For example, you can say, “We could use cupcakes, cookies, etc. " This shows that they can use any kind of dessert, and it could be rewritten by, “We could use cupcakes, cookies, and so on. " However, you cannot say, “Bring hamburger buns, paper plates, cupcakes, etc. “, because the items on the list are not the same and the person you’re talking to would not know what you are referring to. Items of the same class do not need to be physical items. They can be emotions, or other forms of “things. " For example, you could say, “Please write down your three primary emotions today (sadness, anger, fear, etc. )”
Be careful how you pronounce et cetera. If you’re in the habit of saying “ek-SET-ra”, it’s time to kick out the “k” sound! The real pronunciation is “eht-SEHT-er-uh. “[6] X Research source
“They ate cookies, cakes, peanuts, fairy floss, etc. , and it’s little wonder they ended up with stomach aches. "
Put a question mark after the period in “etc. " Put an exclamation point immediately after the period. Put the semicolon in right after the period and put a space between it and the next word. Put parentheses around the items you are using along with etc. when necessary. For example: “Students should not pack liquids in their carry-on bags (water, shampoo, makeup remover, etc. )”
