Using Ellipses

A(n) _____ is a series of 3 dots      ( . . .) that is used when omitting a word, phrase, or line, from a quoted passage.

• period
• comma
• dash
• ellipsis

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

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.”

A reviewer wrote that the musical was "dazzling, colorful, beautifully performed, and had many outstanding special effects."
Which of the following shows how the author could correctly use an ELLIPSIS to shorten the quote?

• A critic wrote that the musical was "dazzling, colorful, and beautifully performed. . . ."
• A critic wrote that the musical was "dazzling, colorful, . . . and beautifully performed."
• A  critic wrote that the musical was "dazzling, colorful, and beautifully . . . performed."
• A critic wrote that . . . the musical was "dazzling, colorful, and beautifully performed."

Which sentence(s) used an ellipsis the correct way?
A. If only she had . . . Oh, it doesn’t matter now.
B. I wasn’t really . . . well, what I mean . . . see, the thing is . . . I didn’t mean it.
C. She opened the door . . . and saw . . . a cake!

• A and C
• just B
• none of them
• all of them

Which is not something that an ellipsis (...) is used to indicate?

• quotation from books, speeches, and newspaper

• an unfinished thought

• omitted text from a quotation

• a rhetorical question

"These emotions can transform,... and consequently they have been understood as keys to the dynamics of emotional illness." What do the ellipses indicate?

• quotation

• an unfinished thought

• omitted text from a quotation

How to change the following sentence by using ellipses?

The parade had clowns, floats and a brass band which wore blue uniforms.

• The parade had clowns, floats and ... which wore blue uniforms.

• The parade had clowns, floats and a brass band ...

• The parade had clowns, floats and a brass band ....

Please help me_______ please get help_______ I didn’t mean to cause this explosion.

• Comma

• Ellipsis

• Dash

What is used to show a pause in dialogue or to show that words or sentences have been left out? (HINT: ...)

• comma

• space

• hyphen

• ellipses