Use of Ellipses and Parentheses

Which sentence demonstrates effective use of ellipses and still retains its meaning?

• It was the kind of mistake, known as a spherical aberration, that an amateur astronomer might make... to the disbelief and then the dismay of the engineers and contractors working for NASA.

• It was the kind of mistake... that an amateur astronomer might make...

• It was the kind of mistake, known as a spherical aberration...

Which of the following MOST EFFECTIVELY uses a dash and ellipses?

• The agency’s administrator, Sean O’Keefe, canceled what was to be the final Hubble servicing mission...--it was too risky.

• The agency’s administrator... canceled what was to be the final Hubble servicing mission--it was too risky.

• ...Sean O’Keefe canceled what was to be the final Hubble servicing mission on the grounds that--it was too risky.

Which of the following is FALSE about ELLIPSES

• Ellipses indicated you've omitted words or information

• Ellipses indicate a pause in speech

• Ellipses consist of 3 sequential periods

• Ellipses are for hiding information

Which punctuation is ellipses?

• —

• ...

• :

• " "

Which punctuation is an ellipses?

• —

• ,

• ...

• :

Which punctuation best fits the sentence?

I really don't___ I'm not a fan of___ I don't like fish.

• Dashes

  — —

• Quotation marks

  " "

• Colons

  : :

• Ellipses

  ... ...

Choose the sentence that is correctly punctuated.

• I just think... you know... we should listen to him.

• I just think (you know) we should listen to him.

• I just think—you know—we should listen to him.

• I just think, you know, we should listen to him.

Which sentence demonstrates effective use of ellipses and still retains its meaning?

• It was the kind of mistake, known as a spherical aberration, that an amateur astronomer might make... to the disbelief and then the dismay of the engineers and contractors working for NASA.

• It was the kind of mistake... that an amateur astronomer might make...

• It was the kind of mistake, known as a spherical aberration...

Which of the following MOST EFFECTIVELY uses a dash and ellipses?

• The agency’s administrator, Sean O’Keefe, canceled what was to be the final Hubble servicing mission...--it was too risky.

• The agency’s administrator... canceled what was to be the final Hubble servicing mission--it was too risky.

• ...Sean O’Keefe canceled what was to be the final Hubble servicing mission on the grounds that--it was too risky.

Which of the following is FALSE about ELLIPSES

• Ellipses indicated you've omitted words or information

• Ellipses indicate a pause in speech

• Ellipses consist of 3 sequential periods

• Ellipses are for hiding information