Page 169 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

L e a v i n g o u t w o r d s a f t e r a u x i l i a r y v e r b s

Study the following examples:
• She says she's finished, but I don't think she has. (instead of ...has finished.)
• 'Are you going to read it?' 'Well, no, I'm not.' (instead of ...I'm not going to read it.)
• 'Would any of you like to come with me to Venice?' 'I would.' (instead of I would like to
come with you to Venice.)
To avoid repeating words from a previous clause or sentence we use an auxiliary verb (be, have,
can, will, would, etc.) instead of a whole verb group (e.g. 'has finished') or instead of a verb and
what follows it (e.g. 'going to read it', 'like to come with you to Venice').
If there is more than one auxiliary verb in the previous clause or sentence, we leave out all the
auxiliary verbs except the first instead of repeating the main verb. Alternatively, we can use two
(or more) auxiliary verbs:
• Alex hadn't been invited to the meal, although his wife had. {or ...had been.)
• 'They could have been delayed by the snow.' 'Yes, they could.' (or ...could have (been).)

D If there is no auxiliary verb in the previous clause or sentence, or if the auxiliary is a form of do,
we use a form of do instead of repeating the main verb:
• I now play chess as well as he does, (instead of ...as well as he plays chess.)
• 'I didn't steal the money.' 'No-one thinks that you did.' (instead of ...that you stole it.)
If be is the main verb in the previous clause or sentence, we repeat a form of the verb be:
• 'The children are noisy again.' 'They always are.'
• 'I'm not happy in my job.' 'I thought you were.'
If have is the main verb in the previous clause or sentence, we usually use a form of either do or
have:
• 'Do you think I have a chance of winning?' 'Yes, I think you have.' (or ...you do.)
• Even if he hasn't got a map himself, he may know someone who has. (or ...who does.)
For particular emphasis, we can also use do have, etc. For example, in the first sentence above
we can use '...I think you do have'. (In spoken English we would stress 'do'.)
However, if we use have + noun in the previous clause or sentence to talk about actions (have a
nshower, have lunch, have a good time, etc.) we prefer do:
• • I wasn't expecting to have a good time at the party, but I did.

If we use have as an auxiliary verb, we can follow it with done:
• The restaurant is to ban smoking, just as many other restaurants in the city have (done).
• 'She's never made a mistake before.' 'Well she has (done) this time.'
In a similar way, after a modal auxiliary verb (can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall,
should, will, would) we can use do, particularly in spoken English:
• 'Will you see Tony today?' 'I might (do).'
• 'Mat's operation next week is worrying him a lot.' 'Yes, I suppose it would (do).'

If we use be as an auxiliary verb in the previous clause or sentence, we can use be after a modal:
• 'Is Ella staying for lunch?' 'Yes, I think she will (be).'
However, if be is used as a main verb in the previous clause or sentence, or as an auxiliary verb
within a passive, we don't leave out be after a modal:
• I • Shannon isn't a great footballer now and, in my view, never will be.
The book was delivered within a week. The shop had said it would be.