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English grammar

Spoken grammar: heads, tails and dropped words

C1 · Advanced Building the sentence Questions 10

The rule

Conversation has a grammar that written English lacks. A head puts the topic first and picks it up with a pronoun: That new café on the corner — have you tried it? A tail adds the topic, or a comment, at the end: He’s really nice, your brother; It was brilliant, that film; She’s clever, isn’t she, your daughter? Ellipsis drops words the situation makes obvious: Sounds good (it sounds), Want a coffee? (do you want), Told you so (I told you), Nice to see you (it’s nice), Seen my keys? (have you seen). Discourse words organise the talk: I mean corrects or clarifies, you know checks shared ground, sort of / kind of soften. All of this is correct — in speech. In formal writing the head or tail looks like a repeated subject and the ellipsis looks like a fragment, so a report needs full sentences.

Pattern

head: topic — pronoun … (That café — have you tried it?) · tail: … , noun phrase (He’s nice, your brother) · ellipsis: Sounds good · Want a …? · Told you · Seen my …? · I mean · you know · sort of · (speech only)

Examples

  1. That new café on the corner — have you tried it yet?

  2. He’s really good with kids, your brother.

  3. Sounds good to me — see you at eight.

  4. Told you it would rain, didn’t I?

Common mistakes

  • Wrong: In the report: Sounds like the policy is working.

    Right: In the report: The policy appears to be working.

    A written report needs a full sentence; ellipsis belongs to speech.

  • Wrong: He’s really nice, your brother is he.

    Right: He’s really nice, your brother.

    A tail is a noun phrase, not a new clause.

  • Wrong: Want you a coffee?

    Right: Want a coffee?

    Ellipsis drops the auxiliary and the subject together.

Practice questions

Try each one yourself first, then open “Show answer” for the solution and the reason.

  1. 1Choose the correct sentence.

    What is your sister doing at the end?

    She’s so funny, your sister.

    1. Asking a question
    2. Correcting a grammar mistake
    3. Making clear who she is, as speakers often do
    4. Changing the subject of the sentence
    Show answer

    Answer: C Making clear who she is, as speakers often do

    A tail names the topic after the comment.

  2. 2Choose the correct sentence.

    Which fits an informal chat?

    Offering a friend a drink.

    1. It is proposed that coffee be served.
    2. A coffee is desired by you?
    3. Want a coffee?
    4. Would you care for a coffee, sir?
    Show answer

    Answer: C Want a coffee?

    Ellipsis: (Do you) want a coffee?

  3. 3Choose the correct sentence.

    Which words have been left out?

    “Sounds great — see you there.”

    1. They
    2. You
    3. It (or That)
    4. We
    Show answer

    Answer: C It (or That)

    The subject it / that is dropped.

  4. 4Choose the correct sentence.

    1. That film we saw it last week — brilliant it.
    2. That film we saw last week — was brilliant it.
    3. That film — we saw it last week it was.
    4. That film we saw last week — it was brilliant.
    Show answer

    Answer: D That film we saw last week — it was brilliant.

    A head: the topic first, then a pronoun to pick it up.

  5. 5Change the sentence.

    Make it sound like conversation.

    Your brother is really nice.

    1. Really nice is he, your brother.
    2. Your brother he is nice really, him.
    3. He’s really nice, your brother.
    4. He’s really nice, your brother is he.
    Show answer

    Answer: C He’s really nice, your brother.

    Pronoun first, the noun as a tail.

  6. 6Choose the correct sentence.

    Where does this sentence belong?

    Told you so!

    1. A formal complaint
    2. An academic essay
    3. A chat between friends
    4. A legal contract
    Show answer

    Answer: C A chat between friends

    Ellipsis like this is purely spoken.

  7. 7This sentence is wrong. Choose the fix.

    Report: Looks like the new system is working.

    1. Report: The new system looks like working.
    2. Report: Looks like the new system working is.
    3. Report: Looks the new system like working.
    4. Report: The new system appears to be working.
    Show answer

    Answer: D Report: The new system appears to be working.

    A report needs a full sentence with a subject.

  8. 8Choose the correct sentence.

    1. Lovely people are the Dutch them.
    2. The Dutch lovely are people.
    3. Lovely people, the Dutch.
    4. Lovely people, the Dutch are they.
    Show answer

    Answer: C Lovely people, the Dutch.

    A tail can name the topic after a short comment.

  9. 9Put the words in the right order.

    Nice to see you again after all this time

    Show answer

    Answer: Nice to see you again after all this time.

    Ellipsis: (It’s) nice to see you.

  10. 10Choose the correct sentence.

    What has been left out?

    “Seen my keys anywhere?”

    1. Have you
    2. Are you
    3. Has it
    4. Did I
    Show answer

    Answer: A Have you

    Ellipsis: (Have you) seen my keys?

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