Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'It + be + [Time/Place] + that' to put a linguistic spotlight on exactly when or where something happened.
- Start with 'It' plus the verb 'to be' in the correct tense. Example: 'It was...'
- Insert the time or place you want to emphasize. Example: 'It was in Paris...'
- Connect the rest of the sentence using 'that'. Example: '...that we first met.'
Overview
It-Clefts for Time and Place（時と場所の強調構文）です。We met in Kyoto in 2010. という平叙文は、単なる事実の羅列に過ぎません。しかし、It was in 2010 that we met in Kyoto. と言えば、「他の年ではなく、まさに2010年に」という強い限定や強調が生まれます。この構文を使いこなすことで、プレゼンテーションでの事実の強調、誤解の訂正、あるいは物語におけるドラマチックな演出が可能になります。本稿では、日本人が陥りやすい罠を回避しながら、ネイティブレベルの洗練された使い方をマスターしていきましょう。It-Cleft は、日本語で言うところの「～なのは、…だ」という構造に非常に似ています。言語学的には、一つの節（clause）を二つに「分裂」させ、一方を強調したい要素（Focus）、もう一方を既知の情報（Background）として配置する仕組みです。- 平叙文: 「私は昨日、彼に会った。」
- 強調: 「私が彼に会ったのは、昨日だった。」
It-Cleft もこれと全く同じロジックで動きます。- Neutral:
I met him yesterday. - It-Cleft:
It was yesterday that I met him.
It is/was という「枠組み」を使って、無理やり強調したい語句を文頭付近に持ってくる必要があるという点です。この It は「形式主語（dummy subject）」と呼ばれ、具体的な内容を指すのではなく、単に「今から強調する内容を言いますよ」という合図の役割を果たしています。It was [A] that [B] の構造において、[A] には聞き手が注目すべき「新しい情報（New Information）」や「対比したい情報」が入り、that 以降の [B] には、すでに話題に上っている「既知の情報（Given Information）」が入るのが一般的です。この情報の配置を理解することで、文脈に沿った自然な英語が話せるようになります。It-Clefts for Time and Place の基本パターンは以下の通りです。It + be動詞 + [強調したい時・場所の語句] + that / when / where + [残りの文]It と be動詞 の一致It は常に単数扱いです。be 動詞の時制は、後ろに続く内容の時制と一致させるのが基本です。be 動詞 | 例文 |is | It is tomorrow that the deadline expires. |was | It was in 1945 that the war ended. |is / has been | It is only recently that she has started jogging. |It will be... とすることは可能ですが、確信度が高い場合は It is... が好まれます。- Time:
yesterday,at 5 PM,during the vacation,not until Monday - Place:
here,in London,at the very spot where we stand
that: 最も汎用的で、フォーマル・インフォーマル問わず常に正解です。時・場所の両方に使えます。when: 「時」を強調する場合に使われます。より口語的で、文脈が明確な場合に好まれます。where: 「場所」を強調する場合に使われます。これも口語でよく使われますが、厳密な文法ではthatを推奨する学者もいます。
- 誤:
It was in Tokyo that I lived in Tokyo. - 正:
It was in Tokyo that I lived.
- A:
I heard the project starts next month. - B:
No, it is this week that the project actually kicks off.
It was only after I moved to New York that I realized the importance of networking.
only after... や not until... との相性が抜群です。It was in this very room that the treaty was signed fifty years ago.
was を使います。- Bad:
It is yesterday that I finished the report. - Good:
It was yesterday that I finished the report.
is を使うこともあります。that 以降の節の中に、強調したはずの語句をもう一度入れてしまうミスです。- Bad:
It was in the park where I met her in the park. - Good:
It was in the park where I met her.
Which の誤用which を使ってしまうことがありますが、It-Cleft において which は一般的ではありません。必ず that か where を選択してください。- Bad:
It was in London which we first met. - Good:
It was in London that/where we first met.
It-Cleft と混同しやすいのが Pseudo-cleft（擬似分裂文、Wh-cleft）です。これらは強調のニュアンスが微妙に異なります。It is [Focus] that [Background] | [Background] is [Focus] |It was in May that he left. | When he left was in May. |What I need is a vacation.（私に必要なのは休暇だ）という Wh-cleft は、自分の欲求を説明するのに適していますが、It is a vacation that I need. と言うと、「（仕事ではなく）休暇こそが必要なんだ」という、より強い対比のニュアンスが含まれます。that は省略できますか？It-Cleft は文体的に少し「構えた」表現なので、that を残したほうが構造が明確になり、リズムも整います。It was then that... と Then, ... は何が違うのですか？Then, the lights went out. は単なる時間の経過（次に何が起きたか）を述べています。一方、It was then that the lights went out. は、「まさにその瞬間、電気が消えたのだ」という、そのタイミングの重要性を強調しています。物語のクライマックスなどで使われます。It-Cleft でも保持するのが一般的です。I met him at the station.→It was at the station that I met him.
It was the station that I met him. とは言えません。これだと「駅そのものに会った」ような不自然な響きになります。）It was not until... that...（～して初めて…した）という形は、日本人が大好きな「～して初めて」の完璧な訳語として、英検1級やTOEFL/IELTSのライティングで非常に重宝します。It was not until I reached home that I missed my wallet.
Tense Variations of the It-Cleft
| Tense | It + Be | Focus (Time/Place) | Connector | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
It is
|
in the city
|
that
|
he works.
|
|
Past Simple
|
It was
|
in 1995
|
that
|
they met.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
It has been
|
since May
|
that
|
we've waited.
|
|
Future
|
It will be
|
at the gala
|
that
|
she'll perform.
|
|
Past Negative
|
It wasn't
|
until then
|
that
|
I knew.
|
|
Past Question
|
Was it
|
in Rome
|
that
|
it happened?
|
Contractions in Clefts
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
|
It is
|
It's
|
Common in speech/informal writing
|
|
It was
|
N/A
|
Rarely contracted in standard English
|
|
It is not
|
It isn't / It's not
|
Standard negative contractions
|
|
It was not
|
It wasn't
|
Standard past negative contraction
|
Meanings
A construction used to focus on a specific piece of information (the focus) by placing it in a separate clause starting with 'It is' or 'It was'.
Temporal Emphasis
Highlighting a specific moment or period in time to show its significance to the event.
“It was in 1969 that man first walked on the moon.”
“It is only now that we are seeing the results of the policy.”
Locative Emphasis
Focusing on a specific location to contrast it with other possible places.
“It was in this very room that the treaty was signed.”
“It is in the heart of the city that the most vibrant markets are found.”
Corrective Focus
Using the cleft structure to explicitly correct a previous statement about time or place.
“No, it was on Tuesday that I sent the email, not Wednesday.”
“It wasn't in London that they stayed, but in a small village nearby.”
Reference Table
| 構造 | 強調される要素 | Example | Original Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
|
It + be + TIME + that...
|
時間
|
It was *yesterday* that I saw him.
|
I saw him yesterday.
|
|
It + be + PLACE + that...
|
場所
|
It was *in the park* that we met.
|
We met in the park.
|
|
It + be + TIME + when...
|
時間 (別の表現)
|
It was *in 2022* when she graduated.
|
She graduated in 2022.
|
|
It + be + PLACE + where...
|
場所 (別の表現)
|
It was *at the cafe* where they first spoke.
|
They first spoke at the cafe.
|
|
It + be + PREP PHRASE + that...
|
複雑な時間・場所
|
It was *after midnight* that he arrived.
|
He arrived after midnight.
|
|
It + be + ADVERB + that...
|
単純な時間・場所
|
It was *then* that I understood.
|
I understood then.
|
|
It + be + TIME CLAUSE + that...
|
特定のタイミング
|
It was *before the game started* that we left.
|
We left before the game started.
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
It was in the boardroom that the executive committee convened. (Professional meeting)
It was in the boardroom that we had the meeting. (Professional meeting)
It was in the boardroom that we met up. (Professional meeting)
It was in the boardroom where it all went down. (Professional meeting)
It-Clefts (時間・場所)
構造
- It is/was 固定された開始
- Emphasized Phrase 時間または場所
- that/when/where 接続詞
- Rest of Clause 何が起こったか
使い方
- Correction 誤情報の訂正
- Emphasis 重要詳細の強調
- Storytelling ドラマ性の追加
- Clarification 曖昧さの解消
例
- It was yesterday... 時間の強調
- It was in the lab... 場所の強調
- It's now... 現在の時間の強調
It-Clefts vs. シンプルな文
It-Cleft (時間・場所) の構築
特定の「時間」または「場所」を強調したいですか？
元の文の主要な行動は過去ですか、現在ですか？
強調したい正確な時間または場所のフレーズを特定してください。
強調されるフレーズは時間ですか（例: 'yesterday', 'in 2023'）？
強調されるフレーズは場所ですか（例: 'in the park', 'here'）？
元の節の残りの部分を、強調された時間/場所を除いて構築してください。
It-Clefts (時間・場所) を使う時
訂正する時
- • 間違った日付/時間
- • 間違った場所
物語を語る時
- • 重要な瞬間
- • 決定的な設定
明確にする時
- • 曖昧な情報
- • 新しい詳細
ドラマを加える時
- • 突然の気づき
- • 予期せぬ出来事
レベル別の例文
It is here that I work.
It is here that I work.
It was then that he left.
It was then that he left.
It is in the box that the toy is.
It is in the box that the toy is.
It was at 5:00 that we ate.
It was at 5:00 that we ate.
It was in Paris that they met.
It was in Paris that they met.
It wasn't at home that I saw her.
It wasn't at home that I saw her.
Was it on Monday that you called?
Was it on Monday that you called?
It was in the garden that we played.
It was in the garden that we played.
It was only after the rain that we went out.
It was only after the rain that we went out.
It is in this office that the decisions are made.
It is in this office that the decisions are made.
It was during the summer that I learned to swim.
It was during the summer that I learned to swim.
It wasn't until midnight that the party started.
It wasn't until midnight that the party started.
It was in the 1920s that the building was constructed.
It was in the 1920s that the building was constructed.
It is primarily in rural areas that the problem exists.
It is primarily in rural areas that the problem exists.
It was only when I saw the photo that I remembered him.
It was only when I saw the photo that I remembered him.
It was through this door that the thief entered.
It was through this door that the thief entered.
It was against this backdrop of economic instability that the revolution began.
It was against this backdrop of economic instability that the revolution began.
It is in the nuances of the language that the true meaning is found.
It is in the nuances of the language that the true meaning is found.
It was not until the final chapter that the mystery was solved.
It was not until the final chapter that the mystery was solved.
It was there, amidst the ruins, that they found the ancient scroll.
It was there, amidst the ruins, that they found the ancient scroll.
It was only upon the cessation of hostilities that reconstruction could commence.
It was only upon the cessation of hostilities that reconstruction could commence.
It is within the intersection of technology and ethics that our greatest challenges lie.
It is within the intersection of technology and ethics that our greatest challenges lie.
It was then, and only then, that the gravity of his error became apparent.
It was then, and only then, that the gravity of his error became apparent.
It is in the very fabric of our society that these prejudices are woven.
It is in the very fabric of our society that these prejudices are woven.
間違えやすい
Learners often use 'What' when they should use 'It' to focus on a specific time/place.
Confusing the existential 'There' with the dummy 'It'.
よくある間違い
Is here that I live.
It is here that I live.
It was in 1990 when I was born.
It was in 1990 that I was born.
It is in London that I met him.
It was in London that I met him.
It was because of the rain that caused the delay.
It was the rain that caused the delay. / It was because of the rain that the delay happened.
文型パターン
It was in ___ that I first ___.
It was only after ___ that I realized ___.
It is within ___ that the true ___ lies.
Real World Usage
It was during my time at Google that I developed these skills.
It was only when I got home that I saw your message!
It was in the 19th century that industrialization transformed the city.
It was at approximately 10 PM that the witness heard the noise.
It is in the hidden alleys of Kyoto that you find the best tea.
It was here that it all started! #memories
元の文を見抜く
I saw him yesterday.->
It was yesterday that I saw him.
使いすぎは禁物！
I visited the museum last week.(not always
It was last week that I visited the museum.)
どの接続詞を使う？
thatはいつでも使えて便利なのですが、時間について強調するならwhenの方が、場所について強調するならwhereの方が、より自然に聞こえることが多いです。より適切な接続詞を使うことで、文の流れがさらにスムーズになりますよ。It was last night when he called./
It was at the office where I left it.
遠回しに伝える？直接伝える？
It was on the main agenda that we discussed this point.
疑問文で練習しよう
When did you go? It was last week that I went.
Smart Tips
Use the negative it-cleft followed by the positive one for maximum clarity.
Use an it-cleft to define the scope of your research.
Try 'clefting' your time or place adjuncts to add variety to your rhythm.
Place these words immediately after 'is/was' for the strongest effect.
発音
Stress on the Focus
The word or phrase immediately following 'It is/was' receives the strongest sentence stress.
Weak 'that'
The word 'that' is usually reduced to a schwa sound /ðət/.
Rise-Fall on Focus
It was in ↗PARis ↘that we met.
Conveys certainty and emphasis on the location.
暗記しよう
記憶術
IT is the spotlight, BE is the stand, THAT is the bridge to the rest of the land.
視覚的連想
Imagine a dark stage where a single spotlight (the 'It was') shines on a clock (Time) or a map (Place). Everything else on stage is in the dark until the word 'that' connects them.
Rhyme
If you want to show where or when, start with 'It was' and use 'that' then.
Story
A detective is interrogating a suspect. The suspect says 'I was at home.' The detective slams the table and says, 'No! It was AT THE BANK that you were seen!' The 'It was' makes the detective's point much stronger.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Look at your calendar. Pick three events from last week and rewrite them as it-clefts. (e.g., 'It was on Tuesday that I went to the gym.')
文化メモ
It-clefts are very common in British academic prose to maintain an objective but focused tone.
In US political rhetoric, it-clefts are used to create 'soundbites' that emphasize specific values or locations.
Hiberno-English often uses cleft-like structures more frequently than other dialects for everyday emphasis.
Clefting has been a feature of English since the Old English period, though it became much more structured in Middle English.
会話のきっかけ
Was it in your hometown that you had your first job?
Was it only recently that you decided to master English?
In which decade was it that your country saw the most change?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
It was in the park ___ we first met.
thatは最も汎用性の高い接続詞で、場所を強調した後、残りの節を導入するのに完璧に機能します。Find and fix the mistake:
It is last night that the concert was.
last night、was）に対して誤ってisが使われています。It-Cleftsのbe動詞は、that節で説明されている出来事の時制と一致する必要があります。Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
It + be + 強調された時間 + that + 残りの節 のパターンに従います: It was after the meeting that we left。Score: /3
練習問題
8 exercisesI graduated in 2015. -> It was in 2015 ___ I graduated.
Which sentence correctly emphasizes the location?
Find and fix the mistake:
It is in 1945 that the war ended.
We first met at a concert.
In formal writing, 'that' is preferred over 'where' in it-clefts for place.
Person A: 'I heard you're moving to Spain in July.' Person B: 'Actually, ___'
Identify the correct structure.
Reorder the words to form a cleft sentence.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesIt was at the cafe ___ I saw her reading your book.
It was on her birthday ___ he proposed.
It were a Sunday that they arrived.
It's next week when the deadline is gone.
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Foi só depois da palestra que ela fez a pergunta.'
Translate into English: 'É no jardim que as crianças brincam.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the clauses:
Match the sentences:
Score: /12
よくある質問 (8)
Yes, in informal speech it is very common to hear `It was then when...`. However, in formal writing and exams, `that` is the preferred and safer choice.
You can use any tense of the verb `to be`. For example, `It has been in this house that we've raised our children` or `It will be at the meeting that we decide`.
An it-cleft starts with `It` (e.g., 'It was John who...'), while a pseudo-cleft (or Wh-cleft) starts with a Wh-word (e.g., 'What I need is...'). It-clefts are better for focusing on specific nouns/times/places.
Absolutely. `It wasn't in London that we met` is a very common way to correct someone's assumption.
Because the word `it` doesn't refer to anything specific (like a cat or a book). It is just a grammatical placeholder to allow the sentence to function.
No, it can be a long phrase. `It was only after three years of intensive research and many failures that the cure was found.`
Yes, especially when we want to be emphatic or when we are correcting someone. It adds a clear 'beat' to the sentence that draws attention.
Yes, for people, `who` is very common and accepted even in formal English. `It was Sarah who told me.`
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Fue entonces cuando / Es allí donde
English requires the dummy 'It', whereas Spanish starts with the verb 'Fue/Es'.
C'est... que
French uses this structure much more frequently in everyday speech than English does.
Es war... dass
German word order is more flexible, making clefts less 'necessary' for focus.
...no wa ... da
The structure is reversed: [Action] no wa [Time/Place] da.
Innama / Word order
Arabic lacks a 'dummy subject' equivalent to the English 'It'.
Shi... de (是...的)
The 'de' comes at the very end of the sentence, unlike the English 'that' which acts as a bridge.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
関連動画
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