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Interactive Grammar: Reduced Relative Clauses

Reduce relative clauses using present and past participles for concise writing.

Grammar Explanation · Authentic Examples · Practice Exercises

Lesson progressNot started
Duration
~42 min
Exercises
28
Level
Upper Intermediate

Overview

Reduce relative clauses using present and past participles for concise writing.

Active Reduction (-ing)

  • FullThe man who is standing by the door…
  • ReducedThe man standing by the door…
  • RuleDrop who/which + be, keep the -ing form
  • AlsoThe woman talking to him = who is talking

Passive Reduction (-ed)

  • FullThe letter which was written by her…
  • ReducedThe letter written by her…
  • RuleDrop which/that + was/were, keep past participle
  • AlsoThe problems caused by the delay = that were caused

Common Mistakes

  • ❌ The stolen by them car → ✅ The car stolen by them (participle after noun)
  • ❌ The man stand there → ✅ The man standing there
  • ❌ Non-defining clauses often CANNOT be reduced safely

When to use

Formal/Academic Writing

The data collected last month shows a clear trend.

Concise Description

The woman sitting opposite me was reading.

Professional Register

All items damaged in transit will be replaced.

Literary Style

The man standing in the shadows watched us.

Choose the Reduced Form

Select the correct reduced relative clause

Multiple Choice12 questions
1The woman in the corner is my manager.
2The bridge in 1950 is still in use.
3The letter to him was never answered.
4The students the exam were congratulated.
5The car outside belongs to my colleague.
6The man next to her is her brother.
7The results in the report are very promising.
8The child in the garden looked happy.
9The report by the committee was rejected.
10The woman a red coat is the director.
11The policy last year is still in effect.
12The dog in the park was very friendly.

Reduce the Relative Clause

Rewrite each sentence by reducing the relative clause

Transform8 questions

1The man who is standing by the window is my father. → → Reduced

2The car which was stolen last night has been found. → → Reduced

3The students who are waiting outside can come in now. → → Reduced

4The letter which was sent by her arrived this morning. → → Reduced

5The woman who is wearing a blue dress is my aunt. → → Reduced

6All items which are displayed in the window are on sale. → → Reduced

7The child who was playing in the garden fell asleep. → → Reduced

8Any documents which are submitted after Friday will not be accepted. → → Reduced

Fix the Errors

Rewrite each reduced relative clause correctly

Error Fix8 questions

1The man stand by the door is my uncle.

2The problem caused by them were serious.

3The stolen by the thief car was found.

4All letters wrote by hand must be signed.

5The woman wearing red is my manager.

6The data collect last month is useful.

7The girl sat near the window waved at us.

8The report preparing by the team is ready.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this lesson on clauses cover?

Reduce relative clauses using present and past participles for concise writing.

Which CEFR level is this lesson designed for?

This lesson is designed for Upper Intermediate (B2) learners and forms part of the Clauses section on Grammartier.

What is the best approach for studying this grammar topic?

Start with the definition, then study the examples carefully to understand how the pattern works in context. Practise identifying the structure in authentic sentences before producing your own — this recognition-first approach builds a strong foundation for accurate, confident use.

Your Grammar Learning Path

Follow the CEFR progression for this topic cluster.

  1. B2
    Advanced Relative Clauses
  2. B2
    Participle Clauses
  3. B2
    Reduced Relative ClausesYou are here
  4. C1
    Advanced Relative Clause Reduction
  5. C1
    Complex Participle Clauses
  6. C2
    Complex Embedded Clauses

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