REDUCED CLAUSES

Institut Teknologi Del

Jl. Sisingamangaraja, Sitoluama-Laguboti
Toba Samosir, 22381 Sumatera Utara
 English 2 - Week 07 - Reduced Clauses 2

Reduced relative clauses

1) A participle can often be used instead of a relative pronoun
and full verb.
e.g.
a) Who’s the girl dancing with your brother?
= Who’s the girl who is dancing with your brother?
b) Anyone touching that wire will get a shock.
= Anyone who touches that wire will get a shock.
c) Half of the people invited to the party didn’t turn up.
= Half of the people who were invited to the party didn’t turn up.
d) I found him sitting at a table covered with papers.
= I found him sitting at a table which was covered with papers.
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Reduced relative clauses

2) Reduced structures are also used with the adjectives
available and possible.
e.g.
a) Please send me all the tickets available.
= Please send me all the tickets that are available.
b) Tuesday is the only date possible.
= Tuesday is the only date which is possible.
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Reduced clauses in active voice

1. The active voice refers to the ‘verb’ in the sentence.
2. The ‘verb’ in the reduced clause in active voice is
always in the ‘V-ing’ form (present participle).
e.g.
Forms Complete clause Reduced clause
Be + Adj./non The artist who is popular is on The popular artist is on the
complement the TV tonight. TV tonight.
That + prep. The milk is for the children who The milk is for the children
Phrase is next to you. next to you.
Continuous The man who is writing the The man writing the novel
verb phrase novel drinks a cup of coffee. drinks a cup of coffee.
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Reduced clauses in passive voice

1. The passive voice refers to the ‘verb’ in the sentence.
2. The ‘verb’ in the reduced clause in passive voice is
always in the ‘V-ed’ form (past participle).
e.g.
Forms Complete clause Reduced clause
Passive verb The tower which was built in The tower built in 1990
phrase 1990 collapsed last night. collapsed last night.

Continuous The woman who was captured The woman captured by

verb phrase by the police was my neighbor. the police was my neighbor.
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Reduced clauses in passive voice

Passive simple forms are replaced with the past participle
(V3) only
Ex: The student who (that ) is chosen as the winner will
get a prize. (who/that is chosen - present simple)
The student chosen as the winner will get a prize.

Passive continuous forms are replaced with the being form

(being + V3)
Ex: The saplings which are being planted today will one
day grow into huge trees.
(which are being planted - present continuous)
The saplings being planted today will one day grow
into huge trees.
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Reduced adjective clauses

1. An adjective clause (also called ‘a relative clause) is a
group of words that modify or describe a noun.
2. An adjective clause contains a subject and a verb,
begins with a relative pronoun (who, whom, whose,
that, which) and is a dependent clause because it
cannot stand alone.
e.g.

She is the woman who writes the novel.

Ind. Clause Adj. Clause
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Reduced adjective clauses

She is the woman who writes the novel.
Ind. Clause Adj. Clause
Reduced adjective clause:
She is the woman writing the novel.

Other example:
Complete
The man who is behind the line is
my little brother.
The people who worked in the
company got a raise last month.
The book that was published last
year was very expensive.
Reduced
The main behind the line is my little
brother.
The people working in the company
got a raise last month.
The book published last year was
very expensive.
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Reduced adverb clauses

An adverb clause can be reduced to an adverb phrase but
make sure that the adverb clause (subordinate clause) and
the main clause have the same subject.
1. Reduced adverb clause of time
Before he bought the car, he did a lot of research.
Before buying the car, he did a lot of research.
a) Same time
While I was eating dinner, I watched television.
While eating dinner, I watched television.
b) Different time
After I had finished my homework, I went to bed.
After finishing my homework, I went to bed.
Having finished my homework, I went to bed.
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Reduced adverb clauses

2. Reduced adverb clause of causality
Because she was late, she asked for an apology.
Being late, she asked for an apology.

As I have eaten a lot fruits, I feel so happy.

Having eaten a lot fruits, I feel so happy.

3. Reduced adverb clause of opposition

Though he had a lot of money, he didn’t have many friends.
Though having a lot of money, he didn’t have many friends.
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Reduced adverb clauses

Be careful when reducing time clauses that come at the end of
sentences:
a) We saw many beautiful birds while we were fishing in the
lake.
b) We saw many beautiful birds while fishing in the lake.
c) We saw many beautiful birds fishing in the lake.

In the last sentence, the meaning is ambiguous: Are we

fishing or are the birds fishing?