Englische It-Clefts: Betonung des Objekts (It was the...)
Objekte hervorzuheben und deine fortgeschrittenen Englischkenntnisse klarer und überzeugender zu machen.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
It-clefts move the object to the front to highlight it as the most important piece of new information.
- Start with 'It' + 'be' (It is/was) to introduce the focus: 'It was the cake...'
- Place the object you want to emphasize immediately after 'be': '...the cake...'
- Connect the rest of the sentence with 'that' or 'who': '...that I ate.'
Overview
It-clefts ins Spiel. Das Wort cleft leitet sich vom Verb to cleave (spalten) ab. Wir spalten einen einfachen Satz in zwei Teile auf, um ein Element – in diesem Fall das Objekt – wie mit einem Scheinwerfer zu beleuchten.It-clefts ein Zeichen für echte Sprachgewandtheit. Es geht weg von der rein informativen Sprache hin zur rhetorischen Präzision. Du lernst hier, wie du die Aufmerksamkeit deines Lesers oder Zuhörers steuerst, Missverständnisse korrigierst und deinen Aussagen ein gewisses stilistisches Gewicht verleihst.It-cleft signalisiert: „Pass auf, genau *das hier* ist der Punkt, auf den es ankommt.“It-cleft, das das Objekt betont, funktioniert wie eine Umbaumaßnahme an einem Haus. Wir nehmen das Objekt aus seiner gewohnten Position nach dem Verb heraus und setzen es in einen neuen Rahmen ganz nach vorne. Dieser Rahmen besteht immer aus dem unpersönlichen It (einem sogenannten *dummy subject*) und einer Form von to be (is oder was).- 1Der Fokus: Das ist das Element direkt nach
It is/was. Es ist die „neue“ oder wichtigste Information. - 2Die Präsupposition: Das ist der Rest des Satzes, der in einen Relativsatz mit
thatoderwhoverpackt wird. Hier stehen die Informationen, die als bekannt vorausgesetzt werden oder den Kontext liefern.
I signed the contract. | It was the contract that I signed. |The software caused this error. | It was this error that the software caused. |We need more time. | It is more time that we need. |It-cleft auf den ersten Blick etwas umständlicher als die deutsche Umstellung. Aber genau diese „Umständlichkeit“ erzeugt die rhetorische Wirkung. Es zwingt den Leser, innezuhalten und das Objekt als das zentrale Element wahrzunehmen.It + is/was + Betontes Objekt + that/who + Subjekt + Verb (ohne das Objekt)The CEO criticized the marketing strategy. (Neutral)- 1Schritt: Das Objekt identifizieren. Was soll betont werden? ->
the marketing strategy. - 2Schritt: Die Zeitform von
to bewählen. Das Originalverbcriticizedsteht im *Past Tense*. Also brauchen wirwas. (Wichtig:Itbleibt immer Singular, auch wenn das Objekt Plural ist!) - 3Schritt: Den Rahmen bauen. ->
It was the marketing strategy... - 4Schritt: Den Relativsatz anschließen. Wir nutzen
that(oderwhich, wobeithatnatürlicher ist) und fügen den Rest des Satzes an. ->...that the CEO criticized.
It was the marketing strategy that the CEO criticized.that: Der Allrounder. Es funktioniert für Dinge und Personen gleichermaßen und ist inIt-cleftsfast immer die beste Wahl.who: Wird oft für Personen verwendet, um den Satz etwas eleganter zu machen.It was Sarah who I invited.(Obwohlthathier auch völlig korrekt wäre).whom: In sehr formellen Kontexten, wenn das betonte Objekt eine Person ist.It was Dr. Miller whom the committee selected.Aber Vorsicht: Im modernen Englisch wirktwhomoft etwas steif.which: Theoretisch für Dinge möglich, wird aber inIt-cleftsselten genutzt. Bleib lieber beithat.- Null-Pronomen (Weglassen): In der informellen gesprochenen Sprache kannst du das
thatoft weglassen:It was the pizza I ordered, not the pasta.In akademischen Texten solltest du es jedoch immer ausschreiben.
It-cleft baust, klingt dein Englisch anstrengend und künstlich. Nutze es strategisch in folgenden Situationen:- *Szenario:* In einer Kneipe diskutiert ihr über einen Film. Dein Freund sagt: „Regisseur X hat den Oscar gewonnen.“ Du korrigierst: „Nein, er hat den *Golden Globe* gewonnen.“
- *Englisch:*
No, it was the Golden Globe that he won (not the Oscar).
- *Szenario:* Bei einer Wohnungssuche in London. Du hast viele Wohnungen gesehen, aber nur eine hatte einen Balkon.
- *Englisch:*
It was the flat in Camden that we liked best because of the balcony.
- *Szenario:* Du hältst einen Vortrag an der Uni über den Klimawandel.
- *Englisch:*
It is this specific policy that will determine our future success.
It-cleft, um ein Objekt einzuführen, über das man im nächsten Satz mehr erzählen möchte.- *Englisch:*
It was the final chapter that I found most intriguing. In this chapter, the author finally reveals...
- *Falsch:*
It was the report that I wrote it. - *Richtig:*
It was the report that I wrote. - Warum passiert das? Man hat das Gefühl, der Relativsatz (
that I wrote) sei unvollständig, weil das Objekt fehlt. Aber das Objekt steht ja bereits am Anfang! Dasthatersetzt das Objekt.
to be (Interferenz)to be zwingend mit der Zeitform der Handlung übereinstimmen.- *Falsch:*
It is the wine that we drank yesterday. - *Richtig:*
It was the wine that we drank yesterday. - Regel: Wenn die Hauptaktion (
drank) Vergangenheit ist, muss auch die Einleitung (It was) Vergangenheit sein.
That oder This zu verwenden.- *Falsch:*
That was the boss that I called. - *Richtig:*
It was the boss that I called. - Warum?
Itfungiert hier als grammatikalischer Platzhalter ohne eigene Bedeutung.Thathingegen ist ein hinweisendes Fürwort (Demonstrativpronomen), das hier die Struktur stört.
It-clefts von anderen Strukturen zu unterscheiden, damit du sie nicht verwechselst.It was the red car that he bought. |It was John who bought the red car. |What he bought was a red car. |He bought a red car. |It-cleft das Objekt direkt an den Anfang stellt (It was the car...), nutzt der Wh-cleft (oder Pseudo-cleft) ein What am Anfang. Der Wh-cleft wirkt oft noch dramatischer und wird häufiger genutzt, um Wünsche oder Ziele zu betonen: What I need is a coffee. vs. It is a coffee that I need.It-cleft ist spezifischer für die Auswahl aus einer Gruppe von Möglichkeiten (Kontrast), während der Wh-cleft eher das „Was“ der gesamten Situation klärt.It-clefts auch in der Zukunft verwenden?It will be the director that I will be meeting tomorrow. Beachte aber, dass das to be dann im *Future Tense* steht.It's statt It is zu schreiben?It's völlig normal. In akademischen Aufsätzen, förmlichen Geschäftsbriefen oder C1-Prüfungsessays solltest du jedoch die Langform It is oder It was verwenden. Kontraktionen wirken in der Schriftsprache oft zu informell.It-cleft auch Adverbiale betonen?It was in Berlin that we first met. (Nicht in Hamburg). Die Struktur bleibt genau dieselbe.It-cleft, wenn du im Englischen das Gefühl hast, ein Wort im Satz „fett drucken“ oder „unterstreichen“ zu wollen. Es ist dein Werkzeug für maximale Klarheit und rhetorischen Glanz.Structure of an It-Cleft
| Intro (Dummy Subject) | Verb 'Be' | Focus (Object) | Relative Pronoun | Rest of Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
It
|
is
|
the truth
|
that
|
I seek.
|
|
It
|
was
|
him
|
who
|
called you.
|
|
It
|
wasn't
|
the money
|
that
|
she wanted.
|
|
It
|
might be
|
the weather
|
that
|
is the problem.
|
|
It
|
has been
|
his ego
|
that
|
has held him back.
|
Common Contractions
| Full Form | Contraction | Usage |
|---|---|---|
|
It is
|
It's
|
Informal/Neutral speech
|
|
It was
|
N/A
|
Rarely contracted in writing
|
|
It is not
|
It isn't / It's not
|
Common in speech
|
|
It was not
|
It wasn't
|
Common in speech
|
Meanings
A grammatical structure used to focus on a specific element of a sentence (the 'cleft' or 'split' part) by placing it after 'It is' or 'It was'.
Contrastive Focus
Used to correct a misunderstanding or contrast two items.
“It wasn't the money that I wanted; it was the recognition.”
“It was Sarah who called, not Jennifer.”
New Information Introduction
Introducing a specific object as the key topic of a narrative.
“It was a small mistake that led to the entire system failure.”
“It is this specific gene that scientists are targeting.”
Emotive Emphasis
Adding emotional weight to the object of an action.
“It was your kindness that saved me.”
“It is her bravery that we should celebrate.”
Reference Table
| Originaler Satztyp | Betontes Element | It-Cleft-Struktur (Objektfokus) | Beispiel |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Einfacher Aktivsatz
|
Direct Object (Thing)
|
It is/was + Object + that + S + V...
|
It was `the new software` that we installed.
|
|
Einfacher Aktivsatz
|
Direct Object (Person)
|
It is/was + Object + who/that + S + V...
|
It was `my professor` who I consulted.
|
|
Mit Präposition
|
Object of Preposition
|
It is/was + Object + that + S + V + Prep...
|
It was `their innovative ideas` that I was most impressed by.
|
|
Passiv (Urheber)
|
Agent of Action
|
It is/was + Agent + who/that + V + Object...
|
It was `the lead engineer` who designed the system.
|
|
Informationen klären
|
Specific Detail
|
It is/was + Detail + that + S + V...
|
It was `your feedback` that truly helped me improve.
|
|
Antwort auf 'What'-Frage
|
Answer (Thing)
|
It is/was + Answer + that + S + V...
|
It was `the forgotten password` that caused the login issue.
|
|
Antwort auf 'Who'-Frage
|
Answer (Person)
|
It is/was + Answer + who/that + S + V...
|
It was `my colleague, Dr. Lee`, who presented the findings.
|
Formalitätsspektrum
It was the manager who made the final decision. (Workplace accountability)
It was the manager that decided. (Workplace accountability)
It was the manager who did it. (Workplace accountability)
It was the boss man who called the shots. (Workplace accountability)
It-Clefts: Das Objekt betonen
Struktur
- It is/was + OBJECT Das hervorgehobene Element
- + that/who/which Verbindet Sätze
- + Subject + Verb... Der Rest des Satzes
Verwendung
- Highlight new info Schlüsseldetails einführen
- Correct misunderstandings Falsche Annahmen klären
- Respond to 'Wh-' Qs Direkt auf 'What/Who' antworten
- Add drama/impact Aussagen verstärken
Wichtige Erinnerungen
- It is/was ALWAYS singular Verb stimmt mit 'It' überein
- who for people, that for things Wahl des Relativpronomens
- Avoid overuse Wirkung beibehalten
It-Clefts: Subjekt- vs. Objektbetonung
So bildest du ein Objekt-betonendes It-Cleft
Möchtest du das DIREKTE OBJEKT deines Satzes betonen?
Ist das betonte Objekt eine PERSON?
Was ist das ursprüngliche SUBJEKT und VERB?
Beispiel: 'She wrote `the best-selling novel`.'
Wann It-Clefts deinen Punkt verdeutlichen
Klärend
- • Einen Sachfehler korrigieren
- • Direkt auf 'What?' antworten
- • Ein bestimmtes Element hervorheben
Wirkungsvoll
- • Einer Aussage Dramatik verleihen
- • Starke Gefühle ausdrücken
- • Auf wichtige Details aufmerksam machen
Überzeugend
- • Schlüsselergebnisse präsentieren
- • Fokus in einem Argument verändern
- • Einen Punkt nachhallen lassen
Beispiele nach Niveau
It is the cat.
It is the cat.
It was my ball.
It was my ball.
It is the red one.
It is the red one.
It was her.
It was her.
It was the cake that I liked.
It was the cake that I liked.
It is the bus that we need.
It is the bus that we need.
It was the movie that was loud.
It was the movie that was loud.
It is the doctor who helps me.
It is the doctor who helps me.
It was the rain that ruined our picnic.
It was the rain that ruined our picnic.
It is the truth that matters most.
It is the truth that matters most.
It wasn't the gift that I wanted.
It wasn't the gift that I wanted.
Was it the noise that woke you up?
Was it the noise that woke you up?
It was the lack of communication that led to the breakup.
It was the lack of communication that led to the breakup.
It is the innovative design that sets this phone apart.
It is the innovative design that sets this phone apart.
It was only after the meeting that I realized the mistake.
It was only after the meeting that I realized the mistake.
It isn't the salary that attracts me to this job.
It isn't the salary that attracts me to this job.
It was the sheer audacity of his claim that stunned the audience.
It was the sheer audacity of his claim that stunned the audience.
It is the systemic inequality that we must address first.
It is the systemic inequality that we must address first.
It was not so much the content as the delivery that failed.
It was not so much the content as the delivery that failed.
It is the nuances of the language that take years to master.
It is the nuances of the language that take years to master.
It was the very fabric of society that seemed to be unraveling.
It was the very fabric of society that seemed to be unraveling.
It is the juxtaposition of these two themes that creates the tension.
It is the juxtaposition of these two themes that creates the tension.
It was his unwavering commitment to the cause that eventually bore fruit.
It was his unwavering commitment to the cause that eventually bore fruit.
It is not the destination but the journey that defines us.
It is not the destination but the journey that defines us.
Leicht verwechselbar
Both are used for emphasis, but they start differently. Learners often mix up the 'It' and 'What' starts.
Learners use 'There' to emphasize a specific object because 'There' also introduces things.
Both move the object, but the passive voice changes the verb form and focus on the action's recipient.
Häufige Fehler
There is the book I want.
It is the book I want.
It the cat.
It is the cat.
It is me book.
It is my book.
Is it the dog?
It is the dog.
It was the cake I like.
It was the cake that I liked.
It was the man which saw me.
It was the man who saw me.
It is the keys that are lost.
It is the keys that are lost.
It was the rain what stopped us.
It was the rain that stopped us.
It is the money I am worried.
It is the money that I am worried about.
Was it the film you saw?
Was it the film that you saw?
It were the results that surprised us.
It was the results that surprised us.
It was to London that he went to.
It was to London that he went.
It is him that should go.
It is he who should go.
Satzmuster
It was ___ that ___.
It is not ___ but ___ that ___.
Was it ___ who ___?
It must have been ___ that ___.
Real World Usage
It was my previous role at Google that prepared me for this challenge.
It's your birthday we're celebrating, so you choose the place!
It was the defendant whom I saw entering the building.
It's the hypocrisy that I can't stand.
It is this specific variable that we will be testing today.
It was the latest update that caused the glitch on your device.
Zum Korrigieren nutzen
No, it was the blue car that I said was mine, not the red one.Vermeide Übernutzung
Like a powerful amplifier, use It-Clefts sparingly to maintain their impact. Too many can make your writing sound forced or unnatural, losing the desired emphasis.
„Who“ vs. „That“
Subtile Überzeugung
It was this market trend that our analysis predicted klingt überzeugender als nur die Vorhersage zu erwähnen. "In professional settings, strategically using It-Clefts can subtly guide your audience's focus. 'It was this market trend that our analysis predicted' sounds more confident than just stating the prediction."„It was/is“ ist IMMER Singular
Smart Tips
Use a negative it-cleft followed by an affirmative one.
Use an it-cleft to state your primary thesis or the main factor you will discuss.
Check that your verb 'be' is still singular ('was' or 'is').
Lengthen the 'was' or 'is' to add extra emphasis to the focus.
Aussprache
Focus Stress
The word immediately following 'is' or 'was' receives the strongest pitch accent in the sentence.
Reduced 'that'
The word 'that' is usually reduced to a schwa sound /ðət/.
Emphasis Peak
It was SARAH (rise) that called (fall).
Indicates that Sarah is the specific person being identified.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
IT IS the ITEM that matters.
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a theater stage where the lights are off. Suddenly, a bright spotlight (the 'It was') shines on a single actor (the 'Object') while everyone else stays in the dark.
Rhyme
To make the object shine so bright, start with 'It was' to give it light.
Story
A detective enters a room. He doesn't just say 'John stole the diamond.' He points his finger and shouts, 'It was JOHN who stole the diamond!' The 'It was' is his pointing finger.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Write down three things you did today. Now, rewrite them as it-clefts to emphasize the most interesting object in each sentence.
Kulturelle Hinweise
It-clefts are frequently used in British political debates (Prime Minister's Questions) to deflect blame or highlight specific policy successes.
In scientific papers, it-clefts are used to avoid the first person 'I' while still emphasizing the specific cause of a result.
Hiberno-English often uses cleft-like structures more frequently than other dialects for added poetic emphasis.
The it-cleft construction has roots in Old English but became much more prominent in Middle English, likely influenced by the French 'C'est... que' structure.
Gesprächseinstiege
Was it the price or the quality that made you buy your phone?
In your opinion, is it luck or hard work that leads to success?
It was a specific moment that changed your life, wasn't it? Tell me about it.
Was it the ending of the last movie you saw that you disliked the most?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
It was my new phone ___ I lost at the concert.
Find and fix the mistake:
It were the students who organized the charity event.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /3
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesI bought the red shoes.
Which is correct?
It ___ the manager ___ I spoke to yesterday.
Find and fix the mistake:
It was the rain what caused the flood.
1. I love jazz. 2. He stole the car. 3. We need more time.
Speaker A: 'I heard you moved to Paris.' Speaker B: 'No, ___.'
that / it / her / was / kindness / us / saved
In an it-cleft, you can never use 'who' for people.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesIt ___ his dedication that truly impressed the judges.
It was the beautiful view who made our vacation unforgettable.
Wähle den richtigen Satz:
Übersetze ins Englische: 'Fue tu consejo lo que realmente me ayudó.'
Ordne diese Wörter zu einem Satz an:
Ordne die betonten Objekte dem richtigen Relativpronomen zu:
It was `the final decision` ___ everyone had been waiting for.
It was him that broke the vase.
Welcher Satz ist korrekt?
Übersetze ins Englische: 'Es a ti a quien debo agradecer por la ayuda.'
Ordne diese Wörter zu einem Satz an:
Ordne die Originalsätze ihren It-Cleft-Versionen zu:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
In informal speech, 'that' is sometimes omitted if the focus is the object (e.g., 'It was the pizza I wanted'). However, in formal writing and at the C1 level, you should always include it.
While that is a grammatically correct standard sentence, it is not an 'it-cleft'. An it-cleft *must* start with the dummy subject 'It'. The 'It' represents the situation or the fact, which is why it stays singular.
In everyday English, 'me' (object pronoun) is standard. In very formal, traditional grammar, 'It was I who did it' (subject pronoun) is technically correct, but it sounds very archaic today.
The first (cleft) emphasizes that it was the *dog* and not the cat or the neighbor. The second is a neutral statement of fact.
Yes! You can say 'It will be the final exam that determines your grade.' The verb 'be' conjugates to any tense.
Yes, especially when we want to correct someone or express strong emotion. We use them to 'point' with our voice.
Surprisingly, 'which' is rarely used in it-clefts. 'That' is the standard choice for objects.
Simply make the verb 'be' negative: 'It wasn't the money that I lost.'
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Ser + [Focus] + que...
English requires the dummy subject 'It', whereas Spanish does not.
C'est... que/qui
French uses 'qui' for subjects and 'que' for objects strictly, while English often uses 'that' for both.
Es ist... der/die/das
German relative pronouns are much more complex than the English 'that'.
...no wa ... desu
The focus comes at the end of the sentence in Japanese, whereas it comes at the beginning in English.
Innama / Al-ladhi
Arabic relies on word order and specific particles rather than a 'split' sentence structure.
Shi... de (是...的)
The 'de' comes at the very end of the sentence, unlike the English 'that' which starts the second clause.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Verwandte Videos
Related Grammar Rules
Betonung: Ich mag es *wirklich*! (Emphatic Do/Does/Did)
### Overview Englisch auf C1-Niveau zu beherrschen bedeutet, über die bloße Informationsvermittlung hinauszugehen und N...
Betonung mit do/does/did
### Overview In der Welt der englischen Grammatik gibt es Momente, in denen eine einfache Aussage nicht ausreicht. Stel...
Was du brauchst, ist... (Wh-Clefts zur Betonung)
### Overview Stell dir vor, du bist in einem Meeting im Büro oder diskutierst leidenschaftlich an einem Stammtisch in B...
Voranstellen: Das Objekt zuerst platzieren
### Overview Das Konzept des sogenannten `Object Fronting` ist ein faszinierendes Werkzeug der englischen Syntax, das a...
Existentielles 'There' (Es gibt)
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