How to Punctuate with Ellipses

by Heather R. Todd

Those three little dots that form an ellipsis (...) are so commonly peppered throughout text messaging, emails and informal writing that we can forget how they really should be used.

While they do tend to feature a lot in informal and conversational writing they can also be used in formal writing. However it is generally considered best to do so sparingly and to make sure you understand how to punctuate with them.

An ellipsis (the plural form is ellipses) appears as a row of three full stops or periods and is written as (...). This formation has been referred to as a triple-dot punctuation mark, a suspension point, points of ellipsis, periods of ellipsis and even dot-dot-dot.

These dots can be used almost anywhere in a sentence and are used to indicate when a word, sentence or section has been purposely omitted from the text. For example if you wanted to shorten someone's quote you could use an ellipsis to demonstrate that you have cut words or phrases from what they said.

This is common in news reporting when brevity is important, or perhaps only the relevant part of a longer quote is required. Whatever the case it should always be done in such a way as not to change or distort the meaning of what the person has originally said. In many cases this is a matter of integrity.

This is President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address in 1961:
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

If an ellipsis was used to shorten the quote but retain the original meaning it could be written as:
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price... in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

An ellipsis may also be used to censor language in explicit passages.

For example:
Ted told Jack to get the... out of there.

Ellipses in numerical formats can also be used to indicate an "and so forth" meaning.

For example:
1, 2, 3,..., 100

Ellipses are also used to indicate a pause or even falter in dialogue, any unfinished thoughts or speech, or even at the end of a sentence as if the thought/idea/subject trails off. This sort of intentional silence may be due to irritation, shock, uncertainty, confusion, dismay or so on. This kind of usage is particularly common in emails or texting.

For example:
We can talk about it tomorrow...

I'm not sure... perhaps it was Erica's bag?

While there may not always be something wrong, or grammatically incorrect, with using ellipses in all these ways, they should not be overused as it can also suggest you are unable to write a complete sentence. Older generations that are not so internet savvy often find this use of ellipses rather annoying.

Ellipses are also used to build suspense.

For example:
The winner is...

The use of an ellipsis at the end of a sentence in online formats or even comic strips can also suggest more information will be forthcoming - a kind of "to be continued" message.

For example:
Watch this space...

And in chat rooms and texting it can indicate a "no comment" response.

In informal writing the ellipsis has also become something of a "catch all" punctuation mark to replace use of commas, periods, colons, semicolons and so on.

About the author:
Ms. Todd is an award-winning, full-time professional editor, published writer and marketing consultant whose passion is to help others create a letter-perfect presentation in their writing. Her extensive experience in coaching and management has allowed her to independently consult for numerous international editing services and websites.

Ms. Todd is an independent contractor who provides advisory and consulting services worldwide to numerous corporations, a small sampling of such businesses include:• www.firstediting.com

Tips for Aspiring Writers - Tighten Your Writing

by Joyce Shafer -

What does tighten your writing mean?

What Blaise Pascal wrote gives you an idea: "The present letter is a very long one, simply because I had no leisure to make it shorter."

Though Pascal was a mathematician and physicist turned religious philosopher, his point benefits every writer: Take time to edit and rewrite. Aspiring writers, especially, often rush to publish.

Article writing is an excellent form of practice. Give yourself a limit of 350-400 words.

* Choose a topic you feel strongly about and write what you want to share with readers.

* Print a copy but don't read it until the next day.

* Before you read what you wrote, check the word count (see Tools on your tool bar).

* With pencil in hand, read your article aloud.

* How can you express a thought in fewer words? A quick tip is to remove extraneous words, especially over-usage of "the" and "that." Example: "He also recommended that writers replace the word "very" with the word "damn" in order to break the habit of using it" (22 words; unnecessary words italicized for emphasis) vs. what I wrote in the next full paragraph (15 words).

* If you have run-on sentences, make them two sentences.

* Strive for "active" rather than "passive" voice, i.e., "When I write" vs. "When my ideas are being expressed in writing."

* Does a sentence or paragraph belong in a better place in the content?

* Make the changes to your document.

* Check your word count.

*  Keep tweaking until you convey exactly what you mean to within your word limit.

Mark Twain said, "The time to begin writing an article is when you have finished it to your satisfaction. By that time you begin to clearly and logically perceive what it is you really want to say." He also recommended writers replace "very" with "damn" to break the habit of using it. This is very good advice.

Another useful way to practice is with emails. I never send an email, even to a friend, without editing it several times. Follow these tips and you'll begin to notice a crisp difference in your writing style. You do want to have style, right?

About the author
Aspiring Writers: Want your writing critiqued? Joyce Shafer is a published author; freelance proofreader, editor, and rewriter; as well as a weekly columnist published at various online venues. Learn more about her services that assist those new to writing and getting published at http://www.freewebs.com/joyceshafer

Should You Ever Use Contractions in Formal Writing?

by Krystalina Soash

As the young woman showed up for her job interview she noticed her résumé on her prospective employer's desk. Her main concern at this time was whether or not she should have used grammatical contractions on her valuable paper.

Having been on interviewing and hiring panels, I understand the value of grammatical correctness on a résumé. The use of contractions on this very important document is a big deal. It speaks volumes about the prospective employee. Though it's true that some will say it's not, it's actually inappropriate to use grammatical contractions in any type of formal writing.

So what constitutes formal writing?

Formal writing encompasses any type of writing dealing with established or prescribed rules and conventions governing a code. Such types of writings fall in the categories such as:

Job Résumé: This is your summary of your work experience, your educational background, your credentials, and marketing strategy that tells your prospective employer the reasons you're the perfect match for the position you are applying for.

Formal Research Paper: This is a paper with the results of your methodical investigation which you have conducted to prove or disprove a theory. This formal paperwork either establishes or revises your theory with facts from your discovered facts.

PowerPoint Presentation: This is a digital tool which replaced the old projector for presenting information to your audience. This is where you keep your presentation simple, professional, engaging, and clear.

Academic Reports: These are any type of written detailed information about your research or investigation related to an educational institution such as school, college, university, academy, or any type of related higher and formal education.

Scholarly Articles for Peer Review: These are papers written by experts in the academic or professional fields on topics that have already been studied and well researched. These scholarly articles also contain bibliographical resources for further research.

But why wouldn't you use contractions on these types of papers?

Here's why:

The use of contractions is viewed as informal speech or writing. It's colloquial and colloquial does not belong in any type of formal writing or speaking such as those mentioned above.

The use of contractions mostly applies when speaking with loved ones, friends, and family which are used on a more personal level and should never be used in formal settings.

And last but not least, the use of contractions takes away from the professional approach to communication. Remember that when it comes to communicating on a professional level, you must come across as a professional and refined speaker or writer.

So go ahead and project yourself as a professional and confident speaker or writer, simply avoid the use of contractions in formal writings.

About the author:
Krystalina Soash is a freelance writer and trilingual interpreter. She has two published works, "Your Positive Potential: Action Steps for Self-Empowerment" and "Writing Tips for Student Projects and New Freelance Writers." You may visit Krystalina at http://www.writingforyounow.com