Parenthesis Examples
- My family is getting a new dog from the shelter (we are going to name him Barney).
- The University of Georgia (UGA) is where my mom went to school.
- Marie (8 years-old) is a little girl who goes to school with my brother.
- We had a little accident (puddle, mud) on the way here and had to change our clothes.
When to use parentheses and how to use them correctly?
“Parentheses” should be used when you’re referring to “parenthesis” in the plural sense. “Parenthesis” should be used when you want to talk about an insertion in a sentence. They’re often used as ” ( ” or ” ) ” and work to insert new information into a sentence.
What is the correct way to use parentheses?
Parentheses
- Placement of other punctuation. When a parenthetical sentence stands on its own, the closing punctuation mark for the sentence is placed inside the closing parenthesis.
- Specialized uses. Numbered or lettered lists should use a pair of parentheses to enclose the numbers or letters. ...
- Abbreviations and acronyms. ...
How to use parentheses properly?
How to use parentheses. Parentheses are always in pairs, and there are two simple ways we can break down the grammatical rules. 1. Using parentheses around complete sentences. If you’re putting a complete sentence (or independent clause) in parentheses, punctuate as if the parentheses aren’t there.
Which situation requires the use of parentheses?
Parentheses are used in many situations:
- Explanations Boudicca led the Iceni (an independent British people) against the Romans.
- Translations We had erdbeerkuchen (strawberry cake) for dessert.
- Clarifications My dog (an Akita) is the smallest of the giant breeds.
- Joking around We set up our tent (we pretended we were in the wilderness) in the backyard.
What is the meaning of parenthesis with example?
Parenthesis refer to punctuation marks "(" and ")" used to separate relevant information or a comment from the rest of the text, or to enclose mathematical symbols, or the text inside of these marks. The punctuation marks in the math equation 2x(4+6) are an example of parenthesis.
What does a parentheses look like?
Parentheses resemble two curved vertical lines: ( ). A single one of these punctuation marks is called a parenthesis. It is considered a grammar error to only use a single parenthesis; parentheses are always used in pairs in proper grammar.
What is parenthesis in English grammar?
Parentheses are punctuation marks that are used to set off information within a text or paragraph. Outside the realm of emoticons, parentheses always come in pairs. They can enclose a single word, a phrase, or even an entire sentence.
What are the 2 uses of parentheses?
Parentheses are used to enclose incidental or extra information, such as a passing comment, a minor example or addition, or a brief explanation. The writer may choose to put additional information within parentheses or to set off the text using dashes or commas.
How do you use parentheses in a sentence?
Use parentheses to enclose information that clarifies or is used as an aside. Example: He finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that he did not understand the question. If material in parentheses ends a sentence, the period goes after the parentheses.
How do you put parentheses in Example?
In formal writing in the U.S., a leading tendency is to follow the abbreviations with a comma and enclose the text in parentheses. Macy said she'd join us at the tavern at 6:30 p.m. (i.e., 7:00 in Macy time). Please bring something to the potluck dinner (e.g., salad, appetizer, dessert).
Can you start a sentence with parentheses?
According to the Chicago Manual of Style and Garner's Modern English Usage, you can.
What is another word for parentheses?
In this page you can discover 30 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for parenthesis, like: brackets, enclosure, braces, excursus, bracket, digression, aside, divagation, whitespace, punctuation and deviation.
What is the difference between () and []?
Brackets are used to enclose parenthetical materials within the parentheses while parentheses are used to enclose words, numbers, phrases, sentences, symbols, and other items in a sentence.
What are () used for?
Parentheses ( () ) are curved notations used to contain further thoughts or qualifying remarks. However, parentheses can be replaced by commas without changing the meaning in most cases.
How do you list things in parentheses?
ParenthesesUse parentheses to enclose words or figures that clarify or for an aside. ... Use parentheses to enclose numbers and letters of listed items in a sentence as well as in outline format. ... Periods go inside parentheses only if an entire sentence is inside the parentheses.
Can you end a sentence with parentheses?
The most common use of parentheses in academic writing is citing information from external sources. A parenthetical usually comes at the end of the sentence or right before a comma. In this case, where the material within the parentheses isn't a complete sentence, the punctuation goes outside the parentheses.
What is the difference between () and []?
Brackets are used to enclose parenthetical materials within the parentheses while parentheses are used to enclose words, numbers, phrases, sentences, symbols, and other items in a sentence.
What are the {} brackets called?
curly bracketsThe "{}" are referred to as curly brackets or braces while "<>" are often called angle brackets or braces. The term "curly braces" is more favored in the U.S., while "brackets" is more widely used in British English.
How do you write parentheses?
Use parentheses around nonessential information or abrupt changes in thought.When the words in parentheses form a complete sentence, place a period inside the closing parenthesis. ... When the words in parentheses are not a complete sentence, place the period outside the closing parenthesis.More items...
What does [] mean in writing?
Square brackets, often just called brackets in American English, are a set of punctuation marks that are most often used to alter or add information to quoted material.
What is a parenthesis in a sentence?
A parenthesis is a word, phrase, or clause inserted into a sentence as an explanation or afterthought. When a parenthesis is removed, the surrounding text is still grammatically sound. A parenthesis is usually offset with parentheses (i.e., round brackets), commas, or dashes. These are called parenthetical punctuation marks.
What is a parenthesis in apposition?
"Parenthesis in apposition" is a word (s) used to rename or re-describe a nearby noun (usually the one immediately to its left). Like any parenthesis, it can be removed without damaging the grammatical structure of the sentence. For example (parenthesis in apposition shaded):
Why Should I Care about Parenthesis?
A text without a single parenthesis would be pretty dull to read. The additional information, aside, clarification, or afterthought provided by a parenthesis in a sentence is usually essential to keep readers informed, engaged, on track, or aligned to the author's thinking. So, writers must be comfortable with using a parenthesis.
How to control parenthesis?
Control how your parenthesis looks by choosing the most appropriate parenthetical punctuation. Remember that parenthetical-punctuation marks come in pairs. If your parenthesis is short, consider not using any parenthetical punctuation.
Why do we use commas in math?
(Philosopher Bertrand Russell) When commas are used to offset a parenthesis, it keeps the focus on the surrounding text. As commas play other roles in sentences (e.g., to separate list items and to offset adverbial phrases ), readers can sometimes become confused ...
Do parenthesis punctuation marks appear in pairs?
If a parenthesis ends a sentence, the second one in the pair is dropped. This is the only time parenthetical punctuation marks do not appear in pairs. It is a common mistake (especially with commas) to use just one.
Do parenthesis and parentheses make text look unorganized?
However, some writers feel that parentheses can make formal texts look unorganized. Paul, on the other hand, is considered extremely trustworthy. House prices in Alton, which is only 25 minutes from London, are soaring.
Why do we use parentheses in writing?
We use parentheses to keep the information contained within them from interrupting the flow of the text.
Do you use brackets in parentheses?
In such cases, it's common to replace one of the sets of parentheses with brackets. You might also find that some publications use brackets in place of parentheses.
Do you capitalize parentheses?
If parenthetical information is contained within a sentence, we don't need to capitalize or punctuate information within the parentheses as though it were a separate sentence. If the parenthetical information does appear as an entirely separate sentence, then we do need to capitalize and punctuate it just like we would any other sentence. Note that, in cases where parentheses within a sentence would benefit from a question mark, an exclamation mark or other punctuation, it is acceptable to include such punctuation.
What is parentheses in writing?
Parentheses are an important type of punctuation mark. Every writer needs to know the basic guidelines for using parentheses. Discover when to use parentheses and review examples that illustrate proper usage so you can learn how to use parentheses correctly. how to use parentheses.
When to use parentheses?
Parentheses marks can be used when a sentence includes a parenthetical expression, which is a non-essential group of words added to it for clarity or emphasis. I am making dinner (pot roast with potatoes and carrots) in the slow cooker. She always brings her dog (that yappy little mutt) when she comes to visit.
Why do we use parentheses in a citation?
The most basic rule for parentheses is that they can be used to offset a group of non-essential words that contribute additional details or other information that will be helpful to readers. They are also sometimes used in conjunction with numerals, acronyms or academic citations.
When do you have a parenthetical phrase within a sentence that requires its own punctuation separate from?
A particularly tricky situation arises when you have a parenthetical phrase within a sentence that requires its own punctuation separate from the end of the sentence. This often occurs when a writer is trying to convey sarcasm or humor in the text.
Why do you put a number in parentheses?
This is commonly done to clarify a general term that relates to an amount of money or to set a certain tone in dialogue.
When a complete sentence is included within parentheses, should all of that sentence's punctuation be inside?
This includes the period at the end of the sentence.
Do you put a question mark in parentheses?
If a parenthetical phrase is intended to come across as a question, then a question mark should be placed inside the parentheses. However, this does not serve as an ending to the actual sentence, even if the parentheses mark is the last character.
What is a parenthesis in English?
English Language Learners Definition of parenthesis. : one of a pair of marks ( ) that are used around a word, phrase, sentence, number, etc. See the full definition for parenthesis in the English Language Learners Dictionary.
What does "parenthesis" mean?
1 a : an amplifying (see amplify sense 1) or explanatory word, phrase, or sentence inserted in a passage from which it is usually set off by punctuation explained further in a parenthesis.
What is a parenthesis in writing?
A parenthesis can be either of two things: (1) Either of two punctuation marks, " (" or ")", which are used in writing to enclose remarks or symbols that are only peripheral to the current conversation. (2) A phrase, sentence or message that is not pertinent to the main subject.
What is the opening parenthesis?
The opening parenthesis is placed before and the closing parenthesis is placed after the set-off/set-aside comment or clause.
Who were the Inklings?
J. R. R. Tolkien (author of The Lord of the Rings) and C. S. Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia) were both regular members of a literary discussion group known as the "Inklings." Here, the supplemental information helps the reader place the names of the authors, by listing a popular book each is known for.
Is a parentheses more effective than a comma?
Their effect is similar to the effect of using commas. Parentheses are visually more effective and less confusing than using commas when the comment or clause being set-off/set-aside is longer, or if you’ve already used several sets of commas and the sentence is getting a little complex to follow.
Definition of Parenthesis in Math
When math becomes more advanced, more symbols and expressions start entering the problems that are presented. In the beginning, the symbols are easy, like the basic operation signs, equals signs, and greater than/less than symbols. However, as math builds on previous knowledge, more symbols are added.
Numbers in Parentheses
Parentheses will contain numbers that require an operation to be done first. The operation within the parentheses can be a simple one-step operation or it could be a multi-step operation. If there is more than one operation within the parentheses, the problem should be solved using PEMDAS within the parenthesis.
Multiplying Parentheses
When two separate parentheses need to be multiplied together, the procedure is very simple. The first thing that needs to happen is that the operations inside the parenthesis need to be solved and then the resulting numbers can be multiplied. There are two possible ways that two parentheses being multiplied will be shown.
