Ellipsis in coordinated structures

Definition

Ellipsis in coordination leaves out words that are repeated and recoverable from a parallel clause or phrase. The omitted material can include a subject, auxiliary, verb or larger part of the clause.

Examples

• Maya opened the file and checked the figures.

  The subject Maya is understood in the second coordinated part.

• Leo can drive, and Mina can too.

  Can carries the understood meaning drive.

• Nora ordered the soup, and Karim the salad.

  The repeated verb ordered is omitted from the second clause.

Full coordination vs. elliptical coordination

Ellipsis makes parallel information more concise, but the missing words must be easy to recover.

The parallel structure must remain clear

Ellipsis works best when the coordinated parts have matching grammatical roles. Material should not be omitted when doing so creates ambiguity or an incomplete structure.

• Lina wrote the introduction and Omar the conclusion.

  The parallel subjects and objects make the omitted verb wrote clear.

• Lina wrote the introduction and edited the conclusion.

  The shared subject Lina is clear in the second coordinated verb phrase.

Common mistakes