Ellipsis and Dashes

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."

Only one person wears that perfume ___ my mother.

Which punctuation mark should go in the blank?

• comma

• dash

• ellipsis

A(n) _____ is used to signal an interruption in dialogue AND used to emphasize breaks in thought & shifts in tone.

• comma

• dash

• ellipsis

A(n) ____ is used to emphasize the separation of ideas or lists OR to explain, summarize, or illustrate a thought.

• comma

• ellipsis

• dash

Which sentence uses DASHES correctly to explain a thought?

• If you need something, call my assistant Catherine — not Margaret and she’ll help you.

• If you need something, call my assistant—Catherine, not Margaret—and she’ll help you.

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.”

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

Why is the ellipsis used in this sentence?

• passage of time

• an unfinished thought

• missing words from a quotation

Why is the ellipsis used in this sentence?

• passage of time

• an unfinished thought

• missing words from a quotation

Why is the ellipsis used in this sentence?

• passage of time

• an unfinished thought

• missing words from a quotation