The sentence ‘a sickness caused by overeating’ may seem confusing at first, especially when it comes to understanding the position of ‘caused’ in relation to ‘sickness.’ This question touches on an important aspect of grammar, specifically the use of past participles and the function of relative clauses. In this article, we will explore why ‘caused’ follows ‘sickness’ and clarify the role of the relative clause in this structure.
The Role of the Past Participle ‘Caused’
‘Caused’ in the sentence ‘a sickness caused by overeating’ is the past participle of the verb ‘cause.’ It acts as a modifier, describing the noun ‘sickness.’ In this case, ‘caused by overeating’ is a reduced relative clause. The full relative clause would be ‘a sickness that is caused by overeating,’ but the relative pronoun ‘that’ and the verb ‘is’ are often omitted for brevity, especially when the meaning is clear without them.
In English, past participles are commonly used in passive constructions to indicate that the action is performed on the subject. Here, ‘sickness’ is the subject, and the phrase ‘caused by overeating’ tells us the cause of the sickness. This passive construction is common when describing things like illnesses, accidents, or other events where the subject receives an action.
The Use of Relative Clauses and Omission of ‘That’
In your example, ‘a sickness caused by overeating,’ the relative clause ‘that is caused by overeating’ has been shortened by omitting the relative pronoun ‘that’ and the verb ‘is.’ This is a typical grammatical structure in English, where relative clauses are often reduced for conciseness.
It’s important to note that while ‘that’ can be omitted in informal speech and writing, the full relative clause structure (‘that is caused’) is technically more complete and can be used when needed for clarity or emphasis.
Understanding the Position of ‘Caused’
The confusion about the position of ‘caused’ often arises from the misunderstanding of how relative clauses work. In this case, ‘caused’ directly modifies ‘sickness,’ making it a postpositive adjective (an adjective that follows the noun it modifies). This structure is common in English when describing things that have undergone an action, particularly with passive voice constructions.
So, the structure ‘a sickness caused by overeating’ follows the rule of placing the past participle after the noun it modifies. This is not a problem of grammar or syntax but rather a natural use of relative clauses and passive voice in English.
Why ‘That’ Cannot Be Omitted When It’s the Subject
While it is common to omit relative pronouns like ‘that’ in passive voice sentences, they cannot be omitted when ‘that’ is the subject of the relative clause. For example, in the sentence ‘The book that is on the table is mine,’ ‘that’ cannot be omitted because it is the subject of the clause. However, in ‘a sickness caused by overeating,’ the subject (‘sickness’) is already clear, so omitting ‘that’ and ‘is’ is acceptable and common.
Summary
The reason ‘caused’ follows ‘sickness’ in ‘a sickness caused by overeating’ is due to the use of a reduced relative clause. The full form would be ‘a sickness that is caused by overeating,’ but it is often shortened for brevity. Understanding relative clauses and the passive voice is key to mastering this structure. So, when you encounter sentences like this, recognize the reduction of the relative clause and the passive voice in use.
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