Breakdown of Alles in allem war die Reise ein Erfolg.
sein
to be
der Erfolg
the success
die Reise
the trip / the journey
alles in allem
all in all
Questions & Answers about Alles in allem war die Reise ein Erfolg.
Why is allem in the dative case in the phrase Alles in allem?
The preposition in is a two-way preposition. In abstract, fixed expressions like this one, it generally takes the dative case to reflect a fixed state rather than movement. Since alles acts as a neuter pronoun here, it takes the dative ending to become allem.
Why does the verb war come before the subject die Reise?
This is due to the standard German verb-second rule. The entire phrase Alles in allem occupies the first position in the sentence. Therefore, the conjugated verb war must sit in the second position, which naturally pushes the subject die Reise right after it.
Why is it ein Erfolg instead of the accusative einen Erfolg? Isn't it the object of the sentence?
No, ein Erfolg is not a direct object. The verb sein (which gives us war here) is a linking verb. It equates the subject with something else rather than acting upon it. Because of this, both the subject (die Reise) and the noun it is equated to (ein Erfolg) must take the nominative case.