Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

SUBSTITUTE VERB DO

133

Do

, do so, do it, do the same are used to substitute for a verb and whatever

complementation accompanies it:

[reminiscing about olden days]

A: We 

had a milkman that had a horse and cart

. 

B: Yes. We did too yes. 

(understood: We had a milkman that had a horse and cart too.)

[assistant at a cosmetics counter in a store, explaining the qualities of a face

cream to a customer]

A: That will definitely offer you some protection. And even in the coldest

weather it’s almost like putting a cushion across the face to repel the harsh

winds and things and stop your skin drying out as well.

B: Right. Okay. I’ll 

have a think about it

.

A: Yes do.

B: Thank you very much.

A: Can I 

borrow these scissors

?

B: Yes, of course, do so.

(more formal; understood: Yes, of course, borrow the scissors.)

I asked him if he had ever 

lost his temper with the press

. He replied that he had

never 

done it in public but always made sure that the journalist concerned

knew how he felt.

252 | Grammar across turns and sentences

Cambridge Grammar of English

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A: I 

employed a lawyer

. Would you try to defend yourself or not?

B: I would do the same as you.

Û

also 129 Textual ellipsis for uses of do

Substitution of a lexical verb and its complement also occurs with a modal or an

auxiliary verb + do:

A: You 

could resign

.

B: Yes, I could do, I suppose.

A: Have you 

rung Jo

?

B: Yes, I have done but she wasn’t in.

Do so

occurs in tensed and non-tensed forms (

Û

215

). Do so is generally used in

more formal contexts:

If you are intending to do a reasonable amount of cycling, it is advisable to

bring your own bike

as the ones available for hire are of an inferior quality. If

you 

do so, bring a good lock as bike theft is a problem here.

(tensed)

One of the main problems has been 

clearing away the many unexploded bombs

left from the war. Many villagers have been killed

doing so.

(non-tensed)

[neural networks are a type of information network in a computer]

Neural networks, on the other hand, don’t 

look for

absolutes, but for 

patterns

in data

. 

Having done so, they can then try and establish relationships between

those patterns.

(non-tensed)

Do so

, do it and do that are often interchangeable, but there are occasions 

where one form is preferred over the others. Do so is generally the most formal 

of the three.

Do so

is often preferred for making general reference to a series of actions 

or events:

[talking about a famous horse race in the streets of Siena, Italy]

For the best view you need to have 

found a position on the inner rail by 2pm

(ideally at the start and finish line), and to keep it for the next six hours. If you

haven’t 

done so, there’s really no rush, as you’ll be able to see a certain amount

from anywhere within the throng.

Do it 

is often preferred for making a more direct or precise reference to an action

or event:

A: I can’t 

eat any kind of buttery stuff on pasta

. It makes me feel sick. 

B: Really. 

A: I did it once and I woke up in the middle of the night and was sick.