Grammar
Ellipsis and substitution: avoiding repetition
Mira chose the blue notebook, and Sam chose the red one. The word one saves us from saying notebook twice, but it still points to a notebook. English often works this way: it removes repeated material only when the missing meaning is easy to find.
Avoid clear repetition by choosing a suitable substitute or leaving out words that a reader can recover from the sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Nadia checks the figures carefully, and her assistant does too. /ˈneɪdiə tʃeks ðə ˈfɪɡəz ˈkeəfəli, ænd hə əˈsɪstə dʌz tuː/
The short answer
Use one or ones for a repeated countable noun, do or does for a repeated action, and so after verbs such as think or hope when it refers to a whole earlier statement. Use ellipsis when the missing words are obvious from the nearby sentence.
I need a smaller suitcase, but I cannot find one.
Why it works: One replaces the repeated countable noun suitcase.
6 more examples
-
The striped umbrella is mine, and the plain one is yours.
One replaces the singular countable noun umbrella.
Not this:The striped umbrella is mine, and the
plainis yours. What changes: Plain is an adjective here. Without one, the second noun phrase is incomplete. -
These chairs are uncomfortable, so let's use the wooden ones.
Ones replaces the plural countable noun chairs.
Not this:These chairs are uncomfortable, so let's use the wooden
one. What changes: One refers to a singular item, but the sentence asks for several chairs. -
Nadia checks the figures carefully, and her assistant does too.
Does stands for checks the figures carefully and agrees with the singular subject assistant.
Not this:Nadia checks the figures carefully, and her assistant
dotoo. What changes: Assistant is singular, so the auxiliary needs to be does. -
I think the train will be late, and Omar thinks so too.
So refers to the earlier statement that the train will be late.
Not this:I think the train will be late, and Omar thinks
ittoo. What changes: It normally refers to a thing, while so can replace the earlier idea after thinks. -
I ordered pasta, and Mei soup.
The repeated verb ordered is left out because it applies clearly to both people.
Not this:I ordered pasta, and Mei
cookedsoup. What changes: The second action is different, so the verb cannot be left out. -
Ben can solve the puzzle, but his brother cannot.
The modal can remains, while solve the puzzle is omitted because it is understood.
Not this:Ben can solve the puzzle, but his brother
not. What changes: A negative with a modal needs the modal can or cannot to carry the grammar.
Read the full guide
Start by finding the words that would repeat. Then ask whether the person reading can recover those words without guessing. If the answer is yes, a substitute or an omission may work. If the answer is no, keep the full wording. Clear meaning matters more than making a sentence short.
Choose clarity before shortening
Ellipsis and substitution both avoid repetition, but they do it differently. Substitution adds a small replacement word. Ellipsis removes words that are already clear. Before using either, find the earlier noun, action, or statement that your shorter form will refer to.
Mira chose the blue notebook, and Sam chose the red one.
One has a clear job: it means notebook. The sentence stays clear because the noun appears just before it.
What noun does one replace in the sentence?
One replaces notebook. It does not replace blue or red because those words describe the notebook.
Use one and ones for countable nouns
Use one when the repeated noun is singular and countable. Use ones when it is plural and countable. An adjective can come before the substitute, as in the smaller one or the cheaper ones. The reader still needs to know which noun the word replaces.
I do not want the large box. I need a smaller one.
One replaces box, a singular countable noun.
The first tickets sold quickly, but the cheaper ones remain.
Ones replaces tickets, a plural countable noun.
Can one replace information in I need more information?
No. Information is uncountable, so use more information or another clear noun phrase.
Let an auxiliary replace an action
Do, does, and did can stand in for a verb phrase that has already been said. Match the auxiliary to the subject and tense. This is common in short answers and comparisons, where repeating the whole action would sound heavy.
I enjoyed the talk, and my colleagues did too.
Did too replaces enjoyed the talk. The past time stays visible in did.
Lena writes more quickly than I do.
Do replaces write quickly. It prevents the same verb phrase from appearing twice.
Choose the right ending: My brother plays chess, and I ___ too.
Use do too. I is the subject, and the first clause is in the present simple.
Use so for an earlier idea
After verbs such as think, hope, believe, expect, and suppose, so can refer back to a whole earlier statement. It is useful when the earlier idea is clear and you do not need to repeat it word for word.
Will the workshop finish early? I hope so.
So refers to the whole idea that the workshop will finish early.
Ravi believes the plan will work, and I believe so too.
The second believe so refers back to the stated opinion about the plan.
What does so mean in I do not think so?
It means I do not think that the earlier statement is true. The earlier statement must be clear from the conversation.
Leave out only what is obvious
In coordinated clauses, English can omit a repeated verb or verb phrase. This is ellipsis. The shortcut works when the second clause has the same action and the remaining words show the new subject or object.
Sofia brought tea, and Marcus coffee.
Brought is understood before coffee because both people brought a drink.
I can stay until six, but Rosa cannot.
Stay until six is omitted after cannot, but cannot remains to show the negative modal form.
Can you shorten Theo writes reports, and Ava edits reports?
No. The two people do different actions, so keep writes and edits.
Check the reference before you edit
A shorter sentence is not always a better sentence. Check that one or ones has one clear countable noun, that do or so points to an earlier action or idea, and that an ellipsis does not hide a change of verb. If more than one earlier phrase could fit, repeat the key words.
The manager approved the travel request, and the director did too.
Did too is clear because both people approved the same request.
What should you do if a substitute could refer to two different nouns?
Repeat the noun or rewrite the sentence. Do not ask the reader to guess which noun you mean.
Before you go
Remember this
Use one or ones for a known countable noun. Use do, does, or did when an auxiliary can replace a repeated action. Use so after suitable reporting or opinion verbs to refer to an earlier statement. Leave words out only when the reader can restore them easily. When the reference is uncertain, repeat the words.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Ellipsis and substitution: avoiding repetition"
What is ellipsis in English grammar?
Ellipsis means leaving out a word or words when the reader can recover them from nearby context. In I ordered pasta, and Mei soup, the second ordered is omitted because it applies clearly to both people.
The striped umbrella is mine, and the plain one is yours.
When should I use one or ones?
Use one for a known singular countable noun and ones for a known plural countable noun. The plain one can mean the plain umbrella, while the wooden ones can mean the wooden chairs. Do not use them for uncountable nouns such as information.
The striped umbrella is mine, and the plain is yours.
What does do too replace?
Do too, does too, and did too can replace a repeated verb phrase. In Nadia checks the figures carefully, and her assistant does too, does too means checks the figures carefully. Match the auxiliary to the new subject and the tense.
These chairs are uncomfortable, so let's use the wooden ones.
What does so mean after think or hope?
After verbs such as think, hope, or believe, so can refer to a whole earlier statement. In I hope so, so means that the earlier event or statement is hoped for. Use it only when that earlier idea is clear.
These chairs are uncomfortable, so let's use the wooden one.
When should I avoid ellipsis or substitution?
Avoid a shorter form when it could point to more than one noun, action, or idea. Also keep the full verb when the second clause has a different action, as in Theo writes reports, and Ava edits reports. Clear reference is more useful than avoiding repetition.
Nadia checks the figures carefully, and her assistant does too.