Emphasis: cleft sentences and inversion
What matters most is… / Not only… but also — add weight to key points.
Why it matters
Cleft sentences and inversion let you highlight a key idea, which strengthens argument and shows grammatical sophistication. Examiners recognise them as advanced structures — but they must be accurate to count.
The rules
It-cleft: It is/was + focus + that/who…
It is the cost, not the distance, that deters most people.
What-cleft: What + clause + is/was…
What concerns me most is the impact on children.
Negative inversion: Not only / Rarely / Seldom / Never + auxiliary + subject.
Not only does it save money, but it also reduces waste.
Use sparingly — one or two per essay for real emphasis.
Model sentences
- What many critics overlook is that the scheme pays for itself within five years.
- It was not until 2015 that electric cars became affordable for most buyers.
- Rarely has a single technology changed daily life so rapidly.
Common mistakes
Incorrect: Not only it saves money but also…
Correct: Not only does it save money, but it also…
Invert subject and auxiliary after 'Not only'.
Incorrect: What I want is that people recycle.
Correct: What I want is for people to recycle.
Use 'for + object + to-infinitive'.
Incorrect: Never I have seen…
Correct: Never have I seen…
Auxiliary before subject.
Band tip
Check yourself
Make a what-cleft: 'The lack of affordable housing worries me.'
What worries me is the lack of affordable housing.
Invert: 'Cycling is not only cheaper, it is also healthier.'
Not only is cycling cheaper, but it is also healthier.
It-cleft: 'Teachers, not parents, have the greatest influence.'
It is teachers, not parents, who have the greatest influence.