Encurte Suas Frases: Orações Relativas Reduzidas
ing ou ed.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Reduced relative clauses allow you to remove the relative pronoun and 'be' verb to create concise, professional-sounding sentences.
- Active: Remove 'who/which/that' + 'be' and use the -ing form. Example: 'The man (who is) sitting there.'
- Passive: Remove 'who/which/that' + 'be' and use the past participle. Example: 'The car (which was) stolen yesterday.'
- Prepositional: Remove 'who/which/that' + 'be' before a preposition. Example: 'The book (that is) on the table.'
Overview
reduced relative clauses (orações relativas reduzidas). Se você quer soar como alguém que domina o idioma, precisa entender que a economia linguística é a chave. Em português, a gente costuma ser um pouco mais prolixo, usando várias orações subordinadas adjetivas com que ou o qual.O relatório que foi enviado pelo time, estamos usando uma oração subordinada adjetiva completa. Em inglês, a estrutura equivalente é
The report that was sent by the team. A redução acontece quando eliminamos o pronome relativo (that, which, who) e o verbo to be, resultando em The report sent by the team.limpeza na frase. Você não perde informação, mas ganha velocidade e elegância.non-finite clauses. Em gramática, chamamos de não finitas as orações que não possuem um verbo conjugado em um tempo específico (como presente ou passado). O núcleo da nossa redução é o particípio, que atua como um adjetivo.tenho coisas a fazer), o inglês usa o particípio para reduzir orações relativas.
ellipsis (elipse), que nada mais é do que omitir termos que o ouvinte ou leitor consegue deduzir pelo contexto. A regra de ouro é: você só pode reduzir se o pronome relativo for o sujeito da oração. Se ele for o objeto, a regra muda.present participle (o famoso -ing), estamos indicando uma voz ativa. É como se disséssemos: o substantivo está fazendo a ação. Por exemplo,
The man standing there significa The man who is standing there.-ing carrega o sentido de continuidade.past participle (a terceira coluna da tabela de verbos, ou o -ed) indica uma voz passiva. É o substantivo sofrendo a ação. The letter written by him equivale a The letter which was written by him.-ing. Se estiver sofrendo, past participle.to be.The girl who is running | The girl running | A menina que está correndo |The cake which was baked | The cake baked | O bolo que foi assado |The book that is on the desk | The book on the desk | O livro que está na mesa |that is ou which is. É muito comum no dia a dia, como quando você diz: The guy in the red shirt (em vez de The guy who is in the red shirt).reduced relative clauses sempre que quiser evitar a repetição excessiva de pronomes como that, which ou who. Isso é essencial em contextos profissionais. Imagine que você está escrevendo um relatório para o seu chefe.The project that was managed by the department was a success, você escreve The project managed by the department was a success. Soa muito mais executivo, né?The driver wearing a blue hat. É rápido, eficiente e soa muito natural.information density. Quanto mais denso, mais profissional você parece.- 1Confundir a voz ativa com a passiva: O erro mais clássico do brasileiro é usar o
-ingquando deveria usar o particípio. Exemplo:The email sending today(errado) vsThe email sent today(correto). O erro acontece porque, no português, a gente às vezes usa o gerúndio de forma mais solta. Lembre-se: o e-mail não envia nada, ele é enviado.
- 1Tentar reduzir quando o pronome não é sujeito: O aluno tenta reduzir
The car that I boughtparaThe car bought. Isso é um erro grave porqueIé o sujeito da oração relativa. A regra só vale quando o pronome relativo é o sujeito (The car that was sold->The car sold).
- 1Esquecer os particípios irregulares: Muitos alunos tentam colocar
-edem tudo. Eles dizemThe book writedem vez deThe book written. Isso ocorre por causa da nossa tendência de regularizar verbos, mas em inglês, o particípio irregular é obrigatório.
contact clauses ou gerúndios simples.Reduced Relative | Modifica o substantivo | The man working here |Contact Clause | Omissão do objeto | The man I know |Gerund as Subject | Atua como substantivo | Working is hard |- 1Posso reduzir qualquer oração relativa? Não. Apenas aquelas onde o pronome relativo é o sujeito da oração. Se o pronome for o objeto, você não pode simplesmente remover o verbo.
- 1A redução é apenas para contextos formais? De jeito nenhum! É muito comum na fala cotidiana.
The guy sitting over thereé muito mais comum do que a versão completa.
- 1O que acontece se eu não reduzir? A frase não fica gramaticalmente errada, mas pode soar menos natural ou um pouco robótica, como se você estivesse lendo um manual de instruções antigo.
How to Reduce Different Verb Types
| Original Verb Type | Full Relative Clause | Reduced Relative Clause | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Continuous
|
The man who is working
|
The man working
|
Drop 'who is'
|
|
Past Continuous
|
The girl who was singing
|
The girl singing
|
Drop 'who was'
|
|
Simple Present
|
The path that leads home
|
The path leading home
|
Change verb to -ing
|
|
Simple Past
|
The person who saw it
|
The person seeing it
|
Change verb to -ing
|
|
Passive Voice
|
The book which was written
|
The book written
|
Drop 'which was'
|
|
Prepositional
|
The cat that is on the mat
|
The cat on the mat
|
Drop 'that is'
|
Meanings
A reduced relative clause is a relative clause that is not marked by an explicit relative pronoun (like who, which, or that) or a finite verb. It functions as an adjective to modify a noun, making the sentence more compact.
Active Voice Reduction
Used when the noun is performing the action. The relative pronoun and 'be' verb are removed, leaving the present participle (-ing).
“People living in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.”
“The woman leading the parade is my aunt.”
Passive Voice Reduction
Used when the noun is receiving the action. The relative pronoun and 'be' verb are removed, leaving the past participle (-ed/irregular).
“The house built in 1920 is being renovated.”
“Items purchased on sale cannot be returned.”
Prepositional Phrase Reduction
Used when the relative clause contains a prepositional phrase. Only the pronoun and 'be' verb are deleted.
“The keys on the counter are mine.”
“The man in the suit is the CEO.”
Adjective Phrase Reduction
Used when the relative clause consists of an adjective or adjective phrase. Usually occurs with adjectives that follow the noun.
“The person responsible for the mess should clean it.”
“We need a room large enough for fifty people.”
Reference Table
| Tipo de Voz | Exemplo Completo | Exemplo Reduzido | Por que reduzir? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Voz Ativa
|
The student `who is talking` is my brother.
|
The student `talking` is my brother.
|
O sujeito (estudante) está *fazendo* a ação.
|
|
Voz Passiva
|
The book `which was written` by her is great.
|
The book `written` by her is great.
|
O sujeito (livro) está *recebendo* a ação.
|
|
Voz Ativa
|
The birds `that are singing` woke me up.
|
The birds `singing` woke me up.
|
O sujeito (pássaros) está *fazendo* a ação.
|
|
Voz Passiva
|
The food `that was prepared` for the party was delicious.
|
The food `prepared` for the party was delicious.
|
O sujeito (comida) está *recebendo* a ação.
|
|
Voz Ativa
|
The person `who is waiting` for the bus is late.
|
The person `waiting` for the bus is late.
|
O sujeito (pessoa) está *fazendo* a ação.
|
|
Voz Passiva
|
The products `that are sold` here are local.
|
The products `sold` here are local.
|
O sujeito (produtos) está *recebendo* a ação.
|
Espectro de formalidade
The gentleman wearing the azure shirt is my superior. (Workplace)
The man wearing the blue shirt is my boss. (Workplace)
The guy in the blue shirt is my boss. (Workplace)
The dude in the blue is the big man. (Workplace)
Relative Clauses Reduzidas: O Essencial
Redução Ativa
- who is playing playing
- that are running running
Redução Passiva
- which was built built
- who were injured injured
O que sai?
- Pronome Relativo who, which, that
- Verbo 'Be' is, are, was, were
Completa vs. Reduzida
Posso reduzir esta cláusula?
A cláusula descreve um substantivo?
Tem um pronome relativo (who, which, that)?
Tem o verbo 'be' seguido de V-ing ou Particípio?
Formas Reduzidas em Ação
Ativa (-ing)
- • The man `talking`...
- • The students `studying`...
Passiva (-ed)
- • The car `damaged`...
- • The food `ordered`...
Contextos Comuns
- • E-mails
- • Notícias
- • Acadêmico
Exemplos por nível
The girl in the park is my friend.
La niña en el parque es mi amiga.
The man with the dog is tall.
El hombre con el perro es alto.
Look at the cat on the wall.
Mira al gato en la pared.
The coffee on the table is cold.
El café en la mesa está frío.
The people waiting for the bus are cold.
La gente que espera el autobús tiene frío.
I live in a house built in 1990.
Vivo en una casa construida en 1990.
The boy playing football is my brother.
El niño jugando fútbol es mi hermano.
Do you like the cake made by my mom?
¿Te gusta el pastel hecho por mi mamá?
The car parked outside belongs to the boss.
El coche aparcado fuera pertenece al jefe.
Anyone wanting to join the club should sign here.
Cualquiera que quiera unirse al club debe firmar aquí.
The letter sent yesterday was very important.
La carta enviada ayer era muy importante.
I saw a man running down the street.
Vi a un hombre corriendo por la calle.
The methodology used in this study is innovative.
La metodología utilizada en este estudio es innovadora.
Candidates applying for the job must speak English.
Los candidatos que soliciten el trabajo deben hablar inglés.
The issues discussed at the meeting were complex.
Los temas discutidos en la reunión eran complejos.
The bridge, damaged by the storm, is now closed.
El puente, dañado por la tormenta, está ahora cerrado.
The theory, first proposed in 1920, is still relevant.
La teoría, propuesta por primera vez en 1920, sigue siendo relevante.
The individual responsible for the breach has been identified.
El individuo responsable de la brecha ha sido identificado.
None of the participants, having been warned, chose to leave.
Ninguno de los participantes, habiendo sido advertidos, decidió irse.
The artifacts, discovered deep underground, are priceless.
Los artefactos, descubiertos a gran profundidad, no tienen precio.
The silence, broken only by the ticking clock, was eerie.
El silencio, roto solo por el tictac del reloj, era inquietante.
The legislation, as currently drafted, poses significant risks.
La legislación, tal como está redactada actualmente, plantea riesgos significativos.
The suspect, seen fleeing the scene, remains at large.
El sospechoso, visto huyendo de la escena, sigue prófugo.
The city, once thriving, is now a shadow of its former self.
La ciudad, una vez próspera, es ahora una sombra de lo que fue.
Fácil de confundir
Both use the -ing form, but a gerund is a noun, while a reduced clause is an adjective.
In regular verbs, the -ed form looks the same for both.
Learners think dropping 'that' in 'The book (that) I read' is the same as reduction.
Erros comuns
The boy who in the garden.
The boy in the garden.
The car is red parked here.
The red car parked here is mine.
The man with dog.
The man with the dog.
The girl is sitting there is my sister.
The girl sitting there is my sister.
The cake making by my mom.
The cake made by my mom.
The people who waiting.
The people waiting.
I saw a movie was interesting.
I saw an interesting movie.
The man stolen the car was caught.
The man who stole the car was caught.
The book written I read it.
The book written by him was good.
The students not study failed.
The students not studying failed.
The results, having obtained, were analyzed.
The results, having been obtained, were analyzed.
Padrões de frases
The person ___ (verb-ing) is my ___.
I found a ___ ___ (verb-ed) in the ___.
Anyone ___ (verb-ing) to ___ must ___.
The ___, ___ (verb-ed) by ___, was ___.
Real World Usage
I am a professional dedicated to achieving results.
Thousands displaced by floods.
See the girl dancing?
The evidence presented in Chapter 2...
Pasta served with a creamy sauce.
Follow the signs pointing toward the exit.
Ache o verbo 'Be'!
The girl who is dancingvira
The girl dancing.Ativo vs. Passivo
The cake eaten by the kids was huge.
Leia em voz alta!
The person waiting for you is here.
Soe como um nativo
The items bought online arrived today.
Pratique com manchetes
Man arrested for robbery.
Smart Tips
Try deleting them! 90% of the time, the sentence will sound better and more professional.
Use a prepositional phrase reduction instead of a full clause.
These are perfect for -ing reductions in technical writing.
Just keep the V3 (past participle) and lose the rest.
Pronúncia
Reduced Stress
In reduced clauses, the participle (-ing or -ed) usually receives less stress than the noun it modifies.
Linking
The final consonant of the noun often links to the vowel of the participle.
Non-restrictive pause
The car, [pause] damaged in the crash, [pause] was totaled.
The pauses (commas) indicate the information is extra, not essential for identification.
Memorize
Mnemônico
Drop the 'Whiz' (Who/Which/That + Is/Was) to make your sentence a whiz!
Associação visual
Imagine a pair of scissors cutting out the words 'who is' from a sentence strip, making the two remaining ends snap together perfectly.
Rhyme
If the noun is doing the act, use -ing to keep it compact. If the noun is being served, the -ed form is what's deserved.
Story
A busy editor named 'Red' (for Reduction) hates long sentences. Every time he sees 'who is' or 'which was', he deletes them with his red pen to make the newspaper fit on one page.
Word Web
Desafio
Look at the last three emails you sent. Find one relative clause and reduce it. Does it sound better?
Notas culturais
In Western academic culture, using reduced relative clauses is seen as a sign of high-level literacy and professional 'distance'.
Newspaper headlines in English-speaking countries almost always use reduced forms to save space and create a sense of urgency.
Legal documents use reduced clauses to be extremely precise about which 'party' or 'item' is being discussed without repeating 'which is' hundreds of times.
The term 'Whiz-deletion' was coined by generative grammarians in the 1970s to describe the deletion of 'Who/Which' + 'Is'.
Iniciadores de conversa
Do you know the person sitting next to you?
What's the most interesting book written in your language?
Have you ever seen a movie filmed in your hometown?
In your opinion, what are the main challenges facing the world today?
Temas para diário
Erros comuns
Test Yourself
The student ___ for the exam seemed nervous.
Find and fix the mistake:
The car damaging in the accident needed repairs.
Escolha a frase correta:
Score: /3
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesThe man who is standing by the window is my uncle.
The car ___ (repair) yesterday is working now.
Find and fix the mistake:
The girl who singing is very talented.
Anyone ___ (want) to leave early must ask for permission.
1. The book that is on the table. 2. The man who was arrested. 3. The path that leads home.
I saw a dog. It was barking at the mailman.
The cake eaten by the boy was chocolate.
Find the odd one out.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
12 exercisesThe old house ___ on the hill is haunted.
The decision making by the committee was controversial.
Qual frase está correta?
Traduza para o inglês: 'O documento escrito pelo professor é muito claro.'
Ordene as palavras para formar a frase:
Combine as cláusulas:
The new phone `____` with advanced features is quite expensive.
The students discussing the project needs more time.
Qual opção soa melhor gramaticalmente?
Traduza para o inglês: 'A informação obtida da pesquisa é crucial.'
Crie a frase:
Combine as frases equivalentes:
Score: /12
Perguntas frequentes (8)
No. You can only reduce a relative clause if the relative pronoun (who, which, that) is the **subject** of the clause. If it's the object, you can't use this method.
Generally, no. It only changes the style and tone, making it more concise. However, in some cases, it can make a sentence feel more 'permanent' or 'characteristic'.
No, clauses starting with `whose` cannot be reduced using the Whiz-deletion method. They must remain full clauses.
Both are possible but have different meanings. 'The concerned people' means they are worried. 'The people concerned' (reduced clause) means the people involved in the matter.
Yes! 'The man who was running' becomes 'The man running'. The -ing form doesn't mean 'present'; it means 'active'.
They are used in both! However, they are especially common in formal writing (academic, legal) to save space and sound objective.
You change the main verb to its -ing form. 'The path that leads home' becomes 'The path leading home'.
Yes. Place 'not' before the participle: 'Students not living on campus must pay a fee.'
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Participio adjetival
Spanish present participles cannot modify nouns directly.
Participe présent / passé
English reduced clauses are common in speech; French ones are mostly literary.
Partizipialattribut
Word order: German puts the reduced phrase before the noun.
連体修飾 (Rentai shuushoku)
No relative pronouns exist, and the modifier always comes first.
اسم الفاعل / اسم المفعول
Agreement in definiteness is required in Arabic.
的 (de) construction
Chinese modifiers always precede the noun and use 'de'.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
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