Ellipsis and Ellipsessis is singularses is plural

The ellipsis is also known to some as dot-dot-dot because it consists of three periods, or dots, in a row.

At the end of this lesson, you will know when to use ellipses in writing and how to create ellipses when typing.

When to use ellipsesUse 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.“

Shorten the quote by replacing a few words with an ellipsis. Remember, the meaning of the quote should not change.

Write the correct sentence on your white board.

When to use ellipsesDid you write this?

"After school I went to her house … and then came home.“

We removed the words "which was a few blocks away" and replaced them with an ellipsis without changing the meaning of the original quote.

Which one is correct?Read the passage on the next page and then compare it with the numbered quotes. Write on your white board the number of the quote that uses ellipses correctly.

Which one is correct?The mockingbird had ceased to sing. The leaves of the bougainvillaea vine which clambered over the dining-room wall rustled faintly. Mrs. Delahantybegan taking the spoons from the serving dishes.—Jessamyn West, “Mr. Cornelius, I Love You”

1. The mockingbird had ceased to sing. The leaves of the bougainvillaea vine . . . rustled faintly. Mrs. Delahanty began taking the spoons from the serving dishes.

2. The mockingbird had ceased to sing. . . .The leaves of the bougainvillaea vine which clambered over the dining-room wall rustled . . .

Which one is correct?Soon the men began to gather, surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes. They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed. —Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery”

1. Soon the men began to gather, surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes. They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet. . . .

2. Soon the men began to gather, surveying their . . . tractors and taxes. They stood together, . . . and they smiled rather than laughed.

When to use ellipsesUse 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 . . . and saw . . . a cake!

I was thinking . . . maybe we should call home.

This use of ellipses is common in informal (friendly) letters and emails.

PausesWhen the speaker is in doubt, or knows something which he really does not want to tell the listener about, he tends to take time while speaking and this pause is indicated in the written text via the ellipsis.

For Example:“I … um … really … don’t know.”

“Could you … err … please … stop talking.”

“Would you … join me … for coffee?”

When to use ellipsesUse an ellipsis to show a break, or trailing off, of a thought.

Examples:    I know I saw my keys somewhere . . . .

"I'm not sure what to do . . .," he said.

I never thought . . . .

Continuation of ThoughtSometimes the ellipsis is used to denote that the declared thought is unfinished in the sentence. Writers use this punctuation to leave it upon the readers to think about the finishing the thought with their own opinion, or sometimes they use it to make the reader ponder over some reality.

For Example:What is the world turning into…?

And so the circle of life continues ….

He went inside ….

How to make an ellipsisAn ellipsis is made of three dots called ellipsis points. Ellipses are exactly three dots, not two or four.

Type three periods with spaces in between.

space-period-space-period-space-period-space

Examples:    She opened the door … and saw … a cake!I was thinking … maybe we should call home.Examples:    I know I saw my keys somewhere ….I never thought …."I'm not sure what to do … ," he said.

How to make an ellipsisIf the ellipsis is in the place of a word or part of a sentence, leave a space on each side of the ellipsis.

For example:   

(Without an ellipsis)We went to the city, shopped, ate lunch and arrived home after midnight.

(With an ellipsis, removing the words "shopped, ate lunch")We went to the city … and arrived home after midnight.

How to make an ellipsisIf the ellipsis is used to replace words at the end of a sentence, it should be followed by a period (.), question mark (?) or exclamation point (!) to end the sentence.

GuidelinesUse three ellipsis points (three spaced periods preceded and followed by spaces) to show that one or more words have been omitted within a quoted sentence.

Example:“The critics are raving about . . . this film.”

Use a period and three ellipsis points if the ellipses fall at the end of a sentence.

Example: “The band’s rise has been phenomenal. . . .”

In fiction and informal writing, ellipses are used to indicate that an idea has trailed off.

Example:Somehow I felt disappointed; I felt ….

SummaryIn summary, the ellipsis is a form of punctuation used in writing the English language. It can be used to show an omission, to show a pause or create suspense, or to show a break in a thought. An ellipsis is made by using three periods in a row with spaces before, after, and in between.

Tip: Don’t overuse ellipses in your writing.