How do you use "Pseudo-Cleft Sentences" in a sentence?

What we need is more time. All she wants is to be left alone. The thing I love about him is his honesty. What happened was completely unexpected.

Pseudo-Cleft Sentences

Q: What does "Pseudo-Cleft Sentences" mean?

What/All/The thing...is constructions for emphasis Pseudo-clefts put emphasis using what-clauses: 'What I need is rest.' 'All I want is peace.' 'The thing I hate is waiting.' These structures highlight the focused element strongly.

Grammar Pattern BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★★☆ Common Neutral

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Meaning: What/All/The thing...is constructions for emphasis

用What/All/The thing...is结构强调

Construcciones What/All/The thing...is para énfasis

What/All/The thing...is構文で強調する

What/All/The thing...is 구문으로 강조하기

Pseudo-clefts put emphasis using what-clauses: 'What I need is rest.' 'All I want is peace.' 'The thing I hate is waiting.' These structures highlight the focused element strongly.

伪分裂句用what从句来强调：'What I need is rest.' 'All I want is peace.' 'The thing I hate is waiting.' 这些结构强烈突出焦点元素。

Los pseudo-clefts enfatizan usando cláusulas what: 'What I need is rest.' 'All I want is peace.' 'The thing I hate is waiting.' Estas estructuras destacan fuertemente el elemento enfocado.

擬似分裂文はwhat節を使って強調します：「What I need is rest.」「All I want is peace.」「The thing I hate is waiting.」これらの構造は焦点要素を強く強調します。

의사 분열문은 what절을 사용하여 강조한다: 'What I need is rest.' 'All I want is peace.' 'The thing I hate is waiting.' 이러한 구조는 강조하려는 요소를 강하게 부각시킨다.

Examples

What we need is more time.
我们需要的是更多时间。
Lo que necesitamos es más tiempo.
私たちに必要なのはもっと時間です。
우리에게 필요한 것은 더 많은 시간이다.
All she wants is to be left alone.
她想要的只是被人单独留着。
Todo lo que ella quiere es que la dejen en paz.
彼女が望んでいるのは一人にしてもらうことだけです。
그녀가 원하는 것은 혼자 있는 것뿐이다.
The thing I love about him is his honesty.
我喜欢他的是他的诚实。
Lo que me encanta de él es su honestidad.
彼の好きなところは正直さです。
그에 대해 좋아하는 점은 정직함이다.
What happened was completely unexpected.
发生的事完全出乎意料。
Lo que pasó fue completamente inesperado.
起こったことは全く予想外でした。
일어난 일은 전혀 예상 밖이었다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, emphatic

Tone: emphatic

✓ Do Say

What I don't understand is why he left.
我不理解的是他为什么离开。
Lo que no entiendo es por qué se fue.
私が理解できないのはなぜ彼が去ったかだ。
내가 이해하지 못하는 것은 그가 왜 떠났는지이다.
All you have to do is ask.
你只需要问就行了。
Todo lo que tienes que hacer es preguntar.
あなたがすべきことは聞くだけだ。
당신이 해야 할 것은 물어보는 것뿐이다.
What concerns me is the cost.
我担心的是费用。
Lo que me preocupa es el costo.
私が心配しているのはコストだ。
내가 걱정되는 것은 비용이다.
The reason I called is to apologize.
我打电话的原因是道歉。
La razón por la que llamé es para disculparme.
電話した理由は謝るためです。
내가 전화한 이유는 사과하기 위해서입니다.
What I need is to have rest.
我需要的是好好休息。
Lo que necesito es descansar.
私に必要なのは休息を取ることです。
내가 필요한 것은 휴식을 취하는 것이다.
The thing that I hate is...
我讨厌的是……
Lo que odio es...
私が嫌いなのは…
내가 싫어하는 것은…

✗ Don't Say

What I need is to having rest. (infinitive or noun)
What I need is to having rest.（应使用不定式或名词）
What I need is to having rest. (usar infinitivo o sustantivo)
What I need is to having rest.（不定詞か名詞を使う）
What I need is to having rest.（부정사 또는 명사를 사용）
The thing what I hate is... (use 'that' or nothing)
The thing what I hate is...（应使用'that'或不加）
The thing what I hate is... (usar 'that' o no poner nada)
The thing what I hate is...（「that」を使うか省略する）
The thing what I hate is...（'that'을 사용하거나 생략）

Origin & History

Wh-cleft emphatic structure

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal