Do comets orbit in a circular or elliptical pattern

The correct answer is - elliptical.

The comets, just like the planets, have elliptical orbits. Their orbits though tend to be much more narrow and stretched ellipses than those of the planets. Because of the elliptical orbits, the comets are much closer to the body they are orbiting around in certain periods, but also much further away at other periods.

The comets are characterized and best known for their ''tails''. They do not have elongated shape though, but instead they have a rounded shape, but because they have amount of ice on them, as they move, particles of ice are stripped away from it. Those particles of ice are trailing behind the comet for certain time, and that is what we actually see as a tail of the comet.