Answer: How do you indicate pauses or hesitation in narration and dialogue?

[theemdash]

It is with great pleasure that I answer the 200th question at fandom_grammar! 200 questions is a lot of grammar and we’re looking forward to answering 200 more.

How do you indicate pauses or hesitation in narration and dialogue? (ex. hesitant speech, for emphasis, pauses for breath)

Comments

[amai_kaminari]

Ah! Thank you! <3

[theemdash]

Happy to be of assistance!

[snailbones]

Thank you! I'm cutting and pasting so I don't lose your words of wisdom on this one *g*

And congratulations on 200 (brilliant, sanity-saving) answers. This is the first place I look these days when I've tied myself in a grammatical knot.

[theemdash]

I'm so glad the community has been so beneficial for you! Thanks for telling us!

[lady_ganesh]

Awww, thanks!

[haldoor]

Thanks; that's been really helpful. Although I have always left a space after an ellipsis (and I go with British use). Is this wrong (as so: Jack walked slowly towards the light... but the door had disappeared.)?

[theemdash]

Not wrong! That's actually exactly right.

[haldoor]

Oh, thanks! That's a relief!