What is the difference between a reduced relative clause and a full relative clause?

Relative Clauses Questions



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What is the difference between a reduced relative clause and a full relative clause?

The difference between a reduced relative clause and a full relative clause lies in their structure and the amount of information they provide.

A full relative clause includes a relative pronoun (such as who, which, that) followed by a subject and a verb. It provides additional information about the noun it modifies and is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. For example, in the sentence "The book, which is on the shelf, is mine," the full relative clause "which is on the shelf" provides extra information about the book.

On the other hand, a reduced relative clause omits the relative pronoun and the verb, resulting in a shorter structure. It still modifies the noun but is more concise. For example, in the sentence "The book on the shelf is mine," the reduced relative clause "on the shelf" provides the same information as the full relative clause but without the relative pronoun and verb.

In summary, a full relative clause includes a relative pronoun, subject, and verb, while a reduced relative clause omits the relative pronoun and verb, resulting in a shorter and more concise structure.