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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Elliptical Construction Quiz: Identify Missing Words and Fix Comparisons

Quick, free elliptical construction practice. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Chandler LawsUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art quiz on teal background free elliptical construction exercise spot missing words

This elliptical construction quiz helps you spot missing words, fix faulty comparisons, and keep parallel structure in sentences. Practice with clear examples and get instant feedback as you tighten your writing. For more sentence skills, try the compound-complex sentence quiz, coordinating conjunctions quiz, and sentence fragments quiz.

Which sentence uses an elliptical construction correctly?
John can play the guitar, and Mary can the violin.
John will go to Paris, and Mary will go to London.
John enjoys painting, and Mary enjoys drawing.
John likes pizza, and Mary likes pizza.
Elliptical constructions omit repeated elements that are understood from context. In the correct sentence, the second clause omits the verb "play," producing "Mary can the violin." This maintains clarity and avoids redundancy. See for more details.
Fill in the blank with the correct elliptical construction: She likes coffee; he, ____ tea.
likes
likes likes
likes to
does
In this elliptical construction, the verb "likes" is omitted after the subject "he." To fill the blank, you supply "likes," yielding "he, likes tea." Learn more at .
Identify the sentence that uses elliptical construction incorrectly.
She bought apples, and he oranges.
I like reading; she dancing.
Some prefer cats; others dogs.
They wanted to leave early, and we wanted to stay late.
The sentence "I like reading; she dancing" incorrectly omits the verb "likes" before "dancing," which breaks parallelism. Proper elliptical structure requires omitting only elements that are identical and understood from context. For more, visit .
Choose the sentence that correctly demonstrates an elliptical comparative.
She likes hiking more than he.
She likes hiking more than he does.
She likes hiking more than him.
She likes hiking more than he likes.
In an elliptical comparative, the repeated verb "likes hiking" is omitted from the second clause, yielding "than he." This construction maintains parallelism and clarity. More examples are available at .
Fill in the blank: He will visit Rome next month, and she will ____ Paris.
visiting
will visit
visits
visit
The verb "visit" is omitted in the second clause to avoid repetition. Elliptical construction here requires the infinitive form "visit." See for details.
Identify the correctly formed elliptical sentence.
Tom likes baseball, and Harry soccer.
Tom likes baseball, and Harry likes soccer.
Tom likes baseball, and Harry is soccer.
Tom likes baseball, and Harry does soccer.
In the correct example, the verb "likes" is omitted before "soccer," yielding "Harry soccer." The omitted verb is understood from context. For more examples, visit .
Combine the following sentences using an elliptical construction: "Maria owns a red car. Maria owns a blue bike."
Maria owns a red car and blue bike by Maria.
Maria owns a red car and owns a blue bike.
Maria owns a red car and a blue bike.
Maria owns a red car and she owns a blue bike.
The second "owns" is omitted in the elliptical construction, yielding "Maria owns a red car and a blue bike." This avoids unnecessary repetition while preserving meaning. Visit for more.
True or False: An elliptical construction omits words that are grammatically understood from context.
True
False
Elliptical constructions omit elements that are clear from the surrounding context, such as repeated verbs or phrases. This technique streamlines sentences and enhances readability. Learn more at .
Which sentence correctly uses an elliptical construction in a comparison?
She is taller than he is tall.
She is taller than he is.
She is taller than he.
She is taller than him.
The sentence "She is taller than he" omits the auxiliary verb "is," using an elliptical comparative construction that retains clarity. It correctly parallels "She is taller" with "he [is taller]." See for more.
Fill in the blank: The new model costs twice as much as the old one ____.
costs
cost
did
does
In this elliptical construction, "does" replaces the repeated verb phrase "costs twice as much." The full idea is "as the old one does [costs twice as much]." Read more at .
Which sentence contains an ambiguous elliptical construction?
Julia likes coffee more than he does.
Julia likes coffee, and Mark likes tea.
Julia likes coffee more than tea.
Julia likes coffee more than she likes tea.
"Julia likes coffee more than tea" is ambiguous because it could mean she prefers coffee over tea or she likes coffee more than she likes tea. Clear context or full clauses prevent this. More on ambiguity at .
Fill in the blank: She wants to win, and I want ____.
to win too
too
win either
win too
The verb "to win" is omitted after "I want," and "win" alone completes the elliptical construction: "I want [to win] too." The phrase "win too" conveys the full meaning succinctly. See .
Which sentence correctly reduces the relative clause using elliptical construction?
The man, who is standing by the door, is my uncle.
The man, being standing by the door, is my uncle.
The man, who stands by the door, is my uncle.
The man, standing by the door, is my uncle.
The reduced relative clause "standing by the door" omits "who is," which is an elliptical reduction of a fuller clause. This form is concise and standard in English. Learn about reduced relative clauses at .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify omitted elements in elliptical constructions -

    Pinpoint missing words and phrases in sentences to reveal correct elliptical constructions.

  2. Analyze elliptical structure examples -

    Examine real-world elliptical structure examples to understand how omission enhances brevity and emphasis.

  3. Differentiate proper elliptical construction usage -

    Distinguish between accurate and flawed elliptical constructions according to grammar standards.

  4. Apply elliptical construction grammar rules -

    Use elliptical construction grammar guidelines to rewrite sentences with clarity and conciseness.

  5. Explain elliptical construction definition and purpose -

    Articulate the definition and function of elliptical construction in professional writing.

  6. Evaluate sentence effectiveness with elliptical structure -

    Assess how elliptical structure can improve reader engagement and streamline prose.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Defining Elliptical Construction -

    Elliptical construction is a grammatical structure where one or more words are omitted but the meaning remains clear from context. It's often used to avoid repetition and keep sentences concise. Think of it as a "fill-in-the-blanks" tool that smooths out your writing without losing information.

  2. Common Types of Ellipsis -

    There are several forms of ellipsis, including gapping (e.g., "She loves coffee, and he __ tea.") and answer ellipsis (e.g., "Who ate the cake?" "I did __."). Stripping drops everything but one element in a parallel construction, while verb”phrase ellipsis removes redundant verbs. Recognizing each type helps you spot and correct missing elements in sentences.

  3. Maintaining Parallelism -

    Parallel structure is crucial for clear elliptical construction; both parts must mirror one another's grammatical form. For example, "I'd rather read than __ watch TV" requires "watch" to match "read." A simple mnemonic - "Match Your Parts" (MYP) - reminds you to keep subjects, verbs, and objects aligned.

  4. Avoiding Ambiguity -

    While ellipsis sharpens prose, unclear antecedents can confuse readers. Always ensure the omitted words are easily inferred from nearby text, as in "Frank will arrive at three, and Sally __ at four." Here, "will arrive" is understood. When in doubt, reintroduce the verb or noun to preserve clarity.

  5. Practice Strategies -

    Engage with reputable online quizzes (e.g., Purdue OWL exercises) and rewrite sentences from academic journals by deliberately omitting parts. Use a color-coded chart to mark omitted elements and reinstate them mentally. Regular practice builds intuition, and soon you'll spot elliptical structures instinctively.

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