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What I need is time, a strong Speaking and Writing emphasis device.
Why you specifically
Câu chẻ với what (what-cleft) dùng để nhấn mạnh một thành phần quan trọng trong câu. Cấu trúc cơ bản là What + mệnh đề + be + phần được nhấn mạnh. Ví dụ: What I need is time. = Điều tôi cần là thời gian. What matters most is practice. = Điều quan trọng nhất là luyện tập. Trong Speaking và Writing Task 2, cấu trúc này giúp câu văn mạnh và rõ hơn khi bạn muốn nêu ý chính hoặc tạo đối lập nhấn mạnh. Phần What + mệnh đề phía trước be được xem như một đơn vị, nên động từ be thường ở dạng số ít: What we need is..., What they said was.... Điều này đúng ngay cả khi phần được nhấn mạnh có nghĩa số nhiều. Người học tiếng Việt dễ mắc lỗi vì quen trật tự “phần cần nhấn mạnh + là + mệnh đề”, hoặc quên đặt be sau mệnh đề what. Hãy nhớ: what-clause trước, rồi is/was, rồi mới đến thông tin muốn nhấn mạnh.
The rule
What-cleft sentences are used to emphasize one part of a sentence. The pattern is What + clause + be + the focused phrase. In speaking and Writing Task 2, this structure helps you make a point more strongly and clearly: What I need is time. What matters most is practice. The what-clause before be works like one unit, so the verb be is usually singular: What we need is..., What they said was.... This is true even when the focused phrase after be is plural in meaning. Do not put the focused phrase before the clause unless you are using a different structure. Also keep the cleft complete: What I need is time, not What I need time is.
The trap
What I need are time to prepare before the exam.
What I need is time to prepare before the exam.
A what-cleft puts the focus on the important thing. In this pattern, what + clause is followed by be + the focused part.
What she wants are a clear answer from the teacher.
What she wants is a clear answer from the teacher.
The verb after what usually agrees with the clause inside what, but the verb after be matches the focused noun phrase. Here the focused phrase is singular, so is is correct.
What they said were surprising to everyone.
What they said was surprising to everyone.
In a what-cleft, the whole clause before be acts like a singular unit, so was is usually used even when the focused noun phrase is plural or the clause refers to several things.
What I need not more homework but more practice is.
What I need is not more homework but more practice.
What-clefts can focus on contrast, but the structure still needs be after the what-clause. The sentence must keep the cleft pattern.
Prove it
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