What do ellipses mean and how to use them

The ellipses are an orthographic sign used to denote a sentence whose meaning is not complete (with an imprecise or incomplete idea). Also, in writing it represents a resource used to demonstrate any of the following intentions or sensations: hesitation, suppression, bewilderment, suspense (hence its name).

Therefore, almost always the suspension points indicate the interruption of an action or predicate. However, in a narrative they can serve as a prelude to an unexpected subject or a surprising, amazing or strange event. In any case, its correct use depends on a context and a series of rules, which will be explained below.

Correct use of ellipses (with examples)

Combination with other points (closing and in abbreviations)

When Suspensives points are written at the end of a sentence, the closing point is not necessary (an additional fourth point). Therefore, only the three ellipses are placed (regardless of whether they come after an abbreviation). Examples:

• I don't like life in the city, I prefer the countryside with its clean air, the morning song of the birds, the fruit trees, the natural landscapes…
• Abbreviations keep the accent mark when they include the vowel of the stressed syllable in the complete word: page, ID, admon...

Depending on the context

They are always written with three consecutive points and immediately after the word. For example:

• I don't know when the other girl will come… Dayana, I think that's her name.
• I understand that your criteria is quite biased... it is impossible to argue with you in a civilized way.

If there are question marks or exclamation marks, Suspensives points are placed before or after without spaces:

• What an idiotic guy!... None of his ideas have any coherence.
• Get well soon from that…! This way we can solve the pending works.

Suspensives points are separated by a space from the following word or mark unless another punctuation mark follows:

• My grandmother Eugenia used to tell me: "if you see your neighbor's beard burn..."
• "Lead by example, be to grow, practice makes perfect..." are some of my friend's favorite phrases.

Si the statement following the ellipses confers fullness to the idea of ​​the sentence, its writing begins with a capital letter:

• I think it will be an intense summer in every sense… It is advisable to be well prepared.
• The weather forecast anticipates high chances of rain… Did you bring your umbrella?

If the statement after the ellipses does not finish the sentence, the following expression continue with lowercase:

• Surely the jury will conclude that... the defendant is innocent; I found the defense argument very convincing.
• I don't know who to believe anymore... there have been too many blows, the betrayals were from people close to me.

Suspensives points can be placed at the beginning of a statement with the aim of pointing out that the quoted fragment is not the initial one:

• “…he eventually married her even though he didn't get over the loss of the first love.”

According to the intention

Suspensives points can be written as a replacement for the word «etc» at the end of an incomplete or open enumeration:

• The young Carolina has the skills to make a living from whatever she wants in the near future: translator, guitarist, athlete, teacher...
• Alexander kept in touch during the holidays with most of his classmates: Manuel, Luis, María, Pedro…

in spanish language it is possible to use the ellipses to express a moment or a preamble of doubt before continuing with an idea:

• Attack the painted area, make a curtain and roll, put together a play for the shooters… what will the basketball coach decide to win the game?
• My mom left me several missed calls on my cell phone… it could be urgent… or maybe she just wants to remind me of something.

Another frequent use of ellipses in Spanish is to show an unexpected or surprise departure:

• There was a massive call to discuss the water problem that has affected our community so much and, in the end, six people attended.
• The Conservative Party candidate ran a campaign with a much smaller budget than his opponents, focused on social networks... And he won with an indisputable difference!

Often, Suspensives points denote a voluntary pause in a speech or sentence:

• I really enjoyed the walk, I saw many idyllic landscapes, I loved the people of that place… I want to return as soon as I have the opportunity.
• His presentation was above expectations, he knew how to win the applause of the most demanding audience... I hope he can repeat it.

As a narrative device it is ideal to leave an expression in suspense (to be completed), or indicate doubt:

• His arrival was sudden, unexpected... Well... Not even the smartest of us could have anticipated it.
• No one is a gold coin... but she... I can safely say that she was loved by everyone.

Suspensives points can be used to suggest to the reader that a portion of a quote —in quotation marks by spelling rule—, proverb or sentence has been omitted:

• That entry is sublime: “In place of the spot whose name I don't want to remember…”
• Yesterday I saw the boy repeat his father's body language, so I thought: "such a stick..."

If there is a verbatim transcript of a text with a word or segment omitted, ellipses must be placed inside parentheses (...) or between square brackets [...]:

• "In a place in La Mancha (...), there has not been a long time that a hidalgo lived".
• Max Brod said about his great friend Franz Kafka: "I was often late for appointments (...) because I had previously felt the need to finish another matter as accurately as possible."

At the moment of capturing an expressive emphasis, ellipses are used to lengthen the intonation of a text:

• Today I remembered a very frequent phrase of my late father: “don't do unnecessary things”. It was in a dream and I heard it…so vividly.

Suspensives points can be used to prevent the reproduction of an unwanted word within a sentence or to insinuate some insult (sometimes, it is placed after the first letter of the same):

• What a despicable character, he behaves like a great son of a p...!
• Are you…? Stop bothering me so much, get out of here!