Norwegian Grammar: Mastering Cleft Sentences and “Utbryting” (B1-C1 Level)

Mastering Norwegian grammar is crucial for success in the Norskprøven (The Norwegian Test) and for achieving fluency. Among the advanced grammar concepts you must understand at the B1-C1 level are cleft sentences, also known as “utbryting”. These sentences allow you to emphasize specific elements, making your communication clearer, more precise, and more engaging.

This article will provide an in-depth guide to cleft sentences, explaining their structure, uses, and significance. Additionally, we’ll explore why grammar is critical for excelling in the Norskprøven and provide plenty of examples to reinforce your understanding.

If you’re preparing for the Norskprøven, consider enrolling in the Norwegian Test Preparation Course offered by NLS Norwegian Language School in Oslo. This course is designed to help you master grammar and other essential skills to succeed.

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Why Grammar Is Critical for the Norskprøven

The Norskprøven assesses your ability to use Norwegian effectively in real-life situations, both written and spoken. Grammar plays a vital role in every part of the test, whether it’s reading comprehension, listening, writing, or speaking. Here’s why:

1. Clarity and Precision Proper grammar ensures that your meaning is clear. In the writing and speaking sections of the Norskprøven, your ability to construct well-formed sentences will make your ideas more comprehensible and impactful.
2. Demonstration of Advanced Skills For higher levels like B2 or C1, the test evaluates your ability to use advanced grammar structures, such as cleft sentences. Mastering these structures shows that you can manipulate language creatively and fluently.
3. Avoiding Ambiguity Misusing grammar can create confusion. By learning how to use tools like cleft sentences, you can emphasize exactly what you want to communicate, avoiding misunderstandings.
4. Achieving Higher Scores Clear and correct grammar is a critical factor in achieving high scores. It allows examiners to focus on your ideas without being distracted by mistakes.

To ensure you’re fully prepared, check out the Norskprøven Preparation Course at NLS Norwegian Language School, where you’ll learn advanced grammar and test-taking strategies.

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What Are Cleft Sentences?

Cleft sentences, or “utbryting”, are grammatical constructions used to emphasize specific elements in a sentence. This is achieved by restructuring the sentence into two parts: one part introduces the emphasized element, and the other part provides the rest of the sentence.

For example:

• Original sentence: Per kjøpte bilen.
  (Per bought the car.)
• Cleft sentence: Det var bilen som Per kjøpte.
  (It was the car that Per bought.)

In the cleft version, the focus is shifted to “bilen” (the car), highlighting it as the most important part of the sentence.

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How to Form Cleft Sentences

The structure of a cleft sentence in Norwegian generally follows this pattern:

1. Start with “Det er” (present tense) or “Det var” (past tense).
2. Introduce the emphasized element (subject, object, adverbial, or another part of the sentence).
3. Follow with “som” (who, that, which).
4. Finish with the rest of the sentence.

This structure allows you to highlight any part of the sentence, depending on what you want to emphasize.

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Using Cleft Sentences to Emphasize Different Elements

1. Emphasizing the Subject

The subject is the person or thing performing the action. When you want to stress who or what is responsible for the action, cleft sentences are very effective.

• Original sentence: Ola vant løpet.
  (Ola won the race.)
• Cleft sentence: Det var Ola som vant løpet.
  (It was Ola who won the race.)

Other examples:

• Original: Katten ødela vasen.
  (The cat broke the vase.)
  Cleft: Det var katten som ødela vasen.
  (It was the cat that broke the vase.)
• Original: Læreren forklarte reglene.
  (The teacher explained the rules.)
  Cleft: Det var læreren som forklarte reglene.
  (It was the teacher who explained the rules.)

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2. Emphasizing the Object

The object is the person or thing receiving the action. By emphasizing the object, you make it clear what is most important in the sentence.

• Original sentence: Hun skrev brevet i går.
  (She wrote the letter yesterday.)
• Cleft sentence: Det var brevet som hun skrev i går.
  (It was the letter that she wrote yesterday.)

Other examples:

• Original: De så filmen på kino.
  (They watched the movie at the cinema.)
  Cleft: Det var filmen som de så på kino.
  (It was the movie that they watched at the cinema.)
• Original: Vi kjøpte huset i fjor.
  (We bought the house last year.)
  Cleft: Det var huset som vi kjøpte i fjor.
  (It was the house that we bought last year.)

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3. Emphasizing Adverbials

Adverbials describe time, place, reason, or manner. Emphasizing these elements can clarify when, where, why, or how something happened.

• Original sentence: Vi flyttet til Norge i 2015.
  (We moved to Norway in 2015.)
• Cleft sentence: Det var i 2015 at vi flyttet til Norge.
  (It was in 2015 that we moved to Norway.)

Other examples:

• Original: Hun lærte norsk i skolen.
  (She learned Norwegian in school.)
  Cleft: Det var i skolen at hun lærte norsk.
  (It was in school that she learned Norwegian.)
• Original: Han kom til festen med toget.
  (He came to the party by train.)
  Cleft: Det var med toget at han kom til festen.
  (It was by train that he came to the party.)

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4. Emphasizing Negations

Negations can also be emphasized using cleft sentences. This is particularly useful for clarifying what did not happen or what was not the case.

• Original sentence: Jeg kjøpte ikke boka.
  (I didn’t buy the book.)
• Cleft sentence: Det var ikke boka som jeg kjøpte.
  (It was not the book that I bought.)

Other examples:

• Original: Vi spiste ikke middag hjemme.
  (We didn’t eat dinner at home.)
  Cleft: Det var ikke hjemme at vi spiste middag.
  (It was not at home that we ate dinner.)
• Original: De tok ikke bussen til byen.
  (They didn’t take the bus to the city.)
  Cleft: Det var ikke bussen som de tok til byen.
  (It was not the bus that they took to the city.)

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5. Emphasizing Prepositional Phrases

When the emphasized element is part of a prepositional phrase, the preposition often stays attached to the phrase.

• Original sentence: Hun er glad i hunden sin.
  (She is fond of her dog.)
• Cleft sentence: Det er hunden sin som hun er glad i.
  (It is her dog that she is fond of.)

Other examples:

• Original: Jeg lengter etter sommeren.
  (I long for the summer.)
  Cleft: Det er sommeren som jeg lengter etter.
  (It is the summer that I long for.)
• Original: Vi snakker om prosjektet i morgen.
  (We are talking about the project tomorrow.)
  Cleft: Det er prosjektet som vi snakker om i morgen.
  (It is the project that we are talking about tomorrow.)

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Practical Applications of Cleft Sentences

Cleft sentences are not just grammatical exercises—they have real-world applications in both everyday communication and formal contexts. Here’s how they can help you:

1. In the Norskprøven Writing Section Use cleft sentences to emphasize your key points and create logical, structured arguments. This is especially useful in essays and formal letters.
2. In the Norskprøven Speaking Section Cleft sentences can make your speech more dynamic and engaging. For example:
   • “Det er miljøvern som vi må prioritere i dag.”
     (It is environmental protection that we must prioritize today.)
3. In Real-Life Communication Emphasizing the right part of your sentence helps avoid misunderstandings and adds nuance to your speech.

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How to Practice Cleft Sentences

1. Rewrite Sentences Take simple sentences and practice transforming them into cleft sentences. For example:
   • Original: Jeg kjøpte en ny bil.
     Cleft: Det var en ny bil som jeg kjøpte.
2. Focus on Different Elements Practice emphasizing the subject, object, adverbial, or negation in the same sentence. For example:
   • Subject: Det var jeg som kjøpte bilen.
   • Object: Det var bilen som jeg kjøpte.
   • Adverbial: Det var i går at jeg kjøpte bilen.
3. Use in Conversations Incorporate cleft sentences into your daily speech to make them feel natural.

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Conclusion

Cleft sentences (“utbryting”) are essential for mastering Norwegian grammar at the B1-C1 level. They allow you to emphasize specific elements of a sentence, making your communication more precise and impactful. By mastering this structure, you’ll enhance your writing and speaking skills, both for the Norskprøven and in everyday interactions.

For personalized guidance in mastering cleft sentences and other advanced grammar, enroll in the Norwegian Test Preparation Course at the NLS Norwegian Language School. With expert instructors and tailored lessons, you’ll be well-prepared to excel in the Norskprøven and beyond!