Making a description shorter
A relative clause with who or which adds information about a noun using its own finite verb. In suitable clauses containing be plus a participle, the pronoun and be can be removed, leaving the participle. The sentence becomes shorter and often more characteristic of written language.
One common pattern removes who/which and be before a participle: the people who are waiting → the people waiting. However, -ing can also correspond to a simple verb: a road that leads to the coast → a road leading to the coast. The process is not always mechanical deletion of be.
noun + who/which + be + V-ing/V3 → noun + V-ing/V3
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- V3 / past participle —
- The third verb form: worked, gone, seen. Used after have/has or in the passive, for example; it is not always the same as V2.
- V-ing / -ing —
- The verb form ending in -ing: working, going. Its role depends on the construction.
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
The runners training in the park start at six.
The runners training in the park start at six.
Training shortens who are training and follows runners directly. Start remains the main finite verb.
The cheese sold at that stall is delicious.
The cheese sold at that stall is delicious.
Sold shortens which is sold. The cheese receives the action, so the meaning is passive.
A vase broken during the move cost a lot to replace.
A vase broken during the move cost a lot to replace.
Broken follows the noun and replaces which was broken, leaving no finite verb in the reduced clause.
Active meaning: -ing after a noun
The -ing form can replace who/which + be + -ing, as well as suitable simple-present clauses describing a general state or habit: who live → living, which lead → leading. The noun performs the action or is in the state.
A reduced -ing clause can answer “which one?” and modify a noun as a full relative clause would. Place it directly after the noun it modifies, rather than separating it from that noun with the main predicate.
noun + V-ing + further detail; for example, students living on campus
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- V-ing / -ing —
- The verb form ending in -ing: working, going. Its role depends on the construction.
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
The road leading to the village is closed.
The road leading to the village is closed.
Leading replaces which leads, describing a general relationship rather than a separate event.
Students living on campus get a discount.
Students living on campus get a discount.
Living replaces who live; get remains the main verb.
The people shouting outside woke the baby.
The people shouting outside woke the baby.
Shouting replaces who were shouting. The activity was in progress when another event occurred.
Passive meaning: V3 after a noun
The past participle V3 replaces which/who + be + V3. The noun receives the action: someone sent, bought or switched it off. Regular participles end in -ed; irregular verbs have separate V3 forms such as sent, written and stolen.
An agent introduced by by, and details of time or place, can remain in the clause. In this reduction, only the relative pronoun and finite be disappear.
noun + V3 + further detail; for example, paintings stolen from the museum
- V3 / past participle —
- The third verb form: worked, gone, seen. Used after have/has or in the passive, for example; it is not always the same as V2.
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
The paintings stolen from the museum were found in a van.
The paintings stolen from the museum were found in a van.
Stolen replaces which were stolen. The sentence’s main predicate is were found.
Everything said at the meeting is confidential.
Everything said at the meeting is confidential.
Said is an irregular past participle. Everything can take a modifying clause just as a noun can.
Dishes served cold taste better in summer.
Dishes served cold taste better in summer.
Served replaces which are served. The intended meaning is passive, so -ing would not preserve it.
What disappears and what remains
In the pattern who/which/that + be + participle, remove both the pronoun and finite be. Removing only who from The cyclists who are waiting ignored the sign produces incorrect The cyclists are waiting ignored the sign. Alternatively, keep the full relative clause.
A clause following a noun can be defining or supplementary. A supplementary clause is normally separated by commas. Reduction can work with both types.
who/which/that + be + V-ing/V3 → V-ing/V3
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- V3 / past participle —
- The third verb form: worked, gone, seen. Used after have/has or in the passive, for example; it is not always the same as V2.
- V-ing / -ing —
- The verb form ending in -ing: working, going. Its role depends on the construction.
The cyclists waiting at the lights ignored the sign.
The cyclists waiting at the lights ignored the sign.
Who were has been removed; ignored is the only finite verb.
My brother, working abroad this year, phones us on Sundays.
My brother, working abroad this year, phones us on Sundays.
The supplementary clause retains its commas, while working replaces who is working.
The limits of reduction
Not every relative clause can be reduced to a participle. An active clause describing one completed past event, such as who stole or who won, is normally kept in full. An -ing form would typically suggest an activity in progress at the time of the main event rather than the completed action intended here.
If the relative clause has its own subject and an active verb with the relative element as object, as in the song that I heard, participle reduction does not work directly. Omit the object pronoun (the song I heard) or switch to passive (the song heard on the radio), preserving any important information.
Patterns with being for a passive process and having for an earlier event belong to neighbouring rules and are not separately practised here.
The thief who stole the painting was arrested last week.
The thief who stole the painting was arrested last week.
One completed event: who stole cannot be replaced with -ing without changing the meaning.
The song I heard on the radio was brilliant.
The song I heard on the radio was brilliant.
Only that has been omitted. Subject I remains, so there is no participle clause.
The song heard on the radio this morning was brilliant.
The song heard on the radio this morning was brilliant.
A passive version: heard replaces which was heard.
An initial clause: replacing when, while, because or if
A participle clause can begin a sentence and replace an adverbial clause of time, reason or condition. An active version uses -ing (Opening the window, …); a passive version uses V3 (Annoyed by the delay, …).
The central condition for this pattern is that the understood subject of the reduced clause matches the main subject. The person opening the window and feeling the draught is the same, so the sentence is correctly connected.
A conjunction can remain for clarity: While cooking, I burned my hand. These reductions are common in writing; short forms such as while cooking are also natural in conversation.
V-ing/V3 + …, subject + predicate (shared subject)
- subject / S —
- The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
- verb / V —
- A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
- V3 / past participle —
- The third verb form: worked, gone, seen. Used after have/has or in the passive, for example; it is not always the same as V2.
- V-ing / -ing —
- The verb form ending in -ing: working, going. Its role depends on the construction.
Opening the window, she felt a cold draught.
Opening the window, she felt a cold draught.
Both clauses share she. The initial clause corresponds to when she opened the window.
Annoyed by the delay, the passengers complained loudly.
Annoyed by the delay, the passengers complained loudly.
Annoyed is V3 with a passive meaning: the delay annoys the passengers.
Used regularly, this tool lasts for years.
Used regularly, this tool lasts for years.
The reduced conditional clause with V3 replaces if it is used regularly.
Using the pattern in speech and writing
Reduced clauses save words in notices, reports, descriptions and notes. For example: Applications submitted after noon are processed the next day.
To practise, combine two short statements about the same noun: turn one into a modifying clause and keep the other as the main predicate. Avoid piling up clauses if readers lose track.
Applications submitted after noon are processed the next day.
Applications submitted after noon are processed the next day.
Submitted replaces which are submitted. Are processed is the single main finite predicate.
Anyone needing help should ask at the desk.
Anyone needing help should ask at the desk.
Needing replaces who needs; anyone takes the modifier like a noun.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:The workers are repairing the road look exhausted.
Correct:The workers repairing the road look exhausted.
Do not retain be in the reduced clause. Are repairing and look otherwise become two unconnected finite predicates for one subject.
Incorrect:The cheese solds at the market comes from a local farm.
Correct:The cheese sold at the market comes from a local farm.
A reduced passive needs the unchanged third form sold. Do not add -s.
Incorrect:Walking to the station, my umbrella broke.
Correct:Walking to the station, I found that my umbrella had broken.
A person, not the umbrella, was walking to the station. Subject I fixes the attachment without claiming the person caused the umbrella to break.
Incorrect:The passengers waited for the delayed train were angry.
Correct:The passengers waiting for the delayed train were angry.
Waited is read as a finite past form here, creating consecutive unconnected predicates. The reduced active clause needs -ing.
Incorrect:Anyone want to join should sign up here.
Correct:Anyone wanting to join should sign up here.
Bare want does not form a reduced clause here and leaves an unconnected finite-verb structure. Use wanting for the reduced active clause.