The document discusses various ways that pronouns, verbs, and other elements can be omitted in English sentences when the intended meaning remains clear from the context. It provides examples of omitting pronouns and verbs in coordinate and subordinate clauses, replacing verbs with "do" to avoid repetition, using "so" to replace verb phrases, and other patterns of ellipsis in English.

2.  We can use the pronouns ONE/ONES after
adjectives or demonstratives.
 I’d like a sweet sherry and John would like a
dry one.
 We don’t use ONE for uncountable nouns.
 I really like sweet sherry but my husband
prefers dry (sherry)

3.  We can also use the demonstrative
pronouns without ONE/ONES.
 Which colour would you prefer for your room,
this one or that?
 We can also replace a noun or noun
phrase with a quantifier, e.g. some, all,
each, none, either, neither, both, a few….
 All the pupils did the exam but only some
passed.

4.  We can use a form of do to avoid repeating
a present or past simple verb.
 They live very near to where I do.
 We can also use it to avoid repeating the
main verb in coordinate clauses.
 Mark phoned the police and I did too.

5.  With coordinate clauses where the action
is the same in both, we can also use
so/neither+ auxiliary+subject.
 Mark phoned the police and so did I.
 This pattern can be used to agree in short
answers.
 I didn’t watch telly last night.
 Neither did I.

6.  In informal speech, we can omit do and
use the object pronoun with too, neither,
nor.
 I didn’t watch telly last night.
 Me neither/ nor me
 Usinga form of do is common in
comparison clauses.
 Men don’t work in the home as much as
women do.

7.  We can use the three patterns to replace a
verb phrase which describes a single,
specific action. (so is more formal)
 Mary stood up to leave and just as she was
doing so/it/that she slipped and fell.
 We usually use do it/that when the subject
of the verb changes.
 The shop assistant couldn’t get hold of the
shoplifter.
 Were the police able to do it/that?

8.  We prefer to use do so when we talk about
an activity rather than a single, specific
action.
 People would like to smoke in public places
but they are banned from doing so.
 We use only do to replace verbs which
refer to events outside our control, e.g.
believe, lose, forget…
 He told her not to forget his phone number but
she did.

9.  We can verbs like expect/think/believe/
imagine with so to avoid repeating the
preceding information.
 Will they be coming to our party?
 I expect so.
 To express a negative purpose, most verbs
make the verb negative and use so:
imagine, think, expect, suppose, believe.
 Will they be coming to our party?
 I don’t think so.

10.  Some verbs, however, use only not: be
afraid, guess, hope, suppose.
 Will they be coming to our party?
 I guess not.
 We substitute if clauses with if so, and if
not.
 They will find the restaurant easily; if not, they
can always ask a passerby.

11.  We can use so at the beginning of a short
answer when we agree to a statement with
a certain amount of surprise.
 I won the jackpot in the lottery!
 So you did!

12.  We often omit nouns or pronouns in the
second of two coordinate clauses.
 I went to the bar and (I) asked for a beer.
 We do not leave out pronouns in subordinate
clauses.
 I went to the bar and (I) asked for a beer because
I was thirsty.

13.  We can omit a verb to avoid repeating it.
 Coffee appeals to young people and tea to
the elderly.
 Generally we do not omit the auxiliary or
modal.
 Was it a good idea to buy that flat?
 I think I shouldn’t/ I think I shouldn’t have.

14.  We can introduce a new modal in order to
add interpretation.
 Has the boss arrived?
 It’s ten o’clock. He must have.
 Ifthe comparison clause begins with a
pronoun and we omit the verb phrase, we
use the object pronoun rather than the
subject pronoun.
 You certainly are more intelligent than her.

15.  We can omit an infinitive phrase when the
meaning is clear.
 Although Mary has tried hard to stop smoking,
she hasn’t been able to.
 After most verbs which are followed by
to+infinitive such as forget, ask and
promise we can omit to.
 Did you buy the presents?
 I forgot (to).

16.  Afterwant and would like in if or wh-
clause we can also omit to.
 Leave the stuff wherever you want (to).