Ellipsis(CLB5+)EnglishOnlineIncLunch&Learn.pptx

Ellipsis in Spoken English
Lunch&Learn
(CLB5+)

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What is Ellipsis…?
In both written and spoken English, we
commonly leave words out. This is called
ellipsis.
Knowing when and where to omit words
helps your writing and speaking sound more
natural.
Today we’ll focus on ellipsis in spoken
English.
Note: An ellipsis is also this punctuation mark:
…

Context:
Omitting words depends upon the context.
Context (noun): other words that were said or written at the same time as the
word or words you are talking about, which give meaning.
When the meaning can be understood without the words, the speaker will
often omit them.
https://pixabay.com/photos/books-pages-story-stories-notes-1245690/ shared under CC0

Example:
Question: “Have you read this book?”
Answer: “I have. (read this book).
We can omit the words “read this book”
because this is understood from the context
of the question.

Video: English with Jennifer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c
lDYkIcOUI&ab_channel=EnglishwithJe
nnifer

ELLIPSIS…
Let’s look at where and when we
can use
Ellipsis…

1. Afterlinkingwords(and,but,or)
Wecanleaveoutthe subjectafter“and,”“but,”“or”
Examples:
Wehadanearly breakfastand [we] wentfor awalk.
Every morning,Iread abookor [I]dosome baking.
https://pixabay.com/photos/books-pages-story-stories-notes-1245690/sharedunder CC0

1.Afterlinkingwords(and,but,or)
Iftherepeated subjectiswiththeverbbe,wecanomit boththesubjectandbe.
Examples:
Clare isworkingalotand [sheis] getting upreally early.
She's growingupand[she's]starting to wantmore timealone.

2.After“to”
Wecanoften avoidrepeatingpartof averbphraseafter to.
A:Haveyou triedthatnewrestaurantyet?
B: No,Iwanted to[trythatnewrestaurant], butit'sontheother sideoftown.
Some people give upchocolate,butIdon’twantto [give upchocolate].

3.Afterauxiliariesandmodalverbs
Wecanalsoavoidrepeatingpartofaverbphraseafterauxiliariesandmodals.
Ihadn't noticedthegopher,but mydoghad [noticedit].
Shesaidshewouldfinishherreportandshehas [finishedherreport].
TheyweregettingicecreambecauseIsaidtheycould[geticecream].

4.Toomitsubjectpronouns
Sometimeswecanomitthepronoun, becauseit'sobvious whoorwhatwe'retalking about.
[It/That] Sounds familiar!
[It]looksgreattome.

5.Toomitauxiliaryverbs
Inotherinformalquestions,wecanleaveouttheauxiliaryverbsbe,haveand do.
[Are]Yougoingtotheparty?
[Have]Yougotaminutetotalk?
[Does]Sheeatouteveryday?

6.Toomitsubjectandauxiliaryverbs
Sometimeswecanomitboththepronoun andtheauxiliaryverbthatgoeswithit.Thisismost
commonininformalquestions andparticularlywiththeverbswantand havegot.
[Doyou]Wantsomecoffee?
[Haveyou]Gotalotofhomework?

7. Useof“so” or“not:
Weoftenwilluse“so”(positive)or“not” (negative)after“thinking verbs”like:hope,think,believe,
imagine…whenrespondingtoquestions,likethis:
Questions: Willherboyfriendbethere?
Answers: Ihopeso(positive).
Ihopenot(negative).

Practice:
Useellipsis toleave out thesubject:
1.She likescoffee, butshehates tea.
2. Hedidn’twanttogotothe party,buthewent tothe partyanyway.

Practice:
1.She likescoffee butshe hatestea.
She likescoffee buthates tea.
2. Hedidn’twanttogotothe party,buthewent tothe partyanyway.
Hedidn’twantto gotothepartybutwent anyway.

Practice:
3. Every evening, shetakesalongwalk,orshedoes yoga.
4.Thismorning,Iwoke upearlyandIwatched thesunrise.

Practice:
3. Every evening, shetakes alongwalk,orshedoes yoga.
Every evening, shetakes alongwalkordoesyoga.
4.Thismorning,Iwoke upearlyandIwatched thesunrise.
Thismorning,Iwokeupearlyandwatchedthesunrise.

Practice
Useellipsis toomitboththe subjectandbe:
1. Grandpaisoldandheiscranky.
2. Thebusis crowdedanditislateagain.

Practice
Useellipsis toomitboththe subjectandbe.
1. Grandpaisoldandheiscranky.
Grandpaisoldandcranky.
2. Thebusiscrowded,anditislate again.
Thebusis crowdedandlateagain.

Practice
3. IamsickandIamtired.
4. They aregoingtoItalyandtheyareplanningtheirtrip.

Practice
3. IamsickandIamtired.
Iamsickandtired.
4. TheyaregoingtoItalyandtheyareplanningtheirtrip.
They aregoingtoItalyandplanningtheirtrip.

Let’s practice. Change each sentence so it has the same
meaning. Use ellipsis (leave words out).
1. This must be the place.
2. They invited me to the cottage but I really don’t want to go to
the cottage.

Change each sentence so it has the same meaning. Use
ellipsis (leave words out).
1. This must be the place.
Answer: Must be the place.
2. They invited me to the cottage but I really don’t want to go to the
cottage.
Answer: They invited me to the cottage but I really don’t
want to go.

3. Do you feel like going for a walk?
4. Ever since my friend moved in next door, we see each other and we
talk every day.

3. Do you feel like going for a walk?
Answer: Feel like going for a walk?
4. Ever since my friend moved in next door, we see each other and we
talk every day.
Answer: Ever since my friend moved in next door, we see each other
and talk every day.

5. I thought I hadn’t locked the door but then I realized I had
locked the door.
6. I have never been to Paris but I would really like to go to Paris.

5. I thought I hadn’t locked the door but then I realized I had
locked the door.
Answer: I though I hadn’t locked the door but then I
realized that I had.
6. I have never been to Paris but I would really like to go to Paris.
Answer: I have never been to Paris but I would really like to
go.

7. He promised he would text me but he didn’t text me.
8. Mila and I went to the ocean and we had a picnic on the beach.

7. He promised he would text me but he didn’t text me.
Answer: He promised he would text me but he didn’t.
8. Mila and I went to the ocean and we had a picnic on the beach.
Answer: Mila and I went to the ocean and had a picnic on
the beach.

9. Please clean your room. This is the last time I am going to tell
you to clean your room.
10. Will you wait for me?

9. Please clean your room. This is the last time I am going to tell
you to clean your room.
Please clean your room. This is the last time I am going to
tell you.
10. Will you wait for me?
Wait for me?

11. She will come if you will come.
12. Have you seen my keys anywhere?

11. She will come if you will come.
She will come if you will.
12. Have you seen my keys anywhere?
Seen my keys anywhere?

Read the dialogue. Identify any ellipsis.
Sarah: Hey, Alex... Know where the library is?
Alex: Oh... yeah, down the street...can't miss it.
Sarah: Thanks! I'm new here... still trying to find my way around...
Alex: No problem... happy to help... anything else you need to know?

Read the dialogue. Identify any ellipsis.
Sarah: Well... actually, know if there's a good coffee shop nearby?
Alex: Absolutely! just around the corner... Serves fantastic coffee...
Sarah: Awesome! Thanks again, Alex...
Alex: Anytime, Sarah... enjoy your day...

Read the dialogue. Fill in the ellipsis to make complete
sentences.
Sarah: Hey, Alex... Know where the library is?
Alex: Oh... yeah, down the street...can't miss it.
Sarah: Thanks! I'm new here... still trying to find my way around...
Alex: No problem... happy to help... anything else you need to know?
Sarah: Well... actually, do you know if there's a good coffee shop nearby?
Alex: Absolutely! just around the corner... serves fantastic coffee...
Sarah: Awesome! Thanks again, Alex...

sentences.
Sarah: Hey, Alex... Do you know where the library is?
Alex: Oh... yeah, it is down the street. You can't miss it.
Sarah: Thanks! I'm new here. I am still trying to find my way around.
Alex: That is no problem. I am happy to help. Is there anything else you need
to know?

sentences.
Sarah: Well... Actually, there is something else. Do you know if there's a good
coffee shop nearby?
Alex: Absolutely! There is one just around the corner. It serves fantastic coffee.
Sarah: Awesome! Thanks again, Alex.

Read the dialogue. Then, use ellipsis to make it a more
natural conversation in spoken English.
Ana: Did you have a good journey?
Jon: No, I didn’t really. The plane was packed.
Ana: I’m not surprised. It is always packed out around Christmas.
Jon: Yes, I suppose it is always packed out around Christmas. I was stuck right in the middle
row.
Ana: Oh, you were in the middle row.
Jon: Yes. I couldn't stretch my legs and I couldn't get to sleep.
Ana: Oh dear. I know what it's like.I could have done with a few more hours sleep.
Jon: I bet you could have done with a few more hours sleep. Ah well, you can catch up now.
Ana: Yes, I think I will catch up now.

Read the dialogue. Then, use ellipsis to make it a more
natural conversation in spoken English.
Ana: Good journey?
Tom: Not really. Plane was packed.
Ana: I’m not surprised. It always is around Christmas.
Tom: Yeah, suppose so. I was stuck right in the middle row.
Ana: Oh, were you?
Tom: Yeah. Couldn’t stretch my legs... couldn’t get to sleep...
Ana: Oh no. I know what it’s like. Could have done with a few more hours sleep.
Jon: I bet you could. Ah well, you can catch up now.
Ana: Yeah, I will.

The train to Oxford. (an old dialogue of ellipsis)
Here is an old dialogue full of ellipsis. It is interesting because so many words
are left out, yet the meaning is still clear. You likely would not have a
conversation like this, but it is fun and useful as way to practice both use of
ellipsis and intonation.
A: Um cigarette?
B: Thanks.
A: Oxford?
B: Yes. You?
A: Um that’s right. Student?
B: Nurse. You?
A: Unemployed.
B: Long?

The train to Oxford. (an old dialogue of ellipsis)
A: A year. Married?
B: Divorced.
A: Really? Me too.
B: Kids?
A: One. You?
B: Three.
A: Feel like dinner?
B: When?
A: Tonight?
B: Ah busy. How ‘bout tomorrow?

The train to Oxford.
A: Lunch instead?
B: OK. Where?
A: Browns?
B: Browns. When?
A: One.
B: Great.
A: Look. Oxford, already.
B: Already.
A: See you tomorrow.
B: Yes, tomorrow.

The train to Oxford.
A: Oh…?
B: Yes?
A: Name?
B: Sarah.
A: Andrew. Nice to meet you.
Originally written by Scott Thornbury as a piece of teacher training material and altered
frohttps://elt-resourceful.com/2013/04/09/am-i-missing-something-raising-awareness-of-
ellipsis-and-substitution/m

More Practice
https://elt.oup.com/student/solutions/advanced/grammar/grammar
_05_022e?cc=ca&selLanguage=en

HOMEWORK – Ellipsis
Use ellipsis in the following sentences. (Remember these sentences
will be informal, spoken English).
1. That is enough!
2. I hoped to win the lottery and I did win the lottery!
3. We can’t repair your car today but we can repair it tomorrow.

HOMEWORK: The details:
1. Submit your homework to Lori on Skype: live:loramoren
2. After class, you have until the 11:59 pm the same day to complete the
assignment.
3. I will correct the homework and offer feedback. 

Thankyou!
LoriMorency
Skype:live:loramoren
livelearn.ca

Thankyou!
Blaine
broberts@myenglishonline.ca
livelearn.ca
1-204-946-5140
Website:
livelearn.ca
Email:
info@myenglishonline.ca

Ellipsis(CLB5+)EnglishOnlineIncLunch&Learn.pptx

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