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English grammar

Relative clauses with the middle taken out

B2 · Upper intermediate Building the sentence Questions 10

The rule

A relative clause can lose its pronoun and its be without losing anything else. The people who are waiting outside becomes the people waiting outside; the documents which were sent in March becomes the documents sent in March. The -ing form carries an active meaning and the -ed form a passive one. It only works when the relative is the SUBJECT of its clause — the letter which I sent cannot lose which I, only the verb can go: the letter I sent. This is the single biggest reason formal English is shorter than a learner expects.

Pattern

who / which + be + -ing → -ing · who / which + be + past participle → past participle · object relatives drop the pronoun only

Examples

  1. The people waiting outside had been there since seven.

  2. Any document sent after Friday will not be considered.

  3. The clause I objected to has been removed.

  4. Two of the flats damaged in the flood are still empty.

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: The letter which I sent it was never answered.

    Right: The letter I sent was never answered.

    An object relative drops the pronoun and keeps the verb.

  • Wrong: The people waited outside had been there since seven.

    Right: The people waiting outside had been there since seven.

    An active reduced relative uses the -ing form.

  • Wrong: Any document sending after Friday is refused.

    Right: Any document sent after Friday is refused.

    A passive meaning takes the past participle.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    1. The report which publishing last week names four people.
    2. The report was published last week names four people.
    3. The report published last week names four people.
    4. The report publishing last week names four people.
    Show answer

    Answer: C The report published last week names four people.

    A passive reduction takes the participle.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Anybody who arriving after nine will have to wait.
    2. Anybody arrived after nine will have to wait.
    3. Anybody arrives after nine will have to wait.
    4. Anybody arriving after nine will have to wait.
    Show answer

    Answer: D Anybody arriving after nine will have to wait.

    An active reduction takes -ing.

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    1. The flat which we looked at it has gone.
    2. The flat looked at we on Tuesday has gone.
    3. The flat we looked at it has gone.
    4. The flat we looked at on Tuesday has gone.
    Show answer

    Answer: D The flat we looked at on Tuesday has gone.

    An object relative simply drops the pronoun.

  4. 4Fill in the gap.

    The money _____ in March has not arrived.

    1. promising
    2. which promising
    3. promised
    4. was promised
    Show answer

    Answer: C The money promised in March has not arrived.

    Passive: past participle.

  5. 5Fill in the gap.

    The woman _____ the complaint has left the company.

    1. handling
    2. which handling
    3. handled
    4. was handling
    Show answer

    Answer: A The woman handling the complaint has left the company.

    Active: -ing form.

  6. 6Fill in the gap.

    Everything _____ in the letter has been done.

    1. requested
    2. was requested
    3. requesting
    4. which requesting
    Show answer

    Answer: A Everything requested in the letter has been done.

    Passive reduction.

  7. 7Fill in the gap.

    The people _____ next door have been there thirty years.

    1. living
    2. are living
    3. lived
    4. live
    Show answer

    Answer: A The people living next door have been there thirty years.

    Active reduction of who live.

  8. 8Fill in the gap.

    The only thing _____ is the survey.

    1. missing
    2. missed
    3. is missing which
    4. which missing
    Show answer

    Answer: A The only thing missing is the survey.

    missing is the active reduced form.

  9. 9This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. The man who spoke to me was the manager.
    2. The man I spoke to was the manager.
    3. The man which spoke to me was the manager.
    4. The man speaking to me was the manager.
    Show answer

    Answer: C The man which spoke to me was the manager.

    which is not used for people.

  10. 10This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Which sentence is wrong?

    1. The letter sending yesterday has been lost.
    2. The letter that was sent yesterday has been lost.
    3. The letter sent yesterday has been lost.
    4. The letter I sent yesterday has been lost.
    Show answer

    Answer: A The letter sending yesterday has been lost.

    A letter is sent, not sending.

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