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Unit 04
Ellipsis, Substitution & Cohesion
so, do, one, the same, too, either
Why Fluent English Avoids Repetition
In fluent English we rarely repeat everything. We use ellipsis (omitting repeated words) and substitution (replacing them with short references) to keep language natural and cohesive.
"Do you like coffee?" — "Yes, I do." (substitution) / "I prefer the blue one." (noun substitution)
Cohesive Devices Overview
| Device | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pronouns | refer back to nouns | Mary loves her job. She works hard. |
| Substitution | replace words | I'll take the red one. |
| Ellipsis | omit repeated words | She likes dogs; he does too. |
| Conjunctions | connect ideas | I studied because I wanted to pass. |
| Lexical ties | repetition / synonyms | The car was fast. The vehicle amazed us. |
Ellipsis — Leaving Out Repeated Words
| Type | Example | Omitted |
|---|---|---|
| Verb phrase | A: Do you like sushi? B: I do. | "like sushi" |
| Auxiliary | A: Will you come? B: I will. | "come" |
| Object | I didn't eat cake, but she did. | "eat cake" |
| Clausal | He can play guitar and (he can) sing too. | "he can" |
Substitution Words & Their Uses
| Word | Replaces | Example |
|---|---|---|
| do / does / did | a verb | "She works hard." "Yes, she does." |
| one / ones | a noun | I want the blue one, not the red one. |
| so | a positive clause | "Will it rain?" "I think so." |
| not | a negative clause | "Will he pass?" "I hope not." |
| the same | a repeated idea | We all have the same goal. |
| that / those | something known | I prefer those over there. |
| such | generalises / emphasises | He is such a nice person. |
Agreement & Disagreement (Spoken)
| Situation | Example |
|---|---|
| Positive agreement | "I love it." "So do I." |
| Negative agreement | "I don't like it." "Neither do I." |
| Short answer | "Can you swim?" "Yes, I can." |
| Comparison | He's smarter than I am. |
Cohesion in a Paragraph
Many people enjoy working remotely. Some do because it saves time. Others prefer the office, and I'm one of those who do. In the end, both styles can be effective — it depends on what suits each person.
Notice how "do", "those", and "both" tie the ideas together without repeating "work remotely / prefer the office".
C1 Ellipsis: To, Be, Gapping & Do So
| Pattern | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ellipsis after to | "Are you coming?" "I'd love to." · I didn't want to go, but I had to. | keep "to" |
| Auxiliary be kept | She isn't ready, but I am. · He's been to Peru and so have I. | repeat the right auxiliary |
| Gapping (formal writing) | Ali ordered fish, and Ayşe [ordered] pasta. → Ali ordered fish, and Ayşe, pasta. | verb omitted in the 2nd clause |
| do so (formal) | He promised to call, and he did so the next day. | = did it |
| if so / if not | Is it urgent? If so, call me. | replaces a clause |
| so / not after verbs | I suppose so · I guess not · I'm afraid so/not · Apparently so | not after "know" or "be sure" |
| one only for countables | I'd like a red wine. → | no "one" with uncountables |
Annotated Examples
Subject
Verb
Auxiliary
Object
Adjective
Adverb
Preposition
Hover over any word to see its role.
subjectIverbwantadjectivethe blueobjectone.
↳ Noun substitution: "one" replaces the repeated noun.
"Will it rain?""I thinkobjectso."
↳ Clause substitution: "so" replaces "that it will rain".
She likes dogs;subjectheverbdoesadverbtoo.
↳ Verb ellipsis: "does" replaces "likes dogs".
Common Mistakes
I like red one.
→
I like the red one.
"One" needs the article "the".
I hope yes.
→
I hope so.
Use "so" (not "yes") to substitute a clause.
She is better than me am.
→
She is better than I am.
Use subject pronoun + verb after the comparison.
I don't think so that he will come.
→
I don't think he will come.
No "so that" — just the clause.
"Will he pass?" "I hope no."
→
"Will he pass?" "I hope not."
Negative clause substitution → not.
I know so.
→
I know. / Yes, I know.
"So" is not used after "know".