permettent d'extraire un élément de la phrase — ici, l'objet — pour le placer sous les projecteurs. C'est une manipulation de la structure SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) classique pour guider l'attention de ton interlocuteur.It comme sujet d'introduction (un « dummy subject »). Contrairement au français où « C'est » est presque universel, l'anglais va accorder une attention particulière au temps du verbe to be qui suit ce It.- 1La Présupposition : C'est l'information que l'on considère comme déjà connue ou admise par l'interlocuteur. Dans la phrase
It was the report that she lost, la présupposition est « Elle a perdu quelque chose ». - 2Le Focus : C'est l'information nouvelle ou contrastive que tu veux mettre en avant. Ici,
the report.
It-cleft doit commencer par It was. Si c'est une vérité générale ou une action présente, ce sera It is.- Phrase neutre :
I invited Marc to the gala. - Focus sur l'objet (Marc) :
It was Marc that I invited to the gala.
It-cleft mettant l'accent sur l'objet, tu dois suivre un schéma strict. Voici la recette pour transformer une phrase standard en une phrase à emphase :It |to be (conjugué selon le temps de la phrase d'origine) | was |the marketing strategy |that |the board approved |It was.They chose the blue one. → It was the blue one that they chose.It is.He needs a coffee. → It is a coffee that he needs.that: C'est ton meilleur ami. Il fonctionne pour tout (objets, personnes, concepts). C'est le choix le plus naturel et le plus fréquent.who: Utilisé uniquement pour les personnes.It was Sarah who I saw(bien quethatsoit aussi possible et très courant ici).whom: Très formel, utilisé pour les personnes quand elles sont l'objet du verbe.It was Dr. Smith whom they consulted.(Honnêtement, au quotidien, même en C1,thatouwhofont parfaitement l'affaire).- Omission du pronom : À l'oral informel, on peut parfois supprimer le
that.It was the wine (that) I liked the most.Mais en rédaction C1, garde lethatpour maintenir la structure.
It-clefts :- 1Le contraste explicite ou implicite :
It wasn't the vase that I broke; it was the glass.- 1Répondre à une question spécifique :
It was a new laptop that I bought donne un poids dramatique à ton achat, contrairement à un simple I bought a laptop.- 1Introduire un nouvel élément crucial dans un récit :
It is this specific nuance that the researchers overlooked. (C'est cette nuance spécifique que les chercheurs ont négligée.)- 1L'emphase émotionnelle :
It's your attitude that I find problematic, not your work. (C'est ton attitude que je trouve problématique, pas ton travail.)It is the keys that I lost yesterday.It was the keys that I lost yesterday.to be de la clivée doit s'aligner sur le temps de l'action. Si c'est fini, c'est was.that :It was this book I wanted. (Acceptable à l'oral, mais risqué au C1).It was this book that I wanted.that.The CEO signed the contract.It was the contract that the CEO signed.It was the CEO who signed the contract.I need a solution. | Neutre, factuel. |It is a solution that I need. | Contrastif : « J'ai besoin d'une solution (pas d'excuses) ». |What I need is a solution. | Focalisation sur le besoin lui-même. Très commun à l'oral pour structurer sa pensée. |A solution is needed. | Formel, dépersonnalisé. On ignore qui a le besoin. |Wh-cleft (What I need is...) est souvent utilisée pour introduire une idée nouvelle, tandis que la It-cleft (It is a solution that...) est plus efficace pour isoler un élément parmi d'autres ou corriger une affirmation précédente.It-clefts avec des pronoms personnels comme objets ?It was he whom I saw. (Très rare aujourd'hui).It was him that I saw.It was him, ce qui est parfaitement correct dans 99% des situations.It-clefts servent principalement à isoler des noms ou des groupes nominaux (sujets, objets, compléments circonstanciels). Pour un adjectif, on utilisera d'autres structures comme : How beautiful she is! ou Beautiful though she may be....It-cleft est trop lourd pour un e-mail professionnel ?It was the initial proposal that we agreed upon, not the revised version. Cela permet d'être ferme et précis sans être agressif.which au lieu de that ?It was the car which I bought. Cependant, dans l'usage moderne, that est massivement préféré dans les phrases clivées. which peut sonner un peu trop lourd ou guindé ici.Structure of an It-Cleft
| Intro (Dummy Subject) | Verb 'Be' | Focus (Object) | Relative Pronoun | Rest of Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
It
|
is
|
the truth
|
that
|
I seek.
|
|
It
|
was
|
him
|
who
|
called you.
|
|
It
|
wasn't
|
the money
|
that
|
she wanted.
|
|
It
|
might be
|
the weather
|
that
|
is the problem.
|
|
It
|
has been
|
his ego
|
that
|
has held him back.
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
It is
|
It's
|
Informal/Neutral speech
|
|
It was
|
N/A
|
Rarely contracted in writing
|
|
It is not
|
It isn't / It's not
|
Common in speech
|
|
It was not
|
It wasn't
|
Common in speech
|
Meanings
A grammatical structure used to focus on a specific element of a sentence (the 'cleft' or 'split' part) by placing it after 'It is' or 'It was'.
Contrastive Focus
Used to correct a misunderstanding or contrast two items.
“It wasn't the money that I wanted; it was the recognition.”
“It was Sarah who called, not Jennifer.”
New Information Introduction
Introducing a specific object as the key topic of a narrative.
“It was a small mistake that led to the entire system failure.”
“It is this specific gene that scientists are targeting.”
Emotive Emphasis
Adding emotional weight to the object of an action.
“It was your kindness that saved me.”
“It is her bravery that we should celebrate.”
Reference Table
| Type de phrase originale | Élément mis en évidence | Structure It-Cleft (Accent sur l'objet) | Exemple |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Simple Active
|
Direct Object (Thing)
|
It is/was + Object + that + S + V...
|
It was `the new software` that we installed.
|
|
Simple Active
|
Direct Object (Person)
|
It is/was + Object + who/that + S + V...
|
It was `my professor` who I consulted.
|
|
With Preposition
|
Object of Preposition
|
It is/was + Object + that + S + V + Prep...
|
It was `their innovative ideas` that I was most impressed by.
|
|
Passive Voice (Agent)
|
Agent of Action
|
It is/was + Agent + who/that + V + Object...
|
It was `the lead engineer` who designed the system.
|
|
Clarifying Information
|
Specific Detail
|
It is/was + Detail + that + S + V...
|
It was `your feedback` that truly helped me improve.
|
|
Responding to 'What' Q
|
Answer (Thing)
|
It is/was + Answer + that + S + V...
|
It was `the forgotten password` that caused the login issue.
|
|
Responding to 'Who' Q
|
Answer (Person)
|
It is/was + Answer + who/that + S + V...
|
It was `my colleague, Dr. Lee`, who presented the findings.
|
Spectre de formalité
It was the manager who made the final decision. (Workplace accountability)
It was the manager that decided. (Workplace accountability)
It was the manager who did it. (Workplace accountability)
It was the boss man who called the shots. (Workplace accountability)
It-Clefts : Accentuation de l'objet
Structure
- It is/was + OBJET L'élément mis en évidence
- + that/who/which Connecte les propositions
- + Sujet + Verbe... Le reste de la phrase
Utilisation
- Mettre en lumière de nouvelles infos Introduire des détails clés
- Corriger les malentendus Clarifier les fausses hypothèses
- Répondre aux questions en 'Wh-' Répondre directement à 'Quoi/Qui'
- Ajouter du drame/de l'impact Rendre les déclarations percutantes
Rappels Clés
- It is/was TOUJOURS singulier Le verbe s'accorde avec 'It'
- who pour les personnes, that pour les choses Choix du pronom relatif
- Éviter la surutilisation Maintenir l'impact
It-Clefts : Accentuation du sujet vs. de l'objet
Comment former un It-Cleft accentuant l'objet
Veux-tu accentuer l'OBJET DIRECT de ta phrase ?
L'objet accentué est-il une PERSONNE ?
Quel est le SUJET et le VERBE originaux ?
Exemple : 'She wrote `the best-selling novel`.'
Quand les It-Clefts font mouche
Clarifier
- • Corriger une erreur factuelle
- • Répondre directement à 'Quoi ?'
- • Mettre en évidence un élément spécifique
Impacter
- • Ajouter du drame à une déclaration
- • Exprimer des sentiments forts
- • Attirer l'attention sur des détails cruciaux
Convaincre
- • Présenter des conclusions clés
- • Déplacer l'attention dans un argument
- • Faire résonner un point
Exemples par niveau
It is the cat.
It is the cat.
It was my ball.
It was my ball.
It is the red one.
It is the red one.
It was her.
It was her.
It was the cake that I liked.
It was the cake that I liked.
It is the bus that we need.
It is the bus that we need.
It was the movie that was loud.
It was the movie that was loud.
It is the doctor who helps me.
It is the doctor who helps me.
It was the rain that ruined our picnic.
It was the rain that ruined our picnic.
It is the truth that matters most.
It is the truth that matters most.
It wasn't the gift that I wanted.
It wasn't the gift that I wanted.
Was it the noise that woke you up?
Was it the noise that woke you up?
It was the lack of communication that led to the breakup.
It was the lack of communication that led to the breakup.
It is the innovative design that sets this phone apart.
It is the innovative design that sets this phone apart.
It was only after the meeting that I realized the mistake.
It was only after the meeting that I realized the mistake.
It isn't the salary that attracts me to this job.
It isn't the salary that attracts me to this job.
It was the sheer audacity of his claim that stunned the audience.
It was the sheer audacity of his claim that stunned the audience.
It is the systemic inequality that we must address first.
It is the systemic inequality that we must address first.
It was not so much the content as the delivery that failed.
It was not so much the content as the delivery that failed.
It is the nuances of the language that take years to master.
It is the nuances of the language that take years to master.
It was the very fabric of society that seemed to be unraveling.
It was the very fabric of society that seemed to be unraveling.
It is the juxtaposition of these two themes that creates the tension.
It is the juxtaposition of these two themes that creates the tension.
It was his unwavering commitment to the cause that eventually bore fruit.
It was his unwavering commitment to the cause that eventually bore fruit.
It is not the destination but the journey that defines us.
It is not the destination but the journey that defines us.
Facile à confondre
Both are used for emphasis, but they start differently. Learners often mix up the 'It' and 'What' starts.
Learners use 'There' to emphasize a specific object because 'There' also introduces things.
Both move the object, but the passive voice changes the verb form and focus on the action's recipient.
Erreurs courantes
There is the book I want.
It is the book I want.
It the cat.
It is the cat.
It is me book.
It is my book.
Is it the dog?
It is the dog.
It was the cake I like.
It was the cake that I liked.
It was the man which saw me.
It was the man who saw me.
It is the keys that are lost.
It is the keys that are lost.
It was the rain what stopped us.
It was the rain that stopped us.
It is the money I am worried.
It is the money that I am worried about.
Was it the film you saw?
Was it the film that you saw?
It were the results that surprised us.
It was the results that surprised us.
It was to London that he went to.
It was to London that he went.
It is him that should go.
It is he who should go.
Structures de phrases
It was ___ that ___.
It is not ___ but ___ that ___.
Was it ___ who ___?
It must have been ___ that ___.
Real World Usage
It was my previous role at Google that prepared me for this challenge.
It's your birthday we're celebrating, so you choose the place!
It was the defendant whom I saw entering the building.
It's the hypocrisy that I can't stand.
It is this specific variable that we will be testing today.
It was the latest update that caused the glitch on your device.
Utilise-le pour corriger
No, it was the blue car that I said was mine, not the red one.Évite la surutilisation
It was the solution that we found.Qui (who) vs. Que (that)
It was my colleague who presented the findings.Persuasion subtile
It was this market trend that our analysis predicted sonne plus confiant que de simplement énoncer la prédiction.Toujours 'It was/is' au singulier
It was the students who organized the event.Smart Tips
Use a negative it-cleft followed by an affirmative one.
Use an it-cleft to state your primary thesis or the main factor you will discuss.
Check that your verb 'be' is still singular ('was' or 'is').
Lengthen the 'was' or 'is' to add extra emphasis to the focus.
Prononciation
Focus Stress
The word immediately following 'is' or 'was' receives the strongest pitch accent in the sentence.
Reduced 'that'
The word 'that' is usually reduced to a schwa sound /ðət/.
Emphasis Peak
It was SARAH (rise) that called (fall).
Indicates that Sarah is the specific person being identified.
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
IT IS the ITEM that matters.
Association visuelle
Imagine a theater stage where the lights are off. Suddenly, a bright spotlight (the 'It was') shines on a single actor (the 'Object') while everyone else stays in the dark.
Rhyme
To make the object shine so bright, start with 'It was' to give it light.
Story
A detective enters a room. He doesn't just say 'John stole the diamond.' He points his finger and shouts, 'It was JOHN who stole the diamond!' The 'It was' is his pointing finger.
Word Web
Défi
Write down three things you did today. Now, rewrite them as it-clefts to emphasize the most interesting object in each sentence.
Notes culturelles
It-clefts are frequently used in British political debates (Prime Minister's Questions) to deflect blame or highlight specific policy successes.
In scientific papers, it-clefts are used to avoid the first person 'I' while still emphasizing the specific cause of a result.
Hiberno-English often uses cleft-like structures more frequently than other dialects for added poetic emphasis.
The it-cleft construction has roots in Old English but became much more prominent in Middle English, likely influenced by the French 'C'est... que' structure.
Amorces de conversation
Was it the price or the quality that made you buy your phone?
In your opinion, is it luck or hard work that leads to success?
It was a specific moment that changed your life, wasn't it? Tell me about it.
Was it the ending of the last movie you saw that you disliked the most?
Sujets d'écriture
Erreurs courantes
Test Yourself
It was my new phone ___ I lost at the concert.
Find and fix the mistake:
It were the students who organized the charity event.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /3
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesI bought the red shoes.
Which is correct?
It ___ the manager ___ I spoke to yesterday.
Find and fix the mistake:
It was the rain what caused the flood.
1. I love jazz. 2. He stole the car. 3. We need more time.
Speaker A: 'I heard you moved to Paris.' Speaker B: 'No, ___.'
that / it / her / was / kindness / us / saved
In an it-cleft, you can never use 'who' for people.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesIt ___ his dedication that truly impressed the judges.
It was the beautiful view who made our vacation unforgettable.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Fue tu consejo lo que realmente me ayudó.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the emphasized objects with the correct relative pronoun:
It was `the final decision` ___ everyone had been waiting for.
It was him that broke the vase.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'Es a ti a quien debo agradecer por la ayuda.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the original sentences to their It-Cleft versions:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
In informal speech, 'that' is sometimes omitted if the focus is the object (e.g., 'It was the pizza I wanted'). However, in formal writing and at the C1 level, you should always include it.
While that is a grammatically correct standard sentence, it is not an 'it-cleft'. An it-cleft *must* start with the dummy subject 'It'. The 'It' represents the situation or the fact, which is why it stays singular.
In everyday English, 'me' (object pronoun) is standard. In very formal, traditional grammar, 'It was I who did it' (subject pronoun) is technically correct, but it sounds very archaic today.
The first (cleft) emphasizes that it was the *dog* and not the cat or the neighbor. The second is a neutral statement of fact.
Yes! You can say 'It will be the final exam that determines your grade.' The verb 'be' conjugates to any tense.
Yes, especially when we want to correct someone or express strong emotion. We use them to 'point' with our voice.
Surprisingly, 'which' is rarely used in it-clefts. 'That' is the standard choice for objects.
Simply make the verb 'be' negative: 'It wasn't the money that I lost.'
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Ser + [Focus] + que...
English requires the dummy subject 'It', whereas Spanish does not.
C'est... que/qui
French uses 'qui' for subjects and 'que' for objects strictly, while English often uses 'that' for both.
Es ist... der/die/das
German relative pronouns are much more complex than the English 'that'.
...no wa ... desu
The focus comes at the end of the sentence in Japanese, whereas it comes at the beginning in English.
Innama / Al-ladhi
Arabic relies on word order and specific particles rather than a 'split' sentence structure.
Shi... de (是...的)
The 'de' comes at the very end of the sentence, unlike the English 'that' which starts the second clause.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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Les phrases clivées en anglais (cleft sentences)
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Cleft sentences (phrases clivées) - Grammaire anglaise
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Cleft Sentences - Grammaire Anglaise - Leçon 40
Anglais en ligne
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