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Reduced relative and participle clauses
B2 B2 grammar · lesson 9 of 21
Participle clauses let you say more with fewer words. You can shorten relative clauses and join two actions in one smooth sentence.
Reduced relative clauses
We can often make a defining relative clause shorter by removing who/which/that and changing the verb.
| Type | Full clause | Reduced clause |
|---|---|---|
| Active → -ing | The woman who is talking to Tom is my aunt. | The woman talking to Tom is my aunt. |
| Active → -ing | Students who want to join should sign here. | Students wanting to join should sign here. |
| Passive → past participle | The car which was stolen was found. | The car stolen yesterday was found. |
| Passive → past participle | Goods that are made in Italy… | Goods made in Italy… |
Use -ing when the noun does the action (active). Use the past participle when something is done to the noun (passive). Note that -ing can replace many tenses, not only continuous ones: a road leading to the sea = a road which leads to the sea.
Who is the man standing by the door?
I found a box full of old letters written by my grandmother.
Anyone needing help should ask at the desk.
Most of the people invited to the party came.
Participle clauses for time and reason
A participle clause can also replace a clause with when, after, because or as. The subject of both clauses must be the same.
- Present participle (-ing) for actions at the same time or for reasons: Feeling tired, Mia went to bed early. (= Because she felt tired…)
- Having + past participle for an action that happened first: Having finished his work, Sam went home. (= After he had finished…)
- Past participle for a passive meaning: Built in 1850, the church is the oldest in town.
Walking along the beach, we saw a dolphin.
Not knowing the way, Omar asked a police officer.
Having lost my key, I had to wait outside.
Common mistakes
✗ Walking into the room, the lights went out.
✓ As I walked into the room, the lights went out.
✗ The book writing by Leo is excellent.
✓ The book written by Leo is excellent.
✗ The girl who sitting next to me is Lucy.
✓ The girl sitting next to me is Lucy.