Examples of abridging phrases and sentences

I. Simple Sentences: -

a) The reports were the same in every respect. The phrase ‘the same in every respect’ can be replaced by the word ‘identical’. This sentence will then become: - ‘The reports were identical.’

b) This arrangement is only for the time being. The word temporary can replace the phrase ‘only for the time being’.

c) The driver of the bus was very clever. This sentence can be curtailed by putting it in the following form: - ‘The bus driver was very clever.’

d) Your friend spends his time in an idle manner. This sentence can be changed into the following: - Your friend spends his time idly.

e) He should not put too great a stain upon his strength. Here the expression ‘put too great a strain upon’ can be curtailed into ‘overtax’. He sentence will then become: - ‘He should not overtax his strength.”

II Complex Sentences containing Noun Clauses: -

Consider the following sentences: -

a) That he will be promoted is quite certain. The clause ‘that he will be promoted’ is a noun clause standing in place of a noun.

We could express the same thing by saying: His promotion is quite certain. Here we have substituted the noun promotion for the noun clause.

b) All people know that he is a coward. The clause ‘that he is coward’ is a noun clause doing the work of a noun and serving as the object of the word ‘know’. The same could be put in the following form, without effecting any change in the meaning: All people know of his cowardice, or His cowardice is known to all people.

I told him that he should not bother you in future. It can be converted into the following sentence without injuring the sense it conveys: I told him not to bother you in future.

III. Complex sentences containing Adjectival Clauses: -

Examine the following sentences:

a) The house that was supposed to be haunted, was demolished.

The clause ‘that we supposed to be haunted’ is a subordinate adjective clause qualifying the noun house. The sentence can be put in the following form: The supposedly haunted house was demolished.

b) Hebrew is a language, which is no longer spoken. In this sentence, ‘Which is no longer spoken’ is an adjectival phrase qualifying the noun ‘language’. This sentence can be written as follows: Hebrew is a dead language.

c) Examine the sentence: The clock that is on the wall struck four. ‘That is on the wall’ s an adjective clause and it can be replaced by ‘on the wall’ – an adjective phrase. The sentence will then become: The clock on the wall struck four.

IV Complex Sentences containing Adverbial Clauses: -

It is not easy to change an adverbial clause into a simple adverb; it will have often to be converted into a phrase.

a) Do your home-task, before you do anything else. In this sentence, ‘before you do anything else’ is an adverbial clause. It can be replaced by the word ‘first’. The sentence will then become: Do your home-task first. Here we have substituted an adverb in place of an adverbial clause.

You talked to him in a serious mood. It may be changed to” You talked to him seriously.

b) When he won the game, he began to shout. Here ‘when he won the game’ is an adverbial clause, which can be replaced by an adverbial phrase, ‘Having won the game’. The sentence will then become: Having won the game, he began to shout.

V Study the following compound sentence: -

They reached the top of the hill and took rest. Here one of the two clauses – other than the one containing the main statement can – but turned into either of the following phrases:

a) “Having reached the top of the hill’; and (b) ‘On reaching the top of the hill’; but this change does not shorten the length of the sentence in this case.

It is to be noticed that the compressed sentences are often inferior to the originals in directness and force. Hence while compressing sentences, we should ask ourselves: -

a) Which form best suits the context?
b) Which one expresses the meaning best?
c) Which is the clearest statement?
d) Which has the most pleasing sound?

We may not hit upon a statement that may satisfy all these requirements, but the construction selected should fulfill some of them.