Parentheses and Ellipsis Dots - ESL worksheet by dingjai - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to solve both parts of the worksheet.

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Part A – Place parentheses where needed

We need to add parentheses around extra information, comments, or lists that are not essential to the main sentence.

1. The new museum see Appendix 1 will be officially opened in August.
→ “see Appendix 1” is extra info → put it in parentheses:
✔ *The new museum (see Appendix 1) will be officially opened in August.*

2. The honour students of which I am one are invited to the ceremony.
→ “of which I am one” is a comment about the speaker → put it in parentheses:
✔ *The honour students (of which I am one) are invited to the ceremony.*

3. The complimentary tickets a pair from Uncle Charlie and another pair from Mr. Todd came just in time.
→ The list “a pair from... and another pair from...” explains what the tickets are → put it in parentheses:
✔ *The complimentary tickets (a pair from Uncle Charlie and another pair from Mr. Todd) came just in time.*

4. They should a get a form, b fill it out, c get their parents’ consent, and d return it to their teacher before noon tomorrow.
→ The letters (a), (b), etc., label steps → they should be in parentheses:
✔ *They should (a) get a form, (b) fill it out, (c) get their parents’ consent, and (d) return it to their teacher before noon tomorrow.*

5. The merger yet to be confirmed is said to take effect in January 2012.
→ “yet to be confirmed” is extra info → put it in parentheses:
✔ *The merger (yet to be confirmed) is said to take effect in January 2012.*

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Part B – Add ellipsis dots with “^” where needed

Ellipsis dots (...) show we’re shortening a quote or skipping part of a sentence. We use “^” to mark where the omission happens.

1. Recent research indicates that most of the asteroids orbit around the chance that an asteroid strikes the Earth is one in a million.
→ This sentence has two ideas mashed together. It seems like something was skipped between “orbit around” and “the chance”. So we add ellipsis after “around”:
✔ *Recent research indicates that most of the asteroids orbit around ^ ... the chance that an asteroid strikes the Earth is one in a million.*

Wait — actually, looking again, this might be better as:
Original likely meant: “...orbit around [something], and the chance...” → so we skip the middle part. Let’s place the ellipsis where the gap is:
✔ *Recent research indicates that most of the asteroids orbit around ^ ... the chance that an asteroid strikes the Earth is one in a million.*

But actually, maybe it’s clearer if we think: the original full sentence probably said something like “orbit around the sun, and the chance...” → so we remove “the sun, and” → so ellipsis goes after “around”:

✔ Final for #1: *Recent research indicates that most of the asteroids orbit around ^ ... the chance that an asteroid strikes the Earth is one in a million.*

2. Malls sprout up in big cities due to the largest shopping center in the world is the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton.
→ Again, two ideas stuck together. Probably meant: “due to [reason], and the largest...” → so we skip the reason → add ellipsis after “due to”:
✔ *Malls sprout up in big cities due to ^ ... the largest shopping center in the world is the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton.*

3. Malawi is a poor third world country in Africa. The infant mortality rate the average life expectancy is only 37 years.
→ Second sentence is broken. Likely meant: “The infant mortality rate [is high], and the average life expectancy...” → so we skip the middle part → add ellipsis after “rate”:
✔ *Malawi is a poor third world country in Africa. The infant mortality rate ^ ... the average life expectancy is only 37 years.*

4. There are many ways to conserve energy with more and more people switching to driving smaller cars which are more fuel-efficient.
→ This one is actually okay as-is? Wait — no, it says “with more and more people...” — but maybe it’s missing a connector. Actually, perhaps it’s meant to be shortened from: “There are many ways to conserve energy, such as [examples], and more and more people...” → so we can add ellipsis after “energy” to show we skipped examples:
✔ *There are many ways to conserve energy ^ ... with more and more people switching to driving smaller cars which are more fuel-efficient.*

Alternatively, maybe the original had more detail between “energy” and “with”, so yes — ellipsis there makes sense.

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Now let’s write the final answers clearly.

Final Answer:

Part A:
1. The new museum (see Appendix 1) will be officially opened in August.
2. The honour students (of which I am one) are invited to the ceremony.
3. The complimentary tickets (a pair from Uncle Charlie and another pair from Mr. Todd) came just in time.
4. They should (a) get a form, (b) fill it out, (c) get their parents’ consent, and (d) return it to their teacher before noon tomorrow.
5. The merger (yet to be confirmed) is said to take effect in January 2012.

Part B:
1. Recent research indicates that most of the asteroids orbit around ^ ... the chance that an asteroid strikes the Earth is one in a million.
2. Malls sprout up in big cities due to ^ ... the largest shopping center in the world is the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton.
3. Malawi is a poor third world country in Africa. The infant mortality rate ^ ... the average life expectancy is only 37 years.
4. There are many ways to conserve energy ^ ... with more and more people switching to driving smaller cars which are more fuel-efficient.