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Reduced relative clauses – Advanced English Grammar for Academic Writing

English with Em

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Warm-up Questions

What do you think a reduced relative clause is?
Why might reduced relative clauses be useful in academic writing?
What grammar problems do advanced learners often have with relative clauses?

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Reduced relative clauses – Advanced English Grammar for Academic Writing

What relative clauses are and when reduction is possible (00:00 – 07:13)

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1. What is the main benefit of reduced relative clauses in writing?

They make sentences longer and more formal
They replace all kinds of subordinate clauses
They are only used in spoken English
They make writing clearer and more concise

2. How can you usually recognize a non-defining relative clause?

It always describes a person
It is separated by commas
It must come at the start of the sentence
It always uses 'whom'

3. According to the lesson, when can a relative clause be reduced?

When the relative pronoun is the object
When the relative pronoun is the subject
When the clause is very short
When the clause contains a modal verb

Reduced relative clauses – Advanced English Grammar for Academic Writing

Types of reduced defining and non-defining clauses (07:13 – 19:42)

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1. Which dictionary does the speaker recommend for checking whether an adjective is post-positive?

Longman Dictionary
Cambridge Dictionary
Oxford Learner's Dictionary
Collins Dictionary

2. How is 'The boy who's wearing a hat is called John' reduced?

The boy worn a hat is called John
The boy who wearing a hat is called John
The boy wearing a hat is called John
The wearing hat boy is called John

3. What is the problem with reducing 'The boy who won the competition was very young' to 'The boy winning the competition was very young'?

It uses the wrong relative pronoun
It describes a completed single action, so the reduction is not correct
It should use a past participle instead
It is too informal

Reduced relative clauses – Advanced English Grammar for Academic Writing

Review quiz and final practice answers (19:42 – 24:47)

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1. How does the speaker reduce 'The assignments that were submitted on time have been marked'?

The assignments submitting on time have been marked
The submitted assignments on time have been marked
The assignments submitted on time have been marked
The assignments which submitted on time have been marked

2. How is 'MRI, which is short for magnetic resonance imaging, is a medical imaging technique' reduced?

MRI, being short for magnetic resonance imaging, is a medical imaging technique
MRI shorting for magnetic resonance imaging is a medical imaging technique
MRI, which short for magnetic resonance imaging, is a medical imaging technique
MRI, short for magnetic resonance imaging, is a medical imaging technique

3. Why is 'The child falling off his bike broke his leg' not accepted as a correct reduction?

Because only non-defining clauses can be reduced
Because it uses the wrong preposition
Because it refers to a completed single action
Because 'falling' should be 'fallen'

Reduced relative clauses – Advanced English Grammar for Academic Writing

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1. Which statement best summarizes the speaker's main rule for clause reduction?

Relative clauses can usually be reduced when the relative pronoun is the subject
All relative clauses can be reduced if they are in academic writing
Only non-defining relative clauses can be reduced
Clauses with 'which' can always be reduced

2. Which structure is especially common in academic writing according to the lesson?

Object relative clauses with 'whom'
Reduced clauses with modal verbs
Repeated-action present simple reductions
Non-defining reduced clauses expressing result, opinion, meaning, or evaluation

3. What should learners be careful about when reducing verb-based defining relative clauses?

They must always change the verb to past participle
They must use commas after every reduced clause
They should always remove every auxiliary verb
They should avoid reductions that sound awkward, unnatural, or change the meaning

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Reduced relative clauses – Advanced English Grammar for Academic Writing

Why do you think reduced relative clauses are so common in academic writing?
Which rule or exception in the video do you think is most difficult for learners, and why?
Can you think of examples from your own writing where reducing a relative clause would make the sentence better?
Why is it important to avoid reductions that are grammatically possible but awkward or misleading?