Verb［た・ている］+ Noun
Meanings
- Verb modifies noun
- Relative clause: a verb phrase describing the noun that follows
- Past or ongoing action describing the noun
About this pattern
Explanation
This grammar uses a verb in either the past tense (た form) or the te-iru form to create a relative clause that directly modifies the following noun. The noun is the head, and the preceding verb phrase describes or specifies it. Use it to compactly express ‘the … that/which was done’ or ‘the … that is being …’. It is common in everyday description and combines actions with the noun they affect. Note that with ている, you often convey a current state resulting from a previous action.
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Example sentences
The cake that I ate was delicious.
There is someone who is eating on the street.
I returned the book I read at the bookstore yesterday.
I ate the meal that he made.
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More N5 patterns
to be; is; equals; identifies as
View detailsto be; is; am; used to state something politely
View detailsAs for... (highlights sentence topic); Topic marker used to indicate what the sentence is about; Marks the topic of the sentence, sometimes with contrast
View detailsalso; too; as well; even; either; neither
View detailsthis (near the speaker); this thing; this one
View detailsthat; that thing (near the listener); the thing referred to earlier
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