It-Clefts: Adicionando Ênfase Forte
it-clefts é só entender que eles são seus superpoderes pra dar ênfase, ser mais preciso e destacar o que realmente importa nas suas frases em inglês.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
It-clefts split a sentence in two to highlight one specific piece of information, making it the 'star' of the sentence.
- Start with 'It' + 'be' (It is/was) to introduce the focus. Example: 'It was Sarah who won.'
- Follow the focus with a relative clause starting with 'that' or 'who'. Example: 'It was the dog that barked.'
- Ensure the verb 'be' matches the tense of the original action. Example: 'It is today that we leave.'
Overview
It-Clefts.It-Cleft sentences são ferramentas retóricas poderosas. O termo *cleft* vem do verbo *to cleave* (dividir). Essencialmente, pegamos uma frase simples e a dividimos em duas para dar um destaque especial a uma parte específica da informação.The marketing team missed the deadline. Se você quiser enfatizar que foi especificamente a equipe de marketing (e não a de vendas), você usaria uma frase clivada: It was the marketing team that missed the deadline.It-Clefts permitem que você controle exatamente onde o foco do seu interlocutor deve pousar. É a diferença entre dizer uma frase neutra e apontar o dedo para a informação mais relevante.It-Cleft funciona, pense nela como um holofote. Em uma frase padrão Subject + Verb + Object, o foco é distribuído de forma linear. Quando usamos uma It-Cleft, reorganizamos a frase para que um elemento específico seja isolado entre o It is/was e o pronome relativo (that, who, etc.).It + be (conjugado) + [Elemento Enfatizado] + [Oração Relativa]- Frase neutra:
John broke the vase.(O João quebrou o vaso.) - Frase clivada (foco no sujeito):
It was John who broke the vase.(Foi o João que quebrou o vaso.)
It como um *expletive pronoun* (um sujeito vazio, que não se refere a nada específico, apenas preenche a vaga gramatical).it e dizemos apenas Foi o João..., mas no inglês, o
It é obrigatório.It was John who broke the vase, você está pressupondo que todos já sabem que *alguém* quebrou o vaso. A informação nova (o *focus*) é que esse alguém foi o John.who broke the vase) é o que chamamos de informação dada ou conhecida.It-Cleft segue um padrão fixo, mas a flexibilidade reside em *qual* parte da frase original você decide enfatizar. Vamos usar a frase: The CEO signed the contract in Paris yesterday.- 1Enfatizando o Sujeito (The CEO):
It was the CEO that signed the contract in Paris yesterday.- (Foi o CEO que assinou...)
- 1Enfatizando o Objeto Direto (The contract):
It was the contract that the CEO signed in Paris yesterday.- (Foi o contrato que o CEO assinou...)
- 1Enfatizando o Advérbio de Lugar (In Paris):
It was in Paris that the CEO signed the contract yesterday.- (Foi em Paris que o CEO assinou...)
- 1Enfatizando o Advérbio de Tempo (Yesterday):
It was yesterday that the CEO signed the contract in Paris.- (Foi ontem que o CEO assinou...)
- O Verbo
to be: Ele deve concordar com o tempo verbal da frase original. Se a ação aconteceu no passado (signed), usamosIt was. Se é algo habitual ou presente (signs), usamosIt is. - O Pronome Relativo: O
thaté o coringa e funciona para quase tudo. No entanto, para pessoas, owhoé muito comum e soa natural. Para lugares e tempos, emborawhereewhensejam usados, othatainda é extremamente frequente e, às vezes, preferível em construções clivadas. - O Sujeito
Ité Invariável: Diferente do português, onde poderíamos dizerForam eles que..., no inglês oItnunca muda para o plural. Veremos isso em detalhes na seção de erros comuns.
- 1Para Corrigir Informações (Contrastive Focus):
Eu acho que a Maria pagou. Você corrige:
No, it was Rodrigo who paid for the food. Aqui, a clivagem serve para negar uma suposição e apresentar a verdade.- 1Para Definir Culpabilidade ou Mérito:
It was your dedication that made this possible. Isso dá muito mais peso ao elogio do que um simples Your dedication made this possible.- 1Para Introduzir Causas em Argumentações:
It is because of these market fluctuations that we must remain cautious. Usar o It is because... that... é uma forma elegante de isolar a causa principal de um problema.- 1Para Criar Suspense ou Ênfase Narrativa:
It wasn't until midnight that the police finally arrived. Essa estrutura com It wasn't until... that... é um clássico para enfatizar a demora ou o momento exato de um acontecimento.It-Clefts, mas também nos prega algumas peças. Preste atenção nestes três erros clássicos de L1 Transfer (interferência do português):They were Trap)Foram os diretores que decidiram isso. Como
diretores está no plural, o verbo ser vai para o plural. No inglês, isso não acontece. O It é um sujeito gramatical fixo.- Errado:
They were the directors who decided this. - Correto:
It was the directors who decided this.
It é o sujeito, e It sempre pede is ou was.that/whothat, mas em contextos C1 e na escrita formal, omiti-lo pode fazer a frase parecer incompleta ou confusa, especialmente se o elemento enfatizado for o sujeito.- Errado:
It was my brother called you. - Correto:
It was my brother who/that called you.
It is para tudo, esquecendo de olhar para o verbo principal da frase.- Errado:
It is last year that we launched the app. - Correto:
It was last year that we launched the app.
It-Clefts de outras estruturas de ênfase, como as Pseudo-clefts (também chamadas de Wh-clefts).I need a strong coffee. | Neutro. |It is a strong coffee that I need. | Enfatiza o objeto (o café, não o chá). |What I need is a strong coffee. | Enfatiza a necessidade/vontade (o que eu preciso). |Never have I needed a coffee so much. | Ênfase dramática e literária na frequência/intensidade. |It-Cleft foca no substantivo ou advérbio, a Pseudo-Cleft (What... is...) geralmente foca na ação ou na frase inteira como um conceito. No dia a dia, a Pseudo-Cleft é muito usada para expressar desejos ou requisitos: What you need to do is call the manager.It-Clefts em situações informais, como no bar com amigos?It was you who started it! (Foi você que começou!) é algo que você ouviria em qualquer conversa casual.who em vez de that?who soa um pouco mais natural e preciso. It was the driver who saw the accident. No entanto, o that nunca estará errado. Em contextos extremamente formais, se a pessoa for o objeto da frase, você pode até ver o whom: It was Sarah whom they chose for the role. (Mas, sendo sincero, até os nativos preferem that ou who aqui).It-Cleft na negativa?It wasn't me who broke the printer! (Não fui eu que quebrei a impressora!). A estrutura segue a mesma lógica, apenas adicionando o not ao verbo be.because?It is because we care about quality that we invest so much in training. Isso eleva o nível do seu discurso imediatamente, mostrando que você não apenas fala inglês, mas sabe organizar seus pensamentos de forma estratégica.Tense Variations of It-Clefts
| Tense | It + Be | Focus | Relative Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
It is
|
the money
|
that matters.
|
|
Past Simple
|
It was
|
the money
|
that mattered.
|
|
Present Perfect
|
It has been
|
the money
|
that has caused the trouble.
|
|
Future Simple
|
It will be
|
the money
|
that decides the winner.
|
|
Modal (Possibility)
|
It might be
|
the money
|
that he wants.
|
|
Negative Past
|
It wasn't
|
the money
|
that I lost.
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage Note |
|---|---|---|
|
It is
|
It's
|
Very common in speech and informal writing.
|
|
It was
|
It'was (Non-standard)
|
Rarely contracted in standard English.
|
|
It is not
|
It isn't / It's not
|
Both are common; 'It's not' is slightly more frequent.
|
|
It was not
|
It wasn't
|
Standard contraction for past negative.
|
Meanings
A grammatical construction used to focus on a specific constituent (subject, object, or adverbial) by placing it after 'It + be'. It effectively 'cleaves' (splits) a simple sentence into two parts to create contrast or emphasis.
Subject Focus
Emphasizing the person or thing performing the action.
“It was the rain that ruined our picnic.”
“It is my sister who usually handles the finances.”
Object Focus
Emphasizing the person or thing receiving the action.
“It was the red car that he bought, not the blue one.”
“It is her honesty that I admire most.”
Adverbial Focus (Time/Place)
Emphasizing when, where, or how something happened.
“It was in Paris that they first met.”
“It is only now that I realize my mistake.”
Reference Table
| Frase Original | Elemento Enfatizado | Estrutura It-Cleft | Efeito |
|---|---|---|---|
|
I bought the book yesterday.
|
The book
|
It was *the book* that I bought yesterday.
|
Destaca o que foi comprado.
|
|
Sarah helped me with my project.
|
Sarah
|
It was *Sarah* who helped me with my project.
|
Destaca quem ajudou.
|
|
They finished the task quickly.
|
Quickly
|
It was *quickly* that they finished the task.
|
Destaca como foi feito (advérbio).
|
|
We met at the coffee shop.
|
At the coffee shop
|
It was *at the coffee shop* that we met.
|
Destaca onde se encontraram (lugar).
|
|
He resigned because of stress.
|
Because of stress
|
It was *because of stress* that he resigned.
|
Destaca a razão (cláusula).
|
|
You ordered the wrong item.
|
The wrong item
|
It was *the wrong item* that you ordered.
|
Corrige um mal-entendido sobre o objeto.
|
Espectro de formalidade
It was John who shattered the window. (Reporting an incident)
It was John that broke the window. (Reporting an incident)
It was John who did it. (Reporting an incident)
It was John who messed up the window. (Reporting an incident)
It-Clefts: Turbinando a Ênfase!
Estrutura
- It + be Inicia o cleft
- Elemento Enfatizado O foco
- that/who/which Conecta as cláusulas
- Resto da frase A informação de fundo
Quando Usar
- Correção Corrigindo mal-entendidos
- Nova Informação Introduzindo fatos surpreendentes
- Drama/Emoção Adicionando intensidade
- Esclarecimento Explicando razões
Elementos Enfatizados
- Sujeito Quem/o quê realiza a ação
- Objeto Quem/o quê recebe a ação
- Adverbial Tempo, lugar, modo, razão
- Cláusula Uma ideia completa
Clefts vs. Ênfase Simples
Construindo um It-Cleft
Que parte da sua frase você quer destacar?
Qual é o tempo verbal do seu verbo principal?
O elemento enfatizado é uma pessoa?
Posicione o elemento destacado depois de 'It is/was' e antes do pronome relativo.
It-Clefts em Contextos Modernos
Vida Digital
- • Legendas do Instagram
- • Chat de voz em jogos
- • Mensagens de texto com amigos
Profissional
- • Entrevistas por Zoom
- • Projetos universitários
- • E-mails formais
Dia a Dia
- • Conversas em cafeterias
- • Legendas do Netflix
- • Pedir comida por delivery
Exemplos por nível
It is my book.
It is my book.
It is me!
It is me!
It is cold today.
It is cold today.
It is a big dog.
It is a big dog.
It was my mom who called.
It was my mom who called.
It is the blue pen I want.
It is the blue pen I want.
It was 10 PM when they left.
It was 10 PM when they left.
It is not my fault.
It is not my fault.
It was the movie that made her cry.
It was the movie that made her cry.
It is in London that the story happens.
It is in London that the story happens.
It was because of the rain that we stayed home.
It was because of the rain that we stayed home.
It is her smile that I like most.
It is her smile that I like most.
It was only last week that I found out.
It was only last week that I found out.
It is the government that should take action.
It is the government that should take action.
It was with great difficulty that he finished the race.
It was with great difficulty that he finished the race.
It is not what he said, but how he said it.
It is not what he said, but how he said it.
It was through sheer persistence that she succeeded.
It was through sheer persistence that she succeeded.
It is not until we lose someone that we appreciate them.
It is not until we lose someone that we appreciate them.
It was the lack of transparency that the public resented.
It was the lack of transparency that the public resented.
It is I who am responsible for this oversight.
It is I who am responsible for this oversight.
It was but a moment ago that the world seemed simple.
It was but a moment ago that the world seemed simple.
It is precisely this ambiguity that the poet exploits.
It is precisely this ambiguity that the poet exploits.
It might well have been the stress that triggered the illness.
It might well have been the stress that triggered the illness.
It is seldom that one encounters such genuine talent.
It is seldom that one encounters such genuine talent.
Fácil de confundir
Both add emphasis, but Wh-clefts start with 'What' and focus on the whole clause.
Learners sometimes use 'There' as a dummy subject when they should use 'It'.
Both can shift focus to the object.
Erros comuns
Is John who called.
It is John who called.
It was the cats that was hungry.
It was the cats that were hungry.
It was the book which I liked.
It was the book that I liked.
It is I who is the winner.
It is I who am the winner.
Padrões de frases
It was ___ who ___.
It is ___ that ___.
It was not until ___ that ___.
It is with ___ that I ___.
Real World Usage
It was my time at Google that really shaped my approach to coding.
It's not you, it's me.
It is this discrepancy in the data that warrants further investigation.
Actually, it was the diet coke that I ordered, not the regular.
It's the little things that count. ✨
It was the defendant whom I saw entering the building.
It is our priority to ensure your data remains safe.
It's the next turning on the right that you need.
Ache a Ênfase Rápido
It is/was e antes de that/who. Essa é a estrela do show! It was *the presentation* that truly impressed everyone.
Não Exagere, hein!
it-clefts demais pode deixar sua escrita meio repetitiva ou dramática. Guarde-os para quando você realmente precisar dar um destaque importante. It was *only then* that I understood.
Varie os Conectores
that é um coringa, usar who pra pessoas soa mais natural e exato. Which também é uma opção pra coisas, dando um charme extra pras suas frases. It was *the manager* who approved the request./
It was *the decision* which changed everything.
Poder na Conversa
it-clefts são super comuns no inglês falado, desde um papo informal até discussões. Usá-los naturalmente vai te fazer soar muito mais fluente e expressivo em conversas reais. "It's *your enthusiasm* that I love about you."Desfaça Mal-entendidos
it-cleft é uma ótima maneira de corrigir de forma suave e pontuar a informação correta, tipo: "It wasn't *me*, it was Sarah!"Smart Tips
Use a negative it-cleft followed by a positive one.
Use an it-cleft to define the specific problem you are solving.
Remember that 'It' stays singular even if the focus is plural.
Keep the preposition with the focus, not at the end of the sentence.
Pronúncia
Focus Stress
In an it-cleft, the word immediately following 'is' or 'was' receives the strongest pitch accent.
Falling Intonation on Focus
It was the CAKE ↘ that I wanted.
Conveys finality and correction of a previous statement.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Remember 'IT IS THE FOCUS': It + Is + The Focus + that...
Associação visual
Imagine a theater stage. The whole stage is the sentence. The 'It is' is the spotlight operator, and the 'Focus' is the actor standing in the bright light while the rest of the sentence stays in the shadows.
Rhyme
If you want to make a point and make it hit, start your sentence with the word 'It'!
Story
John was accused of stealing a cookie. He didn't say 'I didn't do it.' He pointed at the dog and said, 'It was the DOG that ate the cookie!' The emphasis saved him from trouble.
Word Web
Desafio
Look at the last three sentences you wrote. Rewrite one of them as an it-cleft to change the emphasis.
Notas culturais
It-clefts are frequently used in British political debates to sound more assertive and precise.
Clefting is extremely common in Ireland, often used even when no strong emphasis is intended, influenced by the Irish language structure.
In scientific papers, it-clefts are used to highlight specific findings or variables without using 'I' or 'We'.
The cleft construction has roots in Old English but became much more prominent in Middle English as the language moved away from case endings toward fixed word order.
Iniciadores de conversa
Was it your parents who chose your name?
Is it the salary or the work-life balance that matters more to you?
Was it a specific book that changed your way of thinking?
Is it the culture or the food that you enjoy most when traveling?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
It was my friend ___ told me the news.
Find and fix the mistake:
It were the unexpected results that surprised everyone.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Escolha a frase correta:
Score: /4
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesIt ___ my brother ___ told me the news.
Select the correct option:
Find and fix the mistake:
Correct the verb agreement.
Rewrite the sentence.
You can use 'which' as a relative pronoun in an it-cleft.
A: Did Mary buy the cake? B: No, ___.
What is being emphasized?
1. I love her voice. 2. He lost his keys. 3. They met at the park.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesIt ___ her determination that made all the difference.
It is the strict deadline miss that often.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Foi o seu comprometimento que garantiu o sucesso do projeto.'
Arrange these words into a sentence: 'the meeting / that / was cancelled / it was / the sudden illness / because of'
Match the beginnings and emphasized elements to form correct 'it'-clefts:
It was *at the cafe* ___ we first met.
It is him who is responsible for the error.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Não foi o tamanho da equipe, mas a qualidade da pesquisa que impressionou o comitê.'
Arrange these words into a sentence: 'making you sad? / it's / what / that's / is'
Score: /11
Perguntas frequentes (8)
Yes, in spoken English and informal writing, `It's` is very common. However, in formal academic writing, you should use the full `It is` or `It was`.
In formal English, `It is I` is technically correct. In modern, everyday English, almost everyone says `It is me`. If you use `I`, the following verb must be `am` (`It is I who am...`), which sounds very old-fashioned.
Absolutely! You can say, `It will be the voters who decide the outcome.` The verb `be` can be conjugated into any tense.
Normal sentences are fine, but they don't provide focus. `John called` is a fact. `It was John who called` implies 'It wasn't Peter or Sarah; it was specifically John.'
Yes, in very formal writing when the focus is an object. `It was he whom the committee chose.` However, `that` is much more common.
Yes. `It was because I was tired that I made the mistake.` This is a great way to emphasize a reason.
Yes, in this specific structure, `It` is a 'dummy subject' or 'expletive it'. It doesn't refer to anything; it just holds the spot for the verb.
In informal speech, yes, if it's the object. `It was the red one (that) I wanted.` But it's better to keep it for clarity.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Es... que / Fue... quien
English requires the dummy subject 'It'.
C'est... qui/que
French uses 'C'est' for almost all emphasis, whereas English has more variety.
Es ist... der/die/das
Word order in the relative clause follows German rules (verb-final).
〜のは〜だ (no wa... da)
Japanese doesn't use a dummy subject like 'It'.
إنما (Innama) / هو الذي (Huwa alladhi)
Arabic relies on particles and word order rather than a dummy subject construction.
是...的 (shì... de)
The 'de' comes at the end of the sentence in Chinese, unlike the 'that' clause in English.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Continue With
Focando com "It" (It-Clefts)
Overview Já sentiu que suas frases eram um pouco quietas demais? Às vezes, você quer apontar o dedo para a parte mais i...
It-Clefts em inglês: Enfatizando o objeto (It was the...)
### Overview No nível C1, a sua jornada no inglês deixa de ser apenas sobre "se comunicar" e passa a ser sobre **precis...
It-Clefts para Tempo e Lugar: 'Foi então que...'
### Overview No nível C1, a busca pela fluência não se resume apenas à correção gramatical, mas sim ao domínio da nuanc...
Ênfase Universal: Usando 'All' para Focar (Orações Cleft com 'All')
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O que você precisa é... (Wh-Clefts para Ênfase)
### Overview No nível C1, a sua jornada no inglês deixa de ser apenas sobre 'falar corretamente' e passa a ser sobre 'c...
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