1. A short description of a noun, not a new main clause
An -ing group after a noun can answer the question “which one?” or add a description of a participant already known. It does the work of a relative clause, but it does not have its own tensed verb. The sentence still needs a main predicate.
Compare the full and short forms as two ways to describe the same noun. The full relative clause is grammatically correct; the short form is not a required “correction.” It is useful when the meaning remains clear.
noun + -ing modifier + rest of sentence; or main verb + noun + -ing modifier
- 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 consultant who is reviewing the contract is unavailable. → The consultant reviewing the contract is unavailable.
The consultant who is reviewing the contract is unavailable. → The consultant reviewing the contract is unavailable.
Reviewing the contract describes consultant; the main predicate is unavailable remains.
Please contact anyone needing assistance.
Please contact anyone needing assistance.
Needing assistance specifies anyone; contact remains the main verb of the imperative sentence.
2. The subject of the relative clause is not necessarily the subject of the whole sentence
With an active -ing form, the noun being described must be someone or something that can perform the corresponding verb: colleagues work, a cable carries a signal. In the full clause, who/which/that occupies the subject position of the relative clause itself.
The noun may be the subject, object, or object of a preposition in the main sentence. Do not apply here the rule for initial adverbial phrases such as Walking home, I…: that involves a different syntactic relationship. If a separate subject performs the action in the full relative clause, mechanically replacing the clause with -ing will change the participant.
We thanked the engineers working overnight.
We thanked the engineers working overnight.
Working refers to engineers, although the subject of the main sentence is we and engineers is the object.
The engineer whom we thanked has left.
The engineer whom we thanked has left.
In whom we thanked, the subject is we. The engineer thanking… would mean that the engineer is the one giving thanks, so it would convey a different meaning.
3. How to build the form without leaving an unnecessary marker
In the transparent pair who is working → working, remove the relative pronoun who together with the form of be. Do not leave who working or is working without who inside the modifier. For a simple active verb, correspondences such as which connects → connecting are possible if the meaning is naturally preserved.
-Ing does not agree with the number of the noun: the route connecting…, the routes connecting…. However, the main predicate agrees normally. The spellings travelling and traveling are both acceptable; they are not different grammatical constructions.
who/which/that + be + -ing form → -ing form; who/which/that + active verb → -ing form only when the meaning is compatible
- 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.
The route connecting the villages is narrow. The routes connecting the villages are narrow.
The route connecting the villages is narrow. The routes connecting the villages are narrow.
Connecting stays the same; number is expressed in is/are, not in the modifier.
I spoke to a visitor who was waiting outside. → I spoke to a visitor waiting outside.
I spoke to a visitor who was waiting outside. → I spoke to a visitor waiting outside.
Remove who was together. The waiting is done by visitor, not I.
4. -Ing does not automatically mean “now” or “in progress”
The name present participle does not make this form a present tense. We understand the time from the main sentence, adverbials, and the situation. The same form can describe participants in yesterday’s event or in a meeting already planned for tomorrow.
Not every -ing modifier describes an action in progress. Containing, resembling, and leading can name contents, resemblance, or a stable characteristic. A folder containing receipts naturally corresponds to a folder which contains receipts; it does not require the progressive form is containing.
Yesterday we photographed the people repairing the roof.
Yesterday we photographed the people repairing the roof.
In this description, the repairs were taking place during yesterday’s photographing; repairing does not move them into the present.
The room is reserved for the team presenting tomorrow.
The room is reserved for the team presenting tomorrow.
Tomorrow and the room’s known purpose establish the future presentation.
Keep the envelope containing the original receipt.
Keep the envelope containing the original receipt.
Containing describes the envelope’s contents, not a process of “containing.”
5. Negation belongs specifically to the description
To negate an -ing modifier, put not before its verb group: people not attending. This non-finite construction does not need do/does/did. Negating the main predicate means something different: people attending did not vote — the people attended, but they did not vote.
When reducing the clause, preserve the scope of negation. Applicants who do not meet the requirements → applicants not meeting the requirements does not mean applicants meeting the requirements. Do not add a cause or consequence if none was present in the conditions.
Participants not requiring a printed copy can use the screen.
Participants not requiring a printed copy can use the screen.
Not negates requiring. The permission can use is not negated.
Participants requiring a printed copy cannot use the screen.
Participants requiring a printed copy cannot use the screen.
This is a grammatical sentence, but it refers to a different group of people and conveys a different message. It is not equivalent to the previous sentence.
6. When the shorter form loses meaning
The possibility of forming an -ing expression does not guarantee an equivalent sentence. Can, must, and might express ability, obligation, or uncertainty. If they are simply removed, the description may turn into a statement about an action or property. Keep the full relative clause when the modal meaning is important.
Likewise, do not erase the difference between an action completed earlier and an activity at a particular time. Who had already submitted cannot be thoughtlessly replaced with submitting. When necessary, keep the full form with its tense and aspect. This lesson does not teach a universal procedure of “delete the words and finish the rest with -ing.”
We need an analyst who can interpret these figures.
We need an analyst who can interpret these figures.
Who can interpret directly expresses ability. An analyst interpreting these figures describes the analyst through an activity and, by itself, does not preserve this requirement as a modal meaning.
The applicants who had already submitted their portfolios received confirmation.
The applicants who had already submitted their portfolios received confirmation.
Had already submitted makes the earlier completion explicit. Submitting their portfolios does not automatically convey the same tense-and-aspect relationship.
7. Which people exactly are we describing: a modifier and additional information
Without commas, the modifier can identify the required subgroup: researchers working abroad — specifically, the researchers who work abroad. Commas present the description as additional information about an already identified group or person. Do not add or remove commas automatically when reducing the clause.
Place an -ing modifier close to the noun it refers to. Long strings of descriptions make reading more difficult; a full sentence is sometimes clearer. The short form is common in writing, but natural short descriptions are also familiar in speech.
The delegates waiting outside need directions.
The delegates waiting outside need directions.
The description identifies the delegates who are outside; it does not say that all the delegates are outside.
Marta, carrying the visitor list, met us at reception.
Marta, carrying the visitor list, met us at reception.
The name already identifies the person. Carrying the visitor list is additional information; the sentence does not claim that the list was the reason for the meeting.
8. A check before using the form
First, identify the noun you are describing and mentally restore the full modifier. Then check the verb form, the time in the context, negation, and important modal meanings. Finally, make sure the main predicate remains in place and that the sentence reports the same facts.
In exercises requiring -ing, the full relative clause may not meet the learning objective, but it is not therefore ungrammatical. In open-ended answers, the models show possible solutions: other natural words and word order are acceptable if the stated content and grammatical conditions are met.
Could you open the document showing the final schedule?
Could you open the document showing the final schedule?
Showing describes document, the object after open. Could belongs to the request and is not removed.
Could you open the document that shows the final schedule?
Could you open the document that shows the final schedule?
The full form is also correct. If the task specifically asks for a reduced modifier, that is the form you need to demonstrate.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:The visitor who waiting near the lift needs help.
Correct:The visitor waiting near the lift needs help.
Who cannot introduce the non-finite form waiting here. For a reduced modifier, remove who; the full alternative is who is waiting.
Incorrect:The diagram shows both exits is on the wall.
Correct:The diagram showing both exits is on the wall.
The two finite verbs shows and is are not connected by an appropriate structure. Showing forms the modifier, while is remains the main predicate.
Incorrect:Applicants does not meeting the criteria need advice.
Correct:Applicants not meeting the criteria need advice.
A negative -ing modifier does not contain does: not meeting is required. The full form would be applicants who do not meet, with a different structure.
Incorrect:The technician being checking the meter waved to us.
Correct:The technician checking the meter waved to us.
Being checking does not form an English active progressive construction. Checking is sufficient here; in the past context, the full form is who was checking.