Download ENGLISH ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTION

ENGLISH ELLIPTICAL CONSTRUCTION
Oleh : Sri Haryanti
INTRODUCTION
Here are some of the examples:
To express the person’s ideas, feelings, and
thought, he can use language. It consists of various
1) He is busy. I am busy.
rules which are different from other language. These
rules can be applied either in formal or informal
occasion depending on the speaker’s or writer’s
 He is busy, and I am too. Or
intention. They need to be applied in sentences or
constructions. One of them which is usually used in
2) You bought a new book. She bought a
everyday communication is elliptical construction. It
is a kind of construction in which the speaker deletes
the item or items from the construction. However,
when he or she wants to delete, he or she has to pay
attention to the rule stated above. The rule is based
on both linguistics and non –linguistics context. Here
is one example of ellipsis based on linguistics context:
After learning English, I am able to speak it fluently.
“After learning English” can be made into complete
form: “After I learned English” or “after I have learned
English”. Further explanation of it is as follows.
 You bought a new book, and she
 He is busy, and so am I.
new book.
did too. Or
You bought a new book, and so did she.
3) John likes swimming. Maria likes
swimming.
 John likes swimming, and Maria
does not too. Or
John likes swimming, and so does
Maria.
4) Budi has written it. I have written it.
 Budi has written it, and I have too.
THE STRUCTURE
CONSTRUCTION
OF
Budi has written it, and so have I
The structures of English elliptical construction
that are stated by Mas’ud (1998: 292-296) are as
follows:
1.
The elliptic structures
a.
Or
ELLIPTICAL
Two positive statements that have same
b.
Two Negative statements that have same
predicate (including object and complement)
can be arranged as follows:
subject  negative auxiliary or be  either 
Negative statement + and 

neither  positive auxiliary or be  subject 
predicate (including object and complement)
can be arranged as follows:
subject + verb (be) … + too
subject + verb (be) …+ and +
so + verb (be) … + subject
Sri Haryanti : adalah dosen ....
56
Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010
ISSN 0215-9511
English Elliptical Construction
Here are some examples:
d.
1) I don’t like smoking. He doesn’t like
smoking.
be arranged by using the pattern in point “b”.
Here are some examples:
 I don’t like smoking, and he
doesn’t either. Or
1) He can’t play tennis. You can’t play
tennis.
I don’t like smoking, and neither
does he.
 He can’t play tennis, and you can’t
either. Or
2) He wasn’t ill and I wasn’t ill.
He can’t play tennis and neither can
 He wasn’t ill, and I wasn’t either.
you.
Or
He wasn’t ill, and neither was I.
3) Ali didn’t ask any question. You didn’t
ask any question.
 Ali didn’t ask any question, and you
didn’t either. Or
Ali didn’t ask any question, and
neither has Budi.
c.
Two positive statements which contain
compound verb (auxiliary/modal + verb) can
be arranged by using the pattern in point “a”.
Here are some examples:
1) He will come here soon. She will come
here soon.
 He will come here soon, and so will
she. Or
He will come here soon, and she
will too.
2) Budi can play the piano. I can play the
piano.
 Budi can play the piano, and I can
too. Or
Two negative statements which contain
compound verb (auxiliary/modal + verb) can
e.
The combination of negative statements and
positive statements with the same tense is
arranged by using the conjunction “but”.
The pattern is as follows:
negative 
negative 




Subject  auxiliary   but  subject  auxiliary 
modal  
modal  




Here are some of the examples:
1) Amir can play a guitar. Ali can’t play a
guitar.
 Amir can play a guitar, but Ali
can’t.
Arifah is a student. Fatimah is not
a student.
 Arifah is a student, but Fatimah
isn’t.
2) I don’t like smoking. He likes smoking.
 I don’t like smoking, but he does.
3) She didn’t buy a new car. You bought a
new car.
 She didn’t buy a new car, but you did.
Budi can play the piano, and so can
I.
Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010
ISSN 0215-9511
57
English Elliptical Construction
f.
The combination of two positive statements
which contains verb, noun, etc; in the same
h.
Neither…nor…+
(modal).
tense is arranged by using the conjunction
“Both…and…”.
1) My brother isn’t policeman. My brother
1) I study English. He studies English.
isn’t a postman.
 Both I and he study English.
 My brother is neither a policeman
2) Amir was happy. Udin was happy.
nor a postman.
 Both Amir and Udin were happy.
2) He doesn’t want a pencil. He doesn’t
want a book.
3) You can drive a car. He can drive a car.
 He wants neither a pencil nor a book.
 Both you and he can drive a car.
3) Betty can’t read. Mary can’t read.
4) You have written a novel. Rina has
written a novel.
 Neither Betty nor Mary can read.
 Both you and Rina have written a
4) I didn’t buy a car. My friend didn’t buy
a car.
novel.
The pattern below is used to state “one of
two actions” in two sentences with same
tense.
Either … or … + positive auxiliary (modal).
Here are some of the examples:
1) We can read a newspaper. We can play
the guitar.
 We can either read a newspaper or
play the guitar.
2) He will take it. I will take it.
 Either he or I will take it.
3) You may play football. You may play
tennis.
 You may play either football or
tennis.
positive auxiliary
Here are some of the examples:
Here are some of the examples:
g.
The pattern below is used to state “none of”:
 Neither I nor my friend bought a
car.
2.
The place of Ellipsis in a sentence
Ellipsis can happen in some positions in a
sentence. According to Swan (1980: 197), ellipsis
at the beginning of a sentence is described as
follows:
a.
Words that can be left out are articles,
possessives, personal pronouns and auxiliary
verbs. For examples:
1) Car ’s giving trouble again. (=The
car’s…)
2) ‘What’s the matter?’ –‘Stomach’s sore.’
(‘My stomach’…’)
3) Couldn’t understand what he wanted
(=I couldn’t understand what he
wanted.)
4) Seen Andy? (=Have you seen Andy?)
58
Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010
ISSN 0215-9511
English Elliptical Construction
b.
Personal pronouns can always be left out
before ordinary verbs, if this leaves the
Ellipsis is less common with second-person
meaning clear. For examples:
subjects (except in questions), but is
perfectly possible in cases where the
1) Wonder what she’s doing.
meaning clear. For examples:
2) Hope to see you soon.
1) Can’t go in there. (=You can’t…)
3) Looks just like his father.
2) Need your oil changing.
A personal pronoun cannot always be
left out before an auxiliary verb. A subject
pronoun before a negative auxiliary verb,
and sometimes before a ‘modal’ auxiliary
3) Have to wait a bit, I’m afraid.
4) Keeping well, I hope.
d.
verb like must, but the subject before
affirmative have, be or will cannot be
dropped. For examples:
In questions, auxiliary verbs (do, have, be,
or will) can be left out. The subject can be
dropped as well if this leaves the meaning
clear. For examples:
1) You ready?
1) Can’t do it.
2) Ready?
2) Haven’t seen him.
3) Your father got a car?
3) Won’t work, you know.
4) Anybody want more?
4) May see you tomorrow.
5) You be here tomorrow?
5) Must dust.
6) Doesn’t know what she wants.
However, it is possible to drop the
subject pronoun and the auxiliary, if this
leaves the meaning clear. For examples:
1) See you soon.
2) Coming tomorrow.
3) Forgotten your name.
c.
In affirmative sentences, ellipsis is most
common with first-person or third-person
subjects. The “replacement” subject there
can also be left out. For example:
Nobody at home. (=There is nobody at
home.)
e.
Ellipsis is very common in sentences that
have some sort of “tag” stuck on the end.
For examples:
a.
Can’t swim, myself.
b.
Dutch, aren’t you?
c.
Going on holiday, your kids?
d.
Like my pint, I do.
e.
Getting in your way, am I?
Meanwhile, the places of ellipsis in a
sentence that are stated by Mas’ud (1998:
297) are as follows:
1.
Ellipsis of subject and (or Auxiliary)/
(Modal).
For examples:
a.
Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010
ISSN 0215-9511
Ridwan ate a cheese sandwich and
(Ridwan) drank a glass of coffee.
59
English Elliptical Construction
b.
Yulia should clean the shed and
Amir (should) mow the lawn.
c.
The volcano erupted much more
violently than (it) was foreseen.
d.
Bakri must have been studying
English and Farida (must have
been) doing her homework.
2.
According to Quirk et al (1973: 251-253),
there are two kinds of ellipsis, namely ellipsis
depending on linguistic context and nonlinguistic context.
a.
Ellipsis depends on linguistic context
1) Adverbial finite clause
In adverbial finite clause, the whole
For examples:
predicate or part of predicate can be deleted.
a.
I work in a factory, and my brother
(works) on a farm.
Examples:
a.
I am happy if you are (happy).
b.
She will study today, and she may
(study) tomorrow.
b.
Mary is dusting the furniture because
Alice won’t (dust the furniture).
c.
It’s cold in December in England,
but (it is cold) in July in New
Zealand.
e.
Arif is playing football for his
school, and Yusuf (is playing
football) for his club.
Adi will take the course, and Udin
might (take the course) too.
Ellipsis of Direct Object or Subject
Complement.
For examples:
a.
b.
c.
2) Adverbial non-finite and verb less clauses
The subjects (co-referential) with that of the
superordinate clause and an appropriate
form of “be” are ellipted in:
a) Participle Clauses
Example: Although (he was) told to
stop, he kept on working.
If there is no subordinator, more than
one subordinator can be available, and
maybe there are some possibilities for
time and aspect.
Hasan likes (Dewi), and Agus
Examples:
hates, Dewi.
1.
Ismail was happy, and Rahmad
certainly seemed so (happy).
Nashir has recently become (a very
diligent student), and his brother
always was, a very diligent student.
60
The Kinds of Ellipsis
Ellipsis of predicate or predication
d.
3.
3.
(If/When they are) punished, they
will not cooperate.
2. Although living many miles away,
he attended the course= although
he is living/was living/lives/lived
many miles away, he attended the
course.
Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010
ISSN 0215-9511
English Elliptical Construction
b) Verb less clauses
Example: I caught the train.-just.
Example:
(= I caught the train. I only just caught the
train)
While (he was) at oxford, he was active
in the dramatic society.
In appended clause only part of the preceding
or the interrupted clause constitutes the
ellipsis, and an additional clause constituent
3) Post modification
Post modifying clauses or clause or phrase
is present:
can often be considered relative clauses
which are reduced:
Example:
They are meant to wound, perhaps to kill.
a.
Post modifying clauses
(= They are meant to wound. They are
perhaps meant to kill).
Examples:
1) The police rounded up men (who
are/were) known to have been in
the building at that time.
2) The man owning that car will be
fined for illegal parking.
b.
Post modifying adjective phrases
Example:
The men (who were) responsible for the
administration of the school refused to
consider the matter.
c.
b.
Ellipsis does not depend on linguistic
context
Some informational ellipsis types
which do not depend on linguistic context,
for example:
‘Serve you right’ can be expanded to
‘It serves you right’. In some cases, which
are ellipted are initial words or words in a
sentence.
Examples:
Post modifying prepositional phrases
1) (I am) sorry I couldn’t be here.
Example:
2) (I’ve) got to go now.
He spoke to the girl (who was) from
New York.
3) (You) had a good time?
4) Supplementing and appended clauses
4) (It’s) good to see you.
5) (Are you) looking for any body?
A supplementing clause can be regarded as
6) (Is) Anything the matter?
an elliptical clause (usually parenthetic or
an after thought) for which the whole of the
7) (Does) Anybody need a lift?
preceding or interrupted clause constitutes
the ellipsis:
Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010
ISSN 0215-9511
61
English Elliptical Construction
4.
Ellipsis in dialogue
According to Quirk et al (1973: 305-308), ellipsis in dialogue occurs in three conditions which can
occur in various combinations. The words, phrases, or sentences in the brackets below can be omitted.
The three conditions are as follows:
a.
Repetition: The second speaker repeats what the first speaker said.
Examples:
A
b.
:
Have you spoken to the doctor?
B
:

 spoken to

(Yes). I have  

 done so
A
:
I’m studying grammar.
B
:
Are you (studying grammar)?
A
:
He’s studying Latin
B
:
(He’s studying) Latin! He doesn’t know his own language.
the doctor  


him
 


Expansion: The second speaker adds what has been said by the first speaker.
Examples:
62
A
:
Will they lose the game?
B
:
Probably (they will (lose (the game))).
A
:
Peter will be there.
B
:

Peter 

 that 
will be there  


he 
Are you sure  
of that



A
:
He won’t play.
B
:
I’d like to know why  
 he won' t play  
 

 not
Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010
ISSN 0215-9511
English Elliptical Construction
c.
d.
Replacement: The second speaker replaces
3) Including repetition, expansion,
with the new material to what has been said
expansion, and replacement.
by the first speaker.
Example:
Examples:
A
:
They paid fifty dollars for it.
A
B
:
Oh no, they paid more
:
Who told your father?
B
:

my father  
 told 
 
him

 

Mary 
did so 



A
:
It cost me twenty-five dollars.
B
:
How much (did it cost (you))?
A
:
They want the key now.
B

the key  
  tonight.
: No,  they want 
it



Combinations:
1) Including expansion and replacement.
Examples:
A
B
:
When did he lose the key?
:
 
the key  
 lost 
 
it
 he 
 

Probably 
did so


 
last night.
A
:
Can I help you, madam?
B
:
Well, I’m looking for a pair of
white gloves.
Based on the description above, the writer can
give a short explanation of elliptical construction as
follows. Ellipsis can be seen from the structure, the
place, and the kind.
Viewed from the structure, when the sentences
are positive we can use the structure of elliptical
construction: Subject + verb (be) + too, or So + verb
(be) + subject; when the sentences are negative we
can use the pattern: Subject + negative auxiliary or
be + either, or Neither + positive auxiliary or be +
subject.
Viewed from the place, we can apply ellipsis
in the place of subject and (or auxiliary) (modal), of
predicate or predication, of direct object or subjective
complement.
Kinds of ellipsis can be viewed from linguistic
context and nonlinguistic context. Ellipsis which
:
John told me what you did.
:
 what I did  
  ?
Who told you  

 that
consisting of post modifying clauses, post modifying
adjective phrase, post modifying prepositional phrase,
supplementing and appended clauses.
Example:
B
CONCLUSION
depends on linguistic context can be in the form of
adverbial finite clause, adverbial non finite and verb
less clauses which can be subdivided into participle
clause and verb less clause, post modification
2) Including repetition and replacement.
A

fifty  
 than 
 for it  .

that  

Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010
ISSN 0215-9511
63
English Elliptical Construction
REFERENCES
Frank, Marcella. 1972. Modern English, A Practical
Reference Guide. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc.
Mas’ud, Fuad. 1998. Essentials of English Grammar,
a Practical Guide. Yogyakarta: BPFE.
64
Quirk, Randolph and Sidney Greenbaum 1973. A
University
Grammar
of
England:Longman Group Ltd.
English.
Swan. Michael. 1980. Practical English Usage.
Oxford : oxford University Press.
Magistra No. 73 Th. XXII September 2010
ISSN 0215-9511