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I want to ask a question which is not clear for me. In an exam, we were given such a question that it says which of the following dialogues doesnt have ellipsis. Two most possible answers are these below. According to test department the answer is B. But A option doesn't include any ellipsis as well. It has substitution, isn't it? Any ideas on this topic?

A) X: You tasted it before, didn't you? Y: I don't think so.

B) A: I think they're not doing well. B: It is not as bad as you think

user128891
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  • I agree that in A) the "so" is a substitution (for "I tasted it before") rather than an ellipsis. But "before" could be taken as being from "before now" by ellipsis. – Greg Lee Jul 12 '15 at 17:28
  • @GregLee Didn't you involves ellipsis though, it seems to me. – Araucaria - Him Jul 12 '15 at 18:12
  • @Araucaria, "didn't you" is a tag question. I have not seen it analyzed as an ellipsis. That would be an unusual analysis, since the theoretical unelided form is unacceptable -- *"You tasted it before, didn't you taste it before?" – Greg Lee Jul 12 '15 at 18:33
  • @GregLee Right, I see. – Araucaria - Him Jul 12 '15 at 18:38
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    @Araucaria H&P's CGEL seems to agree with you. On page 1519, [1.ii] "Sue will help me, won't she __ ?" <== and they say: "[W]e have ellipsis of the non-finite complement of an auxiliary verb." :) – F.E. Jul 12 '15 at 18:50
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    @F.E. Phew, I don't need to go and look that up then ... :D – Araucaria - Him Jul 12 '15 at 18:51
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    @F.E. What's your feeling re ellipsis in B)? It seems a bit like as you think it is to me ... – Araucaria - Him Jul 12 '15 at 19:03
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    If you're trying to find ways to get points for your answer, then, one place might be with the comparative construction "It is not as bad as you think". You might be able to find a grammar that would consider the reduction in the comparative clause as a kind of ellipsis, maybe. :) – F.E. Jul 12 '15 at 19:06
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    @Araucaria Oh, I was in the middle of looking that up! Yeah, comparative constructions, er, yeah, I was hoping someone else would discuss or explain that. CGEL uses a different subsection and a separate chapter to discuss comparatives. They seem to prefer considering comparatives as involving something different from the other constructions that can be considered to be straightforwardly using ellipsis. Though, your example seems to support ellipsis, since "it is" can optionally be inserted. shrugs Ah too busy trying to finish up SPE. :) – F.E. Jul 12 '15 at 19:12
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    @F.E. Answer? Every answer I've done on here is just an indication of my failure to get on with my work for more than five minutes at a time :) Not going to do any proper ones right now! – Araucaria - Him Jul 12 '15 at 19:16
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    how about this question? ellipsis or substitution? – imadiya Jul 12 '15 at 19:41

1 Answers1

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The object of the preposition 'before' is elided: "before [now]", for one example, or "before [you went to the hospital]" for another.

JEL
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