An
Windows | Mac OS | HTML | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
ellipsis | alt 0133 | option + semicolon | … |
The ellipsis is frequently approximated by typing three periods in a row, which puts the dots too close together, or three periods with spaces in between, which puts the dots too far apart.
So use the ellipsis character, not the approximations.
Should you put word spaces around an ellipsis? As with the em dash (see hyphens and dashes), that’s up to you. Typically you’ll want spaces before and after, but if that looks odd, you can take them out. If there’s text on only one side of the ellipsis, use a nonbreaking space on that side so the ellipsis doesn’t get separated from the text.
. banks |
To keep the dots together, make your ellipsis out of three periods with nonbreaking spaces in between. Also use nonbreaking spaces on the ends unless there’s text on both sides. This ensures that the periods behave like a single unit of punctuation.
In certain contexts—say, fiction or screenplays—it may be common to indicate interrupted dialogue with an ellipsis. But in most writing, the em dash is preferred.
“ Yes, that’s true, but …”iffy “ Yes, that’s true, but—”right