The other possibilities include commas and... 2. In the second sentence, however, the comma is used to punctuate the main sentence (specifically, to separate the dependent and independent clauses). Like some other punctuation marks, parentheses are used in prose to set apart some text in a sentence, such as an explanation, observation, aside, or digression. ‘The parentheses in that sentence are meant to be tongue-in-cheek, and that's really the tone I was aiming for there: a straightforward description with a little bit of irony added.’ ‘One instantly recognizes his modulated and finely tuned free verse line, with its meandering parentheses and … They are used to explain or comment on the quotation. More example sentences. An example of parentheses in use would be: The important information in this sentence is that the students are foul-mouthed. “A term ending in ‘ (s)’ is both plural and singular. What is parenthesis? Please see our posts (All About) Parentheses and Parentheses for more information on when parentheses are appropriate. Parentheses (or round brackets, especially in British English) separate information that isn’t exactly essential to the meaning of the rest of the sentence. By the end of the 16th century, the parenthesis (from the Latin for "insert beside") had begun to assume its modern role, as Richard Mulcaster explained in "Elementarie," which was published in 1582: In her book "Quoting Speech in Early English," Colette Moore notes that parentheses, like other marks of punctuation, originally had both "elocutionary and grammatical" functions: Spanning more than 400 years (Moore's book was published in 2011), both authors say essentially the same thing: Parentheses separate text that, while important in that it adds meaning, is less significant than the text that falls outside of these punctuation marks. Many articles have be… Parenthesis adds extra information to a sentence. When quoting something that has a spelling or grammar mistake or presents material in a confusing way, insert the term sic in italics and enclose it in nonitalic (unless the surrounding text is italic) brackets. The boss (who had walked in just in time to see the accident) was furious. Although writers usually need only one set of parentheses or brackets at a time, for more complex material they may need an enclosure within an enclosure (referred to as a double enclosure in this post). ‘Similarly, if the sentence about snow were named with the numeral 88 inside a pair of parentheses, then would be true just in case it is snowing.’. Brackets are far less common than parentheses, and they are only used in special cases. The Chicago Manual of Style Online explains that parentheses, which are stronger than commas or dashes, set off material from the surrounding text, adding that; "Like dashes but unlike commas, parentheses can set off text that has no grammatical relationship to the rest of the sentence." ses [puh-ren-thuh-seez]. As you might have noticed, parentheses consist of two brackets: Opening parenthesis: (. How to use parenthesis in a sentence. This video shows you what parenthesis is and how to use it your writing; including brackets, commas and dashes. The punctuation mark parenthesis is represented by two curved semi circles one after the other and appears as ( ). and e.g. Parentheses ( ) are used to enclose nonessential or supplemental information in a sentence. Rule 2. The parenthesis is a punctuation mark, which is written or typed as an upright curved line. Parentheses and brackets are used to enclose and set off material from the main text. Bracketsare the squared off notations ([]) used for technical explanations or to clarify meaning. Rule 2b. (Bring it quickly!) In the first sentence, the commas within the parentheses are necessary because they separate items in a series, and this series makes up the information within the parentheses. Here’s an extreme example: “The sculptor (s) has (have) to know the type (s) of marble used, the place (s) of origin, and the stress (es) it (they) can withstand.”. Intelligence tests (e.g., the Stanford-Binet) are no longer widely used. An entire sentence in parentheses is often acceptable without an enclosed period: Example: Please read the analysis (you'll be amazed). Define in parentheses. Many articles have been publi… and e.g. Use parentheses to enclose information that clarifies or is used as an aside. 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