Gekürzte Relativsätze: Verwendung von Partizipien (postnominal)
sophisticated Vibe zu erzeugen: active -ing, passive -ed, concise.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Trim your sentences by removing 'who is' or 'which was' to create sleek, professional participle phrases.
- Drop the relative pronoun and 'be' verb: 'The man (who is) sitting' becomes 'The man sitting'.
- Use -ing for active actions: 'The girl winning the race' (The girl who is winning).
- Use -ed for passive states: 'The car parked outside' (The car which was parked).
Overview
Reduced Relative Clauses (verkürzte Relativsätze), die mit Partizipien in post-nominaler Position arbeiten.who is, which was oder that are beginnt, wirkt dein Text schnell hölzern und redundant. Das Englische hat eine natürliche Tendenz dazu, Ballast abzuwerfen.The research that was published last year) zu einer Partizipialphrase (The research published last year) verdichtest du Informationen, ohne an Klarheit zu verlieren.who, which, that) muss das Subjekt des Relativsatzes sein. Wenn das Pronomen das Objekt ist (z.The book that I read), funktioniert diese spezifische Partizipial-Reduktion nicht.to be. Was übrig bleibt, ist das Partizip, das nun direkt hinter dem Substantiv steht und dessen Funktion übernimmt.- 1Aktiv-Strukturen (Present Participle): Wenn das Substantiv die Handlung selbst ausführt, nutzen wir das
Present Participle(-ing).
The person who is standing over there wird zu The person standing over there.-ing-Form erscheinen (z. B.The path leading to the forest, obwohl man nicht sagt The path is leading...).- 1Passiv-Strukturen (Past Participle): Wenn mit dem Substantiv etwas geschieht, nutzen wir das
Past Participle(3. Verbform,-ed).
The report which was submitted yesterday wird zu The report submitted yesterday.was/were wird eliminiert. Das ist extrem effizient für technische Beschreibungen.The man *standing* there....-ing)Noun + who/which/that + is/are/was + Verb-ing | Entferne Pronomen & be-Verb | Noun + Verb-ing |Noun + who/which/that + Simple Present/Past | Entferne Pronomen, wandle Verb in -ing um | Noun + Verb-ing |The students who attend this seminar are very motivated.The students attending this seminar are very motivated.The company, which operates in over 20 countries, is expanding.The company, operating in over 20 countries, is expanding.-ed / 3. Form)Noun + who/which/that + is/are/was + Past Participle | Entferne Pronomen & be-Verb | Noun + Past Participle |The ideas that were discussed during the meeting are innovative.The ideas discussed during the meeting are innovative.Any documents which are sent after the deadline will be ignored.Any documents sent after the deadline will be ignored.being + Past Participle.The bridge which is being built will open next year.The bridge being built will open next year.- 1In akademischen Texten und Fachberichten: Hier ist Platz kostbar und Klarheit oberstes Gebot. Anstatt zu schreiben:
The participants who were involved in the study were aged 18 to 25, schreibst du:The participants involved in the study.... Das wirkt sofort professioneller und weniger „geschwätzig“.
- 1Bei der Beschreibung von Zuständen und Positionen: Wenn du beschreibst, wo sich Dinge befinden, ist die Reduktion die natürlichste Wahl.
The files stored on the server... (statt that are stored)The village situated in the valley... (statt which is situated)- 1In Nachrichten und Schlagzeilen: Journalisten nutzen verkürzte Relativsätze, um Informationen schnell zu vermitteln.
Protesters demanding change gathered in the square.Evidence found at the scene suggests a different motive.- 1Zur Vermeidung von Wortwiederholungen: Wenn du in einem Absatz bereits viele Relativpronomen verwendet hast (
who,which), hilft die Reduktion, den Text rhythmisch interessanter zu gestalten. Es bricht die Monotonie auf.
- 1Listen und Anleitungen: In Handbüchern oder Aufzählungen wirkt die Reduktion direkter.
Components requiring maintenance are marked in red.The guy who's standing by the bar is my cousin. In einer offiziellen Beschreibung eines Events würdest du schreiben: The gentleman standing by the bar....The by the manager written email was very clear. (Das ist eine direkte Übersetzung von: Die vom Manager geschriebene E-Mail...)The email written by the manager was very clear.Walking down the street, the trees were beautiful. (Grammatikalisch bedeutet das: Die Bäume gingen die Straße entlang.)Walking down the street, I thought the trees were beautiful.The people inviting to the party... (Die Leute, die andere einladen – Aktiv)The people invited to the party... (Die Gäste, die eingeladen wurden – Passiv)-ing) oder ob mit ihm gehandelt wird (-ed).The house belonging to me sagen kann, gibt es Verben, bei denen die Reduktion holprig klingt, besonders wenn sie einen dauerhaften Zustand beschreiben, der besser durch ein einfaches Adjektiv oder den vollen Satz ausgedrückt wird. The man who knows the truth zu The man knowing the truth zu verkürzen, ist grammatikalisch möglich, wirkt aber oft künstlich. Native Speaker bevorzugen hier oft den vollen Satz.The car that is parked outside. | Neutral / Erklärend | Sicherste Variante, passt immer. |The car parked outside. | Ökonomisch / Formell | Wirkt eleganter und präziser. |The parked car. | Kategorisierend | Nur bei kurzen, einfachen Beschreibungen möglich. |Parking outside is prohibited. | Die Handlung selbst | Das Partizip fungiert hier als Nomen, nicht als Adjektiv. |-ing als Partizip und als Gerundium:The man smoking outside is my boss ist smoking ein Partizip (reduzierter Relativsatz). In Smoking is bad for you ist es ein Gerundium (Subjekt). Der verkürzte Relativsatz beschreibt immer ein Nomen, das unmittelbar davor steht.the first, the last, the only) auftritt. Das ist kein Partizip, erfüllt aber einen ähnlichen Zweck.He was the first man who walked on the moon.He was the first man to walk on the moon.The man walking on the moon (betont die laufende Handlung) vs. The man to walk on the moon (betont die Einzigartigkeit/Reihenfolge).The man who is a doctor lassen sich nicht zu The man being a doctor verkürzen – man sagt einfach The man, a doctor, ... (Apposition).non-defining relative clauses (die mit Komma) bleibt das Komma auch bei der Reduktion erhalten: My brother, who is working in London, ... → My brother, working in London, .... Hier wirkt die Reduktion oft noch literarischer.The people waiting for the bus sind völlig normal im Alltag. Lange, verschachtelte Partizipialphrasen hingegen gehören eher in die Schriftsprache oder in formelle Präsentationen.-ing verwendet werden, auch wenn sie im normalen Progressive-Aspekt unüblich sind.The box containing the documents ist absolut korrekt und klingt sogar besser als The box which contains....The person having the most experience ist ebenfalls möglich, wobei hier with the most experience oft noch natürlicher wirkt.Reduction Patterns by Voice
| Original Clause Type | Relative Clause Example | Reduced Form | Participle Used |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Active (Continuous)
|
The man who is working
|
The man working
|
Present (-ing)
|
|
Active (Simple)
|
The man who works
|
The man working
|
Present (-ing)
|
|
Passive (Simple)
|
The car which was stolen
|
The car stolen
|
Past (-ed/V3)
|
|
Passive (Continuous)
|
The car which is being fixed
|
The car being fixed
|
Being + Past Participle
|
|
Perfect (Active)
|
The man who has finished
|
The man having finished
|
Perfect Participle
|
Meanings
A reduced relative clause is a way of shortening a defining relative clause by removing the relative pronoun (who, which, that) and the auxiliary verb 'be', leaving only the participle phrase to modify the noun.
Active Reduction
Using the present participle (-ing) to replace an active relative clause, regardless of the original tense.
“People living in cities often face higher costs.”
“Anyone wanting a refund should speak to the manager.”
Passive Reduction
Using the past participle (-ed/V3) to replace a passive relative clause.
“The bridge built in 1920 is still standing.”
“Items purchased on sale cannot be returned.”
Progressive Passive Reduction
Using 'being' + past participle to indicate an action currently in progress in a passive sense.
“The house being renovated belongs to my uncle.”
“The issues being discussed are quite complex.”
Reference Table
| Relativsatz-Typ | Vollständiges Beispiel | Verkürzte Form | Wann nutzen? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Active Voice
|
The man `who is running`
|
The man `running`
|
Nomen führt die Handlung aus
|
|
Passive Voice
|
The car `which was damaged`
|
The car `damaged`
|
Nomen empfängt die Handlung
|
|
Active (Kein 'be')
|
The people `who live` next door
|
The people `living` next door
|
Direkt aktive Verben
|
|
Passive (Impliziertes 'be')
|
The instructions `that are given`
|
The instructions `given`
|
Oft in formalen Kontexten
|
|
Kurze Beschreibung
|
A student `who is working`
|
A student `working`
|
Um Beschreibungen zu kürzen
|
|
Fakten-Check
|
Information `which is stored`
|
Information `stored`
|
Für sachliche, kurze Details
|
Formalitätsspektrum
The individual spearheading the initiative possesses remarkable talent. (Professional evaluation)
The person leading the project is very talented. (Professional evaluation)
The guy running the show is great. (Professional evaluation)
The one killing it on the project is a legend. (Professional evaluation)
Verkürzte Relativsätze: Partizipien
Aktiv (Active Voice)
- Verb + -ing `The student studying...`
- Nomen handelt selbst Concise active description
Passiv (Passive Voice)
- Verb + -ed / unregelmäßig `The book written...`
- Nomen empfängt Handlung Concise passive description
Ursprünglicher Satz
- Relativpronomen `who, which, that`
- 'to be' Verb `is, are, was, were`
Vollständig vs. Verkürzt
Wann kann ich kürzen?
Ist das Relativpronomen (`who`, `which`, `that`) das Subjekt?
Folgt auf das Pronomen eine Form von `to be` ODER ein aktives Verb?
Wenn `to be` da ist: Ist das Hauptverb aktiv oder passiv?
Partizip-Formen zur Kürzung
Present Participle (-ing)
- • singing (who is singing)
- • working (that is working)
- • running (who is running)
- • causing (that is causing)
Past Participle (-ed / unregelmäßig)
- • written (which was written)
- • damaged (that was damaged)
- • chosen (who was chosen)
- • spoken (which was spoken)
Beispiele nach Niveau
The girl sitting there is my friend.
The girl who is sitting there is my friend.
I like the cake made by Mom.
I like the cake which was made by Mom.
Look at the dog running!
Look at the dog that is running!
The book on the table is mine.
The book which is on the table is mine.
The man wearing the red hat is a doctor.
The man who is wearing the red hat is a doctor.
The letters sent yesterday arrived today.
The letters which were sent yesterday arrived today.
I live in a house built in 1990.
I live in a house which was built in 1990.
The students studying hard got good grades.
The students who were studying hard got good grades.
Anyone wanting to join the club should sign here.
Anyone who wants to join the club should sign here.
The products sold in this shop are expensive.
The products which are sold in this shop are expensive.
The woman talking to the teacher is my mother.
The woman who is talking to the teacher is my mother.
The car damaged in the accident was a Ford.
The car which was damaged in the accident was a Ford.
The candidates applying for the job must be bilingual.
The candidates who are applying for the job must be bilingual.
The ideas discussed during the meeting were innovative.
The ideas which were discussed during the meeting were innovative.
The law, passed last year, has caused much controversy.
The law, which was passed last year, has caused much controversy.
None of the people invited to the party showed up.
None of the people who were invited to the party showed up.
The chemicals found in this liquid are highly toxic.
The chemicals which are found in this liquid are highly toxic.
The methodology employed in this study is quite rigorous.
The methodology which was employed in this study is quite rigorous.
The protesters, fearing arrest, dispersed quickly.
The protesters, who were fearing arrest, dispersed quickly.
The house, being built on a cliff, has a great view.
The house, which is being built on a cliff, has a great view.
The paradigm shift occurring in the industry is unprecedented.
The paradigm shift which is occurring in the industry is unprecedented.
The artifacts, unearthed during the 1920s, are now on display.
The artifacts, which were unearthed during the 1920s, are now on display.
The legislation, having been amended several times, was finally passed.
The legislation, which had been amended several times, was finally passed.
The suspect, seen fleeing the scene, was later apprehended.
The suspect, who was seen fleeing the scene, was later apprehended.
Leicht verwechselbar
They look the same (Verb-ing at the start or middle).
Both end in -ing.
Häufige Fehler
The man is sitting there is my dad.
The man sitting there is my dad.
The car made in Japan it is fast.
The car made in Japan is fast.
The people who waiting for the bus are cold.
The people waiting for the bus are cold.
The problem solving by the team was difficult.
The problem solved by the team was difficult.
Satzmuster
The ___ ___ing ___ is ___.
Any ___ ___ed by ___ must ___.
Real World Usage
I have several years of experience working with international clients.
See that guy wearing the weird shirt?
The results obtained from the survey suggest a trend.
Local hero honored for bravery.
Batteries included in the box are not rechargeable.
Me trying to finish this project.
Aktiv vs. Passiv Check
The dog barking loudly woke me up.
Vorsicht vor 'Dangling Participles'
The man wearing a hat entered the room.
Business-Upgrade
Please find the documents attached to this email.
Brevity is Key
The suspect arrested last night is in custody.
Smart Tips
Delete them! It almost always makes your sentence stronger and more professional.
Use 'being + V3' to keep the continuous feel.
Don't be afraid of -ing in reductions even if you can't use it in normal tenses.
Use reduced clauses to avoid repeating 'who' or 'which'.
Aussprache
Reduced Clause Stress
In a reduced relative clause, the participle usually receives more stress than the noun it follows to emphasize the description.
Falling intonation at the end of the phrase
The books written by him (downward arrow) are on the shelf.
Indicates the end of the descriptive unit.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Drop the 'Whiz' (Who/Which/That + Is/Was) to make your writing whiz by!
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a pair of scissors cutting out the words 'who is' from a sentence, leaving the noun and the action word (-ing/-ed) to snap together like magnets.
Rhyme
If the noun does the act, -ing is the fact. If the noun is the receiver, -ed is the achiever.
Story
A busy editor named 'Red' (Reduction) hates the words 'who', 'which', and 'that'. Every time he sees them with a 'be' verb, he deletes them to save ink, leaving only the 'ing' and 'ed' workers to do the job.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Look at a news article. Find three sentences with 'who is', 'which was', or 'that are' and rewrite them as reduced relative clauses.
Kulturelle Hinweise
In Western academic culture, using reduced relative clauses is seen as a sign of high literacy and 'conciseness', which is highly valued in grading.
Headlines almost exclusively use reduced passive clauses to save space.
This construction stems from the Old English use of participles as adjectives, which was later influenced by Latin's heavy use of 'ablative absolutes' and participle phrases.
Gesprächseinstiege
Have you ever seen a movie filmed in your hometown?
What do you think about the laws being passed regarding AI?
Tagebuch-Impulse
Häufige Fehler
Test Yourself
The student ___ for the scholarship received an email.
Find and fix the mistake:
The report writing by the committee was very detailed.
Wähle den richtigen Satz:
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /4
Ubungsaufgaben
8 exercisesThe bridge ___ last year is already falling apart.
The people ___ for the train looked bored.
Find and fix the mistake:
The car fixing by the mechanic will be ready soon.
The students ___ ___ felt sad.
The man I met yesterday is here.
Identify the reduction.
Match them!
The report ___ by the committee was rejected.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe proposals ___ at the meeting will be reviewed next week.
The person interviewed me for the job was very friendly.
Wähle den korrekten Satz:
Übersetze ins Englische: 'Das in der Cloud archivierte Dokument ist sicher.'
Ordne die Wörter:
Ordne die Paare zu:
The data ___ from various sources needs careful analysis.
Driving down the street, a large dog suddenly appeared.
Wähle den besten Satz:
Übersetze: 'Die am Programm teilnehmenden Studierenden erhalten Zertifikate.'
Bringe die Wörter in Ordnung:
Klassifiziere die Nutzung:
Score: /12
FAQ (8)
No. You can only reduce it if the relative pronoun (who/which/that) is the *subject* of the relative clause. If it's the object, you can omit the pronoun, but you can't turn the verb into a participle.
The participle itself doesn't have a tense. The tense is determined by the main verb of the sentence. `The man sitting there *was* my friend` (Past) vs `The man sitting there *is* my friend` (Present).
Technically, yes, but it's a different type of reduction (omission of the object pronoun). In this lesson, we focus on participle reductions.
Use 'being' only if you want to emphasize that the action is *currently in progress*. Otherwise, just use the past participle.
They are very common in both formal and informal English, but they are especially useful in formal writing to avoid wordiness.
It's a sentence where the reduced clause looks like the main verb at first, confusing the reader. Example: `The horse raced past the barn fell.` (The horse [that was] raced past the barn fell).
Yes! `Anyone knowing the answer should speak up.` This is a great way to use stative verbs which usually don't take -ing.
Only if the information is non-restrictive (extra info). If it's essential to identify the noun, don't use commas.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Participios
Spanish cannot say 'el hombre corriendo' to mean 'the man who is running'; it must be 'el hombre que corre'.
Partizipialattribute
English: 'The man sitting there'. German: 'Der dort sitzende Mann'.
連体修飾 (Rentai shuushoku)
There is no 'reduction' because there is no 'who/which' to delete.
Proposition participe
French present participles are much more formal than English ones.
اسم الفاعل / اسم المفعول
Arabic participles must agree in gender and number with the noun.
的 (de) construction
The modifier always precedes the noun in Chinese, unlike the post-nominal English reduction.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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Participle Clauses - Partizipialsätze einfach erklärt
explain-it-simple
Participle Clauses - Partizipialsätze im Englischen
Englisch nach Maß
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