Ellipsis: Spacing and Formatting
Ellipsis spacing is not one universal English rule. Microsoft’s house style uses an ellipsis to mark omitted quoted text, specifies spaces around an in-sentence omission, and permits three periods without spaces between them when the ellipsis character is unavailable.
For ellipses, follow the governing style guide; Microsoft uses an ellipsis character with context-specific surrounding spaces and three periods only when the character is unavailable.
Key details
Important caveats
Style Boundary
Spacing and punctuation around ellipses vary by style guide, so Microsoft’s rule should not be presented as universal typography.
Further guidance
Character And Omission
Microsoft uses an ellipsis character to mark omitted text in quotations and for selected conversational or technical contexts.
Microsoft Spacing
In Microsoft style, an ellipsis replacing text within a quoted sentence has a space before and after it; end-of-sentence omissions follow a different punctuation pattern.
Practical Application
Treat ellipsis form and spacing as a style decision. When Microsoft style governs, use the ellipsis character and its context-specific spacing; use three periods only when the character is unavailable, and avoid mixing styles within one document.
Reader Check
Does the governing style specify an ellipsis character, three periods, or spacing rules for the exact context?
Worked Example
If the house style calls for the single ellipsis character, enter `…` consistently rather than switching between `…` and `. . .` in adjacent paragraphs.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Ellipses — Microsoft Style Guide (opens in a new tab)Microsoft · Microsoft house-style guidance for ellipsis characters, omissions, and spacing