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
the man who is standing there）精简为一个短语（the man standing there），而意思保持完全不变。这种处理方式能让你的表达瞬间从“教科书水平”提升到“地道流利水平”。-ing 或过去分词 -ed），从而省去关系代词（who, which, that）和助动词（主要是 be 动词）。- 完整版：
The girl who is leading the team is my colleague. - 缩减版：
The girl leading the team is my colleague.
who 是从句的主语，我们去掉了 who 和 is，只保留了核心动作 leading。这种处理方式让句子重心更突出。- 中文： [被邀请参加年会] 的 [员工] 都很兴奋。
- 英语（完整）：
The employees [who were invited to the annual meeting] were excited. - 英语（缩减）：
The employees [invited to the annual meeting] were excited.
- 如果名词是动作的执行者（主动），使用现在分词（-ing）。
- 如果名词是动作的承受者（被动），使用过去分词（-ed）。
-ing)-ing 形式。- 公式：
Noun + [who/which/that + be] + Verb-ing→Noun + Verb-ing - 例子：
The students who are preparing for the Gaokao are very stressed.- →
The students preparing for the Gaokao are very stressed. - (正在准备高考的学生压力很大。)
The man who lives next door | The man living next door | 主动：人住在隔壁 |The bus that goes to the airport | The bus going to the airport | 主动：车开往机场 |-ed/不规则形式)be 动词，直接保留过去分词。这是在商务邮件和学术论文中最常见的缩减方式。- 公式：
Noun + [who/which/that + be] + Past Participle→Noun + Past Participle - 例子：
The report which was submitted yesterday is being reviewed.- →
The report submitted yesterday is being reviewed. - (昨天提交的报告正在审核中。)
The skills that are required for this job | The skills required for this job | 被动：技能被要求 |The coffee which was ordered via Meituan | The coffee ordered via Meituan | 被动：咖啡被订购 |be 动词 + 形容词/介词短语，可以直接去掉关系代词和 be 动词。- 例子（介词短语）：
The book that is on the table is mine.- →
The book on the table is mine. - 例子（形容词短语）：
He is a person who is capable of handling pressure.- →
He is a person capable of handling pressure.
- 不推荐：
The data which was collected from the survey which was conducted last month suggests...(太啰嗦，用了两个which) - 推荐：
The data collected from the survey conducted last month suggests...(非常干练、专业)
- 例子：
The manager who is leading the project that was launched in Shanghai is coming. - 优化：
The manager leading the project launched in Shanghai is coming.
Attached is the file mentioned in our meeting.(比...which was mentioned更地道)Anyone interested in the team building should sign up here.(比Anyone who is interested更自然)
Look at that guy sleeping on the subway!(看那个在地铁上睡觉的家伙！)I love the milk tea made by this shop.(我喜欢这家店做的奶茶。)
- 典型错误：
The email sending to all staff yesterday was important. - 解析： 邮件是被发送（passive），不是自己发自己。必须用过去分词。
- 正确：
The email sent to all staff yesterday was important.
- 典型错误：
The movie seeing yesterday was great.(想表达：我昨天看的那部电影) - 解析： 原句是
The movie (which) I saw yesterday...。这里I是主语，which是宾语。缩减后不能变成seeing，因为电影不会“看”。 - 正确：
The movie I saw yesterday was great.(直接省略关系代词即可，不要动动词)
-ed，却忘了不规则动词。这在雅思或托福写作中是很严重的失分点。- 典型错误：
The letter writed by him.../The car buyed last year... - 正确：
The letter written by him.../The car bought last year... - 建议： 熟记常用不规则动词表：
given,taken,known,built,held,spoken等。
I saw a man walking the dog made of stone.(这里的made of stone修饰的是dog还是man？逻辑上应该是man，但位置不对会让人误解为石头做的狗。)
The people who are waiting for the bus are cold. | 那些[正在等公交车的]人很冷。 | 强调动作、正式说明 |The people waiting for the bus are cold. | [等车的]人很冷。 | 地道口语、流畅写作 |The bridge which was built in 1990 is safe. | 那座[建于1990年的]桥是安全的。 | 强调事实、书面语 |The bridge built in 1990 is safe. | [1990年建的]桥很安全。 | 商务、技术、新闻报道 |who is/which is 都要缩减。如果你想特别强调某个动作的状态，或者为了句子的平衡感，保留完整从句也是完全正确的。但在 B2 级别，学会“缩减”是你迈向高阶英语的关键一步。be 动词（或者是可以转化为进行时态的动词）时，才能进行这种缩减。如果从句谓语是完成时（has done）或含有情态动词（must, can），缩减起来会比较复杂，通常不建议初学者尝试。The man standing there is my boss.(现在时)The man standing there was my boss.(过去时)
standing 的形式都不变。-ing，什么时候用 -ed？我老是分不清。-ing；如果是受气包，用 -ed。比如 The boy (kick) the ball，男孩是老板，所以是 The boy kicking the ball；The ball (kick) by the boy，球是受气包，所以是 The ball kicked by the boy。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
| 原从句类型 | 完整从句示例 | 缩减后示例 | 为什么这样缩减？ |
|---|---|---|---|
|
主动语态
|
The student `who is talking` is my brother.
|
The student `talking` is my brother.
|
主语 (student) 是动作的*发出者*。
|
|
被动语态
|
The book `which was written` by her is great.
|
The book `written` by her is great.
|
主语 (book) 是动作的*承受者*。
|
|
主动语态
|
The birds `that are singing` woke me up.
|
The birds `singing` woke me up.
|
主语 (birds) 是动作的*发出者*。
|
|
被动语态
|
The food `that was prepared` for the party was delicious.
|
The food `prepared` for the party was delicious.
|
主语 (food) 是动作的*承受者*。
|
|
主动语态
|
The person `who is waiting` for the bus is late.
|
The person `waiting` for the bus is late.
|
主语 (person) 是动作的*发出者*。
|
|
被动语态
|
The products `that are sold` here are local.
|
The products `sold` here are local.
|
主语 (products) 是动作的*承受者*。
|
正式程度
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)
缩减定语从句：核心要点
主动缩减
- who is playing playing
- that are running running
- which was shining shining
被动缩减
- which was built built
- who were injured injured
- that is known known
被移除的关键元素
- Relative Pronoun 关系代词
- 'Be' Verb 'Be' 动词
优势
- Conciseness 句子更简短
- Fluency 英语更地道
- Clarity 更易读
完整 vs. 缩减定语从句
我能缩减这个定语从句吗？
从句修饰名词吗？
它包含关系代词 (who, which, that) 吗？
它有 'be' 动词 (is, are, was, were) 且后面跟着 V-ing 或过去分词吗？
缩减从句的实际应用
主动 (-ing)
- • The man `talking`...
- • The book `lying`...
- • The students `studying`...
被动 (-ed)
- • The car `damaged`...
- • The food `ordered`...
- • The documents `signed`...
常见语境
- • 电子邮件
- • 新闻标题
- • 描述
- • 学术写作
按水平分级的例句
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.
容易混淆
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.
常见错误
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.
句型
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.
找找隐藏的“Be”动词！
The girl smiling at you is my sister.
主动还是被动？别搞混啦！
The dog chasing the cat is mine.
大声读出来！
The man injured in the crash was taken to the hospital.
听起来更像母语者
The food served here is amazing.
拿新闻标题练练手
Man arrested for theft escapes.
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.
发音
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.
记住它
记忆技巧
Drop the 'Whiz' (Who/Which/That + Is/Was) to make your sentence a whiz!
视觉联想
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
挑战
Look at the last three emails you sent. Find one relative clause and reduce it. Does it sound better?
文化笔记
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'.
对话开场白
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?
日记主题
常见错误
Test Yourself
The student ___ for the exam seemed nervous.
Find and fix the mistake:
The car damaging in the accident needed repairs.
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /3
练习题
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.
Which sentence is correct?
Translate into English: 'El documento escrito por el profesor es muy claro.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the clauses:
The new phone `____` with advanced features is quite expensive.
The students discussing the project needs more time.
Which option is grammatically sound?
Translate into English: 'La información obtenida de la encuesta es crucial.'
Create a sentence:
Match the sentences:
Score: /12
常见问题 (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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