Styling an ellipsis can be problematic, especially when at the mercy of so-called “smart” technology prevalent in word processors. Remember, none of the dots is a “period”-that’s the reason for the ellipsis. If you place an ellipsis at the end of an incomplete sentence to indicate a trailing off of a comment (Don’t over do it!), use the same styling described above: insert a space after the final word, followed by the three dots of the ellipsis. While delivering his lecture, the speaker.Note the single space preceding the ellipsis and the single space following the ellipsis. Note the period at the end of the sentence, followed by the three dots. This is a complete sentence followed by an ellipsis. . .Most people who use ellipses in e-mail overdo it-a lot. You can use it for omission or hesitation, but is it too annoying? Think of it this way: The ellipsis is replacing a word or phrase, so treat it the same way-give it elbow room.
None of the three dots is a period-that’s a separate punctuation mark. The ellipsis is separated from the text by a space before and after. This usage is common in academic works when the writer includes an excerpt from reference material and leaves out some of the text. Sometimes you see four dots, but that’s when the mark is used at the end of a complete sentence-the first dot is the “period” at the end of the sentence, followed by the three dots of the ellipsis. Ellipses are also used in “three-dot journalism” (gossip columns) to give the impression of rambling thoughts.Īn ellipsis comprises three points or dots. Three Dots and Out: Give Your Ellipsis Elbow RoomĮllipsis points indicate omitted text or, in dialogue, hesitation.
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