Dot, Dot, Dot . . . 

Multifaceted Ellipses

Where are my fellow ellipsis fans? I know you're out there, giving an appreciative nod or a smile, maybe doing a little ellipsis-themed dance . . .

What's the appeal of those bits of punctuation, anyway? I'll answer that question with another: What’s not to like? Each ellipsis mark is made up of three points, and each of those points is a tidy little circle, evenly spaced from its companions. If you put those three circles together . . . dot, dot, dot . . . they can serve your writing well. They might even add a touch of mystery.

Multinamed

To get started, here's a very brief history of where the ellipsis got its name: the word came from Latin and Greek words (ellipsis and elleipsis, respectively) that meant "leaving out" (Source: Online Etymology Dictionary). Please don't confuse the word with ellipse, though, because that word has something to do with ovals and planes and math, and we’re not here to discuss such things, are we? No, we’re here to talk punctuation and writing and omissions, because that's what those three dots of an ellipsis represent: the leaving out of a word (or words or even whole paragraphs).

So, just how many names does this mark of punctuation have? That's a good question, and I've wondered the same thing myself. Turns out I don't have a definitive answer, but this should help: the names you'll encounter most often are ellipsis (singular), ellipsis mark (again singular, but also . . . longer), ellipses (plural), or ellipsis points (which, technically, refers to the plural parts that make up a single ellipsis).

Multicomponented

As for the components, well . . . dot, dot, dot. That pretty much sums it up, doesn't it? Probably, but I'll add this anyway: I'm always strangely pleased when I string those dots together during a voice-to-text and Siri inserts the ellipsis points rather than the words. Sometimes she just gets me.

And, no, I don't believe for a second that I'm the only one using ellipses in my texts. Seize the opportunity, right?

Hey, Siri . . .

Multifunctional 

Ellipses in formal writing

How are ellipses used in formal situations? They're usually there to indicate an omission (of a word or words) from a direct quotation. While it’s important to note that ellipses shouldn't change the intended meaning of a quote or disrupt the grammatical structure of a sentence, they are indeed handy, dandy tools. They can tighten up the text, allowing readers to focus on a quotation's relevant parts.

For instance, if you wanted to quote a sentence from Walden, in which Thoreau is discussing his intended audience, you could include the full text:

“I do not mean to prescribe rules to strong and valiant natures, who will mind their own affairs whether in heaven or in hell, and perchance build more magnificently and spend more lavishly than the richest, without ever impoverishing themselves, not knowing how they live—if, indeed, there are any such, as has been dreamed; nor to those who find their encouragement and inspiration in precisely the present condition of things, and cherish it with the fondness and enthusiasm of lovers—and, to some extent, I reckon myself in this number; I do not speak to those who are well employed, in whatever circumstances, and they know whether they are well employed or not;—but mainly to the mass of men who are discontented, and idly complaining of the hardness of their lot or of the times, when they might improve them.”

Alternately, you could use ellipses to whittle the text down to its main points, along the lines of what I've done here: 

“I do not mean to prescribe rules to strong and valiant natures, who will mind their own affairs whether in heaven or in hell . . . nor to those who find their encouragement and inspiration in precisely the present condition of things . . . I do not speak to those who are well employed, in whatever circumstances . . . but mainly to the mass of men who are discontented, and idly complaining of the hardness of their lot or of the times, when they might improve them.”

Ellipses in informal and fiction writing

One way ellipses function in fiction or informal writing is to indicate a pause or a trailing off in speech or thought. The sentence must still make sense to readers, but who says it can't also invite them to do some imagining? The inclusion of those three dots means something has been left unsaid.

For instance, when readers encounter an ellipsis mark in a line of dialogue, they might think, Why the pause? Is the speaker hiding something?

Further, an ellipsis might trail at the end of a sentence, lending it a heading-off-into-the-unknown sort of feel. We think we understand where that trail of little dots is leading, but do we? Do we really?

The shrouded destination of the sentence-ending ellipsis . . .

In Sense and Sensibility, for example, Jane Austen uses ellipses to add subtle but telling meaning to her characters’ speech: 

(Mrs. John Dashwood's discussing of the precarious financial future of her son, Harry, with her husband offers one example.) 

“Consider,” she added, “that when the money is once parted with, it can never return. Your sisters will marry, and it will be gone forever. If, indeed, it could ever be restored to our poor little boy . . .” (How forlorn her expression must be. Is that a handkerchief she's clutching to her heart?)

(Austen also employs an ellipsis when Marianne Dashwood speaks of the handsome Mr. Willoughby.)

“But the time will come, I hope. . . . I am sure you will like him.” (A lot could be read into those three little points. As an aside, did you notice they follow an additional dot? It's a period ending the first sentence. More on that next.)

Multistyled

Basic Styling

The way you’ll style ellipses in your text will likely depend on which guide you’re following, whether it’s a house guide or one commonly used in publishing. Here, I'll look at some recommendations from the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition), since it's the guide used most often in book publishing.

To follow Chicago style, ellipses should have a space on either side and spaces between the points:

word . . . another word

              Chicago tip: those interior spaces should be nonbreaking, so the ellipsis points don't get separated across the lines of a text.

Styling with Additional Punctuation

When other punctuation is added to the mix, the styling of ellipses can become tricky. In uses other than fiction, if what's being omitted includes either the end of a sentence or words after the end of a sentence, you'd include a period before the ellipsis.

End of sentence. . . . New sentence

(In such usage, the capital letter starting the second sentence is important.)

Other marks of punctuation (question marks, exclamation points, colons, etc.) are treated similarly, depending on whether retaining them from the original, quoted material is needed to preserve meaning and grammar.

Fiction Styling

Chicago relaxes its guidelines when it comes to fiction, recommending the use of three dots only, whatever the situation (even if there's a sentence-end involved, and whether the ellipsis occurs in dialogue or narrative). A capitalized word may follow the ellipsis to demonstrate a shift in the meaning of the text (Source: Chicago's Q&A).

As an aside, you may have noticed Jane Austen didn't handle her fictional ellipsis that way in the second example, but Sense and Sensibility predates the Chicago Manual of Style by almost a century. Also, this is a recommendation, not a rule. If you'd prefer to style your ellipses another way, that can also work well. Just remember: consistency is key.

Chicago has plenty more to say on the styling of ellipses, but if you're writing fiction, you ought to be pretty safe sticking with the following pattern:

word . . . W/word.

Sharing final thoughts

Here are mine . . .

Ellipses probably shouldn’t be . . . overused . . . in a text . . . but they do have value. They can condense a quotation to its relevant parts, indicate a pause or an unfinished thought, or they might present your readers with a sentence that goes riding off into the sunset . . .

Sentence departure, via ellipsis . . .

If you're unsure about how to use ellipses effectively, it's certainly worth doing some research or seeking editing feedback (or both). Your writing matters, and the investment you make in it will matter to your readers.

What are your thoughts?

How do you feel about ellipses? Love 'em, hate 'em, have only just begun to contemplate their sentence-enhancing possibilities? If you use them, where do you use them most? In formal writing or in fiction? In voice-to-texts, perhaps? Please consider commenting with your thoughts.

Thanks for reading, and please contact me at Three Quills Editing to discuss just about anything: books and poetry, rescue pets, your favorite pollinator-friendly native plants, or—one of my personal favorites—to request a free sample edit. I’d love to hear from you!