| 词组 | Ellipsis |
| 释义 | Ellipsis ◊ GRAMMAR Ellipsis involves leaving out words which are obvious from the context. In many cases you use an auxiliary in place of a full verb group, or in place of a verb group and its object. For example, you say 'John won't like it but Rachel will' instead of 'John won't like it but Rachel will like it'. They would stop it if they could. I never did go to Stratford, although I probably should have. ...a topic which should have attracted far more attention from philosophers than it has. A full clause would sound unnatural in these examples. If you do not want to use a modal or the auxiliaries 'be' or 'have', you usually have to use 'do', 'does', or 'did'. Do farmers still warrant a ministry all to themselves? I think they do. I think we want it more than they do. ◊ 'be' You do not, however, use the auxiliary 'do' to stand for the link verb 'be'. You just use a form of 'be'. 'I think you're right.' ---'I'm sure I am.' If the second verb group contains a modal, you usually put 'be' after the modal. 'He thought that the condition was hereditary in his case.' ---'Well, it might be.' However, this is not necessary if the first verb group contains a modal. I'll be back as soon as I can. 'Be' is sometimes used after a modal in the second clause to contrast with another link verb such as 'seem', 'look', or 'sound'. 'It looks like tea to me.' ---'Yes, it could be.' With passives, 'be' is often, but not always, kept after a modal. He argued that if tissues could be marketed, then anything could be. ◊ 'have' used as a main verb When you are using 'have' as a main verb, for example to indicate possession, you can use a form of 'have' or a form of 'do' to refer back to it. American speakers usually use a form of 'do'. She probably has a temperature -- she certainly looks as if she has. ...since the Earth has a greater diameter than the Moon does. Note that in the second example you do not need to use any verb after 'than'. You can just say 'since the Earth has a greater diameter than the Moon'. ◊ 'have' used as an auxiliary When you use the auxiliary 'have' to stand for a perfect passive or continuous passive tense, you do not usually add 'been'. For example, you say, 'Have you been interviewed yet? I have.' However, when 'have' is used in a similar way after a modal, 'been' cannot be omitted. I'm sure it was repeated in the media. It must have been. Priller noticed that they were not flying in tight formation as they should have been. ◊ 'to'-infinitive clauses Instead of using a full 'to'-infinitive clause after a verb, you can just use 'to', if the action or state has already been mentioned. Don't tell me if you don't want to. At last he agreed to do what I asked him to. ◊ 'dare' and 'need' You can omit a verb after 'dare' and 'need', but only when they are used in the negative. 'I don't mind telling you what I know.' ---'You needn't. I'm not asking you to.' 'You must tell her the truth.' ---'But, Neill, I daren't.' ◊ 'would rather' Similarly, the verb is only omitted after 'would rather' when it is used in a negative clause or an 'if'-clause. It's just that I'd rather not. We could go to your place, if you'd rather. ◊ 'had better' The verb is sometimes omitted after 'had better', even when it is used affirmatively. 'I can't tell you.' ---'You'd better.' However, you do not usually omit 'be'. 'He'll be out of town by nightfall.' ---'He'd better be.' ◊ in conversation Ellipsis often occurs in conversation in replies and questions. See entries at ↑ ◊ in coordinate clauses Words are often left out of the second of two coordinate clauses, for example after 'and' or 'or'. See entry at ↑ |
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