IfIOnly Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 My kids' grammar curriculum hasn't covered this yet, and since I'm learning alongside them, I'm not sure how to use ellipses correctly. :P Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 Whoops! I posted in the wrong forum. Sorry! ETA. Please do comment though if you're familiar with the ellipsis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lieutenant Stranger Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Well, usually they're used to omit part of a sentence in journalism. So, let's say I wanted to wanted to condense the following: "I love going to the beach in the summer," said Jane. "I enjoy many aspects of the ocean, like eating warm sandwiches, getting sand in my lady bits, dodging seagull poop, and sunburns. It really is a magical feeling." I could write "I love going to the beach in the summer," said Jane. "I enjoy many aspects of the ocean...It really is a magical feeling." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/577/02/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 That's interesting. Thank you both. Most of the time I've seen them used online though, it hasn't been to alter a quote. Is there an online (chat forum, Facebook, Pinterest) or letter informal use of ellipses that is okay, or are most people just using them wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Informally, I use them to indicate doubt. But, of course, I could be wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisyphus Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Well, those darn ellipsis are hard...you know...to use...like...correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readinmom Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Three... and I use them too much and I don't care! :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Academically (university writing)I use them when doing a direct quote to show that I have left some of the information I am quoting out. only three dots are used when doing this according to APA guidelines. On this forum I use them when I am starting to go on and on about something........ instead of writing and so on and so forth, etc. I don't do any other writing and so don't use them anywhere else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamzanne Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 My favorite of the correct ways to indicate an ellipses is to use three dots . . . separated by spaces. The only time you would see four dots in a row is when one is a period following an ellipses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BugsMama Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I was always told its three dots, seperated by spaces, with or without a period (then you need 4). In any context, formal, or informal, that's the "correct" way to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I use the alt code for ellipses: Alt+0133, it looks like this: … It only counts as 1 character if you have to limit characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 And I read the thread title and was coming in to discuss ellipses as opposed to hyperbolas, parabolas, circles, and lines. I am sad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IfIOnly Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 And I read the thread title and was coming in to discuss ellipses as opposed to hyperbolas, parabolas, circles, and lines. I am sad. I had to Google "three dots" to find out what it was called. :P Well, it looks like there isn't a consensus about how to use ellipses informally, except that there should be exactly 3 dots (or 4 with a period). Thanks :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I have seen people wrongly use them at random or in place of periods... Like this... Because they apparently don't care how stupid it looks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 A lot of times with *informal* writing I use them to indicate that I would be pausing in regular conversation. Like, when a particularly dreadful pun is coming up :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfries Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 All I know is that I use them too much in my informal writing. I've often thought about writing an apology in my signature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 If a student was using them in formal writing, I would probably make them take them out unless they were used in quotes to indicate missing text. Even in creative writing to indicate pauses, I would want to keep them at a minimum. I would liken their use in creative writing to the exclamation mark. Use extremely sparingly. On the other hand... in things like, you know... forum posts... I kind of love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Informally, I use them because I love them...I only love them if there's 3 dots...if there's 4 it's too many....if there's 2 it's too few..to me, ellipses mirror thought...sometimes thought runs on and on and on but other times it pauses...gathers itself...reframes...develops...takes a somewhat new path... One can also use it to trail off...as if one is speaking and the thought simply dies away... I think maybe you should write an ode to ellipses. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I—greatly—prefer—em—dashes. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 And I read the thread title and was coming in to discuss ellipses as opposed to hyperbolas, parabolas, circles, and lines. I am sad. Same here! I be not a English person... so do not particularly care if this type be used correctly on a forum to be honest. The geometry version is FAR more important. The English type? I use them a lot... to space thought... and I prefer seeing posts with them for similar reasons as it makes those posts easier to read (including intent of posts). I would NOT use them in formal writing except to show where part of a quote was left out. ps And as much as I'm seriously NOT an English person (Physics/Math/Psych for actual college degreed stuff), I will admit that middle son maxed the English portion of the ACT, so I don't think I'm TOO far off. The typos I often make though - that's due to laziness and not proofreading well... except in this post. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I use them a lot because... I like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlmiraGulch Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 The proper way to use them is excessively and often. Hello. My name is AlmiraGulch and I'm addicted to ellipses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I'll admit... I use them way too much... and I improperly insert spaces (sometimes before and after) because otherwise it looks crowded. In all seriousness, I tend to write/type like I speak. I use ellipses to indicate pauses or sometimes in places where I might would use a semicolon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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