LoginEllipsis
Ellipsis is the omission of a word or words that are obvious or easily understood from the context. In this lesson, we will learn about ellipses.
What Do We Mean By Ellipsis?
When we leave out one or more words that we would not omit from a normal grammatical sentence, ellipsis happens. The items left out are shown in brackets [ ].
Ellipsis: Uses
Ellipsis is a common grammatical device used to avoid repetition, make sentences more concise, and create a more natural flow of speech or text.
Note that when we use ellipsis properly, it does not affect the completeness or grammatical correctness of the sentence. Ellipsis is very commonly used, particularly in spoken English.
She sang and [she] played the violin at the same time.
Tip!
'Ellipsis' is also the name of the punctuation mark ("...") used to show the words that are left out in a direct quote.
Ellipsis: Types
There are two main types of ellipsis in the English grammar:
- Textual ellipsis
- Situational ellipsis
Textual Ellipsis
Textual ellipsis refers to when we omit some parts of the text because we can easily understand them from the context (surrounding text). One of the most common cases of textual ellipsis is the omission of 'that' in a that-clause.
I knew [that] something was terribly wrong.
I'm glad [that] you came.
We couldn't believe [that] he was only 12.
Sometimes, in coordinated clauses joined together by 'and', 'but', and 'or', we do not repeat words, but we understand the words left out. For example:
I went to a restaurant and [I] ordered a delicious meal.
We can deliver the item but [we] can't do it today.
The complement of a verb can also be left out when it is clear what it is. For example:
Situational Ellipsis
Omitting Subject Pronouns
Situational ellipsis generally means omitting the subject pronoun 'I', especially at the beginning of a clause, because it is obvious from the immediate situation. This is quite informal.
[I] Wonder how Karen is getting on these days.
Goodbye! [I] Hope you have a great time!
In informal conversations, we can also leave out third-person pronouns used at the beginning of a clause when it is obvious who or what we are talking about. For example:
I saw Rachel in town. [She] Said she moved in yesterday.
Omitting Subjects and Auxiliary Verbs
We can omit both the subject pronoun (most likely 'I' and 'you') and the auxiliary verb at the beginning of a clause when the meaning is obvious. This is very common in informal English, especially with questions.
[Are you] Done with your food?
[Do you] Want some orange juice?
Omitting Auxiliary Verbs
We can also leave out the auxiliary verbs when the subject pronoun is 'you', especially in questions.
[Are] You OK over there?
[Have] You started your homework yet?
Also, if the subject of the question is a third-person noun, we can omit the auxiliary verb.
[Is] Jason coming to the party tonight?
[Has] Mary gone to the doctor?
Warning
Do not do this when the subject is the first person pronoun 'I'.
Am I making a huge mistake? (Do Not Say: I making a huge mistake?)
Question Tags
When we use a question tag in informal conversations, we can leave out the subject pronoun, or the subject pronoun and the auxiliary verb. For example:
[He] Broke up with his girl, did he?
[They] Closed down their store, didn't they?
Omitting Articles
an instance of ellipsis in a conversation
In informal contexts, when articles (a/an, the) are obvious from the surrounding texts, and when we use them at the beginning of a sentence, we can omit them.
[The] Teacher says I'm not applying myself.
What are you looking for? [A] Mug. I'm making coffee.
Ellipsis in Fixed Expressions
In informal situations, we can leave out the first word of some fixed expressions or idioms, because it is understood from the context.
I'd love to come to the party. [The] problem is, I'm so busy this weekend.
I can't lift it. It's [as] big as a bull.
Types of Ellipsis: Advanced Level
Now that you are familiar with the basic types of ellipsis, let's dig a little deeper and get to know the more advanced types of ellipsis.
Gapping
Gapping is a type of ellipsis that happens in the middle of the sentence (not at the beginning of a clause).
Jim likes to drink beer, and Sally [likes to drink] juice.
Some prefer dark chocolate, and others [prefer] white chocolate.
Mike said that they bought sunglasses, and Monika [said that they bought] smartphones.
Pseudo-gapping
When most but not all of a verb phrase is left out, pseudo-gapping happens. For example:
Lucas is washing the dishes Friday, and Payton is [washing the dishes] Saturday.
Stripping
Stripping happens when everything, except a single element, is omitted from a clause. The clause is often followed by words such as 'too', 'also', or 'as well'. For example:
She told Mal to stop horsing around, and [she told] Eli [to stop horsing around] too.
This is an example of stripping, because 'she told...to stop horsing around' is omitted from the second clause, leaving only the element 'Eli.' 'Too' is added to help clarify the meaning.
Sluicing
Sluicing occurs in wh-clauses (clauses beginning with the wh-words such as 'who,' 'what,' 'where,' etc.). In sluicing, everything except the wh-expression is omitted from the clause.
Someone is coming with Nancy to have dinner with us tonight, but I don't know who [is coming with Nancy to have dinner with us tonight].
Brian doesn't like carrots, but he doesn't know why [he doesn't like carrots].
Verb Phrase Ellipsis
A verb phrase ellipsis happens when a verb phrase is omitted completely.
Jack wants to go to the zoo, and Mia [wants to go to the zoo] as well.
Noun Phrase Ellipsis
A noun phrase ellipsis occurs in a sentence when part of a noun phrase (a word or group of words that function as a subject or object) is omitted.
Sam saw three seabirds in the horizon, and Jill saw four [seabirds].
This is an example of a noun phrase ellipsis because 'seabirds' is omitted from the noun phrase 'four seabirds'. Note that when a noun phrase ellipsis is used, the word or words that are omitted from one clause appear in the other clause.
Review
Ellipsis means to omit one word or some words of the sentence because they are easily understood from the context.
There are different types of 'ellipsis' some are advanced and some are easy.
- Omitting subject pronouns
- Omitting subjects and auxiliary verbs
- Omitting auxiliary verbs
- Question tags
- Omitting articles
- Ellipsis in fixed expressions
- Gapping
- Pseudo-gapping
- Stripping
- Sluicing
- Verb phrase ellipsis
- Noun phrase ellipsis
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