Ellipses

Overview

An ellipsis (…) is a punctuation mark made of three dots. It is used to show that words have been left out, that a thought trails off, or that a pause is happening. When used correctly, ellipses add clarity or style to writing, but they should not be overused.

Showing omitted words in quotations

Ellipses are often used in formal writing to show that part of a quote has been left out without changing the meaning.

• Example: 

                Original: “The movie was long, exciting, and unforgettable.”

                Shortened: “The movie was… unforgettable.”

Showing a pause in thought

Ellipses can indicate hesitation or a pause in dialogue or narration.

• Example: “I was thinking… maybe we should wait.”

Showing a trailing thought

Ellipses can show when a sentence or thought fades away without being finished.

• Example: “If only I had studied harder…”

Creating suspense or drama

Writers sometimes use ellipses to build suspense by making the reader wait for what comes next.

• Example: She opened the envelope slowly… and gasped.

In academic writing

Ellipses are used when shortening long quotations in essays or research papers. Always make sure the shortened version keeps the original meaning.

• Example: “Global warming is… one of the greatest challenges of our time.”

Avoiding overuse

Too many ellipses make writing look messy or uncertain. Use them only when they clearly show omission, hesitation, or suspense.

• Example: 

               Incorrect: “I… don’t… know… what… to… say…”

               Correct: “I don’t know… maybe we should go.”

Ellipses vs. periods

Remember that an ellipsis is not the same as ending a sentence with multiple periods. It always has exactly three dots (sometimes with spaces depending on style guides).

• Example: 

               Correct: I wasn’t sure what to do…

               Incorrect: I wasn’t sure what to do…..

Summary

Ellipses are used to show omitted words, pauses, unfinished thoughts, or suspense. They are helpful in both academic and creative writing when used carefully. Overusing them can make writing unclear, so save ellipses for when you truly need to signal “something left unsaid.”