Ten Most Common Errors Made by Writers: #7

From the Editor’s Eye
The 10 Most Common Errors Made by Writers
(And How to Fix Them)

The fourth of a ten-part series.

#7. Three Dots and Out: Give Your Ellipsis Elbow Room

Ellipsis points indicate omitted text or, in dialogue, hesitation. Ellipses are also used in “three-dot journalism” (gossip columns) to give the impression of rambling thoughts.

An ellipsis comprises three points or dots. Sometimes you see four dots, but that’s when the mark is used at the end of a complete sentence—the...