What you'll learn
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to use "What + clause + is/are..." to focus attention on one element.
When do I use it?
A pseudo-cleft sentence uses "What..." as the subject. It is a powerful way to highlight information:
- "What I need is a holiday." (focus: a holiday)
- "What surprised me was his honesty." (focus: his honesty)
- "What we should do is call them." (focus: the action)
The "What + clause" part is the subject, and it is followed by is/are (matching the emphasised element).
How do I form it?
What + clause + is/are + emphasised element What + clause + is + to + verb / -ing
- What I love most about the city is the food.
- What they want is more time.
- What you should remember is to stay calm.
- What we did was wait for instructions.
Common mistakes for Spanish speakers
Spanish "lo que necesito es..." matches the structure well, but speakers often drop the "What" ("I need is a break") or keep Spanish word order ("lo que yo necesito" → "what I need I..."). Keep "What + subject + verb" as the opener. And after "is", use the correct form: with a noun it's "is a holiday"; with a verb, "is to wait" or "was waiting", never a bare "wait".
What + clause + is/are + the focus. The clause is the subject.
Practice
Multiple Choice
B2Which sentence is correct?
Fill in the Blank
B2What surprised me his calm voice.
Hint: 'What surprised me' is a singular subject, so use 'was'.
Find the Error
B2Sentence Transformation
B2Task: Rewrite with 'What I want is...'
Hint: What + clause + is + the focus.
Practice Speaking
Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.
Level: B2