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See this sentence "This is my last night working here"! What grammar structure is it? Reduced Relative Clause?

English Language & Usage Asked on January 8, 2021

We often reduce relative clauses when the relative pronoun is the subject of relative clause.

The professor who is teaching mathematics will leave the university. Reduced: The professor teaching mathematics will leave the university. (source)

who is teaching mathematics” is the relative clause & the relative pronoun “who” is subject of relative clause.

But, I am not sure if the sentence “This is my last night working here” (Jennifer Aniston said in the Friend, at 0:40) can be interpreted as “This is my last night that I work here” & people removed “that I” & changed “work” to “working” or something like that???.

Also, see other example from the dictionary,

I will be busy cleaning the house. (source)

Why do they put a gerund right after an adjective like that?

Note: thoughtco says

The present participle is sometimes used as an adverb to describe the
manner in which a verb is performed.

She taught pounding the grammar into their heads!

Angelo works
considering all angles.

Notice how the present participle could be preceded with ‘by’ to give
the same meaning:

She taught (by) pounding the grammar into their heads!

Angelo works
(by) considering all angles.

One Answer

This a reduced relative clause for sure, but your interpretation is incorrect, the reduced relative clause for This my last night __ working here is not:

This is my last night that I work here

BUT:

This is my last night (that I am) working here

Why? Because the verb "be" can be omitted in reduced relative clauses, I will cite this rule (look at (d) for a similar example):

  1. If the relative clause contains the verb 'be' + any of the following then it can be reduced:

(a) be + an adjective phrase

  • The man (who is) interested in your car will telephone later.

  • The man interested in your car will telephone later.

Note that other verbs are possible here as well as 'be', such as 'seem', 'look' and 'appear'.

(b) be + a prepositional phrase

  • The books (which are) on the table have been read.

  • The books on the table have been read.

(c) be + a past participle [a passive form]

  • A person (who has been) tricked once is careful the next time.

  • A person tricked once is careful the next time.

(d) be + a present participle [a continuous form]

  • The family (who are) living in the house are very rich.

  • The family living in the house are very rich.

Source: https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/relative-clauses-defining-relative-clauses

Answered by aesking on January 8, 2021

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