Rule: The head of a noun phrase can be omitted when it is in parallel construction with a preceding noun phrase.
Example of error:
(1) The boots I liked were much more expensive than my old.
Rule 1.5.2 applies to sentences like the following, where there are two noun phrases in parallel construction, that is, fulfilling analogous syntactic functions:
Do you prefer red wine or white (wine)?
He likes the blue hat but I like the green (hat).
This house is bigger than my last (house).
One man is a good as the next (man).
In these sentences white (wine), green (hat), last (house), and next (man) are parallel to the preceding noun phrases red wine, blue hat, this house, and one man. In (1), however, the premodifying adjective old is not in parallel construction with the element of the preceding noun phrase with which it is being contrasted--namely the postmodifying relative clause (that) I liked. Compare the following version of the sentence, where my old (boots) is parallel to my new boots:
My new boots were more expensive than my old.
When the ellipted head is a count noun it is more common to insert the pronoun one, e.g.:
He likes the blue hat(s) but I like the green one(s).
This house is bigger than my last one.
One man is as good as the next one.
My new boots are more expensive than my old ones
After the indefinite article one is obligatory,, e.g.:
Do you want a large glass or a small one?
Do you want a large glass or a small?
One is also obligatory when the noun phrases are not in parallel construction, as in (1). Compare also:
He likes the hat on the table but I like the green one.
*He likes the hat on the table but I like the green.
She wore the dress you bought her, not the blue one.
She wore the dress you bought her.-not the blue.
With mass nouns one is not possible in any case, so if the noun phrases are not in parallel construction the noun head must be repeated:
Do you prefer coffee with whiskey or Turkish coffee/*Turkish?
We ordered fish fried in butter and garlic but they served us steamed fish/*steamed.
Compare:
Do you prefer Irish coffee or Turkish?
He ordered fried fish but they served us steamed.