Ellipsis in Quotes
Three dots that mark words omitted from a quotation.
An ellipsis — three spaced or unspaced dots (… or . . .) — marks the omission of one or more words from a direct quotation. It is the most common form of editorial shortening in quoted material.
An ethical ellipsis preserves the original meaning. Removing a qualifier or negation to make the speaker sound bolder than they were is sometimes called 'ellipsis abuse' and is a recognised form of misquotation.
Different style guides treat the spacing differently: Chicago uses three spaced dots (. . .); MLA uses three unspaced dots followed by a space (…). The character U+2026 (…) is acceptable in either system if used consistently.
“"Four score and seven years ago … a new nation, conceived in liberty."”
Keep reading the glossary
Square brackets mark editorial changes inside a quotation — clarifications, edits, or [sic].
Reproducing a quote with the wording changed — even if the source is correct.
Restating someone's words in your own — credit still required, quotation marks not.
A long quotation set off as its own indented paragraph, without quotation marks.