How to Reduce the Adjective Clause: Relative Clause Reduction

An adjective clause, also known as an adjectival, or relative clause is a dependent clause that modifies a noun or a pronoun. In effect, this clause functions as one part of speech: the adjective.
Why would you want or need to reduce the adjective clause? To add variety to your sentences or to make your speech less formal, you may want to reduce the adjective clause.
In this introductory lesson, you will learn the most basic way to reduce the adjective clause.
Examples are given and you will have a chance to test what you learned by taking a quiz.

[@jesusvila3779]

I love studying grammar. This is the first time I find such a good explanation about this topic. Thanks a lot !

[@thelearningdepot]

Glad you liked it!

[@fongbeng9072]

​@@thelearningdepotMadam,what is the difference?
1) I handed over my homework done to my teacher.
2) I handed over my homework being done to my teacher.

[@ujjalduwarah7495]

Thanks for your lesson,

[@rangvan4223]

Very clear!

[@mfarooq1981]

Thank so much for the video. I was waiting for the long time.

[@kishanlal-jx8jh]

Hi, thanks Mam for the wonderful video 🙏

[@Formulastreet]

I’m taking English composition this semester. Hello teacher!!

[@alidinolaghari9246]

Very nice explanation...

[@thelearningdepot]

Thanks for liking

[@user-fc4bc6ex8t]

Thank you so much ♥♥♥

[@user-xz2eo6st1b]

Woòoooow😢😢😢😢

[@williamssharon3908]

That's a very good lesson, thanks!

[@thelearningdepot]

You're welcome!

[@naveen_jatav_]

I am from india. This is very nice video and helped me a lot to learn reduced adjective clause. You have done such good work ,uploading this video on TH-cam.

[@thelearningdepot]

Thank you. Glad to help. 😊

[@noraimahacmad8985]

thank you, your channel is creative.

[@thelearningdepot]

😊

[@carpenterjim7906]

The burger I ate was delicious. This is a perfect sentence, as you can omit "that"or"which" if it they are the object and not the subject of the clause... Burger that have pickles in them are delicious. Here you cannot omit "that" as it refers to the subject. You can say: Burgers with pickles in them....

[@selinm]

thank you! very helpful

[@thelearningdepot]

Glad it helped!

[@user-fw1cm1ly5g]

That really help me in final test

[@thelearningdepot]

I’m so glad! 😊

[@ivetcitamedrano6733]

Thank you so much

[@thelearningdepot]

You're most welcome. 😊

[@Saha9800]

Hi, thank you for the lesson. For the sake of sentence variety, is it possible to move the reduced adjective phrase to different parts of sentences?
The boy crossing the street should be careful.
Crossing the street, the boy should be careful.
The boy should be careful, crossing the street.
OR
The rules passed by the board takes effect at midnight.
Passed by the board, the rules take effect at midnight.

[@thelearningdepot]

Yes, you can, but you don't always want to do it since it makes the sentence sound more formal, although grammatically correct. (And remove the comma: the boy should be careful crossing the street.) Thanks for watching!

[@Saha9800]

@@thelearningdepot Thank you for the reply. Actually I asked this for formal writing. I hope you can elaborate on this in your forthcoming lessons, too.

[@qwlol]

Hi Lulu, may I ask if the following sentence is reduced incorrectly?
> Mesmerized by the music he played, the children followed him into the mountain cave.
In the phrase "the music he played", since "he played" modifies the noun '"music", it must be a reduced form of the adjective clause "that he played", i.e. "the music that he played". However, based on the considerations for relative clause reduction, the clause is not supposed to be reduced because the relative pronoun "which" is not followed by a linking verb.
So is the correct form
> Mesmerized by the music that he played, the children followed him into the mountain cave.
? I am torn because the first version sounds better to me. Hope to get your insight on this. Thanks in advance!

[@thelearningdepot]

The first version is correct and it’s how native speakers would say it. Removing the “that” is not necessarily a reduction. It’s an ellipsis.

[@qwlol]

@@thelearningdepot I see. And now I know about ellipsis. Thank you!

[@AxelAraucoRudas]

as far as I understand that when the direct object is in the beginning the word *that* can be omitted.

[@sol7166]

I like your teachings still Madam! What is the best way to communicate with you? Waiting for your response 🙏🏼

[@famholin]

Hi Lulu.
May I ask how I could reduce the following sentence.
Q: I think social medium is toxic, which is why I choose not to use it.
Or it cannot be reduced!?
Thank you in advance.

[@thelearningdepot]

I wouldn't reduce it because "why I choose not to use it" is a relative adverb clause.

[@famholin]

@@thelearningdepot I appreciate your comments and thank you for providing insights.

[@fundaozkan8193]

❤

[@juniresadekazalukhu9912]

How if the adjective clause use present perfect "the man who have helped me is tall"

[@mahdia4289]

Thank you for your awesome video. In the humberger example, I think "that" can be taken out and the sentence would be. The humberger I ate....... please correct me if I'm wrong

[@thelearningdepot]

Yes, you are right. 😊

[@mahdia4289]

@@thelearningdepot Thank you teacher. So please edit the video. In the vido you said it's impossible to take it out, however, it can be omitted and the grammatical term for it is ellipsis. Thank you

[@thelearningdepot]

@@mahdia4289 You don't take it out for a true reduction. However, it is often omitted as an ellipsis.

[@mahdia4289]

@@thelearningdepot Thank you teacher for the tip and helping me🤍🤍🤍

[@user-js8pq5mv7]

《The rules which were passed by the board take effect at midnight.》 "Which" is not the subject of the clause. It's the object, right? They were passed by someone else. But we can still reduce the clause?

[@kwokonng2761]

I agree with you.
It can be reduced to" The rules passed by the board take effect ....."

[@edwardwalsh4454]

Can I say, "The burger; I ate last night was greasy."

[@edwardwalsh4454]

Additionally, I write lyrical poetry and find the need to bend the past tense for rhyming purposes, is this common or just a poor excuse or a form of literary flippancy?
Warner Bros. is in a public quagmire,
They had a surefire, they pushed to expire.
Now Corp. Violence is their trademark,
Until Johnny pardons their black mark.

The verdict is in, there were no DV sins
It was all a hoax, now WB needs to coax
They stand to lose, so they must choose
How to win him back, what will be their tack
Maybe new measures, in lieu of treasures;
Protect the guild, establish a shield.
Or a seat in judgment, or fiscal torment,
Better yet, some of all-- it's totally Depp's call.

Let them wait, to learn their fate,
Twist and turn, feel the money burn
Demands for fairness and moral squareness.
Change the charter, it's time to barter.

We love Depp, so be adept,
Think fast, to resolve the past.
Get a vote, the public has spoke.
Heal the misdeed, plant a new seed.

Be creative, happily proactive,
Woo the fans, with some outside plans.
Show remorse and stay the course,
On your knees, we await your pleas

[@thelearningdepot]

@@edwardwalsh4454 Well, you have poetic license to bend and break all the rules for the sake of art, but the rules should be applied in formal settings.