Dashes and ellipses for effect

Question 1

I opened the box slowly – it was empty. What is the effect of the dash?

• A. It creates a pause before a surprising reveal.
• B. It shows a list is coming.
• C. It joins two words into one.
• D. It shows the words are a quotation.

Question 2

"Wait – don't open that!" What does the dash suggest about how the words are spoken?

• A. The speaker is calm and slow.
• B. The speaker is asking a polite question.
• C. The speaker is reading a list.
• D. The speaker breaks off suddenly in alarm.

Question 3

The door creaked open and… Why might a writer end a paragraph like this?

• A. To introduce a list of items.
• B. To create suspense by leaving the action unfinished.
• C. To show the story has ended happily.
• D. To show possession.

Question 4

I opened the box slowly – it was empty. What is the effect of the dash?

• A. It shows the words are a quotation.
• B. It creates a pause before a surprising reveal.
• C. It joins two words into one.
• D. It shows a list is coming.

Question 5

The door creaked open and… Why might a writer end a paragraph like this?

• A. To show possession.
• B. To create suspense by leaving the action unfinished.
• C. To introduce a list of items.
• D. To show the story has ended happily.

Question 6

We packed sandwiches, crisps, juice, fruit… everything we could carry. What does the ellipsis suggest here?

• A. That the speaker has forgotten what to say.
• B. That the sentence is a command.
• C. That the list could go on even longer.
• D. That two clauses are being contrasted.

Question 7

I opened the box slowly – it was empty. What is the effect of the dash?

• A. It creates a pause before a surprising reveal.
• B. It shows a list is coming.
• C. It shows the words are a quotation.
• D. It joins two words into one.

Question 8

I opened the box slowly – it was empty. What is the effect of the dash?

• A. It shows a list is coming.
• B. It creates a pause before a surprising reveal.
• C. It shows the words are a quotation.
• D. It joins two words into one.

Question 9

The door creaked open and… Why might a writer end a paragraph like this?

• A. To show the story has ended happily.
• B. To create suspense by leaving the action unfinished.
• C. To show possession.
• D. To introduce a list of items.

Question 10

We packed sandwiches, crisps, juice, fruit… everything we could carry. What does the ellipsis suggest here?

• A. That the list could go on even longer.
• B. That the sentence is a command.
• C. That two clauses are being contrasted.
• D. That the speaker has forgotten what to say.

Question 11

"Wait – don't open that!" What does the dash suggest about how the words are spoken?

• A. The speaker breaks off suddenly in alarm.
• B. The speaker is calm and slow.
• C. The speaker is reading a list.
• D. The speaker is asking a polite question.

Question 12

I opened the box slowly – it was empty. What is the effect of the dash?

• A. It joins two words into one.
• B. It shows a list is coming.
• C. It shows the words are a quotation.
• D. It creates a pause before a surprising reveal.

Question 13

"I think… I think I've seen this place before," she whispered. What does the ellipsis (…) show?

• A. Hesitation or a trailing pause in speech.
• B. That a word is spelt wrongly.
• C. That the speaker is shouting.
• D. That the sentence is a question.

Question 14

There was only one thing he feared – the dark. What does the dash do here?

• A. It marks the start of speech.
• B. It shows missing letters.
• C. It adds emphasis to the final words.
• D. It joins a prefix to a root word.

Question 15

I opened the box slowly – it was empty. What is the effect of the dash?

• A. It shows the words are a quotation.
• B. It joins two words into one.
• C. It shows a list is coming.
• D. It creates a pause before a surprising reveal.

Question 16

"I think… I think I've seen this place before," she whispered. What does the ellipsis (…) show?

• A. Hesitation or a trailing pause in speech.
• B. That the sentence is a question.
• C. That the speaker is shouting.
• D. That a word is spelt wrongly.