Using an Ellipsis

by Ms. Grant

Standard:
ELACC8L2: Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
a. Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to
indicate a pause or break.
b. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.
c. Spell correctly.

Definition! Singular and

Plural
Definition
Anellipsis(plural:ellipses)

is
a punctuation mark consisting
of three dots.

In Microsft Word quick way

Ctrl + Alt + .
**This will make the 3 dots

Ellipses in Dialogue

Johnny didnt even try to grin at him. Useless fightings no

good . He was awful white.
= 3 dots indicate pause of thinking (incomplete sentence)
. = 3 dots for pause and 1 dot for end of sentence.
Why 4 dots? because the writer is ending a complete sentence.
If the paragraph continues (has another sentence) then you use
just 3 dots.

Outsiders page 81
Sodapop? I said, bewildered. But how did he
know?
In this case you have the ellipses along with the
question mark.

Ellipses What are they?

Ellipses
What are they?
Ellipses

are not random symbols in

punctuation; they are a series of
three consecutive dots with spaces
between them (. . .), and they
serve a specific purpose in writing.

Intentional Omission of Words

When are they used?

Use

an ellipse when there is an intentional omission of

words. Consider the following example:

Original sentence:
All

sellers of alcoholic beverages must honor the

minimum drinking-age requirement or risk paying a fine.

Rewritten using ellipses:

All

sellers of alcoholic beverages must honor the

minimum . . ..
(In

this case, the ellipses end the sentence. This is the

only time four consecutive dots with spaces are used.)

Example of Text Omitted from the

Middle
Original quote:"Since graduating from college in
Washington, Eva had been taking medicine to
relieve the pain of her rheumatoid arthritis" (Beito
119).
With ellipsis:"Since graduating. . . Eva had been
taking medicine to relieve the pain of her
rheumatoid arthritis" (Beito 119).

Note
An ellipse is used when there is a pause in speech or
thought. Consider the following example:
Example:

I think . . . I have the winning ticket! 3 dots

Use an ellipse for an unfinished thought.
Example:

Geez, where on earth did I leave my . . .?

***** 3 dots and a question mark!!!!!!
An ellipse is also used when a sentence trails into
silence.
Example:

I thought it would was okay if . . .

Example of Text Omitted From the End

This is how you may use it in C.E.R.

Original quote: ( Evidence)

"Cora's success and public visibility seemed to
destroy Andys own self-esteem; he felt
diminished in the eyes of the community" (Beito
191).

With ellipsis: (Evidence)

Cora's success and public visibility seemed to
destroy Andys own self-esteem. . ." (Beito 191).

Ellipses at the Beginning?

Not such a good idea, but
Using ellipses at the beginning, middle and end of
quotation marks
It is preferable not to place ellipses at the beginning of
a quotation. However, there are occasions where you
need one. Consider the following example:
Example:

Original quote from astronaut, Neil Armstrong:

Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has
landed.
Rewritten

using ellipses:

Armstrong said, . . . The Eagle has landed.

Ellipses to shorten a
quotation
In writing, using ellipses to shorten a long quotation is acceptable
as long as the meaning of the quotation is not changed. Consider
the following example:
Example:

Original text from Martin Luther King, Jr. I Have a Dream:

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we
stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree
came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had
been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous
daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
Rewritten

using ellipse:

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we

stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree
. . . came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their [slaves]
captivity.
Note: (When using ellipses in the middle of a quotation to indicate the
omission of text, use three consecutive dots with spaces before and after the
ellipses. Note: the readers understanding of the content is not affected by
the use of the ellipses. The brackets are only used to provide the context of
their.)

Ellipses at END of quotation

There are some situations where using ellipses at the end of a
quotation are used. Use ellipses when the words you quote constitute a
complete sentence, but the words used are only part of a longer sentence.
Consider the following example:
Example:

Original quote from Joseph Fort Newton:

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.
Rewritten

using ellipses:

People are lonely . . ..

(The ellipses are placed after these words because the quote
constitutes a complete sentence as presented although the quote is
actually longer in its original form. Note: There are four consecutive dots
used. One is a period to end the sentence, and the three consecutive dots
with spaces between them are the ellipses.)

Ellipses in Comic Strips

Ellipses in comic strips
Ellipses

are commonly used in written dialogue for

comic strips. In this dialogue, ellipses are used at the
end of one balloon when a characters speech trails
off and picks back up in another balloon with an
ellipses beginning new dialogue. This is a way to
build tension, incorporate dramatic pause and draw
the reader to the next frame.