The ellipsis punctuation mark (…) stands for what is omitted from the sentence, a trailing off of thoughts, or a hesitation to say more. In recent years, the ellipsis has become used more and more, like the exclamation point, sometimes to the point of overuse. In “Elliptical,” the ellipsis appears after each beginning phrase, a consistent symbol throughout the poem. It appears as if all three purposes for the ellipsis is present in the poem. The first phrase, “They just can’t seem to…” (Line 1), sets the tone that the speaker is unable to get out the words to describe what they cannot seem to do or is uncomfortable in doing so. Someone who is close to the speaker or shares similar values might be able to jump in and help out the speaker with the rest of the sentence.

Transitions are words and phrases, primarily adverbs such as “certainly” and “sometimes,” that help link sentences together to show contrast between ideas, cause-and-effect, and additional thoughts, agreement, or examples. Transitions, particularly those that show contrast, are throughout “Elliptical,” mostly to emphasize how “we” respond or react to “them.” For example, at the end of Line 2, Mullen writes, “Once in a while they…” (Line 2).