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Analyzing and Interpreting Literature / Unit 2   AIL 0114 short lesson, about 20 seconds

Ellipsis: What Is Left Out

Captions available

The idea

Ellipsis is the omission of a word the reader can supply. Verse uses it constantly, because a line has a fixed length. Restoring the missing word, usually a verb or an auxiliary, is often all that a difficult line requires.

In practice

Supply the missing word aloud.

Where people slip

Omission is not an error.

Your place on the trail

Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.

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