Mastering the Ellipsis
This worksheet helps grade 9 students understand and correctly use ellipses in various contexts, including indicating omissions, pauses, and unfinished thoughts.
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Mastering the Ellipsis
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Read each question carefully and follow the instructions. This worksheet will test your understanding and application of ellipses in writing.
An ellipsis (...) is a series of three dots that indicates an omission of words, a pause in thought, or an unfinished statement. It is a powerful punctuation mark that can subtly alter the meaning or flow of a sentence.
1. An ellipsis is a series of dots.
2. When used in a quotation, an ellipsis indicates that words have been .
3. An ellipsis can also be used to show a or an unfinished thought in dialogue.
4. Which of the following is NOT a common use for an ellipsis?
To indicate a pause
To show an omission of words
To introduce a list of items
To suggest an unfinished thought
5. In a formal quotation, where should an ellipsis be placed if words are omitted from the middle of a sentence?
Before the first word of the quotation
At the very end of the quotation
Where the words have been omitted
Immediately after the author's name
6. Rewrite the following sentence, using an ellipsis to omit the phrase 'who was known for his eloquent speeches':
The senator, who was known for his eloquent speeches, addressed the eager crowd.
7. Imagine a character in a story is trailing off, unsure how to finish their sentence. Write a short piece of dialogue (1-2 sentences) demonstrating this use of an ellipsis.
8. An ellipsis always consists of exactly three periods.
True
False
9. When an ellipsis is used at the end of a sentence to indicate omitted words, a fourth period is often added to represent the original sentence-ending punctuation.
True
False
Read the following passage. Then, answer the question below. (Passage adapted from 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald)
"And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning—"
10. In the final sentence of the passage, what does the ellipsis signify? How does it contribute to the tone or meaning of the excerpt?
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