ASPECTS OF COHESION

SUBSTITUTION AND ELLIPSIS

• To avoid unnecessary repetition and
to keep meaning clear we will study:

- WHICH WORDS AND PHRASES CAN

BE USED TO SUBSTITUTE FOR
OTHERS (substitution) and
- WHICH WORDS AND PHRASES CAN
BE OMITTED (ellipsis)
 EXAMPLES OF SUBSTITUTION:
• Labour voted for the proposals and the liberals voted for
the proposals too.
Labour voted for the proposals and the liberals did too.

• The best skiing is found not at big resorts but it is found at

small resorts.
The best skiing is not found at big resorts but at small ones.
 EXAMPLE OF ELLIPSIS:
 
 
• Mike left at about the  same time as Jane left.
Mike left at about the same time as Jane. (left)
SUBSTITUTION DEVICES
PRONOUNS:
-John came into the room. He was wearing a coat.

- We can also use the pronouns ONE/ONES TO

REPLACE COUNTABLE NOUNS AFTER ADJECTIVES OR
DEMONSTRATIVES:
-What sort of ice cream would you like? a plain one or
one with chocolate sauce on?
-Which colour would you prefer, this one or that one?
THIS/THAT/THESE/THOSE:
- He hated school. That’s why he left at 16.
 DO/DOES/DID TO REPLACE VERBS:
- Paula didn’t want to go, but she did.
- She doesn’t know more than I do.

• OR TO REPLACE A VERB + OBJECT:

- He told her to lock the door, but she had already done so.
 SO/NOR/NEITHER + AUXILIARY VERB + SUBJECT TO AGREE
WITH THE SPEAKER:
- She likes dogs and so do I.
- She enjoyed the trip, and so did her husband.
- I’ve never been to Paris and nor/neither has he.
- I didn’t have enough money. Neither did I/ Nor did I/ I didn’t either.
- Dad never learnt to speak any other languages, and neither did mum/
mum didn’t either.
 TO REPLACE A NOUN OR NOUN PHRASE WITH SOME/ALL/EACH/
NONE/EITHER/NEITHER/BOTH/OTHER/A FEW/ENOUGH:
- The boys went out night after night, and some did not return.
- The doctor said I should try aspirin or ibuprofen, but neither worked.
 SO/NOT TO REPLACE A THAT-CLAUSE AFTER “EXPECT,
HOPE, SEEM, SUPPOSE, THINK”:
- Is he coming? I think so (= I think that he is coming)
- Is he coming? I don’t think so.
- Do you think it will rain? I hope not. (I hope that it won’t
rain)
 IF SO/IF NOT TO REPLACE WHOLE CLAUSES
- Are you free on Friday?
If so, do you fancy going to the cinema? If not, what about
next week?
ELLIPSIS DEVICES
 IT IS COMMON TO OMIT WORDS AFTER AND AND BUT:
- I live and (I) work in London.

- John was impressed, but I wasn’t (impressed)

- She attracts the attention of the locals and he
(attracts) the suspicions of the villagers.
 THE MAIN VERB CAN BE OMITTED AFTER AN AUXILIARY
VERB:
- She said she would phone, but she hasn’t (phoned).

- He was looking for a job, or at least he said he was (looking for

a job).
 THE MAIN VERB CAN BE OMITTED AFTER A MODAL VERB:
- I can speak Spanish, and Mary can (speak Spanish) too.

 HOWEVER, NOTE THAT:

AFTER A MODAL VERB, “BE” CANNOT BE OMITTED:
- Is the shop open yet? it might be.
 IN A PERFECCT PASSIVE, “BEEN” CANNOT BE OMITTED AFTER A
MODAL VERB:
Has she been promoted? Yes she has.
He was sent to prison but he shouldn’t have been.
 IN INFINITIVE EXPRESSIONS (AS LONG AS THE MEANING IS CLEAR):
- I don’t eat much cheese now, but I used to (eat much cheese).
- He didn’t win the competition but he had expected to (win it). 

AFTER MOST VERBS WHICH ARE FOLLOWED BY TO + INFINITIVE (SUCH AS ASK,

FORGET, PROMISE AND WANT); AND WOULD LIKE IN IF OR WH- CLAUSES,
WE CAN OMIT “TO”:
A: You don’t have to take the children to the cinema.
B: But I promised (to)!

A: Shall we go to the cinema tonight?

B: yes, if you want (to).
 

A: Dr. Angelo said he was going on a call this afternoon.

B: Did he say where (he was going)? No, he didn’t (say where).
 IN WH- CLAUSES WE OFTEN USE THE QUESTION WORD
ONLY AND OMIT THE REST OF THE CLAUSE:

A: Dr. Angelo said he was going on a call this afternoon.

B: Did he say where (he was going)? No, he didn’t (say where).
IN COMPARISON CLAUSES WE CAN OMIT THE VERB PHRASE
COMPLETELY:
- You look older than my brother (does).
- House prices have dropped much less than share prices (have
done).
- Most European teams can now play more interesting football than
the British teams (can play).
- I have been working longer than you (have been).
IF THE COMPARISON CLAUSE BEGINS WITH A PRONOUN,
AND WE OMIT THE VERB PHRASE COMPLETELY, WE USE AN
OBJECT PRONOUN RATHER THAN A SUBJECT PRONOUN:
- You look older than she does (subject pronoun)
- You look older than her (object pronoun)
 PRACTICE ONLINE HTTP://
WWW.ENGLISHW.COM/COHESION1.PHP