Question 1

Can I use wh-words other than "what" in wh-clefts?

Accepted Answer

Yes, any wh-word can start a wh-cleft sentence. "Where" focuses on place: "Where they decided to hold the meeting was the old library." "When" focuses on time: "When she felt happiest was during the summer holidays." "Why" focuses on reason: "Why he left early is still a mystery." "Who" focuses on a person: "Who discovered the mistake was a junior colleague." "How" focuses on method or manner: "How they achieved such results was remarkable." Each wh-word controls what type of information receives the emphasis. At C1 level, using varied wh-clefts demonstrates strong grammatical range and is rewarded in both writing and speaking assessments.

Question 2

How do I match the tense in complex wh-cleft sentences?

Accepted Answer

The verb "be" linking the wh-clause to the focus element should match the overall time frame of the sentence. For present situations, use "is": "What she needs is more support." For past events, use "was": "What convinced him was the evidence." For situations that began in the past and continue, use "has been": "What has kept her motivated has been the support of her colleagues." The tense inside the wh-clause follows normal rules and may differ from the linking "be": "What she said yesterday is still relevant today." Maintaining correct tense throughout a complex wh-cleft is a key skill tested at C1 level.

Question 3

When are wh-clefts more appropriate than it-clefts?

Accepted Answer

Wh-clefts work best when you want to build towards the important information, placing it last for maximum impact: "What surprised me most was the kindness of strangers." They feel more natural in spoken English because speakers often use them to organise their thoughts. It-clefts, by contrast, put the focus near the beginning and sound more formal. In academic writing, wh-clefts are effective for introducing key findings: "What the data shows is a clear link between the two factors." In conversation, they are useful for explaining or clarifying: "What I meant was that we should wait." Choose wh-clefts when end-focus creates the strongest effect and it-clefts when early emphasis is needed.

Wh-Cleft What-clauses Exercises (Advanced)

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Cleft Sentences Error Correction

It-Cleft: Subject Focus

Wh-Clefts

-ed vs -ing Adjectives

Conditionals

Present Perfect