Cláusulas de Relativo Reducidas: Uso de Participios (Postnominal)
conciseness, active-ing y passive-ed.
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
who, which o that.who is studying) en una frase participial más compacta (studying) no es solo una cuestión de estilo; es una señal de maestría sintáctica. Esta estructura permite empaquetar una gran cantidad de información descriptiva sin interrumpir el flujo de la oración principal, algo esencial para la redacción profesional y académica de nivel experto.to be—, creamos una estructura donde el participio (ya sea de presente o de pasado) actúa directamente sobre el sustantivo, funcionando casi como un adjetivo expandido.-ing).who, which, that) debe ser el sujeto del verbo en la cláusula subordinada. Si el pronombre es el objeto (por ejemplo, The book that I read), la reducción mediante participio no funciona de la misma manera.- 1Voz Activa (Present Participle): Si el sustantivo realiza la acción, utilizamos el participio de presente (
-ing). Es fundamental recordar que, en este contexto, el-ingno siempre indica una acción que ocurre en este preciso momento (como el gerundio en español), sino que describe una característica o una acción habitual del sujeto. Por ejemplo, en la fraseThe laws governing international trade are complex, el participiogoverningsustituye awhich govern. Aquí, el inglés es mucho más ágil que el español, donde obligatoriamente diríamos «las leyes que rigen...».
- 1Voz Pasiva (Past Participle): Si el sustantivo recibe la acción, utilizamos el participio de pasado (
-edo formas irregulares). Esta es quizás la forma que más natural nos resulta a los hispanohablantes, ya que se asemeja a nuestro uso de adjetivos derivados de verbos.The strategy adopted by the boardes la reducción deThe strategy which was adopted by the board. Al eliminarwhich was, la frase gana peso y autoridad.
The man who is working; puede ser The man who works, y aun así podemos reducirla a The man working. Esta versatilidad permite que el inglés técnico sea extremadamente denso y preciso, evitando la repetición constante de which y that que a menudo delata a un escritor no nativo.-ing cuando el sustantivo antecedente es el agente de la acción.The professor who is leading the seminar... | Elimina who + is | The professor leading the seminar... |Companies that employ over 500 people... | Elimina that + convierte employ a -ing | Companies employing over 500 people... |Anyone who wants to participate... | Elimina who + convierte wants a -ing | Anyone wanting to participate... |The factors contributing to climate change are multifaceted. (En lugar de The factors that contribute...).The evidence which was presented in court... | Elimina which + was | The evidence presented in court... |The children who were affected by the virus... | Elimina who + were | The children affected by the virus... |Policies that are implemented too quickly... | Elimina that + are | Policies implemented too quickly... |The conclusions reached in the study contradict previous findings. (En lugar de The conclusions that were reached...).belong, contain, know) pueden reducirse a una forma -ing en cláusulas de relativo reducidas.The crates containing the equipment...(en lugar dewhich contain).The students knowing the answer...(aunque es menos común, es gramaticalmente posible en contextos muy literarios o específicos).
- 1Escritura Académica y Científica:
The sample that was collected and that was then analyzed, dirás The sample collected and then analyzed.- 1Periodismo de Opinión y Reportajes (Journalism):
Protesters demanding change gathered in the square es mucho más dinámico que Protesters who were demanding change.... El participio de presente otorga una sensación de inmediatez y acción.- 1Comunicación Corporativa y Propuestas de Negocios:
The candidates who are applying for the position must... y The candidates applying for the position must....- 1Descripciones de Procesos Complejos:
The algorithm processing the data sends a signal to the module located in the cloud. Aquí tienes dos reducciones (processing y located) que hacen que la frase fluya sin tropiezos.- 1Contextos Literarios y Descriptivos:
The moon, rising over the horizon, cast a silver glow. Aunque aquí funciona como una cláusula no restrictiva (va entre comas), la reducción al participio elimina la necesidad del pronombre y el verbo auxiliar, permitiendo que la imagen llegue al lector de forma más directa.who, which y that en cada oportunidad posible. En español, «El hombre que corre» es la única forma natural; en inglés, si siempre dices The man who is running y nunca The man running, tu inglés sonará correcto pero «pesado» y poco natural para un entorno de alta dirección o academia.be no añaden énfasis, ¡quítalos!He joined the company in 2010, becoming the CEO in 2015. (Si se entiende como una cláusula de relativo reducida, falla porque el participio sugiere una característica o acción simultánea).He joined the company in 2010 and became the CEO in 2015.-ing vs -ed trap):The people involving in the project... (Sugiere que la gente está «involucrando» a algo más).The people involved in the project... (La gente que *está involucrada*).-ing. Si recibe, -ed.-ing pueden sonar forzados si la relación no es claramente descriptiva.The man owning the car... (Es gramaticalmente posible, pero en muchos contextos The man who owns the car suena mejor porque la posesión no es una «acción» que se esté desarrollando).Noun + who/which/that + verb | Noun + Participle (-ing/-ed) | Noun + Adjective |The student who is intelligent... | The student studying... | The intelligent student... |- 1Restrictivas (Sin comas): Definen de quién estamos hablando.
The cars produced in Germany are expensive.(Solo los producidos en Alemania).
- 1No Restrictivas (Con comas): Añaden información extra sobre alguien ya identificado.
My brother, living in New York, is a doctor.(Por cierto, vive en NY). Esta es una reducción deMy brother, who lives in New York....
Running is fun (Gerundio como sustantivo/sujeto) con The man running is my friend (Participio reduciendo una cláusula de relativo). En el segundo caso, running funciona como un adjetivo que modifica a man.who, which, that) es el sujeto del verbo. Por ejemplo, en The cake that I made, el sujeto es I, no that.The cake making I. Tendrías que usar una estructura de participio pasado si quieres reducir: The cake made by me.The invited man pone el énfasis en la cualidad de «invitado» como un adjetivo permanente o clasificatorio. The man invited (to the party) funciona como una cláusula reducida que a menudo requiere más información (un complemento) para sonar natural.The man invited...) cuando el participio va acompañado de otras palabras que detallan la acción.The guy standing by the bar. Es perfectamente natural. Sin embargo, en una entrevista de trabajo o una presentación, usar estas estructuras te hará sonar más elocuente y preciso. No es «demasiado formal», es «avanzado».The people protesting today ARE angry.(Presente).The people protesting yesterday WERE angry.(Pasado).
-ing simplemente indica una acción activa en relación con el momento del que se habla.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
| Tipo de Cláusula Original | Ejemplo Completo | Forma Reducida | Cuándo usar |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Voz Activa
|
The man `who is running`
|
The man `running`
|
El sustantivo *hace* la acción
|
|
Voz Pasiva
|
The car `which was damaged`
|
The car `damaged`
|
El sustantivo *recibe* la acción
|
|
Activa (sin 'be')
|
The people `who live` next door
|
The people `living` next door
|
Verbos de acción directa
|
|
Pasiva (implícita)
|
The instructions `that are given`
|
The instructions `given`
|
Común en contextos formales
|
|
Descripción concisa
|
A student `who is working`
|
A student `working`
|
Para acortar descripciones
|
|
Declaraciones informativas
|
Information `which is stored`
|
Information `stored`
|
Para detalles fácticos breves
|
Espectro de formalidad
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)
Cláusulas de Relativo Reducidas: Participios
Voz Activa
- Verbo + -ing `The student studying...`
- Sustantivo hace la acción Descripción activa concisa
Voz Pasiva
- Verbo + -ed / irregular `The book written...`
- Sustantivo recibe la acción Descripción pasiva concisa
Cláusula Original
- Pronombre Relativo `who, which, that`
- Verbo 'to be' `is, are, was, were`
Cláusula Completa vs. Reducida
Cuándo Reducir una Cláusula
¿Tiene la cláusula un pronombre relativo como sujeto?
¿Le sigue una forma de 'to be' o un verbo activo?
Si hay 'to be', ¿el verbo principal es activo o pasivo?
Formas de Participio para Reducción
Participio Presente (-ing)
- • singing (who is singing)
- • working (that is working)
- • running (who is running)
Participio Pasado (-ed / irregular)
- • written (which was written)
- • damaged (that was damaged)
- • chosen (who was chosen)
Ejemplos por nivel
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.
Fácil de confundir
They look the same (Verb-ing at the start or middle).
Both end in -ing.
Errores comunes
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.
Patrones de oraciones
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.
Activa vs. Pasiva
The dog barking... vs The letter sent....Cuidado con el 'Dangling Participle'
Running for the bus, I dropped my phone.
Úsalo para sonar Pro
The research conducted by her team was groundbreaking.
La brevedad es clave
Information stored in the cloud is safe.
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'.
Pronunciación
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.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
Drop the 'Whiz' (Who/Which/That + Is/Was) to make your writing whiz by!
Asociación visual
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
Desafío
Look at a news article. Find three sentences with 'who is', 'which was', or 'that are' and rewrite them as reduced relative clauses.
Notas culturales
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.
Inicios de conversación
Have you ever seen a movie filmed in your hometown?
What do you think about the laws being passed regarding AI?
Temas para diario
Errores comunes
Test Yourself
The student ___ for the scholarship received an email.
Find and fix the mistake:
The report writing by the committee was very detailed.
Elige la frase correcta:
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /4
Ejercicios de practica
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.
Elige la frase correcta:
Traduce al inglés: 'El documento archivado en la nube es seguro.'
Ordena las palabras:
Empareja las cláusulas:
The data ___ from various sources needs careful analysis.
Driving down the street, a large dog suddenly appeared.
Elige la mejor frase:
Traduce al inglés: 'Los estudiantes participando en el programa recibirán certificados.'
Ordena las palabras:
Clasifica el uso del participio:
Score: /12
Preguntas frecuentes (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
Videos relacionados
"Stay Out Of My Territory" | Over | Breaking Bad
Billie Eilish - THE GREATEST (Isolated Vocals)
IMMORTALS CLIP COMPILATION (2011) Fantasy
Cláusulas de Relativo Reducidas - Participios
Francisco Ochoa Inglés Fácil
Reduced Relative Clauses in English
BBC Learning English
Related Grammar Rules
Oraciones de relativo: Diferencia entre especificativas y explicativas
Overview Imagina que estás navegando por tu feed de Instagram. Ves una publicación de un amigo que tiene dos gatos. Uno...
Adverbio Relativo: Where para Lugares
Overview ¿Alguna vez has intentado contarle a un amigo sobre esa pizzería increíble pero te quedaste trabado a mitad de...
Cláusulas de Relativo Formales (en el cual, a quien)
### Overview Las 'Formal Relative Clauses' (oraciones de relativo formales) que utilizan la estructura `preposition + w...
Acorta tus frases: Cláusulas de relativo reducidas
### Overview Las `reduced relative clauses` (oraciones de relativo reducidas) son una herramienta fundamental para elev...
Whose: Mostrando Posesión
### Overview El uso de `whose` es un pilar fundamental para alcanzar un nivel de inglés avanzado. Como hablantes nativo...