Reduced Adjective Clauses — Rules
A reduced adjective clause begins with either a present participle or a past participle. It's simple to know which one to use: if the reduced clause is made from an active verb, start the adjective clause with the present participle, but if it's made from a passive verb, begin the adjective clause with a past participle. For example, the ordinary adjective clause in the first example:
Example 1
| Example |
Adjective Clause |
Verb in the adjective clause |
| I saw a man who was carrying an umbrella. |
who was carrying an umbrella |
“was carrying” is active |
reduces to:
| Example |
Reduced Adjective Clause |
Participle that starts the reduced clause |
| I saw a man carrying an umbrella. |
carrying an umbrella |
carrying |
We use “carrying” in the reduced clause because it comes from the active verb in the original clause.
Example 2
| Example |
Adjective Clause |
Verb in the adjective clause |
| The people who worked there got a raise last year. |
who worked there |
“worked” is active |
This reduces to:
| Example |
Reduced Adjective Clause |
Participle that starts the reduced clause |
| The people working there got a raise last year. |
working there |
working |
Example 3
| Example |
Adjective Clause |
Verb in the adjective clause |
| The books which were published that year are expensive. |
which were published that year |
“were published” is passive |
reduces to:
| Example |
Reduced Adjective Clause |
Participle that starts the reduced clause |
| The books published that year are expensive. |
published that year |
published |
