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A Korean software engineer wrote the following sentence.

There are several algorithms commonly used by software developers.

But his native English-speaking teacher corrected it by inserting "which are" between "algorithms" and "commonly" as following.

There are several algorithms which are commonly used by software developers.

He failed to ask the teacher why at that moment, but he, as well as I, is still wondering why. Is there any difference between using "which are" and omitting it?

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    There's no difference in meaning. Presumably the teacher just thinks that although it's permissible to delete which are, it's easier to read if you explicitly include it.
    – FumbleFingers
    Apr 9, 2015 at 12:18
  • I think the teacher was messing with him.
    – Tushar Raj
    Apr 9, 2015 at 12:28
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    Whiz-deletion does not always leave shorter versions sounding equally idiomatic. And I'd say that after there-insertion is sometimes not the best place for it to be used.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Apr 9, 2015 at 14:31
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    As an English teacher who teaches academic English, I'd say that the first is preferable to the second depending on the surrounding text. The teacher was wrong and shouldn't have interfered here. Always be nice to your teachers though!
    – Araucaria - Him
    Apr 9, 2015 at 15:31

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There is a difference, IMO:

There are several algorithms commonly used by software developers.

can be read, IMO, alternatively as:

There are several algorithms that are presently commonly used by software developers.

thus indicating current use,

or, less probable, but possible:

There are several algorithms that were once commonly used by software developers.

indicating previous use.

The version:

There are several algorithms that are commonly used by software developers.

doesn't have this temporal ambiguity, being firmly centered on the present. The latter can also seen as more "active," even though the verb is used in the passive:-)

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