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San FranciscoParticipial Clauses 1

Reducing a clause with a passive verb

 

 

 

 

Changing a passive sentence to a clause
TWO SENTENCES A SENTENCE WITH A PARTICIPIAL MODIFIER

To avoid wordiness, two sentences that share the same subject can be merged (joined) into one sentence.

If the modifying clause contains a passive verb, the verb form is changed to a past-participle form. The participial clause is placed after the noun it modifies.  The repeated noun is omitted and the clause is joined with a pronoun (that, which or who).  Note that the clause is now a dependent clause.

SUBJECT

1a. The Golden Gate Bridge  

PREDICATE 

was designed by Joseph Strauss.

MODIFIED SUBJECT

The Golden Gate Bridge, which is located at the entrance to San Francisco Bay,

PREDICATE 

was designed by Joseph Strauss.

SUBJECT (same)

1b. The bridge

PASSIVE VERB

is located at the entrance to San Francisco Bay.
 

 

 

SUBJECT

2a. The bridge

PREDICATE 

has two towers. 

MODIFIED SUBJECT

The bridge, which is painted a bright orange color,  

PREDICATE 

has two towers.

SUBJECT (same)

2b. It

PASSIVE VERB

is painted a bright orange color.
 

 

 

 

 

Reducing a relative clause with a passive verb
SUBJECT MODIFYING CLAUSE PREDICATE

The subject of a clause can be modified with a clause whose subject is the same.

The subject of the clause is omitted and the verb form is reduced to the past participle. (-ed). Omit the relative pronoun.

The clause is set off from the subject and the remainder of the sentence with a comma.

SUBJECT

The Golden Gate Bridge,

PAST-PARTICIPIAL MODIFIER

which is located at the entrance to San Francisco Bay

PREDICATE 

, was designed by Joseph Strauss.

The bridge, 

which is painted a bright orange

, has two towers.
 

 

 

Related pages: Clause Reduc 1,  Clause Reduc 2

 

 

 

Grammar Notes

Traditional and Current

 

 

Clause Reduction
TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR CURRENT GRAMMAR DESCRIPTION

That + Be Deletion  Rule:    In a modifying clause with a be verb form (prepositional phrase, a passive verb or a progressive verb):

     1)  The relative pronoun that, who / whom, which  can be omitted
     2)  The be verb can be omitted. 

Modified clause:  The Golden Gate Bridge — which is located in S.F. Bay — was designed by J. Strauss.

A finite clause (containing a verb marked with tense) can be changed to a nonfinite subordinate clause (containing a verbal form – a past participle, gerund-participle, or infinitive) which becomes a modifying part of another sentence element —adjectival, adverbial, or nominal.

Finite clause  — which is located in S.F Bay —  the clause has the internal structure of a sentence--it has a subject and a verb marked with tense.

Nonfinite clause — located in S.F Bay  —  the clause has a verbal form, a participle, not marked by tense. The clause becomes part of another sentence element, in this case, the subject—  The Golden Gate Bridge located in S.F Bay 

Modified clause:  The Golden Gate Bridge — located in S.F. Bay — was designed by J. Strauss.
Also called: post-head modifiers (placed after the noun), past-participial modifiers, gerund-participle modifiers
"Non-finite clauses as modifiers and supplements" (CaGEL 14 §9, 1264)
   

ADJECTIVE CLAUSE

The GGB which is located in SF Bay was designed by Strauss   Click a diagram to enlarge it.

PARTICIPIAL MODIFIER – FINITE CLAUSE

The GGB which is located in SF Bay was designed by Strauss.

REDUCED — ADJECTIVE PHRASE

The GGB located in SF Bay was designed by Strauss

PARTICIPIAL MODIFIER – NONFINITE CLAUSE

Tree diagram of a nonfinite clause

Clause; Subject / Predicate; Finite / Nonfinite; NP –noun phrase; N – noun; VP – verb phrase; V – verb; Det. – determiner

"Non-finite clauses as modifiers and supplements" (CaGEL 14 §9, 1264)

 

 

 

Golden Gate BridgePractice 1

The Golden Gate Bridge

 

 

 

Change each active verb to a passive verb. 
  1. Select the word from each menu that best completes the sentence. 
  2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right. 

 

# YOUR RESPONSE CHECK ANSWER

e.g.
Change this: Planners located the Golden Gate Bridge at the entrance to San Francisco Bay.

 
1. Change this: Joseph Strauss designed the Golden Gate Bridge.
  

 
2. Change this: The construction crews completed the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937.
 

 
3. Change this: The planners built the Golden Gate Bridge to continue the roadway northward.
   

 
4. Change this: Builders suspended the roadway from two 746 foot towers.
 

 
5. Change this: The painting crew paints the Golden Gate Bridge a bright orange-gold color.
 

 
6. Change this: Commuters use the Golden Gate Bridge as a State Highway.

 
7. Change this: People around the world know the Golden Gate Bridge.
 

 
8. Change this: Thousands of tourists vist the Golden Gate Bridge each year.
 

 
   

 

 

 

 

 

GG BridgePractice 2

Spanning the Bay

 

 

Add a participial clause to each sentence.
  1. Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
  2. Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button to the right.

 

# YOUR RESPONSE CHECK ANSWER       

9.
JOIN:  The Gate Bridge spans the entrance to the San Francisco Bay.
WITH:  It was built in 1937.
10. JOIN:  This spectacular landmark measures 1.7 miles long.
WITH:  It was designed by Joseph Strauss.
11. JOIN:  The Golden Gate requires repainting every year because of the salty, corrosive air. 
WITH:  It is painted orange-gold.
12. JOIN:  The observation area offers an amazing view of San Francisco, Alcatraz, the East Bay, Angel Island and the Pacific Ocean.
WITH:  It is situated at the northern end.
13. JOIN:  The roadway has the most beautiful view in the United States.
WITH:  It is suspended 500 feet above the water.
14. JOIN:  The ferry boats used to be the only method to cross the mouth of the Bay in the early 1900s. 
WITH:  They are still used today.
15. JOIN:  The toll is only for southbound traffic only.
WITH:  The toll is collected daily.
16. JOIN:  The bridge attracts tourist from around the world. 
WITH:  It is visited by 9 million people yearly.