Lesson focus

Active and passive reductions, infinitival relatives and compact post-modification in formal and written English

Advanced aim: Reduce relative clauses without losing essential tense, modality or reference information.

Active -ing reduction

Reduce an active relative clause with who/which + be + -ing to an -ing participle phrase.

• Example: Students wishing to apply should submit a portfolio.
• In another context: Separate scenario: Students wishing to apply should submit a portfolio.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Passive -ed reduction

Reduce a passive relative clause to a past participle phrase when the noun receives the action.

• Example: The documents submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
• In another context: The documents submitted after the publication deadline will not be considered.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Ongoing active meaning

An -ing reduced relative can describe an action or state associated with the noun.

• Example: Anyone working with confidential data must complete the training.
• In another context: Anyone working with confidential information must complete the training.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Passive specification

A past participle phrase can compactly identify a noun by an action done to it.

• Example: The measures introduced last year have reduced waiting times.
• In another context: The measures introduced during the first trial have reduced waiting times.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

First/last + to-infinitive

After ordinals and words such as first, last and only, use a to-infinitive relative.

• Example: She was the first candidate to complete the assessment.
• In another context: Separate scenario: She was the first candidate to complete the assessment.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Superlative + to-infinitive

A to-infinitive can follow a superlative noun phrase to identify the person or thing that performs an action.

• Example: This is the easiest route to follow in bad weather.
• In another context: Follow-up case: This is the easiest route to follow in bad weather.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Passive infinitival relative

Use to be + past participle when the noun is the object of the infinitive action.

• Example: The next issue to be discussed is data retention.
• In another context: The next issue to be discussed is information retention.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Reduced with available

Some adjective phrases can function as reduced relatives after nouns.

• Example: The only rooms available overlook the courtyard.
• In another context: Regional example: The only rooms available overlook the courtyard.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Avoid reduction with different time

Reduction can remove overt tense or modal marking. Keep a full relative clause when future, modal or temporal information is important and would become ambiguous after reduction.

• Example: The employees who will lead the pilot have already been selected.
• In another context: The researchers who will lead the pilot have already been selected.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.

Compact formal style

Reduced relatives are common in formal writing because they allow dense but controlled noun phrases.

• Example: Applications received after 5 p.m. will be processed the following day.
• In another context: Follow-up case: Applications received after 5 p.m. will be processed the following day.

C1 focus: Choose this form for the intended meaning and discourse effect; nearby alternatives may be grammatical but can change viewpoint, scope, time reference or register.