What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to organise your sentences so the important information lands where the reader expects it.
When do I use it?
Well-structured sentences follow the "old before new" principle: start with what the reader already knows, and put the NEW or important information at the end — the natural stress position.
- Weak: "The problem is money. We discussed the budget."
- Strong: "Money is the problem. The budget was discussed."
You also manage focus with:
- Cleft/pseudo-cleft: "It was Maria who called." "What we need is time."
- Passive: "The meeting was cancelled" (focus on the meeting, not who cancelled it).
- Fronting: "That idea, I like." (putting the theme first)
How do I form it?
known information first → new information last use passive/cleft/fronting to control the focus
- The results were disappointing. The team, however, stayed motivated. (known → new)
- It is the deadline that worries me. (cleft focus)
- What really matters is experience. (pseudo-cleft focus)
- The contract was signed yesterday. (passive keeps the topic)
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
Spanish is flexible with word order, so speakers may bury new information at the start. In English, resist putting brand-new nouns in subject position: "a problem exists" is weaker than "there is a problem". Also, do not overload the sentence with too many "new" items — one new idea per sentence keeps the structure clear. Use the passive sparingly to move the focus, not to avoid naming the agent when it matters.
Old information opens the sentence; new, important information closes it. Use passive/cleft to move the focus.
Practice
Multiple Choice
C1Which sentence puts the new information in the natural focus position?
Fill in the Blank
C1It was the deadline worried everyone.
Hint: A cleft sentence puts the focus after 'was'.
Find the Error
C1Sentence Transformation
C1Task: Rewrite to focus on 'the noise' using a pseudo-cleft
Hint: What + clause + is + the focus.
Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: C1