American Dictionary
Definition pseudo-cleft sentence in American English
pseudo-cleft sentence noun
[countable] noun
/ˌsudoʊkleft ˈsentəns/
1
a way of emphasizing part of a sentence by using a 'what' clause as its subject or complement, with a form of 'be' as the main verb. The sentences 'What we should do is tell the truth', and 'A holiday in the mountains is what I really need' are pseudo-cleft sentences. The non-emphatic alternatives would be 'We should tell the truth' and 'I really need a holiday in the mountains'.
Synonyms and related words
