Everyday Grammar: How So Can Replace A Lot of Information

Dr. Jill: Hello, John! What’s on your mind today?
John: I was watching a movie last night, and I noticed a lot of statements that follow a pattern.
Dr. Jill: Like what?
John: Statements such as “I guess so,” or “I don’t think so.”
Dr. Jill: Oh! Shortened statements with the word “so.”
John: That’s right! They are quite common, particularly in everyday discussions.
Dr. Jill: Yes, English speakers sometimes replace clauses – groups of words with a subject and a predicate - with the word “so.”
John: But only when the clause repeats information.
Dr. Jill: That’s right. Let’s give an example. If I asked you:
“Have you seen this movie?”
You could say:
John: “I don't think so.”
Dr. Jill: Here is what the example would have sounded like if you had not used the shortened statement:
Dr. Jill: Have you seen this movie?
John: I don’t think that I have seen this movie.
Dr. Jill: Why do you think English speakers shorten clauses that way? Is it just laziness?
John: Ha-ha! No, it’s not about laziness. It’s about keeping discussions moving along. Imagine how slow conversations would be if we repeated information over and over again!
Dr. Jill: That’s right! English speakers often shorten clauses after certain verbs – think, guess, and say.
John: And that’s why statements such as “I think so,” “I guess so,” or “she said so” are so common.
Dr. Jill: Is that all we want to teach today?
John: I think so.
Dr. Jill: And I hope so, because we’re out of time! And that’s Everyday Grammar!

Originally published at - https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a...