Referring to a physical split:
* The earthquake caused a cleft in the earth, revealing a deep chasm.
* The surgeon made a cleft in the skin to access the underlying muscle.
* The ancient rock formation had a cleft that served as a natural shelter.
Referring to a grammatical structure:
* In the sentence "It was John who stole the cookies," the phrase "It was John" is a cleft sentence.
* The use of clefts can emphasize a particular part of a sentence.
* Cleft sentences are often used in formal writing to clarify meaning.
Referring to a split personality or a division in something:
* The war created a cleft between the two countries that was difficult to heal.
* The family was torn apart by a cleft in their beliefs.
* Her childhood trauma left her with a cleft in her personality.
Other examples:
* The cleft in the mountain range offered a breathtaking view.
* The cleft lip condition can be treated with surgery.
* The archaeologist discovered a cleft in the wall that led to a hidden chamber.