The Email Sent Yesterday
Discover how past-participle phrases shorten relative clauses in everyday workplace messages.
Preview
Questions with solutions-
1. Pasirinkite teisingą atsakymą.
Which action does “yesterday” refer to?
Please forward the email sent yesterday before lunch.
- Forwarding the email
- Sending the email
- Having lunch
Separate the request from the phrase describing the email.
Show solution
- Sending the email
“The email sent yesterday” means “the email that was sent yesterday.” The short phrase describes the email rather than the requested action.
-
2. Užpildykite tuščią vietą.
Priya has finished writing the summary.
The summary ___ by Priya outlines the next steps.
- wrote
- writing
- written
The summary receives the action; Priya does the writing.
Show solution
The summary written by Priya outlines the next steps.
“Written” is the past participle of “write.” “Wrote” is the simple past form and cannot describe the summary this way.
-
3. Pasirinkite teisingą atsakymą.
Who forwarded the proposal, and who received it?
Please review the proposal forwarded to Jordan by Lee.
- Lee forwarded it; Jordan received it.
- Jordan forwarded it; Lee received it.
- Lee and Jordan forwarded it together.
“By” and “to” have different roles in a passive phrase.
Show solution
- Lee forwarded it; Jordan received it.
In this passive phrase, “by” introduces the person performing the action, while “to” names the recipient.
-
4. Užpildykite tuščią vietą.
The second sentence keeps the first sentence’s meaning.
The invoices approved yesterday can now be paid.
The invoices that ___ approved yesterday can now be paid.- was
- were
- have
The full clause needs a past-tense form of “be” that agrees with its subject.
Show solution
The invoices approved yesterday can now be paid.
The invoices that were approved yesterday can now be paid.The reduced phrase hides the auxiliary verb. In the full clause, plural “invoices” takes “were,” and “yesterday” places the approval in the past.
-
5. Pasirinkite teisingą atsakymą.
Which word is the sentence’s main verb?
The document revised this morning needs checking.
- revised
- checking
- needs
First set aside the phrase describing “the document.”
Show solution
- needs
A reduced relative clause can separate the subject from the main verb. The sentence’s basic structure is “The document needs checking.”
-
6. Pasirinkite teisingą atsakymą.
Which applications qualify for today’s review?
Only the applications received before noon will be reviewed today.
- Applications received before noon
- All applications, whenever they arrive
- Applications received at noon or later
The time phrase sets a limit on the group.
Show solution
- Applications received before noon
“Received before noon” identifies a particular group of applications. An application arriving exactly at noon falls outside that group.
-
7. Pasirinkite teisingą atsakymą.
Which items must be removed?
The items not approved by Finance must be removed from the order.
- Items Finance has approved
- Items Finance has not approved
- All items, whether approved or not
Notice where “not” appears.
Show solution
- Items Finance has not approved
“Not” makes the description negative, not the instruction. Removal is required for the unapproved items.
-
8. Pasirinkite teisingą atsakymą.
What does “assigned to the night shift” describe?
The names of employees assigned to the night shift appear on the second page.
- The names
- The second page
- The employees
Ask who can be assigned to a shift.
Show solution
- The employees
A reduced relative clause can sit inside a longer noun phrase. Here it describes “employees,” even though “names” is the sentence’s subject.
-
9. Pasirinkite teisingą atsakymą.
What is the role of “signed on Friday” here?
The two contracts, signed on Friday, are now in the archive.
- It adds information about both contracts.
- It selects the Friday contracts from a larger group.
- It gives the sentence’s main action.
Commas can separate extra information from the main sentence.
Show solution
- It adds information about both contracts.
The commas mark “signed on Friday” as extra information about both contracts, rather than a description needed to identify a smaller group.
-
10. Užpildykite tuščią vietą.
Assembly is still in progress.
The office chairs ___ assembled now will be ready this afternoon.
- been
- being
- be
The work has started but has not finished.
Show solution
The office chairs being assembled now will be ready this afternoon.
“Being” plus a past participle expresses an ongoing passive action. Someone is assembling the chairs now.
-
11. Pasirinkite teisingą atsakymą.
Why can’t “that arrived yesterday” be shortened to “arrived yesterday” in the second sentence?
The parcel delivered yesterday is on your desk.
The parcel that arrived yesterday is on your desk.- Because “yesterday” prevents a relative clause from being shortened.
- Because “arrived” needs “being” before it to form a reduced passive clause.
- Because “arrived” expresses an active action, not an action done to the parcel.
Think about whether the parcel performs or receives each action.
Show solution
- Because “arrived” expresses an active action, not an action done to the parcel.
Someone delivers a parcel, so “delivered” can describe it passively. A parcel arrives; “arrive” has no passive form in this meaning.
-
12. Pasirinkite teisingą atsakymą.
When may the requests for changes be made?
Any changes requested during tomorrow’s meeting will be added to the draft afterward.
- During the meeting tomorrow
- They must have been made before today.
- Only after the draft has been updated
A participle’s name does not always tell you when the action happens.
Show solution
- During the meeting tomorrow
“Requested” is a past participle, not a past-tense verb here. The phrase “during tomorrow’s meeting” places the requests in the future.