Cleft sentences

[Majzena]

Hello everyone!

I have to write a seminar paper and my research topic is Cleft sentences in English. I have some troubles with the following sentences. Please, are these sentences cleft sentences?


(1) It´s not like I had a backup rocket to finish the job.
(2) And the best thing is those idiots have no idea we´re watching them.
(3) It´s strange seeing root like that.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

 

[Tdol]

What do you think? You've researched the topic. Please give your ideas first.

 

[Majzena]

Well, I found that a cleft sentence can be constructed in English as follows: it+ conjugated form of to be+ X (usually a noun phrase)+ subordinate clause. In other words, it has always two parts, each with its own verb.

(3) It´s strange seeing root like that. = YES
it+is+strange+ seeing root like that (subordinate -ing clause which function as adjectival complementation)

(2) And the best thing is (that) those idiots have no idea we´re watching them. = YES
there is no empty element it but normal subject+is+ that those idiots have no idea we´re watching them (nominal that-clause that function as subject complement)

(1) It´s not like I had a backup rocket to finish the job. = NO
there is not any subordinate clause in this sentence