Using ellipsis...

Techniques > Use of language > Punctuation > Using ellipsis...

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Method

Use the ellipsis within a sentence to add a long pause and hence create tension.

The ellipsis may also be used at the end of an incomplete sentence, to indicate that there is more to come (or that the reader should put in their own completion).

Example

And the winner is ... James Dean! (tension-building)

And of course that means...

Discussion

The ellipsis introduces a long pause, which is a basic technique for creating tension.

Within the pause, the listener is invited to add their own meaning. They may also be encouraged to increase attention, hanging onto the speaker's words, waiting for the next installment.

The ellipsis is made of three dots exactly (not two or five). At the end of a sentence, it may have a further period, although this is not necessary (and can confuse).