Tag: ellipses

Questions Related to ellipses

Choose the option(s) that describes the function of ellipsis

  1. It helps save space or remove material that is less relevant.

  2. It is used to emphasize a word or phrase at the end of the sentence.

  3. It is used to represent a trailing off of thought.

  4. It is used to end a sentence.


Correct Option: A,C
Explanation:

The ellipses is a punctuation mark, marked by three dots '. . .' and indicates an omission of a word or phrase. While quoting material, you generally want to include only information that is relevant to your work, and omit the remaining irrelevant part. This is done by replacing it with an ellipses. It is also used in informal writing to represent the trailing off of thought, for example, 'I still can't believe he...'. Hence options A and C are correct. Option B states the function of a colon mark ':', for example, 'There's only one thing you can do now: run!'. Option D states the function of a full stop '.'. Since options B and D do not state the functions of ellipses, they're incorrect.

Correct the ellipses with the help of the options given, if required.


"I'm not sure what I should do . .," he said.

  1. NO CHANGE

  2. should do . . .,"

  3. should do .,"

  4. should do . . . .,"


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

An ellipsis is a punctuation mark that is used to indicate a missing word or phrase, without which the sentence is still complete in meaning. It is represented by three dots '. . .'. In the given sentence, the ellipses has an error, because there are only two dots seen, hence it needs to be changed and option A is incorrect. "Should do . . .," has the correct form of an ellipses, hence option B is correct. "Should do .," has a full stop, it doesn't have an ellipses, hence option C is incorrect. "Should do . . . .," has four dots in its ellipses, whereas it's supposed to have three, hence option D is incorrect.

Choose the sentence which contains an ellipses:

  1. She brought home a cute, small puppy.

  2. Jason went to the market to buy the following fruits: apples, pears, and some mangoes.

  3. Oh no! If only i had...

  4. Mr. Bakshi will be here any moment; please keep the conference room ready.


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

An ellipsis is a punctuation mark that is used to indicate a missing word or phrase, without which the sentence is still complete in meaning. It is represented by three dots '. . .' and this is seen in option C; the ellipses here a trailing off of thought. Hence option C is correct. The punctuation marks seen in option A are a comma ',' and a full stop, the former indicates a pause in a sentence and the latter ends a sentence. In option B we spot a colon mark ':' which precedes a list, like the one given ("apples, pears and some mangoes"), a comma ',' and a full stop. In option D we spot a semi-colon ';' (when the clause that follows is independent) and a full stop. We don't spot the ellipses '. . .' in options A, B and D, hence they're incorrect.

Identify the sentence/s with an error:

  1. I had never imagined . . . .

  2. He said, "I like cakes, candies and chocolates . . . ."

  3. I still cannot believe you did that . . . !

  4. I remember I saw my wallet somewhere . . .


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The ellipses is a punctuation mark, marked by three dots '. . .' and indicates an omission of a word or phrase. While quoting material, you generally want to include only information that is relevant to your work, and omit the remaining irrelevant part. This is done by replacing it with an ellipses. It is also used in informal writing to represent the 'trailing off' of thought, like all the options given. In options A, B and C the sentences end with an ellipses '. . . ' and a full stop '.', hence they all end with four dots. The sentence in D has the ellipses but the full stop is missing. As we need to identify the option with the error, we choose option D, and A, B and C being correct, do not have to be chosen.

Re-write the sentence using an ellipses:
In the morning, after we finished our breakfast, we went for a movie.

  1. NO CHANGE

  2. In the morning, after we finished our breakfast; we went for a movie.

  3. In the morning ... we went for a movie.

  4. In the morning (after we finished our breakfast) we went for a movie.


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Ellipsis is a punctuation mark consisting of three dots. It is used to show omission of words in the middle of sentence. It shows speaker has trailed off and left a sentence. Thus, option C is correct according to the rule where 'after we finished our breakfast' has been omitted. . 

Choose the sentence that contains an ellipses:

  1. Last night, we couldn't sleep well.

  2. Last night; we couldn't sleep well.

  3. Last night ... we couldn't sleep well.

  4. No option


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Ellipsis is a punctuation mark consisting of three dots. It is used to show omission of words in the middle of sentence. It shows speaker has trailed off and left a sentence. Thus, option C is correct according to the rule. 

Choose the ellipsis mark in the given sentence:
Oh... I didn't know what happened that night, all seemed fine when I left.

  1. .

  2. ...

  3. ,

  4. None of the above


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Ellipsis is a punctuation mark consisting of three dots. It is used to show omission of words in the middle of sentence. It shows speaker has trailed off and left a sentence. Thus, option B is correct. 

Identify which option contains an ellipses at the end of the sentence:

  1. I ... don't know how ... it just happened.

  2. Do you suppose ... she did this on purpose?

  3. "She thought of Mycah again and her eyes filled with tears. Her fault, her fault, her fault. If she had never asked him to play at swords with her ... ."

  4. No option


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Ellipsis is a punctuation mark consisting of three dots. It is used to show omission of words in the middle of sentence. It shows speaker has trailed off and left a sentence. Option C is the answer which has ellipses as the end of the sentence. Thus, option C is correct according to the rule. 

Select the best ellipsis/short answer in the negative in response to the following:

Will you be out tonight?

  1. Yes, I do.

  2. No, I don't.

  3. Yes, I will.

  4. No, I won't.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Negating answers have the following structure: Yes, subject+auxiliary verb in the same tense as the question. Hence Option D is correct. The rest of the options do not adhere to the rule, hence incorrect.

Select the best ellipsis/short answer in the affirmative in response to the following:

Will you be present in school tomorrow?

  1. Yes, I will.

  2. No, I will not.

  3. Yes, I do.

  4. No, I do not.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Affirmative answers have the following structure: Yes,  subject+auxiliary verb in the same tense as the question. Hence Option A is correct. The rest of the options do not adhere to the rule, hence incorrect.