What do ellipses mean in writing

When to use ellipses 1. Use an ellipsis to show an omission , or leaving out , of a word or words in a quote. Use ellipses to shorten the quote without changing the meaning.

For example: "After school I went to her house, which was a few blocks away, and then came home. Remember, the meaning of the quote should not change. Use an ellipsis to show a pause in a thought or to create suspense. Suspense is when a reader is excited to know what is going to happen next. Examples: She opened the door.

Ellipses can express hesitation, changes of mood, suspense, or thoughts trailing off. Writers also use ellipses to indicate a pause or wavering in an otherwise straightforward sentence. Examples: I don't know … I'm not sure. Pride is one thing, but what happens if she …? He said, "I … really don't … understand this. Enable JavaScript Uh oh! Hide Notice.

Definition An ellipsis plural: ellipses is a punctuation mark consisting of three dots. They are useful in getting right to the point without delay or distraction: Full quotation: "Today, after hours of careful thought, we vetoed the bill. When in doubt, find a different way to write your sentence to avoid the ellipsis unless you know exactly why you're using it.

Also, never use more than three periods as an ellipsis, even when indicating a longer pause or omission: ellipses always have three periods, no matter the style guide. Ellipses are a writing convention that add to a writer's style but are not entirely necessary for getting your point across.

They should only be used to indicate omissions or dialogue pauses, so if you're tempted to use them in other ways, double-check which punctuation mark might be a better choice.

Refresh your knowledge on colons, semicolons and dashes while you're learning about interesting ways to vary your writing style. All rights reserved. When Should You Use Ellipses? The two main purposes of ellipses in text are: indicating an omission within a piece of text showing a pause in a character's dialogue or "trailing off" at the end of dialogue According to the MLA and Chicago manuals of style, an ellipsis is three periods with a space in between each [.

Using Ellipses for Omission in News Reports News reports compile information to present to the population. For example, if a fire broke out and a fire chief gave the following quote, most of the quote would likely be considered unnecessary: without an ellipsis - "We've determined positively, absolutely, beyond the shadow of a doubt, drawing our conclusions from all the available data, understanding the impact of the recent spate of arsons, that this fire was accidental.

Using Ellipses for Omission in Formal Writing The same rule applies to formal writing, such as academic papers and published research, when a quote might be too long or clunky. This can make otherwise straightforward sentences confusing and occasionally somewhat unsettling.

The trailing off in the second example could suggest the writer is having doubts perhaps it is a problem. Or maybe it expresses confusion about why a meeting is even necessary. Or, if the writer is a chronic ellipsis-abuser, it may mean nothing at all. The reader must then judge what the meaning might be, or ask for clarification.

Whichever you use we prefer three full stops without spaces, except on Twitter , all style guides agree that ellipses are three dots long. Not four, or two and five is right out. This is in fact an ellipsis with a full stop at the end. Again, style guides vary on this. But be careful. Take this remark from US President Coolidge and the often-quoted condensed version:. This changes the meaning of his sentence. The original version says that business is the most important concern, whereas in the second it sounds as if business is the only important thing.

This is a very particular kind of trailing off, and possibly the most annoying of all. It often implies that what needs to be said is so obvious to the knowledgeable writer that it should be obvious to the reader, too. This can backfire badly — at worst, it can appear smug or condescending.

Like many of the best things in life, ellipses are fine when used well and in moderation, but troublesome when used recklessly.

So keep using them, if you wish, but do so consciously. What is likely to be the most positive approach in the long run? At work, usually, clarity is king. Sure, overused ellipses are annoying … but good writing at work is about far more than just airing our personal peeves. Download your free copy of The Write Stuff today.

A relentless chaser of evidence and a confirmed sceptic, Jacob is a digital marketer who puts good data at the centre of all his work. He's also a certified word nerd, driven to understand how language works and how to use it to get real results. Corporate jargon and management buzzwords are persistent pests. We train around two thousand people a year in business-writing skills.

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