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Ellipses are a set of three dots that serve as a punctuation mark, as seen above. The plural form of ellipsis is ellipses. The word ellipsis has its origin in a Greek term that means to omit or exclude. They are used to exclude words from a sentence or to indicate an incomplete thought or sentence. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the use of ellipses in English.

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What does an ellipsis look like?

As mentioned, an ellipsis is a series of three dots. It can come at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a sentence. If it comes at the end of a sentence, you usually need to use a punctuation mark after it, especially in formal writing.

• They said they’d be …
• Wait, where are you …?

Whether you leave spaces around or between the dots depends on which style you follow. According to the Oxford Style Guide, you should leave a space before and after the dots, but not between them. This is the style we’re using here. However, other style guides prefer spaces between each dot.

Whatever style you decide on, stay consistent.  

How to use an ellipsis in a sentence

We can use an ellipsis to show that we have deliberately missed out on part of a sentence, quotation or phrase. We do this when we need to leave less relevant information out to make a sentence more readable or easier to understand. Ellipses help us save space in our writing. 

• Don’t try to call me. I’ll be out from 9am – 9pm, so all day. 
• Don’t try to call me. I’ll be out … all day. 
• I went to work on Monday morning, it was a lovely, sunny day, and I met John running down the hallway. 
• I went to work on Monday morning … and I met John running down the hallway.  

If you want to miss out on the beginning of the sentence, a lot of writers use an ellipsis plus a capital letter in square brackets: 

• … [I]t was a lovely, sunny day, and I met John running down the hallway. 

Other writers don’t think the ellipsis is necessary here. You can choose which style you prefer, but don’t change your mind halfway through your writing! 

Ellipses are often used in more formal writing, especially in academic writing when you are quoting something or someone else. Here’s a quotation from Jane Austen, an English writer, to show how we might do it: 

• “The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”

We can shorten it like this: 

• “The person … who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”

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Using an ellipsis to show a pause

We can also use an ellipsis to show a pause or hesitation in speech or thought. We use an ellipsis in this way when we are reporting what someone said or thought. Similarly, we can use an ellipsis to show suspense or a change in mood. We usually use this in informal writing; not in formal or academic writing.

Let’s look at some examples of this: 

• “Let’s see … where were we?”
• “Hmm, I’m not sure … ”
• Ben heard a noise in the corridor outside. But, he was alone in the building …

As you can see, in these informal sentences, if the ellipsis is at the end of a phrase or sentence, we don’t need to use a full stop.

The overuse of ellipses

Ellipses are useful in our writing. But, sometimes we can have too much of a good thing. In recent years, people have been using an ellipsis more and more often. 

They might use it to replace a different punctuation mark:

• How’s the game going…

In correct written language, this should be a question mark, not an ellipsis. 

People also use it to show a place where we say um or erm if we were speaking. You might get emails that look like this: 

• I haven’t heard from sales yet … is there someone else I can talk to? Not sure what to do … I’m waiting for your answer.  

There shouldn’t be any ellipses in those sentences. The email would be much clearer and look more professional if it was written like this: 

• I haven’t heard from sales yet. Is there someone else I can talk to? Not sure what to do;  I’m waiting for your answer.  

So, use ellipses with care!

Master the use of ellipses

In conclusion, ellipses are a powerful tool in the English language that can convey a range of emotions and ideas. However, it is crucial to understand their function and proper usage to avoid miscommunication or confusion. By mastering the use of ellipses, writers and yourself can add depth and nuance to any writing, making it more engaging and effective. So, next time you use ellipses, remember to use them wisely!

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Laura Jones

Laura is a freelance writer and was an ESL teacher for eight years. She was born in the UK and has lived in Australia and Poland, where she writes blogs for Lingoda about everything from grammar to dating English speakers. She’s definitely better at the first one. She loves travelling and that’s the other major topic that she writes on. Laura likes pilates and cycling, but when she’s feeling lazy she can be found curled up watching Netflix. She’s currently learning Polish, and her battle with that mystifying language has given her huge empathy for anyone struggling to learn English. Find out more about her work in her portfolio.

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