Ellipses and Dashes: Trailing Off and Cutting In

Learn how to read the pauses and interruptions these marks show.

Two punctuation marks change the rhythm of a sentence in special ways. An ellipsis (three dots ...) shows a voice trailing off, hesitating, or leaving a thought unfinished. A dash (—) shows a sudden break: an interruption, a quick change of thought, or extra information added with force. Read: 'I thought the key was ... maybe ... under the mat? ' The dots tell you to slow down and sound unsure.

Now read: 'I was about to open the box when—' 'Don't touch that! ' The dash shows the first speaker gets cut off mid-word, so stop sharply, as if someone jumped in. Dashes can also set off an exciting detail: 'The prize—a real telescope—sat on the table. ' Pause a little before and after the part between the dashes to make it stand out.

• 1An ellipsis shows trailing off or hesitating.
• 2A dash shows a sudden break or interruption.
• 3Pause around information set off by dashes.