Ch 9
Ellipsis & Substitution
one/ones · so/not · auxiliary ellipsis · to-inf
Ellipsis omits repeated words. Substitution replaces them with shorter pro-forms. Both make English flow naturally without repetition.
Ellipsis (omit)
She likes coffee and I do too. (= and I like coffee too)
Substitution (replace)
I have a red car and a blue one. (= a blue car)
"so" / "not"
A: Is she coming? B: I think so. / I'm afraid not.
Singular: one
I lost my pen. Do you have a spare one?
Plural: ones
These apples are bad. Get me some good ones.
With adjective
She wants the red shoes, not the black ones.
With which
Which one do you prefer?
After auxiliary
I haven't finished yet, but she has. (= she has finished)
After modal
You should leave now. I would too. (= I would leave too)
Negative
She didn't come and neither did he.
To-infinitive ellipsis
I wanted to leave but I didn't have to. (= didn't have to leave)
think / believe + so
A: Will it rain? B: I think so. / I don't think so.
hope + so / not
A: Will we win? B: I hope so. / I hope not.
be afraid + so / not
A: Is he ill? B: I'm afraid so. / I'm afraid not.
expect + so / not
A: Will they come? B: I expect so.
With hope and be afraid, use "I hope not" (not "I don't hope so"). With think, use "I don't think so" (not "I think not").
I have a red car and a blue.
→
I have a red car and a blue one.
need substitute "one"
A: Is he coming? B: I think.
→
B: I think so.
need substitute "so"
I don't hope so.
→
I hope not.
hope takes "not" directly, not "don't hope so"
I wanted to go but I had to no.
→
I wanted to go but I didn't have to.
to-infinitive ellipsis ends with "to"
Recap
one/ones
noun substitution
the red ones
After aux/modal
omit repeated verb phrase
she has · I would too
so / not
replaces whole clause
I think so · I hope not
To-inf ellipsis
end with "to"
I didn't have to