Learners interact with fluency and spontaneity. They understand complex and abstract texts, argue a point of view, and write clear, detailed prose across a wide range of subjects.
Printable one-to-one lesson plan
Cleft sentences for emphasis
Reshape information with it-clefts, what-clefts, and focused all/reason patterns to correct assumptions and guide attention.
Use after the complete B2 sequence, not as a lesson quiz.
Open diagnostic →15–20 minutes optional: Tutor-read reduced it-was, weak that, linked what-we, thought-group focus, and limited-scope nuclear-stress listening check · Next-day person focus, object gap, pseudo-cleft, scope limit, and evidence-bound focus retrieval
Derived from this lesson’s source
Lesson-specific teaching brief
This is not a second lesson registry. The plan reads the same native content that produces the learner page.
What the learner should do
Reshape information with it-clefts, what-clefts, and focused all/reason patterns to correct assumptions and guide attention.
What must become clear
Can-do: By the end, you can recover the neutral proposition behind a cleft; use it-clefts to select a person, thing, time, place, or reason; use what -clefts and reversed pseudo-clefts to frame an action, need, concern, or result; use reason and all patterns without mechanical rules; preserve subject and object gaps, tense, agreement, and natural pronoun case; distinguish cleft focus from restrictive relative clauses and ordinary identifying clauses; hear reduced links and nuclear stress in U.S. speech; choose a neutral sentence when emphasis would sound theatrical or defensive; and support every correction with evidence.
High-value friction points
- What changed the committee's position was the new safety evidence.Adding it duplicates the subject role between the what-clause and the linking verb.
- It was the error that Maya found.Repeating it after found creates two objects for one role.
- It was Elena who identified the mismatch.Which normally links a thing, while who or that connects the focused person to the subject gap.
Protect these lesson moments
- Reactivate relative roles, neutral order, and contrast
- Discovery check: proposition, focus, and implication
- Choose ten information-focus patterns
- Complete eleven form and variation decisions
- Choose ten clause functions
Learner production
Proposition map: Use Lakeside or another fictional record. Write three neutral subject-verb-object propositions and list one supported competing assumption for each before choosing any cleft.
- Spotlight switch: Keep one proposition constant and focus the actor, object, time, place, and reason in five versions. State what each version presupposes and corrects.
- Pseudo-cleft switch: Frame an open need or cause with a what-clause, then reverse the pseudo-cleft so the focused value comes first. Explain the discourse difference.
- Register switch: Identify yourself once with formal subject case and once with natural conversational object case. Then revise a widespread reason-because pattern for concise edited prose.
- Evidence close: Give the neutral record, source, selected correction, excluded alternative, and scope limit. Remove the cleft if no real contrast needs attention.
Carry this language into the next session
Before the next lesson, retrieve one person-focus it-cleft, one object-focus it-cleft, one what-cleft, one all-cleft, and one neutral alternative from five new fictional records. State the proposition and evidence first.
Use while teaching
Operational teaching notes
Choose a route before class, but change it when the learner’s production gives you better evidence.
Ask before explaining
- Which examples in “Reactivate relative roles, neutral order, and contrast” express the same core meaning?
- How would you explain this decision in your own words: Can-do: By the end, you can recover the neutral proposition behind a cleft; use it-clefts to select a person, thing, time, place, or reason; use what -clefts and reversed pseudo-clefts to frame an action, need, concern, or result; use reason and all patterns without mechanical rules; preserve subject and object gaps, tense, agreement, and natural pronoun case; distinguish cleft focus from restrictive relative clauses and ordinary identifying clauses; hear reduced links and nuclear stress in U.S. speech; choose a neutral sentence when emphasis would sound theatrical or defensive; and support every correction with evidence.
- What needs to change in this repair, and why: What changed the committee's position was the new safety evidence.
Correct for the stage
- Controlled work: correct immediately, then require the complete repaired sentence.
- Fluency building: note repeated errors and reformulate after the learner finishes the thought.
- Communication: interrupt only when meaning breaks down or the target decision is the lesson’s main evidence.
Retrieve, do not reteach
Before the next lesson, retrieve one person-focus it-cleft, one object-focus it-cleft, one what-cleft, one all-cleft, and one neutral alternative from five new fictional records. State the proposition and evidence first.
Short, core, or extended
Choose the route
All three routes end in learner production. More time means more contrast and transfer, not a longer explanation.
Short route
Retrieve for 3 minutes. Notice and discover for 8. Use the two most diagnostic tasks from Reactivate relative roles, neutral order, and contrast and Discovery check: proposition, focus, and implication for 12. Protect 9 minutes for Learner production, then reflect for 3.
Core route
Follow the six-stage sequence below. Reduce repeated controlled items when accuracy is already stable, but keep the nearest useful contrast and final production.
Stretch route
Add Tutor-read reduced it-was, weak that, linked what-we, thought-group focus, and limited-scope nuclear-stress listening check · Next-day person focus, object gap, pseudo-cleft, scope limit, and evidence-bound focus retrieval, then repeat the communication task with a new situation or stricter success criteria.
70–80 minutes core working plan
Session sequence
Protect the final communication and reflection time. If the learner needs more support, reduce the number of controlled items instead of removing production.
- 5 min
Retrieve
Activate what the learner already controls and check any prerequisite language.
Teacher move: Open with the first practice route: Reactivate relative roles, neutral order, and contrast · Discovery check: proposition, focus, and implication · Choose ten information-focus patterns.
- 6–8 min
Notice
Let the learner observe meaning and form in a small sample before naming the rule.
Teacher move: Keep the noticing conversation anchored to this decision: Can-do: By the end, you can recover the neutral proposition behind a cleft; use it-clefts to select a person, thing, time, place, or reason; use what -clefts and reversed pseudo-clefts to frame an action, need, concern, or result; use reason and all patterns without mechanical rules; preserve subject and object gaps, tense, agreement, and natural pronoun case; distinguish cleft focus from restrictive relative clauses and ordinary identifying clauses; hear reduced links and nuclear stress in U.S. speech; choose a neutral sentence when emphasis would sound theatrical or defensive; and support every correction with evidence.
- 8–10 min
Discover
Connect form, meaning, use, word order, and the nearest useful contrast.
Teacher move: Test the learner’s explanation against this repair: What changed the committee's position was the new safety evidence. Adding it duplicates the subject role between the what-clause and the linking verb.
- 12–15 min
Build + drill
Move from accurate choices to faster retrieval and sentence construction.
Teacher move: Prioritize these lesson tasks: Reactivate relative roles, neutral order, and contrast · Discovery check: proposition, focus, and implication · Choose ten information-focus patterns · Complete eleven form and variation decisions. Reduce repetitions if needed, but keep the final production time.
- 12–15 min
Communicate
Use the target language for a real adult purpose the learner cannot complete by copying.
Teacher move: Learner production: Proposition map: Use Lakeside or another fictional record. Write three neutral subject-verb-object propositions and list one supported competing assumption for each before choosing any cleft.
- 3–5 min
Reflect
Make progress visible and choose one specific next use.
Teacher move: Before the next lesson, retrieve one person-focus it-cleft, one object-focus it-cleft, one what-cleft, one all-cleft, and one neutral alternative from five new fictional records. State the proposition and evidence first.
Tutor-only source
Listening scripts
Read these lines from the tutor plan while the learner lesson remains on screen. Each clip names the learner item it supports.
Tutor-read reduced it-was, weak that, linked what-we, thought-group focus, and limited-scope nuclear-stress listening check
- Clip 1
Read: It was MAYA who called.
Supports: Tutor reads: “Clip 1” The nucleus corrects listen .
- Clip 2
Read: It was on TUESDAY that we voted.
Supports: Tutor reads: “Clip 2” Weak that leaves focus on listen .
- Clip 3
Read: What we NEED is a clear date.
Supports: Tutor reads: “Clip 3” The first-part stress foregrounds listen .
- Clip 4
Read: All we approved was a SECOND TRIAL.
Supports: Tutor reads: “What we need is a CLEAR DATE.” The later nucleus delivers listen .
Delivery and evidence notes
- Read each line once naturally and once after stating the mistaken assumption. Keep the cleft frame light and the supported correction prominent.
Keep only useful evidence
After-lesson notes
These notes are for deliberate tutor records or printing. Nothing is stored in the learner’s browser.
The learner can now…
Write one observable use of the target language.
Still needs support with…
Record one repeated error, contrast, or point of hesitation.
Next retrieval prompt
Write one short prompt the learner will answer at the next session.
Anonymous live-lesson evidence
Learner pilot worksheet
B2 · Cleft sentences for emphasis
Pilot 1 of 30 recorded · 3 remaining
Date
Approximate starting level
Core lesson time
Starting evidence
What did the learner already control? What was the first misconception, hesitation, or contrast that mattered?
Did the principle become clear?
Can-do: By the end, you can recover the neutral proposition behind a cleft; use it-clefts to select a person, thing, time, place, or reason; use what -clefts and reversed pseudo-clefts to frame an action, need, concern, or result; use reason and all patterns without mechanical rules; preserve subject and object gaps, tense, agreement, and natural pronoun case; distinguish cleft focus from restrictive relative clauses and ordinary identifying clauses; hear reduced links and nuclear stress in U.S. speech; choose a neutral sentence when emphasis would sound theatrical or defensive; and support every correction with evidence.
Did the first hint help?
Record the first item that caused difficulty and whether the contextual hint led to self-correction before the full repair appeared.
Could the learner do the outcome?
Reshape information with it-clefts, what-clefts, and focused all/reason patterns to correct assumptions and guide attention.
Listen for: The learner uses the target language independently for a real purpose.
What remained available?
If possible, check before rereading in the next session. Record what returned independently and what still required a cue.
Keep, revise, or investigate?
Note any explanation the tutor still had to supply, the smallest useful revision, and whether another pilot should test the same issue.