Is swapping the subject and the verb in a sentence with the verb "be" possible?
Is swapping the subject and the verb in a sentence with the verb "be" possible?
For example:
What broke our fence was a pig.
Can I make this sentence as:
A pig was what broke our fence
?
I don't see any change in the meaning so I assume it's correct. Isn't it?
Top answer
What you have here is a cleft sentence. org/grammar/british-grammar/word-order-and-focus/cleft-sentences-it-was-in-june-we-got-married There is one simple sentence: A pig broke our fence. It-cleft and wh*-cleft sentences can be formed from the simple statement.
- What you have here is a cleft sentence.
- org/grammar/british-grammar/word-order-and-focus/cleft-sentences-it-was-in-june-we-got-married There is one simple sentence: A pig broke our fence.
- It-cleft and wh*-cleft sentences can be formed from the simple statement.
- A cleft sentence puts a special emphasis on one of the elements.
- It was a pig that broke our fence.
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What you have here is a cleft sentence.
You can read about cleft sentences with a dummy it, and cleft sentences with a wh*-clause here:
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/word-order-and-focus/cleft
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