Explanation
Exercises
Reduced Relative Clauses

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.

C1 takeaway

Do not ask only “Which form is grammatically possible?” Ask what the speaker is presenting as background or foreground, completed or ongoing, certain or tentative, generic or specific, neutral or emphatic. Advanced grammar is the control of those choices.

Exercises:
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2
3

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

Practice 1 · Controlled production

Complete each gap using the stated cue. Read the whole context; some items accept more than one form.

1
Reduce the relative clause: Passengers who require assistance should board first.
Passengers should board first.
2
Reduce the passive relative: Files which were uploaded after midnight are missing.
Files are missing.
3
Use WORK in a reduced modifier:
Anyone with lasers must wear eye protection.
4
Reduce “which were introduced during the trial”:
The safeguards remain in force.
5
Use COMPLETE after first:
She was the first climber the traverse unsupported.
6
Use FOLLOW after easiest:
This is the easiest marked trail in poor visibility.
7
Use DISCUSS in a passive infinitival modifier:
The next concern is water quality.
8
Reduce “which are available”:
The only boats are too small for our equipment.
9
Retain explicit future meaning:
The engineers the new station have not been appointed. Use WHO / LEAD.
10
Reduce “that are received after the cutoff”:
Claims will enter the next review round.

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

Practice 2 · Contextual choice

Choose the option that best fits the stated meaning, viewpoint or register.

1
Choose the reduced active modifier:
Researchers must register their equipment.
2
Choose the reduced passive modifier:
Donations cannot be traced individually.
3
Identify people by an ongoing activity:
The children should remain behind the barrier.
4
Identify objects by an action received:
The mosaics are now protected by glass.
5
Use an infinitival relative after the ordinal:
He was the last passenger .
6
Make the route the understood object of an infinitive:
This is the safest path .
7
Make the item the receiver of a planned action:
The first specimen is the oldest.
8
Use an adjective without a finite relative clause:
The seats face the stage.
9
Keep a future prediction explicit:
The person this race is probably still at school.
10
Distinguish active from passive identification:
The photographs the coastline are on display.

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

Practice 3 · C1 challenge

Choose the interpretation or analysis that best fits the example.

1
“Anyone wishing to object…” can correspond to which full relative?
2
“The letters sent yesterday…” identifies letters as what?
3
Does reduction always preserve an explicit tense distinction?
4
“The next person to speak…” is ordinarily about what?
5
“An easy instrument to learn” makes instrument what in relation to learn?
6
“The rooms available upstairs…” differs from “The upstairs rooms are available” in what way?
7
“The people arriving tomorrow…” must refer to arrivals happening now?
8
“The portrait to be restored…” versus “the restored portrait…” contrasts what?
9
Is “students who need support” wrong because “students needing support” is shorter?
10
“The only witness to have seen the face…” adds what through the perfect infinitive?