Sign Up For Our Free Grammar E-Newsletter

Ellipsis Marks

Ellipsis Marks (three dots) are used to show the omission of a word, phrase, line, or paragraph(s), from a quoted passage.

The Three-dot Method
There are many methods for using ellipses. The three-dot method is the simplest and is appropriate for most general works and many scholarly ones. The three- or four-dot method and an even more rigorous method used in legal works require fuller explanations that can be found in reference books.

NOTE: To create ellipsis marks with a PC, type the period three times and the spacing will be automatically set, or press Ctrl-Alt and the period once.

Rule 1: Use ellipsis marks whether the omission occurs in the middle of a sentence or between sentences.

Example: The regulation states, “All agencies must document
overtime…”
Original sentence: “All agencies must document overtime or risk losing federal funds.”

Rule 2: With the three-dot method, you may leave out punctuation, such as commas, that appeared in the original document.

Example: Original sentence from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address:
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

Rewritten using ellipses:
“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth…a new nation, conceived in liberty.”

Rule 3: With the three-dot method, you do not need to use ellipses marks at the end of the quote even when words are missing, as in the above example.

Rule 4: If your quoted material begins with the middle of a sentence, you don’t need to use the ellipsis marks in front.

Example: Abraham Lincoln, in his Gettysburg address, said, “our fathers brought forth…a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that ‘all men are created equal.’”

Rule 5: Use ellipsis marks with sentences that are meant to trail off.

Example: “I thought that you might…”

Posted on Tuesday, July 17th, 2007 at 2:21 am

Bad vs. Badly

The word bad is an adjective used to modify nouns and pronouns.

Example: She was in a bad accident.

Adverbs often end in ly. The word badly is an adverb that answers how about the verb.

Example: She was hurt badly in the accident.

The confusion comes with the sense verbs: taste, look, smell, and feel.

When we use these verbs actively, we should follow them with adverbs.
When we use these verbs descriptively, we should follow them with adjectives.

Example: I feel bad about having said that.
I am not feeling with fingers in the above example; I am describing my state of mind, so the adjective is used (no ly).

Example: She feels badly since her fingers were burned.
She feels with her fingers here so the adverb (ly form) is used.

You can use this same rule about sense verbs with adjectives and adverbs other than bad and badly.

Example: The mask over his face made him look suspicious to the police.
He did not look with eyes. Look describes his appearance so the adjective is needed.

Example: She looked suspiciously at the $100 bill.
She looked with eyes so the adverb is needed.

Example: She looked good for someone who never exercised.
She didn’t look with eyes. Good is describing her appearance so the adjective is needed.

Example: He smelled well for someone with a cold.
He is actively smelling with his nose so the adverb is needed.

Rule: Well is used when referring to health.

Example: He doesn’t feel well enough today to come to work.

Quiz

1. Please don’t feel bad/badly about forgetting to call me.
2. His face looked bad/badly bruised after being punched.
3. She looked cautious/cautiously at the man ahead of her.
4. She feels cautious/cautiously when walking alone at night.
5. She smelled good/well after spraying perfume on her neck.
6. If you feel good/well enough on Saturday, we hope you will join us for dinner.

Answers

1. bad
2. badly
3. cautiously
4. cautious
5. good
6. well

Posted on Friday, July 6th, 2007 at 2:50 pm

Different From vs. Different Than

The expressions different from and different than have been used almost interchangeably for at least 300 years.

Different from is preferred to introduce a phrase; however, different than may also be used.

Example: New Orleans natives’ speech is different from New York natives’ speech.
Example: New Orleans natives’ speech is different than New York natives’ speech.

Different than is preferred to introduce a clause; however, different from may be used if more words are added.

Example: The boulevard led to a different street than the map showed.
Example: The boulevard led to a different street from the one the map showed.

Differently is used as an adverb. Use differently than with a clause following. You may use differently from if you add extra wording.

Example: He walked differently than he had hoped after getting the leg cast off.
Example: He walked differently from what he had hoped after getting the leg cast off.

Quiz

Choose the preferred or correct word in each sentence.

1. This dress is different from/than the one in the catalog.
2. How is this salad dressing different from/than last night’s dressing?
3. His moustache made him look different from/than his brothers.
4. Chopsticks are very different to hold from/than a fork and knife are.
5. He treated me differently from/than I would have expected.
6. He treated me differently from/than what I would have expected.

Answers

1. different from (preferred because it introduces a phrase)
2. different from (preferred because it introduces a phrase)
3. different from (preferred because it introduces a phrase)
4. different than (preferred because it introduces a clause)
5. differently than
6. differently from

Posted on Friday, July 6th, 2007 at 2:46 pm