With VP shells, one way to analyze VSO languages is to say the tense features on the light verb v are strong, while the EPP (Extended Projection Principle) feature is weak (i.e. the subject stays in situ). Take a VSO language like Scottish-Gaelic
Chunnaic Ian Mary
see-PAST Ian Mary
'Ian saw Mary.'
We get a structure like the following
If the vP is elided from this structure, we delete both the subject and object and that's what VP ellipsis does in Scottish-Gaelic. The question
Am faca tu Mary?
Q? see-PAST you Mary
'Did you see Mary'?
can be answered by 'Chunnaic' (Yes) or 'Chan fhaca' (No). Both have their vPs elided. Perhaps this is true for most VSO languages.
