Start with the intended meaning
Separate the highlighted expression from its role inside the relative clause. A plain paraphrase can preserve the event but weaken the explicit correction or contrast. Keep a required recipient or object in the rewrite.
Focus with a cleft sentence
Es war die Kollegin, der ich den Entwurf geschickt habe. The cleft highlights die Kollegin, often against another possible recipient. Der is dative inside the relative clause because schicken has a recipient: ich habe der Kollegin den Entwurf geschickt. The relative case is not copied from the nominative focus phrase. Using dass would remove the relative link and does not produce this construction. A plain paraphrase is Ich habe der Kollegin den Entwurf geschickt, but the explicit contrastive focus is weaker.
Apply the pattern in another context
Es war der Nachbar, dem ich den Schlüssel gegeben habe.
Der Nachbar is highlighted, while dem marks the recipient inside the relative clause.
Es ist das Fahrrad, das ich morgen repariere.
The relative das is the object of reparieren. The matching visible form does not mean that case is copied mechanically.
Choose the form and explain the meaning
5. Complete the cleft: “Es war die Kollegin, ___ ich geholfen habe.”
der. Helfen takes dative inside the relative clause, regardless of the focus phrase’s nominative form.
Additional check 1. Complete: Es war der Techniker, ___ wir angerufen haben.
Den. Anrufen takes an accusative person-object; der Techniker in the cleft does not impose nominative on the relative.
Additional check 2. Complete: Es war die Besucherin, ___ wir geholfen haben.
Der. Helfen selects dative in the relative clause.
Additional check 3. Rewrite Es war der Nachbar, dem ich den Schlüssel gegeben habe as an ordinary clause without changing the recipient.
Ich habe dem Nachbarn den Schlüssel gegeben. The event and recipient stay; the explicit cleft focus is weaker.
Start with the topic overview
Nested German clauses: follow the verbs and roles · Find another grammar topic
Questions about this topic
Does a cleft relative copy the focus noun’s case?
No. Its role inside the relative clause determines case: die Kollegin, der ich helfe uses dative der.
Sources and further learning
- IDS grammis: Oberfeld
- IDS grammis: linkes Außenfeld
- IDS grammis: Gewichtung bei Fokuspartikeln, Negation, Spalt- und Sperrsätzen
- IDS grammis: Attribut
- Rat für deutsche Rechtschreibung via IDS: Komma bei Zusätzen
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