<P> The Chicago Manual of Style suggests the use of an ellipsis for any omitted word, phrase, line, or paragraph from within but not at the end of a quoted passage . There are two commonly used methods of using ellipses: one uses three dots for any omission, while the second one makes a distinction between omissions within a sentence (using three dots: ...) and omissions between sentences (using a period and a space followed by three dots: ...). </P> <P> The Modern Language Association (MLA) used to indicate that an ellipsis must include spaces before and after each dot in all uses . If an ellipsis is meant to represent an omission, square brackets must surround the ellipsis to make it clear that there was no pause in the original quote: (...). Currently, the MLA has removed the requirement of brackets in its style handbooks . However, some maintain that the use of brackets is still correct because it clears confusion . </P> <P> The MLA now indicates that a three - dot, spaced ellipsis (...) should be used for removing material from within one sentence within a quote . When crossing sentences (when the omitted text contains a period, so that omitting the end of a sentence counts), a four - dot, spaced (except for before the first dot) ellipsis (...) should be used . When ellipsis points are used in the original text, ellipsis points that are not in the original text should be distinguished by enclosing them in square brackets (e.g. "text (...) text"). </P> <P> According to the Associated Press, the ellipsis should be used to condense quotations . It is less commonly used to indicate a pause in speech or an unfinished thought or to separate items in material such as show business gossip . The stylebook indicates that if the shortened sentence before the mark can stand as a sentence, it should do so, with an ellipsis placed after the period or other ending punctuation . When material is omitted at the end of a paragraph and also immediately following it, an ellipsis goes both at the end of that paragraph and at the beginning of the next, according to this style . </P>

When to use dot dot dot in writing