CLEFT SENTENCE (CÂU CHẺ)
1. Định nghĩa:
- Câu chẻ hay còn gọi là câu nhấn mạnh (cleft sentences) dùng để khi ta muốn nhấn mạnh vào
một đối tượng hay sự việc nào đó. Câu thường chia làm hai vế, một vế chính và một vế là mệnh
đề quan hệ.
2. Cấu trúc: It is/was + … that + …
3. Phân loại câu chẻ:
3.1. Câu chẻ nhấn mạnh chủ ngữ
It is/was + S (người) + who/that + V.
It is/was + S (vật) + that + V.
I
- Ex: Mr. Hung teaches English at my school.
It is Mr. Hung who/that teaches English at my school.
(Chính thầy Hùng là người dạy tiếng Anh ở trường tôi.)
- Ex: My dog made neighbors very scared.
It was my dog that made neighbors very scared.
(Chính con chó của tôi đã làm cho những người hàng xóm rất sợ hãi.)
3.2. Câu chẻ nhấn mạnh tân ngữ
It is/was + O (người) + that/whom + S + V.
It is/was + O (vật) + that + S + V.
- Ex: He gave his wife the whole confidential document.
It was his wife that/whom he gave the whole confidential document.
(Chính là vợ anh ấy người mà anh ấy đã đua cho toàn bộ tài liệu bí mật.)
3.3. Câu chẻ nhấn mạnh vào các thành phần khác của câu.
It + is/was + (thành phần câu cần được nhấn mạnh) +
that + S + V.
- Ex: She lives in a small house.
It is a small house that she lives in.
(Nó là một ngôi nhà nhỏ nơi mà cô ấy sống.)
3.4. Câu chẻ trong câu bị động.
It + is/was + N + that/whom + to be + V3/ed + by O(S).
- Ex: Jim gave her boyfriend a lot of gifts.
It was Jim’s boyfriend whom was given a lot of gifts.
(Bạn trai của Jim người mà đã được tặng rất nhiều quà bởi cô ấy.)
PRACTICE
Exercise 1: Rewrite the sentences to focus attention on the underlined information. Using
structure “It is/was ... that”
1. She bought the car from Tom.
It was the car that she bought from Tom.
2. My secretary sent the bill to Mr. Harding yesterday.
It was my secretary that/who sent the bill to Mr. Harding yesterday.
3. We are coming to stay with Jane this weekend.
It is Jane that we are coming to stay with this weekend.
4. The president makes the important decision.
It is the president that makes the important decision.
5. I’m looking forward to the physics exam.
It is the physics exam that I’m looking forward to.
6. I lost my wallet somewhere in there.
It was my wallet that I lost somewhere in there.
7. I was born and grew up in a small village.
It was in a small village that I was born and grow up.
8. My teacher helped me a lot with my study last semester.
It was last semester that my teacher helped me a lot with my study.
9. The headmaster gave Tam a bicycle as a scholarship.
It was a bicycle that the headmaster gave Tam as a scholarship.
It was Tam that was given a bicycle as a scholarship by the headmaster.
10. Your carelessness caused the accident.
It was your carelessness that caused the accident.
Exercise 2: Choose the best answers:
1. _____________ I bought the golden fish. buy – bought – bought
A. It was from this shop that C. It was from this shop where
B. It was this shop which D. It was this shop that
- I bought the golden fish from this shop.
2. It was Tom _____________ to help us.
A. comes B. that comes C. to come D. who came
3. _____________ the police had rescued from the fire.
A. The baby C. The baby that
B. It was the baby whom D. The baby whom
4. _____________ my parents gave me the fish tank.
A. It was on my birthday when
B. It was my birthday on that
C. It was my birthday that
D. It was on my birthday that
5. _____________ I first met my girlfriend.
A. It was in London that C. It was in London where
B. It was London that D. It was London which
6. _____________ on the phone.
A. It is his mother whom is C. It was his mother whom is
B. It was his mother who is D. It is his mother who is
7. _____________ a high level of blood cholesterol.
A. It is eggs that contain C. are eggs it contains
B. It is eggs that contains D. It is eggs contain
8. _____________ England won the World Cup.
A. It was in 1966 that C. It was on 1966 that
B. It was in 1966 when D. It was 1966 in that
9. _____________ we all look for.
A. It is happiness that C. That happiness
B. Happiness it is that D. Happiness it is
10. _____________ me how to play the drum.
A. It was my uncle who taught C. My uncle who taught
B. It was my uncle taught D. It is my uncle teaching
11. _____________ gave her a bunch of roses last week.
A. It’s you whom C. It’s you that
B. It’s you which D. It was you who
12. _____________ is the greatest teacher in the world.
A. It’s our English teacher whom C. It’s our English teacher who
B. It’s our English teacher which D. It’s our English teacher that
13. _____________ my younger sister always keeps carefully.
A. It’s the doll which C. It’s the doll that
B. It’s the doll who D. It’s the doll whom
14. _____________ the boy hit in the garden.
A. It’s the dog who C. It’s the dog which
B. It’s the dog that D. It’s the dog whom
15. _____________ made me sad yesterday morning.
A. It’s my students’ bad behaviour who C. It’s my students’ bad behaviour that
B. It’s my students’ bad behaviour which D. It’s my students’ bad behaviour whom
16. _____________ my friend came to see me later.
A. It was last night that C. It was last night which
B. It was last night when D. It was last night whom
17. _____________ the little boy greeted in a strange language.
A. It was his grandfather whom C. It was his grandfather who
B. It was his grandfather that D. It was his grandfather which
18. _____________ asked the policeman a lot of questions.
A. It was the pedestrian whom C. It was the pedestrian what
B. It was the pedestrian who D. It was pedestrian when
19. _____________ the boy scored the goal.
A. It was for his team whom C. It was for his team what
B. It was for his team that D. It was for his team which
20. _____________ my wife gave to me on my last birthday party.
A. It was this T-shirt that C. It was this T-shirt which
B. It was this T-shirt who D. It was this T-shirt whom
Exercise 3: Rewrite each sentence to emphasize the underlined phrase.
1. Mr. David saw that I could also take part in the contest.
It was Mr. David that saw I could also take part in the contest.
2. I didn’t invite them.
It was I that didn’t invite them.
3. I began to think about everything at that moment.
It was at that moment that I began to think about everything.
4. His attitude towards other people really annoys me.
It is his attitude towards other people that really annoys me.
5. I didn’t decide to postpone the match.
It was I that didn’t decide to postpone the match.
6. The candidates didn’t start the trouble.
It was the candidates that didn’t start the trouble.
7. Shella hid the book under the mattress. hide – hid – hidden
It was Shella that hid the book under the mattress.
8. I must call on Monday to schedule an appointment.
It is on Monday that I must call to schedule an appointment.
9. Shella hid the book under the mattress.
It was the book that Shella hid under the mattress.
10. Shella hid the book under the mattress.
It was under the mattress that Shella hid the book.
11. Dating is not allowed until the age of 15 in Central and South America.
It is until the age of 15 that dating is not allowed in Central and South America.
12. People in the Netherlands have fewer dating rules than any other places in the world.
It is in the Netherlands that people have fewer dating rules than any other places in the world.
13. Kissing is considered as a part of getting to know each other in Brazil.
It is kissing that is considered as a part of getting to know each other in Brazil.
14. He first heard about it from Mary.
It was from Mary that he first heard about it.
15. She got the job because she was the best qualified.
It was because she was the best qualified that she got the job.
16. Mike first met Jenny when they were both studying in London.
It was when they were both studying in London that Mike first met Jenny.
17. I only realized who he was when he started speaking.
It was when he started speaking that I only realized who he was.
18. I didn’t hear about it until yesterday.
It was until yesterday that I didn’t hear about it.
Exercise 4: Choose the correct sentence that is written using the underlined part and cleft
sentence with “It”.
1. He spent his summer vacation in Da Lat.
A. It is in Da Lat that he spent his summer vacation.
B. It was in Da Lat that he spent his summer vacation.
C. It is in Da Lat that he spends his summer vacation.
D. It was in Da Lat where he spent his summer vacation.
2. Candidates from all over the world took part in the competition with great enthusiasm.
A. It is great enthusiasm that candidates all over the world took part in the competition.
B. It was great enthusiasm that candidates from all over the world took part in the competition.
C. It was with great enthusiasm that candidates from all over the world took part in the
competition.
D. It is with great enthusiasm which candidates all over the world take part in the competition.
3. He gains impressive achievements at the age of 20.
A. It is at the age of 20 that he gains impressive achievements.
B. It was at the age of 20 that he gains impressive achievements.
C. It is at the age of 20 that he gained impressive achievements.
D. It was at the age of 20 that he gained impressive achievements.
4. Mary made a great contribution to her husband’s success.
A. It is Mary who made a great contribution to her husband’s success.
B. It was Mary who makes a great contribution to her husband’s success.
C. It was Mary who made a great contribution to her husband’s success.
D. It was Mary whom made a great contribution to her husband’s success.
5. Most parents are willing to lend their ear to their children.
A. They are their children that most parents are willing to lend their ear to.
B. It is their children who most parents are willing to lend their ear to.
C. They are their children that most parents are willing to lend their ear.
D. It is their children that most parents are willing to lend their ear.