Parentheses serve a similar function to commas and em dashes in that they separate material that is not essential to the meaning of a sentence. They have been described as stronger than a comma and equal to the dash in terms of its effect.
Parentheses are used to:
Ste off definitions
Set off explanations for translations
Set off text with no grammatical relationship with the rest of the sentence
However, parentheses with their structure pose some challenges in terms of punctuation. In this article, I discuss what parentheses are and how to use them. I also provide numerous examples
1. What are parentheses?
Parentheses are a pair of punctuation marks that appear as marked curved outward facing each other. They are used to set apart material that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
They have a similar function to commas in that they set off material from the rest of the sentence. Here are examples of parentheses being used in this way:
The conference room (oddly painted bright orange) was surprisingly quiet.
Joanna couldn’t find her notebook (or anything else she needed) in the mess on her desk.
He kept glancing at the clock (the one that was still an hour behind) as he waited for the meeting to end.
The new intern arrived early (which, to be honest, shocked everyone) on her first day.
We’re hoping to visit the beach next month (if it doesn’t rain, of course).
Charles spent the afternoon working in his garden (his favorite weekend activity) until sunset.
She tried to remember the name of the restaurant (not that it really mattered) while making plans with her friend.
2. Using parentheses for translations and explanations
Parentheses are used to enclose explanations or glosses for unfamiliar terms or translations of other languages. This allows the reader to consult the meaning, explanation, or translation of the without breaking the flow of the sentence.
Here are examples of parentheses being used to enclose translations and explanations:
She greeted everyone with a cheerful "¡Buenos días!" (Good morning!).
The sign above the door read Entree libre (Free entry).
He whispered Je t'aime (I love you) as they walked along the Seine.
Her mother always said La vida es bella (Life is beautiful).
The waiter smiled and said Grazie mille (Thank you very much) as he brought their food.
Here are examples of parentheses being used to enclose unfamiliar terms:
The researchers measured the pH (a scale used to determine acidity or alkalinity) of the solution before proceeding.
The software uses an API (application programming interface) to communicate between different applications.
The patient was diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure) and prescribed medication.
They detected a large amount of CO₂ (carbon dioxide) in the air samples from the factory.
During the experiment, the scientist used a centrifuge (a machine that spins samples to separate components by density) to isolate the liquid layers.
3. Parentheses within parentheses
There are instances when parentheses occur within parentheses. This usually causes confusion to readers. To make things more clear, you should turn the inner set of parentheses into square brackets ([]).
Here are examples of parentheses being used in this way:
The study's results (see Appendix A [Table 3] for detailed statistics) suggest a strong correlation between variables.
Smith’s theory (often criticized by later scholars [e.g., Johnson, 2015]) has remained a cornerstone of sociological research.
This process (illustrated in Figure 4 [p. 22]) highlights the primary stages of cellular division.
The analysis focused on specific demographic groups (particularly the younger age bracket [18-24 years]) to determine trends in technology use.
Several languages (including Romance languages [e.g., French, Spanish, Italian]) were examined for shared syntactic structures.
4. Parentheses with other punctuation
Punctuating with parentheses can be tricky. Here are rules to follow when punctuating parentheses.
a. An opening parentheses should be preceded by either a comma or semicolon only in an enumeration:
There are only two ways to go about this: (1) Call him back or (2) stop mentioning him.
b. A closing parentheses should never have a comma, semicolon, or colon before it if they belong to the material in the parentheses.
c. Place question marks, exclamation points, and closing quotation marks before the parentheses if they belong to the material within parentheses. Place them after if they don’t belong.
d. Place a period before the closing parenthesis if the entire sentence is in parentheses.
How EminentEdit can help
At EminentEdit, we offer content editing and academic editing services that cover all aspects of writing, including punctuation. Our editing and proofreading services provide the final polishing touches that make sure that your punctuation matches the style guide that you are working with.
We also make sure that even before any work gets done we both are on the same page through clear and effective communication. Take a look at our editing SOP below.
Our services don't just start with proofreading the final product. It also includes help from the very start, such as editing and double-checking your thesis or academic essay proposals. Our academic editing services include:
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Proofreading to make sure your writing is grammatically correct with proper spelling and punctuation
Get in touch through our contact page here: CONTACT US AT EMINENT EDIT. Good luck with your research writing!
Cite this EminentEdit article |
Antoine, M. (2024, November 11). Parentheses. https://www.eminentediting.com/post/parentheses |
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