Grammar for IELTS: Ellipsis

Tap to Read ➤ Learn about ellipsis in grammar for the IELTS exam. This covers what ellipsis is, how it's used, and examples of ellipsis in sentences.

Definition Ellipsis refers to omitting words from a sentence that are understood.

So let's talk about ellipsis in a broader sense as it is an important grammar topic for IELTS.

Types of Ellipsis There are 3 main types of ellipsis: 1) Verb phrase ellipsis 2) Noun phrase ellipsis 3) Sentence ellipsis

Verb Phrase Ellipsis Verb phrase ellipsis - omitting a repeated verb phrase, e.g. "Jasmine plays tennis well, and Zehra does [play tennis] too."

Noun Phrase Ellipsis Noun phrase ellipsis - omitting a noun and verb, e.g. "I bought apples, oranges, and [bought] bananas."

Sentence Ellipsis Sentence ellipsis - omitting the end of a sentence, e.g. "The store is closed today...[The store is closed] tomorrow too."

Tip Ellipsis allows us to avoid repetition in sentences. But use it carefully - context must make the meaning clear.

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