Physicist and astronomer Stefan Feeney of University College London, one of the...
The text will become impoverished and crumble in phrases that do not express anything. And periods and commas are natural barriers, without which it is impossible to come up with a single sentence.
There is another sign that deserves attention - the ellipsis. What does it mean and where does it apply? How not to overdo it with dots, is it appropriate to insert them for more emotional text? Find out in this article.
What is an ellipsis?
An ellipsis is a punctuation mark in a text. Depending on the language, it consists of three dots (Russian, English) or six (Chinese). Also, the ellipsis can be horizontal or vertical.
Interestingly, dots are used not only in writing, but also in mathematics, for example, when compiling number series: 1, 2, 3, 4 ... 100.
In this case, the ellipsis means that digits that can be deduced in a logical way are skipped. There are too many of them to prescribe everything, so several dots are put in place to replace them.
Sign history
Can't name the exact date the appearance of an ellipsis, which means its undoubted antiquity.
One of the first cases of this use can be considered treatises Ancient Greece. In them, the ellipsis replaced the semantic part of the sentence, which was already clear to everyone. For example, "Do not mind your own business, otherwise you will suffer!" could be written as "Don't climb, otherwise ..."
In Greece and Rome, dots in sentences signified incomplete thought. The same sign was used in records in Latin.
Quintilianus, one of the ancient thinkers, urged his compatriots not to abuse ellipsis, because because of them, sentences merged into one large piece of text that no one understood. This cry caused a lot of controversy: how to understand where it is "appropriate" to use a sign, and where it is not needed? How to use the ellipsis correctly and what does its overabundance mean?
The use of dots in Russian literature began in the eighteenth century with light hand Karamzin. He introduced the sign as an artistic device to enrich the text. In prose, ellipsis denoted emotionality and incompleteness of thought.
After a while, this sign turned into ordinary life, the letters were full of dots, which means: the sign took root and "went to the people."
Ellipsis in literature
In a literary text, you can find ellipsis much more often than in non-fiction. The fact is that the dots at the end of the sentence mean the incompleteness and incompleteness of the thought, which the authors of scientific articles cannot afford. In addition, the ellipsis in the literature can:
- Talk about the depression of the character. If the hero’s monologue contains an abundance of dots, then most likely he is saddened by something and speech is given to him with difficulty.
- Ellipsis also denote thoughtfulness. Imagine: the hero mutters something, his speech is interrupted and incomprehensible. To accurately convey the sensations of such behavior, the author can write his speech in continuous text, separating the words with ellipsis.
- Dots can be used to convey understatement, to keep a secret, as in Greek manuscripts. This sign is able to hide behind itself what is already clear to everyone.
- Dots are a sign of an open ending. If they are at the very end of the book, then the author allows the reader to come up with his own ending based on the information already known.
- In the speech of heroes, dots can also become a sign of intermittent breathing, difficult speech, and difficulties with pronunciation.
And that's not all. Since the eighteenth century, dots have firmly entered Russian literature and have acquired many meanings. It is usually not necessary to explain the meaning of this punctuation mark. From the context, it becomes clear to the reader what the ellipsis at the end of sentences means.
Terms of Use
There are some rules for using this sign:
- When writing an ellipsis, it is separated from subsequent letters by a space. At the same time, it adjoins the closing word: she was ... very beautiful.
- If the ellipsis is supposed to coexist with a comma, then it will "eat" it: I loved her ... but she was angry with me.
- If you want to write both an ellipsis and a question (exclamation) mark, then they are combined: really? .. Incredible! ..
- It is interesting to write question-exclamation marks with ellipsis: How dare you?!.
- Direct speech, where there is a dash after the sign, is not separated by a space if there is an ellipsis: - Did you know? .. - she asked.
- These punctuation marks in direct speech remain in quotation marks: She said: "I'm not sure ..."
- When using an ellipsis at the beginning of a sentence, it is not separated by a space: ...he came late in the autumn evening.
- In numerical series, dots are not divided by spaces: 1, 2, 3...7.
- When quoting an incomplete expression, the missing part is replaced by ellipsis: at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the quotation, depending on where the text was cut from.
- If a significant part of the quote was cut out, then the ellipsis is framed by an angle bracket on both sides.
- If the quote ends with an ellipsis, then an additional period is placed after the brackets:
M. V. Lomonosov wrote that “the beauty, magnificence, strength and richness of the Russian language is quite clear from books written in past centuries ...”.
What does ellipsis mean in correspondence
Dots have passed not only into literature, but also into everyday correspondence. If your interlocutor sends you an SMS with a bunch of extra dots, then they want to tell you something.
So, what does the excess of ellipsis in correspondence say:
- Your interlocutor is dissatisfied with you, your words or behavior. Perhaps with the help of dots they want to shame you.
- An excess of dots may mean that it is difficult for the interlocutor to collect his thoughts, the topic of correspondence touched him.
- Your interlocutor wants his letter to be more mysterious and lengthy.
- Separately sent ellipsis can be a sign of confusion or unpleasant surprise.
- Another separate ellipsis can be deciphered as "are you serious?" or "I won't even comment on it."
- An ellipsis at the end of a message can be a sign of sadness. Pay attention to the general tone of the letter.
When to install and when not?
You should intuitively understand when an ellipsis is appropriate and when it is not. In the same case, if you are not sure whether to use this sign, it is better to refrain from it.
Remember, punctuation marks are like spices in a dish. No one will like too many seasonings, everything should be in moderation!
General information
In russian language 10 punctuation marks. They play an important role, allow you to correctly understand written speech, provide the writer and reader with an unambiguous understanding of the meaning of the statement and the emotional nuances of the sentence. In general, without punctuation marks, the text would be a collection of words. They have a varied range of uses. At first glance, it is difficult to understand their staging, but you can learn this, you just need to know the punctuation rules.
Functions of punctuation marks
1.Meaning-distinctive(they help to correctly convey the meaning of the statement; without a punctuation mark, the phrase would remain incomprehensible; it gives an unambiguous meaning to the phrase; without them, the text would be equivalent (equal) to an obscure set of characters; they help us make sure that we are understood unambiguously)
2.Intonation-expressive(punctuation at the end of the sentence indicates the purpose of the statement (message, question or motivation for action) and the intonation of the speech, since Z.P. also place emotional accents: admiration, dissatisfaction, joy, surprise, etc.).
Types of punctuation marks
1.Completion signs(dot, question and exclamation marks, ellipsis, combination of characters: question mark with exclamation point; question mark with ellipsis; exclamation point with ellipsis). Meaning of use: a) help to indicate the completeness, completeness of a phrase, expression; b) unambiguously convey the meaning of the statement (narration about something, a question addressed to someone, an incentive to act), i.e. indicate intonation, place emotional accents: admiration, discontent, joy, surprise, etc.
2.Separation marks(comma, colon, semicolon, dash). Meaning of use: help to place semantic accents on a word or phrase in a sentence.
3.Emphasis marks(comma, quotation marks, brackets, dash). Meaning of use: help to place semantic accents on a word or phrase in a sentence.
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Punctuation marks |
Use |
Examples of wording in an essay |
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Completion sign. A dot unambiguously indicates the end of a sentence that tells about something. It indicates the independence of the completed utterance. |
I will give an example of sentence number 3: “It became quiet in the forest.” This is a complete statement, which tells about the onset of evening silence and tranquility. A period marked the end of a sentence. |
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ellipsis |
Completion sign. First, it unambiguously indicates the end of a statement that could be continued. Secondly, it means some kind of reflection, reflection of the author of the speech, may indicate the incompleteness of information, understatement, the desire to keep silent about something, or the uncertainty of the writer. Thirdly, the ellipsis is also used when it is necessary to indicate an unexpected transition from one statement to another. Fourthly, an ellipsis indicates an omission in speech (for example, when quoting). In addition, the ellipsis is placed to indicate breaks in speech, a hitch caused by various reasons (excitement, for example). |
An ellipsis is at the end of sentence No. 17: “How would you explain it more clearly ...” This punctuation mark indicates the end of a completed statement. The ellipsis indicates that the author is thinking, trying to find the right words to continue his speech. |
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For example, sentences No. 23 and 24: “Dubrovsky was silent ... Suddenly he raised his head, his eyes sparkled, he stamped his foot, pushed the secretary away ...” At the end of both statements there is an ellipsis. On the one hand, this sign marks the end of a complete statement, separates one thought from another. On the other hand, an ellipsis denotes an unexpected transition from one statement to another, a quick change of events. |
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Take, for example, sentence number 14: "In the department ... but it's better not to say in which department." Gogol put the ellipsis for a reason. This punctuation mark indicates a break in speech, a hitch of the author, apparently pondering whether to indicate the place of action. |
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exclamation- body sign |
Completion sign. Firstly, it unambiguously denotes autonomy, independence, the end of a statement in which something is told or someone is called (incited) to action. Secondly, they are given an emotional accent, because with the help of an exclamation point, we convey the feeling with which we would like to pronounce the phrase (delight, surprise, discontent, doubt, etc.). The sign indicates emotional tension, emotional coloring of speech. |
“What a pity that the birds have flown away!” This sentence (#4) is a complete thought. The author, being in the forest, notes with regret that it has become very quiet. His emotional condition underlines the exclamation mark at the end of a sentence. |
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Question mark |
Completion sign. First, it unambiguously indicates the end of a statement that contains a direct question. Secondly, it denotes the intonation with which the sentence should be pronounced (it is interrogative). It can be put in brackets to express doubt or bewilderment of the writer. |
Let's look at sentence number 16: "What time is it?" There is a direct question here. The completed statement belongs to Paul, the hero of the story, who is waiting for an answer. |
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“The latest (?) models of domestic cars were presented at the exhibition.” Reading this sentence, we understand that the author of the statement doubts, is somewhat unsure of the fact being cited. |
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First, it is a sign of separation. Separates: a) homogeneous members of the proposal, while denoting their boundaries; this sign is placed when listing actions, objects, signs, etc.; b) simple sentences as part of a complex enumeration with a meaning, delimits its parts. Secondly, it is a highlight sign. Separate definitions and circumstances (including participial and adverbial phrases), introductory words and sentences, appeals, interjections, clarifying and explanatory members of the sentence are distinguished by commas. Thus, the comma serves to indicate the boundaries of semantic segments that complicate a simple sentence. |
The separating comma is used several times in the sentence: "Daisies, dandelions, buttercups, clover - wild flowers." (No. 13) Here homogeneous members (subjects) are listed, connected unionless bond. The boundaries between them are marked with commas. |
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Two simple sentences in the compound non-union (No. 18) are separated by a comma: "Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed." The punctuation mark indicates the boundaries of the parts of a complex sentence, indicates their autonomy, independence. |
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Here, for example, sentence number 2: "It was raining, slanting and shallow." The comma is not used here by chance. It separates homogeneous single definitions, which figuratively depict autumn rain in the city. |
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Colon |
Separation sign. Firstly, it separates simple sentences into complex ones, while the second sentence indicates the reason for what is said in the first one, explains or clarifies something. Secondly, it is used after a generalizing word before homogeneous members. In this case, the generalizing word includes all lexical meaning row homogeneous members that define it. Thirdly, the colon separates the words of the author and the actual direct speech. |
Consider the sentence: “I am sad: I have no friend with me.” (No. 20) This is a complete statement. It is a non-union complex sentence. It has two parts, the second explaining the reason for what the first says. border between two simple sentences marked with a colon. |
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“Birds chirped on the rocks: frigatebirds, guillemots, skuas.” This simple sentence lists homogeneous members. These are the subjects that denote the names of birds. The generalizing word "birds" is used before them. A colon is used to separate it from homogeneous terms. |
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The text contains sentence No. 15. It consists of the words of the author of the text (“He asked”) and direct speech (“What time is it?”) Belonging to the hero of the story, Vladimir. A colon is placed between these statements to indicate their separation. |
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Semicolon |
Separation sign. A semicolon is placed between simple sentences as part of a complex non-union with the value of the enumeration, if one of the simple sentences already has a comma (i.e., parts of the sentence are already distributed by homogeneous or isolated members, introductory words, appeals, clarifying members, etc. ). |
The author uses a semicolon in the sentence: “Emerald frogs jump underfoot; between the roots, raising his golden head, lies already and guards them. (No. 16) The statement is a non-union complex sentence. It consists of two independent independent parts. The second simple sentence is complicated by a participle turnover, which is isolated. Therefore, a semicolon is placed between the parts of a complex sentence. |
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Separation sign. First, it is put in a non-union complex sentence in the following cases: a) the first part has the meaning of time or condition, b) the second part indicates a consequence, result, b) the content of the parts is opposed. Secondly, a dash separates direct speech from the words of the author (together with a comma, exclamation point or question mark), denoting the end of someone else's words and the beginning of a statement indicating who is their author. Thirdly, it can separate the explanatory members of the sentence. Fourthly, a dash is used at the place where the link between the subject and the predicate is skipped (incomplete information). Fifthly, this sign stands before the replica when transmitting a dialogue. Sixth, after the homogeneous members of the sentence, a dash is also placed before the generalizing word. |
Before us is an all-union complex sentence: "The morning will come - let's move on." It has two parts (simple sentences), the first of which indicates the time when the alleged events will take place. Therefore, inside a complex sentence, a dash is placed between relatively independent statements. |
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The dash is used in sentence number 17: "The smoky sun rises - it will be a hot day." This is a non-union complex sentence, consisting of two simple ones, representing complete statements. The second part indicates the consequence (result). Therefore, a dash is placed between simple sentences. |
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First, quotation marks are used when quoting to indicate that the given statement (complete or part of it) belongs to some person or is an excerpt from some source. Secondly, direct speech, transmitted on behalf of its author, is enclosed in quotation marks. In these cases, quotation marks indicate a change in the author of the statement. Thirdly, quotation marks indicate words used in an unusual, conditional or ironic meaning. |
The author, analyzing the poems of the Russian poet, cites the following lines: “As Blok wrote, “and the eternal battle, we only dream of peace.” (sentence No. 29) The quote from the work is enclosed in quotation marks, thereby indicating a change in the author of the speech. |
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For example, sentence No. 27 is a statement by the 19th-century Russian critic V.G. Belinsky: “In literature, we honor the “table of ranks” and are afraid to talk about “high personalities.” In the words of the writer, we hear irony, and therefore some of the words are enclosed in quotation marks. |
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Selection sign. It is used when we want to clarify, clarify something, add additional information to the statement. |
“In the summer (most likely in July) we will go on a cruise on the Black Sea.” After reading this sentence, we see the circumstance of time "in the summer", which is specified by the words "most likely in July." Clarifying members of the proposal, introducing necessary information, enclosed in parentheses. |
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Combining an exclamation point with an ellipsis |
A combination of termination signs. First, it (combination) unambiguously denotes the end of the statement. Secondly, an emotional emphasis is placed, because with the help of v.z. we convey the feeling with which we pronounce the phrase, and with an ellipsis we indicate some kind of reflection, reflection of the author of the speech, it may indicate understatement, the desire to keep silent about something, or a quick transition from one statement to another (placed at the end of the paragraph). |
Suggestion example: Unlikely!.. |
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Combining a question mark with an ellipsis |
A combination of termination signs. First, it (combination) unambiguously denotes the end of the statement. Secondly, v.z. indicates the intonation with which the sentence should be pronounced (it is interrogative). Thirdly, the author, combining v.z. with an ellipsis, indicates some kind of reflection, reflection, understatement. |
Suggestion example: What is his charm? In his mind?.. In his eyes?.. |
Essay Sample
Period and ellipsis are important punctuation marks in written speech
The period and ellipsis are important signs of written speech. A period is one of the signs of completion; it denotes the intonation of the end of a statement and is placed at the end of a declarative sentence that expresses a complete thought. Without this sign, we would not pause between statements, and therefore would not understand where one thought ends and another begins. The dot indicates the intonation of the end. An ellipsis can also end a phrase, but the function of the punctuation mark is different. Arguing on any topic, telling about something, the author of the speech, sometimes, does not dare to express his thought completely, he is silent about something. An ellipsis is needed to express this understatement and reflection. However, it can be combined with both question and exclamation marks. In the first case, the author asks about something, in the second he expresses emotions (surprise, joy, etc.). In addition, it happens that this sign is also used inside a sentence when quoting
someone's statement is incomplete. We put ellipsis in place of missing words.
Let's look at an excerpt from the text. Drawing his hero, the author describes his speech (sentence No. 24), pays special attention to his voice (sentence No. 25), the manner of communicating with people. Having spoken, N. Heinze completes his thoughts, which are narrative sentences, so at the end we see dots. Talking about the impression Berseniev made on those around him, the writer cites the words of some of them as an example: “How can I tell you ... I don’t know ... but he is charming.” The dots here are no coincidence. With its help, it is emphasized how women reflect, try to understand what the hero attracted to himself. Yes, and N. Heinze himself, immersed in his thoughts, wonders what is the charm of Berseniev: “In his mind? .. In his eyes? .. Or in his voice? ..” These questions he, thinking, asks himself, but not immediately ready to answer them, and therefore here the ellipsis is combined with a question mark.
So, dot and ellipsis are important signs of written speech.
Reference book on the Russian language. Punctuation Rosenthal Ditmar Elyashevich
§ 68. Ellipsis and other signs
1. After a question or exclamation mark, not three dots are put (the usual type of ellipsis), but two (the third dot is under one of the named signs): How much more to live in the world? ..(TV); How did you play yesterday?(Sharp)
2. When an ellipsis meets a semicolon, the latter is absorbed by an ellipsis, which indicates not only the omission of words, but also the omission of a punctuation mark: His wife ... however, they were completely pleased with each other(G.).
From the book Handbook of the Russian language. Punctuation author Rosenthal Ditmar Elyashevich§ 4. Ellipsis 1. An ellipsis is used to indicate the incompleteness of the statement caused by various reasons (the speaker's excitement, external interference, etc.): Oh, so you ... - I sang the whole summer without a soul (Kr.); “And you are not afraid…” - “What am I not afraid of?” - "... make a mistake?"; "AND
From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (MN) of the author TSB§ 55. Ellipsis in quotations 1. If the quotation is not given in full, then the omission is indicated by an ellipsis, which is placed: 1) before the quotation (after opening quotes), syntactically not related to the author's text, to indicate that the quotation is not given from the beginning
From the book Spelling and Style Guide author Rosenthal Ditmar Elyashevich§ 66. Quotation marks and other signs 1. Period, comma, semicolon, colon and dash are not placed before closing quote marks (all these signs can only appear after quote marks): Some voted “for”, others “against”, but the first made up majority; I've had enough of your "buts", I
From the book A Guide to Spelling, Pronunciation, Literary Editing author Rosenthal Ditmar Elyashevich§ 67. Parentheses and other signs 1. A comma, semicolon, colon and dash are not placed before the opening or closing bracket; all these signs are placed only after the closing bracket (with the exception of the case specified in § 26): Ovsyanikov adhered to ancient customs not from
From the book New Approach to palm reading author Webster Richard§ 68. Dots and other signs 1. After a question or exclamation mark, not three dots are put (the usual type of ellipsis), but two (the third dot stands under one of the above signs): How long to live in the world? .. (Tv.); And how did you play yesterday! .. (Ostr.) 2. At the meeting"
From the author's book From the author's book§ 78. Ellipsis 1. An ellipsis is placed to indicate the incompleteness of the statement caused by various reasons, to indicate breaks in speech, an unexpected transition from one thought to another, etc., for example: In the department ... but it is better not to name in which department
From the author's book§ 125. Ellipsis in quotations 1. If the quotation is not given in full, then the gap is indicated by an ellipsis, which is placed: 1) before the quotation (after the opening quotes), syntactically not related to the author's text, to indicate that the quotation is not given from the beginning
From the author's book§ 135. Quotation marks and other signs 1. Period, comma, semicolon, colon and dash are not placed before closing quotation marks; all of these characters can only appear after quotes. For example: Some voted “for”, others “against”, but the former had a clear majority; Erase everything on the map
From the author's book§ 136. Brackets and other signs 1. A comma, semicolon, colon and dash are not placed before the opening or closing bracket; all these signs are placed only after the closing bracket, for example: It was Pyotr Gerasimovich (Nekhlyudov never knew, and even boasted a little that
From the author's book§ 137. Dots and other signs 1. Two dots are put after a question or exclamation mark (the third dot is under one of the named signs), for example: How long to live in the world? .. (Tvardovsky); And how did you play yesterday! .. (A. N. Ostrovsky).2. When meeting dots with
From the author's book§ 78. Ellipsis 1. An ellipsis is placed to indicate the incompleteness of the statement caused by various reasons, to indicate breaks in speech, an unexpected transition from one thought to another, etc., for example: In the department ... but it is better not to name in which department From the author's book
§ 136. Brackets and other signs 1. A comma, semicolon, colon and dash are not placed before the opening or closing bracket; all these signs are placed only after the closing bracket, for example: It was Pyotr Gerasimovich (Nekhlyudov never knew and even boasted a little that
From the author's bookCHAPTER 10 Other Signs in the Palm In addition to hills, lines, and skin patterns, you will find other signs in the palm of your hand that you can sometimes use to expand your analysis. The most important ones are squares, crosses, triangles and stars. They can be seen both on the main lines and along
Let's start with what an ellipsis is. An ellipsis is a punctuation mark that is used in Russian to indicate pauses or incompleteness. It is important for any person to know why an ellipsis is needed in order to understand what the interlocutor or the author of a literary work meant and so that he himself could use it correctly in writing. What is the ellipsis used for?
Rules for using ellipsis
Schoolchildren are often asked to write an essay about why dots are needed. You can easily write an essay-reasoning on this topic when you know all the cases in which the ellipsis is used. That is what we are going to talk about now.
The ellipsis is used in a sentence to indicate incompleteness, interruption of thought caused by external interference or excitement: “He was beautiful ... But I can’t understand how such a beautiful person could do such nasty things ...”; "Maybe it will be worse for everyone, but I can't just leave and I can't just forget...".
The ellipsis is also used to indicate the continuation of an interrupted story or a missing beginning of a text or sentence: “Listening to him was insanely boring, and I was distracted all the time, but he did not react and continued his story: “... but these obstacles did not stop us, we must were to reach the final at any cost."
The ellipsis can also be used to indicate pauses during a sharp transition from one action or event to another, when thoughts, decisions, or unexpected conclusions change: “The sun shone calmly and joyfully, framed by approaching clouds, it was warm and quiet outside ... Suddenly , the sky in an instant dragged on, it got dark and thunder struck.
If you are writing an essay about why the ellipsis is needed, you can indicate that it is used in citation work. When using a separate sentence or its fragment, an ellipsis indicates the use of only part of the text: “An ellipsis is not just a sign that we use without understanding it ourselves, without noticing it, these are traces of words that escaped from the sentence, left it on tiptoe” - “ The ellipsis is not just a sign ... it is the traces of words that have escaped from the sentence, left it on tiptoe. To indicate the omission of a whole sentence or several sentences, an ellipsis with angle brackets is used, which is placed in place of the missing sentences.
Also, the ellipsis is used to indicate the intervals "5...8 months", "expected temperature +20...25 degrees"
Why do you need ellipsis in essays and exams? Checks your knowledge of why you need ellipsis, GIA (state final certification). Therefore, on the exam, it can be useful to use ellipsis along with other punctuation marks, it is especially important to be able to use it correctly when working with quotes.
If you are writing an essay on the exam about why you need ellipsis on the GIA, you can use it to emphasize unexpected points, add mystery and sophistication, without saying obvious things and conclusions, but replacing them with ellipsis, which gives the reader some freedom in interpreting what they read, as well as pausing before dramatic moments.
Now you know why you need an ellipsis, how and why you can use it. Use it right, write smartly and get high marks.
This sign, appearing in the text, signals some reticence, a hitch, absent-mindedness or confusion of the subject of written speech. In grammar, ellipsis is defined as follows.
An ellipsis is a punctuation mark that consists of three dots written side by side. Serves to indicate an unfinished thought or pause of the author.
This punctuation mark is used for the following purposes:
1. In order to show the incompleteness of the statement, some confusion of thoughts caused by the state of the speaker, a break in the logical development of thought; interference from external environment, as well as to indicate breaks in speech. It is usually used in direct speech. For instance:
“I can’t… I can’t do this… It’s not fair and wrong… I can’t!…
- I would say who you are ... but I prefer not to talk about girls like that.
— I remember. I remember this girl... she was good... Why are you asking about her?
2. To indicate hitches not only between words, but also in the words themselves, For example:
“For… for… forget me!” She was shaking all over with anger.
“Wah…Wah…Vanya, now you are completely wrong,” said Masha.
3. To mark the boundaries of quotes. It is used in cases where the quotation is not entered in full, but only in parts that are most significant for the context. There are several ways to enter ellipses in quotes.
a) To indicate that the boundaries of the quotation, which is an independent sentence in relation to the context, do not coincide with the boundaries of the sentence in the quoted text:
Pushkin, covering the works of his contemporaries, characterized Derzhavin as follows: "... Some of Derzhavin's odes, despite the incorrectness of the language and the unevenness of the style, are filled with impulses of genius ...".
In this example, we see that the quote, firstly, is an independent sentence, and secondly, although it is framed as a sentence, it has clearly different boundaries in the source text. Indeed, in Pushkin's original text we see this sentence in its entirety:
“I agree that some of Derzhavin’s odes, despite the uneven style and incorrect language, are full of impulses of true genius, that in Bogdanovich’s “Darling” there are verses and entire pages worthy of Lafontaine, that Krylov surpassed all the fabulists known to us, except, perhaps, this of Lafontaine himself, that Batyushkov, Lomonosov's happy companion, did for the Russian language what Petrarch did for Italian; that Zhukovsky would be translated into all languages if he himself translated less. (Pushkin, “On the reasons that slowed down the course of our literature)
However, if the quote is made out as indirect speech, then in this case the ellipsis is not necessary:
The writer, covering everything done before him, said that "Derzhavin's odes ... are filled with impulses of genius."
b) To indicate a gap within a quote:
Pushkin wrote: "But poetry ... must be stupid." In the original: "And poetry, God forgive me, must be stupid."
