It-Clefts and Wh-Clefts

What you’ll learn

Focus attention on one part of a message.

សង្កត់លើផ្នែកសំខាន់នៃសារដោយ cleft sentence។

Meaning and use

A cleft divides a message to highlight a constituent. It-clefts focus an element after it + be; wh-clefts use a clause such as what I need followed by be and the focus. The remaining information is often treated as shared or already under discussion. Choose a cleft for a clear contrast or information need.

Cleft sentence បំបែកសារដើម្បីសង្កត់លើផ្នែកមួយ។ It was Maly who… សង្កត់លើម៉ាលី។ What I need is… សង្កត់លើអ្វីដែលត្រូវការ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
It-cleft	It was Maly who found the key.
Wh-cleft	What I need is a quiet room.

Examples

1. It was Dara who sent the invitation.

   គឺដារ៉ាដែលបានផ្ញើលិខិតអញ្ជើញ។

2. It was on Monday that we met.

   គឺនៅថ្ងៃចន្ទដែលយើងបានជួបគ្នា។

3. What I need is more time.

   អ្វីដែលខ្ញុំត្រូវការគឺពេលបន្ថែម។

4. What surprised me was her calm response.

   អ្វីដែលធ្វើឱ្យខ្ញុំភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលគឺការឆ្លើយតបស្ងប់ស្ងាត់របស់នាង។

Everyday conversation

Dara: Did Maly send the report?

Maly: No. It was Dara who sent it. What Maly sent was the schedule.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
It was Dara which called.	It was Dara who called.	For this person-focused cleft, who is appropriate; that is also possible.
What I need more time.	What I need is more time.	The wh-cleft needs the linking verb be.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Focus Maly: Maly repaired the laptop.
2. Rewrite with What: I need a clear answer.
3. What contrast is highlighted by It was yesterday that she called?

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. It was Maly who repaired the laptop.

   The cleft highlights the person.

2. What I need is a clear answer.

   The wh-clause sets up the focused complement.

3. The time of the call, rather than another day.

   The focused phrase identifies the intended contrast.

Quick recap

• It-cleft: It was Maly who found the key.
• Wh-cleft: What I need is a quiet room.