Incorrect sentences: The man speaking to Vickey yesterday...

[Rosalisa]

incorrect sentences
Hi Teachers,

Is the sentence below correct?

1. Dissatisfied with the service at the restaurant, the meal was not enjoyable.

***The man who spoke to Vickey yesterday is Sarath''s boss.
In this sentence, can I reduce the adjective clause into" The man speaking to Vickey yesterday"??? Is this possible?

Thank you.
_________________
If you want to change the world, be one of the change.

[Mister Micawber]

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1-- No. The nonfinite clause must have the same (implied) subject as the main clause. This is right:

Dissatisfied with the service at the restaurant, they did not enjoy the meal.

2-- Yes, that is possible: The man [who was] speaking to Vicky yesterday'.
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Rosalisa]

Thanks very much, Mr. M.M. But could I ask 'what condition' makes us able to reduce an adjective clause?

Thank you.
_________________
If you want to change the world, be one of the change.

[Mister Micawber]

.
Offhand, I would think that it is possible as long as clarity is maintained. However, your example is not an ellipsis of 'The man who spoke'; it is a rephrasing. As I showed, 'The man speaking to Vicky yesterday' is ellipted from 'The man who was speaking to Vicky yesterday'.

Present participial and passive past participial finite relative clauses ellipt:

The man [who is/was/etc] speaking to Vicky is the boss.
The man [who was] spoken to by Vicky is the boss.

Active voice past participial constructions, i.e. those with the relative pronoun as subject, resist this sort of ellipsis. I don't know why.
.
_________________
Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's