When To Use Parentheses
- When you want to add extra information into a sentence, then parentheses are used. ...
- While using parentheses, keep in mind which these parentheses surround punctuation marks. ...
- When parentheses appear in the middle of the sentence, then the surrounding punctuation marks will never go inside the parentheses. ...
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. ...
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.
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.
Why do we use parentheses in writing?
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. Again, overuse of parentheses or dashes can be distracting to readers.
When to put period in parentheses?
If the parentheses enclose a complete sentence that can stand alone, place the period inside the closing parentheses.
When to use brackets?
Brackets are a special case and are only used in specific situations. Use brackets to insert something into a sentence that is already enclosed in parentheses.
Is parentheses justified in writing?
In scientific, business, or legal writing, parentheses are used to restate a number. However, in most writing, it is not justified, and it creates an overly official tone.
Do you need a comma before a parenthetical?
If you were to remove the parenthetical remark, the remaining sentence would not need a comma: Use a pointed stick or a similar tool. Banging the wall and screaming ( unrestrained by his father, I might add ), Sam was acting like a brat. In the preceding sentence, no comma appears before the parentheses.
Why do we use parentheses in writing?
Parentheses are a great tool to use to add extra information to a sentence. There are several grammatical reasons why you’d use parentheses in your writing. Along with the rules, there are some special cases and exceptions. Here, we will share all you should know about parentheses, from what they are to when to use parentheses.
What are Parentheses?
Parentheses are a grammatical symbol that holds extra information within them. While they look similar to brackets, they are rounded.
How to make sure a sentence is correct without parentheses?
The best way to make sure your sentence is correct without the parentheses is to read the sentence and ignore the content in the parentheses. If the sentence makes sense, then it can stand as is. For example, here’s a correct and incorrect usage of parentheses: Correct: Mia had to take her dog (a grey pitbull) to the vet.
When to put parentheses in middle of sentence?
If you add the parentheses in the middle of a sentence and need to add any type of grammatical symbol, then you place it outside of the closing parenthesis. For example: He earned a lot of money working this summer ($50,000), but he spent it all quickly.
How to place period in parenthetical?
If a sentence within a parenthetical can stand on its own as a complete sentence, place the period inside the closing parenthesis. For example: He went on a long vacation. (Don’t tell his parents, because it’s a secret.)
When to put period outside of parenthesis?
If the parentheses adds extra information to the end of a sentence, but is not a complete sentence on its own, then you place the period outside of the closing parenthesis. For example: She went to the grocery store and bought a lot of items (sugar, bread, candy, beer, and vegetables).
When to put acronyms in parentheses?
When you first incorporate an acronym in your writing, you may put it in parentheses. Here’s an example: He is the CEO (chief executive officer) of Apple.
Why Is Parenthesis Used?
Parentheses are used for communicating with the readers. Parentheses are mainly used for offering extra information. And the material inside the parentheses is not the main sentence, and it is not necessary to read parentheses material for understanding the whole sentence.
What is a Parenthesis Symbol?
Parentheses are punctuation marks in English, but they are also used in many languages like Sanskrit, Hindi, etc. Apart from this, it is also used in Mathematics. Similar to brackets, parentheses are also used to enclose information. So the opening of parentheses looks like” (” and the closing of parentheses looks like “)” Like this, both can also be called the opening text of parenthesis and a closing text of parentheses. Outside of the United States, parentheses are termed curved brackets.
What is the function of parentheses?
1. To include extra information. The first function of parentheses is to offer extra information. Parentheses communicate to readers that the material inside the parentheses is not necessary to understand the main sentence, nor is it part of the grammar of the main sentence, but is pertinent enough to be included.
Why do you put parentheses in Japanese?
For example: “The Japanese title of Sensei (teacher) conveys the honor and respect accorded to older and wiser members of society.”. Note that Sensei is italicized to clearly denote the non-English word or words being defined.
Why do we use parentheses in footnotes?
Parentheses (also called brackets in British English) are a punctuation mark used to contain text that is not part of the main sentence , but that is too important to either leave out entirely or to put in a footnote or an endnote. Since there are many reasons to use parentheses, be sure that the function of parentheses is always made clear to your readers.
How to test if a sentence is parenthetical?
Parenthetical text must stand completely outside of the grammar of the main sentence. To test this, simply remove or insert the parenthetical text. If the sentence’s grammar becomes incorrect or its meaning changes, your parenthetical text is not truly parenthetical.
Why is the word "Sensei" italicized?
Note that Sensei is italicized to clearly denote the non-English word or words being defined.
When writing a paper or other scholarly text, should parentheses be used?
Finally, when writing a paper or other scholarly text, parentheses should not be used to indicate sarcasm, or to snidely editorialize. Take the following sentence: “While the Stop and Frisk policy has been (barely) effective in reducing crime, it does so at a great social cost.”.
Can "i.e." be used in parentheses?
Note that “i.e.” can also be used instead of parentheses to denote explanations of terms:
Why do we use parentheses in sentences?
Parentheses can also be used as interrupters in sentences to create a more informal, casual style of writing. Parentheses offset text that isn’t important to the meaning of a sentence. Things like extra information, clarifications, asides, or citations.
What is parentheses in Greek?
Parenthesis literally means “to put beside,” from the Greek roots par-, -en, and thesis. Outside of the US, these can be called round brackets.
What are brackets?
If you’ve ever seen these keys on your computer: { }, [ ], or < >, well then you know where all of the types of brackets are, good job!
What is parentheses and brackets in math?
Parentheses and brackets in math. When it comes to parentheses and brackets in math equations, they are used to signify order, you know, like in order of operations. The correct order to address equations in parentheses and brackets is as follows: first solve equations in parentheses ( ), then the square brackets [ ], ...
Why do we use brackets in parentheses?
Square brackets ( [ ]) are used inside of parentheses to denote something subordinate to the subordinate clause. Here’s an example from the 13th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style: “During a prolonged visit to Australia, Gleuk and an assistant (James Green, who was later to make his own study of a flightless bird [the kiwi] in New Zealand) spent several difficult months observing the survival behavior of cassowaries and emus.”
Why do you use square brackets in writing?
Another way square brackets tend to be used in writing is to insert a word or name for clarification (that is not in the original text). Just like sic above, it helps clarify what is written.
What is square bracket in JavaScript?
Square brackets are used for arrays, specifically in Javascript.
Why do we use parentheses in writing?
When I’m working on a draft and I get stuck, need to look something up, or really don’t like a particular sentence or paragraph , I’ll use parentheses to take a quick note, such as (insert car ride scene here), or (what is the acceleration of a mustang?), or (rewrite this sentence). This allows me to keep writing.
What are parentheses used for?
Parentheses are versatile tools for writers. These examples illustrate their uses; use them to enclose the following:
Why do I put a comma around one hopes?
In example #8, I would prefer commas around “one hopes,” not parentheses or em dashes, for two reasons: 1) commas separate interpolated asides, which this is, and 2) I don’t like the way they look.
Do you use double hyphens in place of em dashes?
In the example in my previous comment, I used double hyphens in place of em dashes. They were converted to dashes, more or less. In any case, this is another way to show that example:
Is a sentence capitalized in parentheses?
A partial sentence in parentheses is not capitalized and is not followed by a period but may precede a question mark or exclamation point: “Use a dark, fine-pointed pen (erasable pens allow for neat alteration) or pencil.” “Now that you’re finished (you are finished, aren’t you?), we will proceed.”
Do you use straight brackets in parentheses?
If necessary, straight brackets — [ and ] — should be used within parentheses, just as single quotation marks are used within double quotation marks , but the usage should be avoided if possible. An alternative solution to your example follows:
Is parentheses a good tool?
Parentheses can be a useful tool when writing. However, for the life of me, I cannot understand the modern logic behind the second example above (numerals that confirm a spelled-out number in a contract). Having worked in the legal field for 27 years, I’ve seen it a lot.
Why do we use parentheses in a sentence?
Parentheses are used to add extra information in a sentence. In academic writing, they are most often used to convey technical information such as equations, to introduce acronyms, and for in-text citations.
When to use square brackets for parentheses?
When you want to enclose a set of parentheses inside another set, most style guides recommend using square brackets for the inner element.
When including a citation within a parenthetical element, APA style recommends using a?
When including a citation within a parenthetical element, APA style recommends using commas instead of parentheses or brackets.
Can you use two parentheticals together?
Sometimes you might need to use two parenthetical elements together – for example, when a sentence contains both an acronym and a citation. Style guides disagree about whether it’s okay to place two (or more) parenthetical asides side by side.
Is there a parentheses in APA style?
APA style recommends using a single set of parentheses with a semicolon separating the main elements. The results were sorted by gross domestic product (GDP; Odin, 2018). Chicago also advises this approach, but allows side-by-side parentheses if their content is entirely unrelated.
What are parentheses and brackets?
Parentheses and Brackets. 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.
Why do you use brackets in a quote?
Brackets, sometimes called square brackets, are most often used to show that words have been added to a direct quotation. Sometimes, when quoting a person or document, adding a word or two is necessary to provide enough context for the quote to make sense. For example, the original sentence you want to quote might read “We went ...
Can a parentheses contain a single word?
They can enclose a single word, a phrase, or even an entire sentence. Typically, the words inside the parentheses provide extra information about something else in the sentence. Curators from the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) have announced a new dinosaur exhibit.
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