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TeacherJapan Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Practical English Usage?

I am now reading the section of 'do so.' It says: We use 'do so' to refer to the same action, with the same subject, that was mentioned before. In other cases, we prefer 'do it/that or do alone.'

In which case, is it possible to interpret this explanation in the following way?

A: I haven't got time to get the tickets.
B: Who's going to (. )?

1. do (alone)?
2. do it?
3. do that?

1, 2,3 are all possible. For some reason, 1 doesn't sit well with me...
  

Top answer

teacherJapan For some reason, 1 doesn't sit well with me. Me neither. It's wrong.

— CalifJim

  • teacherJapan For some reason, 1 doesn't sit well with me.
  • Me neither.
  • It's wrong.
  • The correct choices that come to mind are these: So who's going to [ do it / do that / do so / get them]?
  • CJ
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7 Answers
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teacherJapanFor some reason, 1 doesn't sit well with me.
Me neither. It's wrong. The correct choices that come to mind are these:

So who's going to [ do it / do that / do so / get them]?

CJ
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teacherJapanI am now reading the section of 'do so.' It says: We use 'do so' to refer to the same action, with the same subject, that was mentioned before. In other cases, we prefer 'do it/that or do alone.'
In which section of which edition does it say that?
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Thank you very much, both:-) The page number is 162-123 under do it/so/that. It says that in the example I gave, 'do so' is unacceptable because the subjects don't match. I am not familiar with such a grammatical rule and I've always thought that 'do so' is just more formal than 'do it/that."
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In section 162 of the third edition, Swan writes (my emphasis added) before the words you quoted in your first post. :

The expression do so can be used to avoid repeating a verb and its object or complement.
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Yes. I see the line you quoted in the book I have here.(Actually, mine is digital one) And then, here comes the following.

I haven’t got time to get the tickets. Who’s going to do it? (NOT … Who’s going to do so?)

I rode a camel in Morocco. ~ I’d love to do that. (NOT … to do so.)

I always eat peas with honey. My wife never does. (NOT … My wife never does so.)
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Those examples follow immediately after the lines you quoted originally. The verbs in the two clauses have different subjects.
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I see. Thank you. I didn't know for sure the specific rules of 'do so' until today. If my memory serves, I've never actually learned it even at college.
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