Focus Across a Clause

Level 5

Focus + na + main clause + sɛ + lower clause with a pronoun or a gap: Kofi na mesusu sɛ ɔbɛba (It is Kofi who I think will come).

How It Works

1. Building it

  • Plain: Mesusu sɛ Kofi bɛba. (I think that Kofi will come.)
  • Focused: Kofi na mesusu sɛ ɔbɛba. (It is Kofi who I think will come.)

2. What stays behind
The rules are the same as for focus inside one clause and for Pronouns Inside Relative Clauses:

  • A subject always leaves a subject prefix: Kofi na mesusu sɛ ɔbɛba.
  • A person object leaves no: Kofi na mesusu sɛ Ama hunuu no (It is Kofi who I think Ama saw).
  • A thing object usually leaves nothing, so a past verb takes its clause-end form, as in Simple Past at the End of a Clause: Nam na Ama kaa sɛ ɔtɔeɛ (It was meat that Ama said she bought).

3. Questions work the same way
Question words travel the same distance, as in Question Words With na: Hwan na wosusu sɛ ɔbɛba? (Who do you think will come?), Dɛn na ɔkaa sɛ ɔpɛ? (What did he say he wants?).

4. The main verbs
The main verb is usually one of thinking, saying, hearing or knowing, followed by sɛ (see That: sɛ): susu sɛ (think that), ka sɛ (say that), te sɛ (hear that), nim sɛ (know that). Negative focus with ɛnyɛ ... na can reach across a clause in the same way; see It Is Not ... Who: ɛnyɛ ... na.

5. A melody you cannot see
Linguists have found that in this construction the verbs between the front of the sentence and the gap change their tones. Spelling does not show it, which is one more reason to learn these sentences by ear; see Tone in Grammar.

Examples (6)

  1. Kofi na mesusu sɛ ɔbɛba.

    It is Kofi who I think will come.

    Word by Word: Kofi FOCUS I-think that he-will-come

  2. Kofi na mesusu sɛ Ama hunuu no.

    It is Kofi who I think Ama saw.

    A person object leaves no in the lower clause.

  3. Nam na Ama kaa sɛ ɔtɔeɛ.

    It was meat that Ama said she bought.

    A thing leaves a gap, so the past verb takes its clause-end form tɔeɛ.

  4. Hwan na wosusu sɛ ɔbɛba?

    Who do you think will come?

  5. Dɛn na ɔkaa sɛ ɔpɛ?

    What did he say he wants?

  6. Kumase na mate sɛ ɔkɔeɛ.

    It is Kumasi that I have heard she went to.

    A place can be focused too. Kɔ takes the place directly, so its spot is left empty.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the pronoun for a person object.

    Kofi na mesusu sɛ Ama hunuu.
    Kofi na mesusu sɛ Ama hunuu no.

    A person who moves to the front leaves no in the object spot, even in a lower clause.

  • Dropping the subject prefix in the lower clause.

    Kofi na mesusu sɛ bɛba.
    Kofi na mesusu sɛ ɔbɛba.

    A Twi verb cannot start its clause without a subject. When the subject has moved to the front, ɔ- (or ɛ- for a thing) takes its place.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Focus Across a ClauseLevel 5

Learn This First

Long-distance focus combines focus with sɛ clauses.

Words in This Pattern

na