En B2 usamos elipsis y sustitución para no repetir las mismas palabras una y otra vez. Aquí verás cómo usar do so y one/ones para sonar más natural y preciso.
1) Mapa rápido
A: Do you exercise regularly?
B: Yes, I do so. / Yes, I do.
A: I like the red T-shirt.
B: I prefer the blue one.
En vez de repetir toda la oración, usamos pequeños elementos que sustituyen lo que ya es claro por el contexto.
Pregunta clave: “¿Puedo repetir esto con do so o con one/ones sin perder el significado?”
2) do so vs do it / do that
do so sustituye verbo + complemento de forma general (acción en abstracto). Es algo más neutro/formal que do it.
| Situación | Ejemplo | Comentario |
|---|---|---|
| Acción general | You should save money, and your brother should do so too. | do so sustituye “save money”. |
| Promesa | “Please, follow the rules.” – “I will do so.” | Respuesta educada, sin repetir “follow the rules”. |
| Incumplir promesa | He promised to call, but he didn’t do so. | No repites “promised to call”. |
A) ¿Cuándo usar do it / do that?
do it / do that se usa cuando la acción es muy concreta y pensamos en “esa cosa” específica:
Don’t press the red button. Don’t do it!
If you really want to travel alone, just do it.
He asked me not to tell anyone, but I did it anyway.
• do so → acción en general, más neutro/formal.
• do it/that → “esa cosa”, acción concreta, más conversacional.
3) one / ones como sustitución nominal
Usamos one/ones para no repetir un sustantivo contable (solo contables), muchas veces con adjetivos:
| Repetición larga | Con one/ones |
|---|---|
| I don’t like this T-shirt; I prefer that T-shirt. | I don’t like this T-shirt; I prefer that one. |
| Do you want the red apples or the green apples? | Do you want the red ones or the green ones? |
| I bought a cheap ticket and my friend bought a cheap ticket too. | I bought a cheap ticket and my friend bought an expensive one. |
A) Con modificadores
The red ones are nicer than the blue ones.
I don’t want this phone; I’d like a newer one.
These chairs are uncomfortable. We need more comfortable ones.
• No uses one/ones con no contables: ❌ *one milk* → ✔ some milk.
• one/ones sustituye al sustantivo entero, no se combina con él: ❌ *red one shoes* → ✔ red ones.
4) Elipsis con auxiliares (no repetir el verbo completo)
A veces simplemente omitimos el verbo principal y dejamos solo el auxiliar o do/does/did:
| Repetido | Con elipsis/sustitución |
|---|---|
| Tom likes coffee and Mary likes coffee too. | Tom likes coffee and Mary does too. |
| She studied in Spain and her sister studied in Spain as well. | She studied in Spain and her sister did as well. |
| I haven’t finished my report and he hasn’t finished his report either. | I haven’t finished my report and he hasn’t either. |
Esta elipsis es muy común en conversación: la parte repetida se entiende por contexto, así que solo usamos el auxiliar (do, did, has, will…).
5) Errores comunes
| Incorrecto | Correcto | Por qué |
|---|---|---|
| *He said he would help, but he didn’t so.* | He said he would help, but he didn’t do so. | La forma completa es do so, no solo so. |
| *I like the blue, and she likes the red one shoes.* | I like the blue ones, and she likes the red ones. | one/ones sustituye al sustantivo: no se dice “one shoes”. |
| *Do you want the big one house or the small one house?* | Do you want the big one or the small one? | El sustantivo house se omite porque ya es obvio. |
| *Tom likes coffee and Mary likes too.* | Tom likes coffee and Mary does too. | Necesitas auxiliar para la elipsis del verbo principal. |
| *I bought a milk and she bought one too.* | I bought some milk and she bought some too. | milk es no contable → no usamos one. |
6) Mini-práctica
- Completa con do so / do it / do that:
a) If you really want to start your own business, just ________.
b) The teacher asked us to read the article, and most students ________.
c) I told you not to send that message, but you ________ anyway.
d) Please follow the instructions exactly as I say and ________ carefully.
e) He promised to help me, but he didn’t ________ in the end. - Reescribe usando one / ones:
a) I don’t like this mug; I prefer that mug on the shelf.
b) Do you want the metal chairs or the wooden chairs?
c) I bought a cheap phone and my sister bought a more expensive phone.
d) These pens are dry; I need better pens.
e) I don’t want this dictionary; I want a smaller dictionary. - Reescribe con elipsis de verbo (usa solo el auxiliar donde sea posible):
a) She lives in London and her brother lives in London too.
b) I will finish the report today and you will finish the report tomorrow.
c) They haven’t paid the bill and we haven’t paid the bill either.
d) Tom can swim and Anna can swim too.
e) I liked the film and my parents liked the film as well. - Elige la opción más natural:
a) If you want to change your life, (do so / do it / do that).
b) He said he would call me, but he didn’t (so / do so / that).
c) I like this jacket but I prefer the black (one / ones / it).
d) We need some chairs; can you bring some new (one / ones / them)?
e) Mary studied in France and her sister (did study / did / studied too). - (Producción guiada) Escribe 4 frases:
• 1 usando do so (promesa o recomendación).
• 1 usando do it (acción concreta, tipo “just do it”).
• 1 usando one (singular) comparando dos cosas.
• 1 usando ones (plural) comparando opciones.
Intenta usar ejemplos reales de tu vida (trabajo, estudios, planes).
Respuestas ejemplo (orientativas):
1) a) do it · b) did so · c) did it · d) do so · e) do so
2) a) …I prefer that one on the shelf.
b) …the metal ones or the wooden ones?
c) …my sister bought a more expensive one.
d) …I need better ones.
e) …I want a smaller one.
3) a) …and her brother does too.
b) …and you will tomorrow.
c) …and we haven’t either.
d) …and Anna can too.
e) …and my parents did as well.
4) a) do it · b) do so · c) one · d) ones · e) did.
5) Respuesta libre; revisa que la sustitución sea clara y que no uses one/ones con no contables.
7) Próximo paso
Continúa con Reported speech extendido (tiempos, deíxis, reporting verbs), donde verás cómo hablar de lo que otras personas dijeron usando tiempos verbales y verbos como admit, suggest, claim, etc.