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Punctuation

Back I Love Punctuation!

 
No, I mean, I really love punctuation. This is my license plate. However, with great love comes great responsibility. And folks, one of my buddies is being misused all over the internet, every day.
 

 

It’s this guy … the ellipsis! The ellipsis is often used to indicate that the speaker is pausing or trailing off into silence. That’s okay, if you’re writing dialog. What if, however, you’re writing an essay? There is a place for our little dotted friend there, too!
 

 

The Purdue OWL says:

 

If you omit a word or words from a quotation, you should indicate the delete word or words by using ellipsis marks, which are three periods ( . . . ) preceded and followed by a space. For example:
 

 

In an essay on urban legends, Jan Harold Brunvand notes that “some individuals make a point of learning every recent rumor or tale . . . and in a short time a lively exchange of details occurs” (78).
 

 

Did you see that? Our little ellipsis friend saved us from having to type a whole bunch of a quote that wasn’t going to add anything to our essay. He’s a true gent when it comes to helping us remain concise. Remember: leave those spaces between the preceding word, the ellipsis, and the following word. Ellipsis like their space.

 

 
I hope that this has helped you learn more about the ellipsis … and about what nerds we English majors can be.
 

 

~Heather, UC VAWLTer
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