CLEFT SENTENCES   
( Câu Chẻ )
Câu Chẻ được dùng để nhấn mạnh một thành phần của câu như Chủ Từ (S) , Túc Từ (O) hay Trạng Từ (Adv). 

1. Nhấn mạnh chủ từ (Subject focus)       a. It + is / was + Noun / pronoun (person) + who/that + V + O …
Ex: My brother collected these foreign stamps.
 → It was my brother who collected these foreign stamps.
(Chính anh tôi là người đã sưu tầm những cái tem nước ngoài này)
b. It + is / was + Noun (thing) + that + V + O …
Ex: Her absence at the party made me sad.
 → It was her absence at the party that made me sad.
(Chính sự vắng mặt của cô ấy tại buổi tiệc làm tôi buồn) 

2. Nhấn mạnh túc từ (Object focus)       a. It + is / was + Noun / pronoun (person) + who(m) + S + V…
Ex: I met Daisy on the way to school.
 → It was Daisy who(m) I met on the way to school.
(Chính Daisy là người tôi đã gặp trên đường đi học)
*Note: Khi nhấn mạnh túc từ ta có thể dùng who thay cho whom nhưng khi nhấn mạnh chủ từ thì không dùng whom thay cho who.
b. It + is / was + Noun (thing) + that + S + V …
Ex: My brother bought an old motorbike from our neighbor.
 → It was an old motorbike that my brother bought from our neighbor.
(Chính cái xe máy cũ là cái anh tôi đã mua từ người hàng xóm) 

3. Nhấn mạnh trạng từ (Adverbial focus)        It + is / was + Adverbial phrase + that + S + V …
Ex: - We first met in December.
→ It was in December that we first met.
(Chính tháng mười hai là khi chúng tôi gặp nhau lần đầu tiên)
- I was born in this village.
→ It was in this village that I was born.
(Chính ngôi làng này là nơi tôi được sinh ra) 






4. Câu chẻ bị động (Cleft sentences in the passive)       a. It + is / was + Noun / pronoun (person) + who + be + P.P…
Ex: Fans gave that singer a lot of flowers.
→ It was that singer who was given a lot of flowers.
(Chính người ca sĩ đó được tặng rất nhiều hoa)       b. It + is / was + Noun (thing) + that + be + P.P…
Ex: People talk about this film.
→ It is this film that is talked about.
(Chính bộ phim này là cái được nói đến)
- Fans gave that singer a lot of flowers.
→ It was a lot of flowers that were given to that singer.
(Chính nhiều hoa đã được tặng cho người ca sĩ)
* EXERCISES
I.Rewrite the sentences to focus attention on the underlined information. Using structure” it is / was ... that”  1. She bought the car from Tom.
…………………………………………………………………..
2. My secretary sent the bill to Mr. Harding yesterday.
…………………………………………………………………..
3. We are coming to stay with Jane this weekend. 
…………………………………………………………………..
4. The president makes the important decisions.
…………………………………………………………………..
5. I’m looking forward to physics exam.
…………………………………………………………………..
6. I lost my wallet somewhere in there.
…………………………………………………………………..
7. I was born and grew up in a small village.
…………………………………………………………………..
8. My teacher helped me a lot of with my study last semester.
…………………………………………………………………..
9. The headmaster gave Tam a bicycle as a scholarship.
…………………………………………………………………..
10. Your carelessness caused the accident
…………………………………………………………………..



II.Choose the best answers:
1. ________ I bought the golden fish.
       A. It was from this shop that                    B. I was from this shop where
       C. It was this shop which                        D. It was this shop that
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                                      B. The baby that                         
       C. 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                                  B. It was in London where