An ellipsis is a punctuation mark made of three dots. It shows that words have been left out of a quotation, and in informal writing it shows a pause, hesitation, or speechlessness.
You may already know how to use the semicolon, the comma, and the apostrophe. The ellipsis is another punctuation mark, often overlooked and often used incorrectly.
What is an ellipsis?
An ellipsis (the plural is ellipses) consists of three dots, and these three dots make up a punctuation mark of their own. You can type it as three periods (...) or as a single character (…). Many word processors turn three typed periods into the single character automatically.
The ellipsis comes in a few different forms, but the form with three dots is the most common. You will find others in newspapers, magazines, and fiction as well. For example, some style guides use four dots when the left-out words end a sentence: the ellipsis plus the period.
Depending on the taste of the author or the editor, an ellipsis can have spaces around it or not:
- This pug…I like it.
- This pug … I like it.
- This pug… I like it.
- This pug …I like it.
In (1) there is no space at all, in (2) there is a space on each side of the ellipsis, and in (3) and (4) there is a space either after or before it. Whichever style you choose, use it the same way throughout your text.
How to use an ellipsis
Omission
The most typical use of the ellipsis, in print and online, is to show that part of a quotation has been left out. It saves space and removes words that do not matter for the purpose of the quotation.
- Full quotation: "In April, we, my beloved wife and I, decided to adopt a pug."
- With an ellipsis: "In April, we … decided to adopt a pug."
The ellipsis can stand in the middle of a sentence, at its beginning or end, and even between sentences. Make sure that the shortened quotation still means what the full one meant.
In many scientific works and papers, the omission is also marked by putting the ellipsis in square brackets. This shows that the dots were added by the person quoting and are not part of the original text.
- Full sentence: The pug, a breed that comes from China, is a small dog with a wrinkly, short-muzzled face and a curled tail.
- Shortened: The pug […] is a small dog with a wrinkly, short-muzzled face and a curled tail.
Hesitation
In informal writing, an ellipsis can show hesitation, thought, suspense, or a change of mood. This is especially common in direct speech, in monologues, and in novels told from the point of view of a character.
- You know what? … We should get a pug!
- I… I don't think this is… a good idea.
- What? But… you're right! We should get two!
In formal writing, such as a business email or an essay, use this kind of ellipsis rarely, if at all. Too many dots make a text look unsure of itself.
Speechlessness
A use of the ellipsis that is far more common in social media, text messages, and comics is to show speechlessness. Whether something shocked you, you simply do not know what to reply, or what was said does not deserve an answer, the ellipsis says it for you.
- A: "Carina doesn't like pugs."
- B: "…"