Dashes and Ellipses

Dashes, Ellipses to indicate pause, break or omission

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A dash often represents a pause in a sentence. The dash can show a clear break or set off extra information from the rest of the sentence, such as an aside, explanation, or additional details.

• According to legend, King Midas ultimately died of starvation - all because of his wish that everything he touched would turn to gold.

• Dionne strives to control every aspect of her life, but life - surprise, surprise - doesn't always accommodate her wishes.

Dashes and Ellipses Can Affect the Tone of a Sentence.

• We were watching Netflix late at night...then the doorbell rang. The ellipsis suggests suspense or hesitation. During the brief pause in this sentence, the author wants the reader to ask, "But what happened next?"

• We were watching Netflix late at night - then the doorbell rang. The dash in this sentence suggests that everything happened very suddenly. This abruptness created a less suspenseful tension than the ellipsis.

How does the punctuation in each sentence affect the sentence's tone?

• The front door was locked, but the key under the doormat was missing.

• The front door was locked...but the key under the doormat was missing.

• The front door was locked - but the key under the doormat was missing!

Multiple Choice

True or false? The dash and ellipsis can affect the tone of a sentence.

• true

• false

Ellipses (A.K.A. dot dot dot)

• often indicates an omission from a larger piece of text (omit text that is not relevant)

• indicates a mysterious or unfinished thought, a pause, or silence

• full quote: Today, after many hours of debate, the new bill was vetoed.

• With Ellipses: Today...the new bill was vetoed."

Analyze the Ellipses How does the meaning of the sentence change with and without an Ellipses?

• I thought the party was nice.

• I thought the party was...nice.

  
  

Multiple Choice

Which sentence correctly uses a dash to replace commas?

• Ms. Jackson - who has beautiful flowers on her porch - is quite the gardener.

• Mr. Jackson - is the winner- of the prize.

• Mr. Jackson - is taking the day off.

• Mr. Jackson and - Mr. Jones - are both winners today.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses a DASH correctly to emphasize breaks in thought & shifts in tone?

• I was glad to be home - until I saw the bill in the mailbox.

• I was glad - to be home until I saw the bill in the mailbox.

• I was glad to be home until I saw - the bill in the mailbox.

Multiple Choice

Which quotation uses an ellipsis correctly to indicate Olive's incomplete thought?  

• “I can't stand . . . Olive."
• “I can’t stand that . . . girl." 
• “I can’t stand that girl . . ."

• “I can’t stand that girl,” Olive said. “She’s so . . . I hate her.”

Multiple Choice

An ellipsis is used to ___.

• shorten a quoted passage by omitting  words or phrases
• pause or hesitate in the middle of a sentence
• indicate an incomplete thought
• all answers are correct

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a function of the dash?

• Interrupt sentence structure

• A pair of dashes acts like parenthesis

• A dash can be used like a colon

• A dash omits information

Multiple Choice

What can ellipses be used for?

• to show that one or more words have been omitted within a quote

• used to indicate an unfinished thought

• used to indicate a pause for effect

• all of the above