# Grammar Q: Is this an ellipsis? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 19, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-q-is-this-an-ellipsis/240864 "2004-04-19T18:35:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-q-is-this-an-ellipsis/240864/1 "2004-04-19T18:35:44Z")
What would you call the dot-dot-dot in this sentence: _The weather is nice today, so…_ Would you call that an ellipsis? Or is an ellipsis only in the middle of a sentence, as in: _The film is absolutely…amazing._ ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-q-is-this-an-ellipsis/240864/2 "2004-04-19T19:29:52Z")
(Actually, this is a punctuation question, not a grammar question.) Yes, an ellipsis can occur at the end of a sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-q-is-this-an-ellipsis/240864/3 "2004-04-19T19:32:07Z")
That is an ellipsis, in both cases. It indicates that words were dropped; the position within the sentence doesn’t matter. By the way, some would argue that your first example needs a fourth dot, as a period to end the sentence. > [@Jayrot](#): > > _The weather is nice today, so…_ Just like if it was a question, you would have the question mark and 3 dots for the ellipsis: > [@Jayrot](#): > > _Is the weather today nice enough?.._ But this may get into a big argument among grammarians, between the ‘traditionalists’ and the ‘logicians’. It seems to be a big issue right now; possibly because this ‘rule’ is in the process of changing. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-q-is-this-an-ellipsis/240864/4 "2004-04-19T20:02:58Z")
> [@](#): > > But this may get into a big argument among grammarians, between the ‘traditionalists’ and the ‘logicians’. Don’t you mean punctuatiarians? 🙂 Thanks for the quick answers! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-q-is-this-an-ellipsis/240864/5 "2004-04-19T21:12:02Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > By the way, some would argue that your first example needs a fourth dot, as a period to end the sentence. > > Just like if it was a question, you would have the question mark and 3 dots for the ellipsis: I’d have to ask for a cite on both of these. The fourth dot is only used when a fragmented quote lifted from a paragraph includes a full sentence. So the four dots indicate [period] sentence has ended [ellipsis] material has been removed {quote continues}. And I can’t think of any style that would accept a question mark followed by an ellipsis as a properly punctuated single sentence. Are you saying it is the ‘traditionalists’ or the ‘logicians’ who accept these, and where would you find these people?