It-Cleft Subject Focus Exercises (Intermediate)
B2 Level
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Compound subjects also work naturally in it-clefts: "It was my mother and my aunt who organised the surprise party" — both people share the emphasis. At B2 level, you encounter it-clefts in longer texts where the focused subject is a whole phrase: "It was the unexpected kindness of a stranger that changed her mind." These more complex structures test your ability to identify which element carries the emphasis and to maintain correct grammar when the sentence has multiple clauses. Cambridge B2 First frequently includes them in sentence transformation tasks.
Quick Rule
It is/was + complex subject phrase + who/that + rest of sentence
- 1.It was the doctor who had treated her for years that spotted the early symptoms. (subject with embedded relative clause)
- 2.It was my parents and my sister who planned the entire celebration. (compound subject)
- 3.It wasn't the original team that designed the product — it was the consultants. (negative with contrastive follow-up)
- 4.Was it the same student who had failed the first test that passed with distinction? (question with embedded clause)
- 5.It was her unexpected generosity that impressed everyone at the meeting. (abstract noun phrase as subject)
All 20 questions
Rewrite the sentence as an it-cleft to emphasise the person shown in CAPITALS. Begin with 'It was' or 'It is'.
THE CHEF prepared the meal that everyone enjoyed.
It was
MY COLLEAGUE discovered the error before it caused any problems.
It was
THE SECURITY GUARD noticed the suspicious package near the entrance.
It was
THE NEW EMPLOYEE suggested the idea that saved the company money.
It was
HER BROTHER introduced her to the man she eventually married.
It was
THE TRAINER designs the workout programmes for all the athletes.
It is
THE LOCAL COUNCIL approved the construction of the new shopping centre.
It was
THE WITNESS identified the suspect in the police lineup.
It was
OUR TEAM LEADER motivates everyone to do their best work.
It is
THE YOUNGEST PARTICIPANT won the first prize at the science fair.
It was
THE MAYOR opened the new community centre last weekend.
It was
A STRANGER helped me when my car broke down on the motorway.
It was
THE HEADTEACHER announced the school's plans for next year.
It was
THE FIREFIGHTERS rescued the family from the burning building.
It was
THE JOURNALIST uncovered the corruption scandal.
It was
THE CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM handles complaints efficiently.
It is
MY OLD MUSIC TEACHER inspired me to become a professional musician.
It was
THE RESEARCH TEAM developed the new vaccine.
It was
THE VOLUNTEERS clean up the local beach every Saturday morning.
It is
THE CAPTAIN scored the winning goal in the final minute of the match.
It was
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