Ellipsis & Substitution
C1 — grammar, speaking, writing
Kenji: Sofía can speak French, and so can I, actually.
Ben: Really? I had no idea. Will it rain later?
Sofía: I hope not, we have plans outside.
Abuela Carmen: I think so, actually. Bring an umbrella. I always do.
Common mistake: “Sofía can speak French, and Kenji can too so.” — Correct: “Sofía can speak French, and so can Kenji.”
Ellipsis and substitution let you avoid repeating a whole verb phrase — 'so can I', 'I think so', 'neither does she' — by replacing it with a short, economical structure.
Ellipsis & substitution shortcuts| Pattern | Example |
|---|
| so + auxiliary + subject | Sofía can speak French, and so can Kenji. |
| neither/nor + auxiliary + subject | Sofía doesn't like meetings, and neither does Ben. |
| verb + so / not (belief, opinion) | Will it rain? I hope not. / I think so. |
- Sofía can speak French, and so can Kenji.
- I think so.
- Ben wanted to leave early, and so did Kenji.
- She finished her coffee and then did the same with mine.
- I hope not.
- Sofía doesn't like early meetings, and neither does Ben.
- I don't think so.
- Do you think it will rain? I hope not.
- Can Sofía speak French? I think so.
- Did Ben want to leave early? I believe so.
- Will it rain tomorrow? I hope not.
- Can Kenji speak French too? Yes, so can he.
- Did Ben want to leave? Yes, and so did Kenji.
Practice
- Sofía can speak French, and ___ Kenji. (so can, can so, so does)
- Will it rain? I hope ___. (not, no, don't)
- Sofía doesn't like early meetings, and ___ Ben. (neither does, so does, neither do)
- 'So can I' repeats the full verb phrase instead of shortening it.
- 'I think so' is a short way of avoiding repeating a whole clause.
- 'Neither does she' is used to agree with a negative statement.
- Ben wanted to leave early, and ___ Kenji.
- I don't think ___.
- Can Sofía speak French? I think ___.
- Unscramble: Sofía, can, speak, French, and, so, can, Kenji
- Unscramble: Sofía, doesn't, like, early, meetings, and, neither, does, Ben
- Find the mistake: Sofía can speak French, and Kenji can too so.
- Sofía can speak French. Kenji can speak French too. — Combine using 'so can'.
- Sofía doesn't like early meetings. Ben doesn't like them either. — Combine using 'neither does'.
- Will it rain tomorrow? — Answer briefly expressing hope that it won't.
- I think so. — Write the negative form (you don't believe it).
- Do you think English gets easier at C1? Answer briefly.
Listening
Kenji: Sofía can speak French, and so can I, actually.
Ben: Really? I had no idea. Will it rain later?
Sofía: I hope not, we have plans outside.
Abuela Carmen: I think so, actually. Bring an umbrella.
Ben: Sofía doesn't trust the forecast, and neither do I anymore.
Kenji: Neither does anyone in this group, honestly.
Reading
Nobody in the group fully trusts the weather forecast anymore, and neither, frankly, does Abuela Carmen — though she's usually right anyway. 'Will it rain today?' Kenji asked before their walk. 'I think so,' she said, already reaching for her umbrella. Sofía hoped not; she had plans that only worked if it stayed dry. It didn't. Ben, who'd left his umbrella at home again, got soaked — and so, predictably, did his phone, safely tucked in his pocket as always. 'I told you so,' Abuela Carmen didn't say, mostly because she didn't need to.
- Abuela Carmen trusts the forecast completely.
- Sofía hoped it would rain.
- Ben's phone got wet again.
- Abuela Carmen said 'I told you so' out loud.