Clause Reduction 2
Reducing a modifying clause — active voice
Reducing an active voice clause
| FULL MODIFYING CLAUSE |
|---|
A modifying clause with an active voice verb form can be shortened. (An active voice verb is one in which the subject of the sentence is the "doer" or "agent" of the action.) |
| PRESENT TENSE |
The legislature which meets next week will discuss a new bill. (identifying clause) |
Congress, which consists of two houses, is on a break. (nonidentifying clause) |
| PAST TENSE |
The stock market which occured in October worried international businessmen. (identifying clause) |
The NASDAQ Stock Market, which crashed to its lowest point of the year, worried Congress. (nonidentifying clause) |
| REDUCED MODIFYING CLAUSE |
|---|
The relative pronoun of the clause is deleted and the verb form is changed to a present participle form (-ing). Reducing a clause with nonidentifying information is more common with subject nouns than object nouns. |
| PRESENT PARTICIPIAL CLAUSE |
The legislature meeting next week will discuss a new bill. |
? Congress, consisting of two houses, is on a break. |
| PRESENT PARTICIPIAL CLAUSE |
The stock market crash occuring last October worried Congress. |
? The NASDAQ Stock Market, crashing to its lowest point of the year, worried Congress. |
?Questionable usage; usage may vary in this reduced form.
Use commas before and after the clause if the it is a nonidentifying clause (nonrestrictive).
See Clause Reduc 1 for reducing clauses with passive verbs.
Clause Reduction
Present Tense
Reducing a present tense clause
| FULL MODIFYING CLAUSE | ||
|---|---|---|
A modifying clause with present or present progressive (active voice) verb form can be reduced or shortened. |
||
| SUBJECT | MOD CLAUSE | VERB + COMP |
The senator |
who is supporting clean energy |
explained his plan. |
The members |
which are working late |
will pass a new law. |
Gas |
that costs over $4 dollars a gallon |
is upsetting citizens. |
| REDUCED MODIFYING CLAUSE | |
|---|---|
Remove the relative pronoun (that, who, which) and change the verb form to a present participle form (-ing). Then (nonfinite) clause becomes part of the subject, now a subject clause. |
|
| SUBJECT NOUN PHRASE | VERB + COMP |
The senator supporting clean energy |
explained his position. |
The members working late |
will pass a new law. |
Gas costing over $4 dollars a gallon |
is upsetting citizens. |
comp – complement: a word, phrase or clause which is necessary in a sentence to complete its meaning
This is also known as "That + be" deletion.
[that is] supporting
Clause Reduction
Past Tense
Reducing a Past Tense Clause
| FULL MODIFYING CLAUSE | ||
|---|---|---|
A modifying clause with past or past progressive (active voice) verb form can be reduced or shortened. |
||
| SUBJECT | MOD CLAUSE | VERB + COMP |
The senator |
who was walking forward |
dropped his glasses. |
The glasses |
that lay on the floor |
belonged to the senator. |
The speaker |
who was arguing his position |
asked for ten more minutes. |
| REDUCED MODIFYING CLAUSE | |
|---|---|
Remove the relative pronoun (that, who, which) and change the verb form to a present participle form (-ing). Then present participial clause becomes part of the subject, now a subject clause. |
|
| SUBJECT NOUN PHRASE | VERB + COMP |
The senator walking forward |
dropped his glasses. |
The glasses lying on the floor |
belonged to the senator. |
The speaker arguing his position |
asked for ten more minutes. |
argue a position – speak in favor of a particular idea
Common Mistakes
Errors and Solutions
| ERROR | SOLUTION |
|---|---|
*The Senate, discussing bills, reviews and passes them. The tense is awkward. A shortened clause often gives the meaning that something is ongoing. . |
The Senate discusses, reviews and passes bills. The Senate, discussing bills,
reviews the pros and cons of them. |
*The speaker dropping his glasses took four vacations with his private jet last year. The clause seems unrelated to the rest of the sentence. |
The speaker who just dropped his glasses took four vacations with his private jet last year. The speaker talking about over-spending took four vacations with his private jet last year.
|
*A translator speaking several languages is very valuable. The time frame is awkward in the shortened sentence. Is the translators activity ongoing? |
A translator that can speak several languages is very valuable. See participial adjectives Ongoing. |
*A man reaching his goals will be very happy in life. The time frame is awkward. Will the happiness occur at the same time or later?
|
A man who can reach his goals will be very happy in life. A man who reaches his goals will be very happy in life. |
*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.
Related topic: What is the difference? Gerund-Participles
Grammar Notes
Diagrams
| FULL MODIFYING CLAUSE | REDUCED MODIFYING CLAUSE |
|---|---|
The full modifying clause still has a subject (which) and a verb (consists) marked for tense and person agreement. This is also called a finite clause. |
The reduced modifying clause no longer has a subject and the verb is no longer marked for tense or person agreement. This reduced clause is also called a nonfinite clause. Other examples |
Click the diagram to enlarge it. |
|
Clause; Subject / Predicate; Finite / Nonfinite; NP –noun phrase; N – noun; VP – verb phrase; V – verb; Det. – determiner
Resources
Practice
Health
Reduce the modifying clause to a participial clause.
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check 1-10" button at the bottom, or click the "check" button as you go.
Practice 2
Modern Politicians
Read (with full clauses)
Politicians who are running for office are having to make changes in order to appeal to today's youth. Old-style politicians who boast twenty-five years or more of experience are having difficulty getting younger voters to join their campaigns. A politician who knows how the system works is less valued than a politician who imagines how the system can work in the future. Political loyalties that were once solid and unlikely to change now shift quickly, particularly with so many independent voters. The political power of unions that supported candidates in the past are now weakening and under serious attack.
In the past, politicians who were successful only had to concern themselves with effectively using the television and the news media. Nowadays, politicians who may know nothing about tweeting and posting on social media sites have to appear as if they do. Modern politicians who run for office require a lot of money for expenses. At the same time, modern politicians cannot appear wealthy; they must appear to be like the average person who is struggling with work, family and healthcare. A successful, modern politician is charismatic, captures the imagination of the country's youth and motivates them to work for the good of all.
appeal to (v.) – be attractive; gain favor with
boast (v.) – to talk too proudly about one's accomplishments
charismatic (adj.) – having a natural ability to attract and interest other people and get their admiration
loyalty (n.) – the quality of remaining faithful to friends
once (adv.) –at some time in the past but not now
potentially (adv.) – having future possibility to change
struggle (v.) – to try extremely hard to achieve something, even though it is very difficult
weaken (v.) – become less powerful
Correct or Incorrect?
- Read each sentence and decide if it is correct. Select your response.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check 11-20" button at the bottom, or click the "check" button as you go.