Ellipsis and Substitution

• CEFR C1
• Grammar
• Printable
• Answer key

Ellipsis and Substitution is a printable grammar worksheet for English language learners at CEFR level C1. It covers avoiding repetition with so, not, do so, one, ones, and auxiliary ellipsis, with 5 exercises and an answer key.

Ellipsis leaves out words that are understood from context, while substitution replaces repeated words with shorter forms.

Use so and not after verbs such as think, hope, expect, suppose, and appear.

Use do so to replace a repeated action, and one/ones to replace repeated countable nouns.

Examples

• The first proposal was detailed; the second one was shorter.
• They promised to publish the data and did so in June.
• I expected the results to improve, but they did not.
• If the committee approves the plan, we hope so.
• Some participants completed the survey; others did not.
• The expensive laptops performed no better than the cheaper ones.
• She can attend the hearing, but I cannot.
• The policy may change, although officials say not.

What's in this worksheet

1. Complete the sentence
2. Correct the mistake
3. Transform the sentence
4. Mixed practice
5. Controlled production

Common mistakes

• The first proposal was detailed; the second proposal was shorter.  →  The first proposal was detailed; the second one was shorter. Use one to avoid repeating a singular countable noun.
• They promised to publish the data and did it in June.  →  They promised to publish the data and did so in June. Use did so for a repeated action in formal style.
• I hope it.  →  I hope so. Use so after hope when replacing a whole clause.
• The cheaper equipment performed no worse than the expensive ones.  →  The cheaper equipment performed no worse than the expensive equipment. Do not use ones for uncountable equipment.