英语省略句用词简练，表意简练，往往收到一定的修饰效果。句中的某些成分因上下文已提供了充分明确信息或前文已出现过的某些成分，为了避免不必要的重复，也不会引起言语上的误解，并可突出中心词，从而使整文紧密连接的一种修辞手法，其语法现象就是省略。举个例子：Glad to see you. 这是个简单句，主语I和谓语am可以省略。省略的形式从单词、短语到分句等都可省略，而且各有其一定的衔接关系。
二、省略句分类：句中成分的省略
1. 主语的省略
Beg your pardon. （我）请你原谅。（Beg前省略了主语I）
Come on! 得了吧（你）！（Come前省略了主语You）
2. 谓语的省略
John is a lawyer, his wife (is) a cleaner.
Some of us study Japanese, others (study) English.
3. 表语的省略
She was a lover of sports as she had been in her youth.（had been后面省略了a lover of sports）
4. 宾语的省略
Let's do the cases. I'll read and you'll type.（read和 type后面省略了宾语cases）
5. 定语的省略
I spent part of the money, and the rest I gave.（the rest后面省略了定语of the money）
6. 状语的省略
She wasn't cry. Strange! （Strange前面省略了状语how）
7. 词的省略
a) 名词、冠词、物主代词或介词如果与前文重复时，可以省略，如：
I like red wine better than white (wine).
The lightning flashed and (the) thunder crashed.
Please take good care of these flowers and (these) plants.
We lived in Beijing and (in) Shanghai for some time.
b) 重复出现的形容词，省略后边的；两个或两个以上被形容词修饰的同一名词，前边的则常被省略。
We are young boys and (young) girls.
There were middle-aged (women) and elderly women to attend the meeting.
8. 英语中一些固定特殊的省略结构
a) 在回答一般疑问句的简略答语中，或回答用陈述句，祈使句表示要求、命令的简略回答中，常用Yes /No＋主语＋助动词，而省略主动词或其它成份，但助动词应和原句的助动词和时间概念须保持相应的一致。
— Could I borrow your dictionary?
— Yes, of course you can.（句中 could表示委婉语气，并不是过去式，因此答语用can，其后省略borrow my dictionary.）
— Don't forget to come to my birthday party tomorrow.
— I won't.（祈使句原含有未来的意味，再加上有tomorrow的限制，因此答语用 won't，其后省略forget to go you're your birthday party tomorrow.）
b) 同时省掉句子几个部分有时好几个句子成分都被省掉，除了对疑问句的简略回答外，也出现在反意疑问句中。
You are a superman, aren't you (a superman) ?
c) 在以know, forget, remember等动词结尾的简答句后的子句通常也可省略，以避免重复。
— Who won the football match last night?
— Sorry, I don't know (who won the football match last night.)
d) 在以if, when, though, as, as if 等连词引导的从句中，如从句中主要动词是be, 可将主语和动词be省掉。
He is very good at dancing, though (he is) very old.
The boy looked as if (he were) afraid of nothing.
e) so, nor/neither 用来表示“……也一样”时的省略结构
— I am a student.
— So am I (a student).
— We haven't been there.
— Neither (Nor) have we (been there).
