- Use parentheses (( )) to set off words, phrases, clauses, or sentences which are used by way of explanation, translation, or comment, but which are independent constructions.
• Carlos wanted a red car (Corvette).
• Take this over to that girl (the one in the front row with the red hair) and tell her to read it.
• Alexis retook the test after school. (She had failed it the first time.)
- When using parentheses with other punctuation marks, punctuate the main part of the sentence as if the parenthetical portion was not there. A punctuation mark comes after the second parenthesis if the punctuation mark applies to the whole sentence and not just to the parenthetical portion.
• Although Suzanne has three pets (two birds and a dog), she left them with her boyfriend when she went home for Christmas.
• Did they buy that big house (the one with the two-car garage)?
Place the punctuation mark inside the second parenthesis if the punctuation mark applies only to material within the parenthetical portion.
• I heard that it was an emergency. (Did they get there in time?) He should have been more careful.
Use parentheses to enclose a number, letter, or symbol when used as an appositive, which defines or identifies another word or group of words.
• There were eight (8) new rules added to the club’s bylaws at the last meeting.
• The Greek letter delta (
) often is used in mathematics to indicate a “derivative.”
• Be sure to include a copyright (©) symbol in that statement.
Use parentheses to enclose the area code of a phone number.
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