这是定语从句
先行词(即被修饰的主句中心词)是present,从that开始都是修饰present的,是一个定于从句,that是关系代词,在从句是宾语补足语(his granny sent him ______ on this birthday),空格处就是the present,也就是that。
强调句与定语从句的本质区别就是,强调句的that不充当句子的任何成分,强调句的框架It is ... that,即使在去掉之后,通过调整句子语序或根本无需调整,句子仍是对的,比如上面的改成强调句,其中一种可以说:
It is on his birthday that his granny sent him the present.
is换成was是强调句,前后时态保持一致,不知道是不是你写错了。
定语从句 that代指present
你说的是对的,根据语法来看它既可以是强调句也可以是定语从句,至于上面的人偏偏只说是一个句子我就不知道了,判断句子是什么句子不能只局限于单个句子,要放在文中去看,比如Where did you find the professor who made the speech yesterday ? It was in the hall ______ the students often have a meeting. 就语法来看 that/where都可以,但是放到文中 It was in the hall that the students often have a meeting,该句的意思是“学生们通常是在大厅开会”,单独看这一句,无论是其意思还是其语法均未错,但若将其与上文联系起来看,则不通,因为上文的意思是“你是在哪儿找到昨天作报告的那位教授的?”假若将答句改为 It was in the hall where the students often have a meeting则完全可以。不能答非所问,具体问题具体分析