怎樣省略句子？

英語的省略法（ellipsis）很常見，既可省下多餘的字句，亦可令句子更短小精悍，但稍一不慎，可能會誤以為對方寫錯。以下試舉幾個例子：

(1)
He has been the best football player ever.

He will always be the best football player ever.

上面句子可合而為一，寫成：
He has been, and will always be, the best football player ever.

這句不太難，只難在前後的 auxiliary verbs 要保持一致，例如前面是 has been，後面用 will 也要加上 be。

(2)
Jason will take the east path.
Susan will take the east path.

要串聯以上兩句，很多人可能會寫：
Jason and Susan will take the east path.

這樣寫沒錯，只是程度稍低，另一種較像地道英語的寫法是：
Jason will take the east path and so will Susan.

(3)
Jason will take the east path.
Susan will take the west path.

上面兩句重複了 will take 和 path，所以兩句合起來就是：
Jason will take the east path and Susan the west.

這種寫法是很自然的英語，只是很多人都怕錯。

(4)
He wants to buy a flat for his parents.
He can’t afford to buy a flat for his parents.

上面之間有矛盾的關係，要用連接詞 but，我看過很多人喜歡用 do so 做句尾：
He wants to buy a flat for his parents, but he can't afford to do so.

這樣寫沒錯，再簡潔一點就是連 do so 也省去：
He wants to buy a flat for his parents, but he can't afford to.
（注意最後的 to 一般要寫出來）

(5)
The victim was filmed.
The video was uploaded onto the Internet.

最後舉這個例子是把兩個看似沒甚麼可省略的句子串聯起來：
The victim was filmed and the video was uploaded onto the Internet.

上句看上去十分正常，但因為兩句都是被動式，英語還容許省略第二句的 was，變成：
The victim was filmed and the video uploaded onto the Internet.

相信很多人都會以為上句寫錯，但偏偏這才是地道的英語。