Reductions: Clauses with BE

When a subject-pattern adjective clause
contains BE, the relative pronoun and
BE can often* be omitted:

The woman who is talking to Janet
is her sister. ---> The woman talking
to Janet is her sister.

That man who is from Sweden
speaks six languages. ---> That man
from Sweden speaks six languages.

The people who were injured in
the accident were friends of mine. --->
The people injured in the accident
were friends of mine.

The people who have been elected
have very high qualifications. --->
The people elected have very
high qualifications.

The skates that are beside the door
belong to my brother. --->
The skates beside the door belong to
my brother.

The meeting that's on Saturday
is very important. --->
The meeting on Saturday is
very important.

Rephrasing: Clauses with HAVE

When an adjective clause contains
HAVE (meaning "own," "possess,"
or "is characterized by"), another
kind of change is possible:

Do you know anyone who has
change for a dollar? ---> Do you
know anyone with change for a dollar?

There's only one person who has
blond hair in my class. ---> There's
only one person with blond hair
in my class.

I live in the house that has the
palm tree in front. ---> I live in the
house with the palm tree in front.

She likes food that has lots of
hot spices. ---> She likes food
with lots of hot spices.

Rephrasing: Clauses with HAVE

When adjective clauses contain
BE wearing, BE wearing can be
changed to in:

The woman who is wearing
the green silk suit isa doctor. -->
The woman in the green silk suit
is a doctor.

The man who is wearing the red
plaid shirt is my brother. --->
The man in the red plaid shirt
is my brother.

"Dropping" the relative pronoun + BE
is most common in these situations:

a. when the verb in the adjective clause
is progressive:

a man who was wearing a green suit --->
a man wearing a green suit

the woman who is sitting beside you --->
the woman sitting beside you

the dog that is barking so loudly --->
the dog barking so loudly

b. when the verb in the adjective clause
is passive:

a watch that was given to me
by my grandfather ---> a watch
given to me by my grandfather

jewelry that was made in Indonesia --->
jewelry made in Indonesia

music that was composed by Chopin --->
music composed by Chopin

parts that were manufactured in China --->
parts manufactured in China

c. when the verb in the adjective clause
is followed by a prepositional phrase:

the chair that is next to yours --->
the chair next to yours

a businessman who is from Macau --->
a businessman from Macau

my appointments that are
in the afternoon --->
my appointments in the afternoon

Important: The relative pronoun and BE
are not "dropped" when BE is followed
by an adjective:

people who are lonely /
wrong: *people lonely

a movie that is really exciting /
wrong: a movie really exciting

Do not change a relative pronoun +
HAVE when HAVE does not mean
"own," "possess," or "is characterized by":

a thing that has to be done --->
wrong: *a thing with done

women who have (="give birth to")
premature babies --->
wrong: *women with premature babies

people who have a good time --->
wrong: *people with a good time (wrong)