In rhetoric, a parenthesis (plural: parentheses; from the Ancient Greek word παρένθεσις parénthesis ‘injection, insertion’, literally ‘(a) putting in beside’) or parenthetical phrase is an explanatory or qualifying word, clause, or sentence inserted into a passage. (Wikipedia) (See all definitions)
With no state spending, these states would presumably lose their full MIECHV allotment, which we’ve noted in the parentheses:
RELATIONSHIPS
At the time of publication, the following resources were available (ASCD stock numbers appear in parentheses):
EDUCATION
We have all heard these phrases before, and the number of Google hits following them in parentheses attests to their currency in popular culture.
SCIENCE
Below you’ll find benchmark scores for the Galaxy Nexus, plus the scores for the Galaxy S II in parentheses.
TECHNOLOGY
Wow, this is a lot of words between parenthesis).
HEALTH & FITNESS
I have included Gonzales» description of the five stages along with some of my investor related commentary in parentheses:
BUSINESS
Maybe there’s a good way to do that, since I’m pretty hopeless with technology, but I keep thinking that if the author’s name was in the title field (perhaps in parentheses) it would help a lot.
BOOKS
I must stress here what in the last paragraph was noted in a parenthesis: that the ordained ministry acts for and not in stead of the ministry which belongs to each and every member of the fellowship.
RELIGION
We don’t need to know DT itself since it cancels in the square parentheses.
ENVIRONMENT
Amazon uses the series name and adds it in parentheses after the book, in the same line as the title.
BOOKS
Overcome job titles that don’t appear to match the hiring manager’s needs by providing supplemental title information… in parentheses.
JOBS
Just Copy and Paste this link in parenthesis into your web browser: «bestmarriagecounselingtulsa.
RELATIONSHIPS
Another way to do this is to rub clockwise «parentheses» around the belly button, i.e., if the belly button is the center of a clock, one hand moves from ten to one o’clock and the other from four to seven.
PARENTING
Ardath suggests that you ask your salespeople these questions, each of which relates to one of the nine persona components she identified in her talk (as indicated in parentheses):
BUSINESS
Since this is not meant as a complete survey of the artist’s work, West has put the subtitle» (A Retrospective)» in parenthesis.
ART
It’s «green»: We put green in parenthesis because it’s still a gas-guzzling sports car, powered by a V8 engine, to some extent.
AUTOMOBILES
Make your family escapade an unforgettable experience or enhance your business trip with a natural and solar parenthesis.
TRAVEL
Use the promotional codes in the parenthesis below for your purchases:
PARENTING
This pack contains 2 powerpoint lessons: Parenthesis: How brackets, dashes or commas can be used to indicate parenthesis.
EDUCATION
There are 12 punctuation marks covered in this grammar bulletin board displays set: period, question mark, exclamation point, comma, apostrophe, quotation marks, colon, semicolon, parenthesis, ellipsis, hyphen, and dash.
EDUCATION
In that case, just include the GPA next to your honors, in parenthesis.
JOBS
I include my own comments in parentheses.
RELIGION
Catherine had a gap in employment between jobs, so she used years only and de-emphasized the dates by placing them in parentheses.
JOBS
If you feel more comfortable, you can put your exact previous title in parentheses beside the new one.
JOBS
I «m sorry if it appeared unclear — I was actually defining the word «atherogenic» in the parentheses.
HEALTH & FITNESS
It calls for 12 TBSP butter (3/4 stick), and in parentheses, 6 TBSP!
FOOD & BEVERAGES
I commented in parentheses throughout the profiles below what i thought of them and why: Gina is the owner of expert online dating.
DATING
I am merely thumbing my nose at Mosher along the commas and parentheses lines, or trying to add to it in the way that you did, thinking that, haste, makes (waste).
ENVIRONMENT
I would suggest that information for the public be given in ounces or added within parenthesis after grams are given.
HEALTH & FITNESS
As of the end of August 2017, the following cities (from among the 60 I chose) are on track for their warmest year on record (with their record year in parentheses).
ENVIRONMENT
In parenthesis: our projected rankings for these players four years ago.
SPORTS
Anything in parenthesis is our commentary.
BOOKS
For a number of of the offers, you will get a bonus low cost for being a PlayStation Plus member (costs in parentheses under).
GAMING
Titled after Irma Blank’s seminal series Radical Writings, the exhibition offers seven parentheses across generations of artists whose work stand on the border between drawing, knitting and writing.
ART
The numbers in parentheses indicate the films» rankings in our Critics» Poll.
MOVIES & TV
Even a non-mathematician such as the author knows that the parentheses in this formula are unnecessary.
LAW
2.5.1 Distributive Property and Order of Operations — Distribute vs. simplify in parentheses first Why does it work?
EDUCATION
This idiom perhaps was never more appropriately used than when discussing the geographical ideological division of the country during the course of the 2016 presidential election in U.S.A., New York solidly established in the country’s east coast parentheses even furthers the proof of this age-old adage, for if one thing is true it’s that New Yorkers stick together.
ART
Following the guidelines in parenthesis, rely on your imagination and experience to develop each idea in a paragraph of at least four or five sentences.
EDUCATION
The above figure depicts the different components of the carbon cycle, with values in parentheses shown as estimates of the major global carbon reservoirs (Houghton, 2007) in gigatons (GT)(Source: U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science).
SCIENCE
The On-Screen keyboard is not an emoji app, however, and trying to type a smiley-face simply types in text: a colon and a closed parentheses symbol.
TECHNOLOGY
You should never use exclamation points, and colons, semi-colons, parentheses, and quotation marks are hardly ever necessary.
JOBS
TIP: On Amazon, your series name will appear in parentheses beside your book title.
BOOKS
In class, the professor, Joe Zachary, stated that parentheses surrounded the expression but never mentioned that they also surrounded every subexpression — he demonstrated this on the board.
SCIENCE
Use this format for any other special GED equivalency: begin with the appropriate abbreviation and spell out all the words inside a set of parenthesis.
JOBS
For a rap about the order of operations, Kajitani lists operations, order, parenthesis, exponent, multiply, divide, add, and subtract.
EDUCATION
All discounts listed are PlayStation Plus prices if applicable (although other prices are listed within the parentheses if applicable).
GAMING
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, (chosen by the Legislature thereof,)(The preceding words in parentheses superseded by 17th Amendment, section 1.)
LAW
Spell out acronyms the first time you use them, and put the acronym in parentheses after full words.
JOBS
There are currently three games off the board due to injured quarterbacks with their backup listed in parenthesis.
SPORTS
There is a wide variety of punctuation in the English language we can use for many different purposes. Using a range of different punctuation marks allows you to organize your ideas and add meaning to your writing. One piece of punctuation you may want to use is parentheses.
This explanation will look at:
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The definition of parentheses
-
The symbols used to represent parentheses
-
How parentheses are used in sentences
-
Examples of parentheses
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How other pieces of punctuation are used in and around parentheses
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How parentheses differ from brackets
Parentheses Definition
Parentheses are a type of punctuation that come in pairs (an opening and a closing). They are used to add extra information to a sentence or a section of writing. The extra content added using parentheses is referred to as parenthetical content. The parenthetical content can range from a single word to complete or multiple sentences.
The main rule to remember when using parentheses is that the main text (not in the parentheses) must make complete grammatical sense without the parenthetical content.
A good way of knowing if you use parentheses correctly is to read the sentence or piece of text without the text in the parentheses. If the sentence or text still makes perfect sense, then you have used parentheses correctly.
Parentheses Symbol
Parentheses are represented by two rounded brackets that enclose a section of text.
Here, the parentheses are shown highlighted in pink:
(parenthetical content)
As parentheses come in pairs, you must use both halves of the symbol. The only times when you may use a single parenthesis is when you create a smiley face out of punctuation 
However, this, of course, is not a grammatically correct use of parentheses.
So, what can appear within parentheses?
Types of Parenthetical Content in a Sentence
Now let’s look at the different types of parenthetical content that can be added to sentences. As we’ve mentioned, the main use of parentheses is to add extra information to a sentence; however, that extra information can be divided into more specific types of parenthetical content, which we’ll go through here.
Using Parentheses to add Single Words, Phrases, or Complete Sentences
Within a sentence, parenthetical content may come in the form of single words, phrases, or as complete clauses or sentences. Here are some examples of each of these:
Single words
There was one (massive) tree that overshadowed the others completely.
Phrases
The trees all swayed together (rustling and whispering) in the breeze.
Complete clauses or sentences
The trees all had brilliant orange and red leaves (the fall had created a magical atmosphere in the forest).
As well as adding extra information within sentences, parentheses can also be used to add information in separate sentences.
Using Parentheses to add a Separate Sentence
In this instance, the parentheses and parenthetical content appear in a separate sentence from the one it is adding information to. This means the parenthetical content is likely to be a complete sentence as it is not part of another sentence.
Let’s have a look at an example.
Jerry thought he was the best director of the 21st century, especially in the fantasy genre. (His cast wouldn’t want him to know, but they completely agreed.)
Here parentheses are used to add extra information to the first sentence. The added information isn’t necessary for the first sentence to make grammatical sense and is a complete sentence in its own right.
Remember: The main rule of using parentheses is that the text not in the parentheses must still make complete grammatical sense on its own.
Parentheses Examples
We’ve covered the more common uses of parentheses in writing (adding single words, phrases, or sentences to a piece of text), but there are some other, more specific uses of parentheses as well.
These uses include:
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References or dates
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List numbers or letters
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Definitions
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Abbreviations or acronyms
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Translations
Let’s look at some examples of these uses now.
References or Dates
You may see parentheses being used for references or dates, especially in textbooks or academic writing. This is done by putting information such as names, dates, years, or page numbers in parentheses directly after the person or text being discussed.
David Crystal (2006: 289) discusses the relationship between a person’s region and linguistic identity.
Here, the parenthetical content shows the year of the text and the page number of the specific section being discussed.
A reference enclosed in parentheses is also used alongside quotes:
A person’s region is one of «the most widely recognized features of» (Crystal 2006: 289) their linguistic identity.
Here, the reference includes the author’s name, year, and page numbers.
Parentheses may also be used to give a date on its own rather than as part of a reference, as you can see below.
Frankie’s birthday (27th November) was fast approaching.
Fig. 1 — Parentheses can be used to add references (authors, dates, and page numbers) to your writing.
List Numbers or Letters
You can also use parentheses to detail the items in a written list. To do this, you put the numbers or letters in parentheses.
When baking a cake you need to make sure you have some key ingredients: (1) butter, (2) sugar, (3) eggs, and (4) flour.
Instead of numbers, you could instead use letters such as (A), (B), (C), and so on.
Definitions
Another good way to use parentheses is to give definitions of terms. This allows you to explain what a term means without having to break up the main body of text.
Here is an example of how you can add a definition using parentheses:
Porcupines (hedgehog-like mammals with quills all over their bodies) usually eat bark and evergreen needles.
Abbreviations or Acronyms
Abbreviations or acronyms are a further type of information that can appear in parentheses. To do this, follow the abbreviation or acronym with the extended name or title or follow the full name/title with the abbreviation/acronym in parentheses. Once you have done this, you can assume that the reader now knows what the abbreviation or acronym stands for when you use it later in your writing.
Using an abbreviation:
The veterinarian (vet) said that the puppies would be fine after some rest and food.
Using an acronym:
UNICEF (The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) does a lot of work toward helping children gain access to clean water.
or
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF ) does a lot of work toward helping children gain access to clean water.
Remember, an abbreviation is a shortened form of a word (vet, tsp, no., ave.), and an acronym is an abbreviated form of a phrase or multiword name where the initial letters are pronounced as one word (NASA, UNICEF, SCUBA).
Translations
A final common type of parenthetical content is translations. When you use phrases or words in other languages, you may need to give translations so that your reader can follow what you’re discussing.
The only words Finn knew in Spanish were hola (hello) and me llamo (my name is), which weren’t going to get him far on his backpacking trip.
Now that we’ve had a look at a few different uses of parentheses, let’s move on to see how other pieces of punctuation are used with parentheses.
Parentheses and Other Punctuation
When using parentheses, it can be confusing to remember where to put other pieces of punctuation. Does the period go inside or outside the parentheses? This depends on how the parentheses are used.
Example 1: The head teacher reprimanded us for using hair dye (we all knew she was just jealous of us — no amount of hair dye was going to improve her bird’s nest).
Example 2: The head teacher had a rule against hair dye (apparently, it looks unprofessional to have bright pink hair at school), but everyone knew she wasn’t naturally ginger.
Example 3: Joni had never had her hair dyed, so we dyed it blue for her at the sleepover. (I’ll never admit that it was me who messed up and got permanent color instead of wash-out.)
Fig. 2 — It’s important to know when and where to use different pieces of punctuation with parentheses.
When you use parentheses in a sentence (whether it be in the middle with more text after, or at the end), always make sure to follow these rules:
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If the parentheses appear at the end of a sentence, use the period on the outside of the parentheses (example 1)
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If the parentheses appear within a sentence, use the correct punctuation (such as commas) after the parentheses to make the sentence grammatically correct (example 2)
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If the parentheses appear as a separate sentence, use all the relevant punctuation within the parentheses (example 3)
Brackets vs. Parentheses
Now then, you might have been wondering while reading this: How are parentheses different from brackets?
The terms brackets and parentheses are often used interchangeably to refer to the rounded punctuation marks we’ve been discussing — ( ). The two terms do, however, refer to separate pieces of punctuation. Let’s have a look at the key differences.
|
Brackets |
Parentheses |
|
| Symbol |
[ ] |
( ) |
| Uses/facts |
|
|
| Example | «We’ve been [to the new butterfly house]; it was so magical!» | The new butterfly house offers an amazing and magical experience (if you can cope with the tropical temperatures). |
In summary, we use brackets to add specific information to a quote that wasn’t initially present but is needed to set the context and ensure the quote makes sense.
Parentheses — Key Takeaways
- Parentheses are a type of punctuation used to add extra information to a sentence or paragraph and are represented by two curved lines ( ).
- The information within parentheses is referred to as parenthetical content and can be single words, phrases, or entire sentences.
- A sentence that uses parentheses must make complete grammatical sense without the parenthetical content.
- There are specific rules concerning parentheses and other punctuation — when parentheses are used at the end of a sentence, the period is written outside the parentheses. When the parentheses enclose a completely separate sentence, the period is written inside.
- Parentheses and brackets can be easily confused:
- parentheses are rounded ( ) and give the writer a way of adding extra information
- brackets are square [ ] and allow a writer to add extra words or phrases into a quote
As we write, we sometimes find it necessary to add a little more context for the reader. Parenthetical comments are a common way to add a brief aside or more than one aside, but what do we call this? Is it “parenthesis” or “parentheses”?
The main difference between “parenthesis” and “parentheses” is that of the singular and plural forms. We’re most likely to see and use the plural form, as parentheses () are punctuation marks we use to interrupt a sentence by adding explanatory information. We can also refer to the explanatory information itself as a parenthesis.
This article will explore the difference between the singular and plural forms of “parenthesis,” the purpose of parentheses, and how to use both terms correctly.
Is Parentheses Singular or Plural?
Most often, the word “parenthesis” indicates one of a pair of punctuation marks known together as “parentheses.” Parentheses look like this: ( ). We can refer to either one of these curved marks as a parenthesis, and as a pair, we refer to them as parentheses in American English, while British English refers to them as round brackets.
However, we can also refer to the information enclosed within those punctuation marks as a “parenthesis.” If you have more than one such parenthetical expression, you have parentheses. A parenthesis amplifies or explains something while interrupting the normal flow of the sentence (source).
What Are Parentheses?
A parenthesis is a parenthetical expression. We use parentheses in English to add information explaining something or supplementing an idea in a sentence. Since they tend to interrupt the flow of the sentence, synonyms for a parenthesis include divergence, interlude, or aside (source).
We can even apply it to mean something that interrupted the normal flow of something else, like your life. Merriam-Webster provides the example of war acting as a parenthesis of someone’s regular life.
A “parenthesis” can be a single word, a clause, a phrase, or even a complete sentence.
There is a lot of grammatical leeway for writers to use parentheses to add interest, color, and subtle nuances to their writing. It can give your writing a little more pop, and it will always add interesting additional information to a sentence.
However, parentheses can make sentences long and convoluted, and we should, therefore, use them sparingly.
What Is an Example of a Parenthesis?
When we use a parenthesis or parenthetical comment in a sentence, the key thing to remember is we should be able to remove the parenthetical expression without changing the meaning or grammatical integrity of the sentence in question. Therefore:
My sister (and her dog) is coming to visit me today.
As you can see, you can remove the parenthesis and the surrounding parentheses in bolded text entirely, and the sentence will still read correctly:
My sister is coming to visit me today.
The addition of parentheses in this sentence indicates it is more important to the speaker that her sister is visiting, and the dog is simply an afterthought or aside.
Pay Attention to Verb Conjugation
Should you choose to write the sentence without parentheses, you would need to change the verb “is” to accommodate the additional subject. For example:
My sister and her dog are coming to visit me today.
My sister (and her dog) is coming to visit me today.
We conjugated the verb for the plural subject “My sister and her dog” when not using a parenthetical comment with punctuation. However, as soon as we add that information as an aside with parentheses, we must conjugate for the singular subject “My sister” instead.
This means that you should pay very careful attention to how you conjugate verbs for either singular or plural subjects. Below, we’ve included a few more examples of correctly and incorrectly conjugating verbs when using parentheses:
| CORRECT | INCORRECT |
|---|---|
| This dog (and others like him) always pulls on the lead. | This dog (and others like him) always pull on the lead. |
| My friend (and her mom) likes the new coffee shop. | My friend (and her mom) like the new coffee shop. |
Parentheses vs. Round Brackets
We often use the word “parentheses” in its plural form to mean the curved lines that add additional information to a sentence. However, in countries where British English is dominant, the term for this punctuation mark is round or curved brackets.
In American English, brackets are a completely different form of punctuation, looking like this: [ ]. In contrast, British English refers to these as square brackets (source).
We similarly use brackets or square brackets to provide additional information, but they more often function as an editor’s comment. For example, we might use them to note odd spelling or missing words in a quote or add context to a sentence as editorial comments.
Parenthetical Comments, Commas, and Em Dashes
| Parentheses | Commas | Em Dashes |
|---|---|---|
| ( ) | , , | — — or — — |
You can punctuate a parenthetical comment with parentheses, commas, or em dashes, but there is a change in emphasis. Parentheses tend to minimize the importance of the parenthetical comment, while em dashes and commas tend to accentuate them (source).
We expect the president (and his team) at five o’clock.
We expect the president, and his team, at five o’clock.
We expect the president — and his team — at five o’clock.
Unlike em dashes, we can place commas after a parenthetical comment followed by an independent clause.
She arrived home (it was already dark outside), and then she made dinner.
It was a quiet evening after a long day (filled to the brim with activities), and she was tired.
He liked her so much (for her smile and humor), so he immediately asked her out.
I signed up for the trial period of a new app (and enjoyed it tremendously), so I upgraded to Premium.
We use commas to connect compound sentences with more than one independent clause using “for,” “and,” “nor,” “but,” “or,” “yet,” or “so” (FANBOYS).
For more on how to use commas with “so,” make sure you read our article on this topic.
Specialized Functions of Parentheses
There is a certain freedom that writers have when using parentheses because we can utilize them in so many different ways. They can add information, add color and nuance, or simply comment on what the sentence already says.
However, there are certain special cases when the use of parentheses is the rule rather than a choice (source).
Lists and Phone Numbers
If you are listing or numbering something in a sentence, we can place the numbers or letters in parentheses to make it easier to read. For example:
Please add the following three documents to your application: (1) a profile photo, (2) a cover letter, and (3) at least four contactable references.
We usually place area codes of phone numbers in parentheses:
Please get in touch with us by calling our hotline at (212) 555 8910.
Adding Short Bits of Information
We often place time zones as abbreviations in parentheses after the statement of the exact time:
The meeting will take place tomorrow morning at 09:00 (EST).
We always place short translations of foreign words in parentheses:
My knowledge of French is limited to bonjour (hello) and je t’aime (I love you).
Particularly in historical writing, we place a person’s year of birth and year of death in parentheses:
Lady Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997), was one of the most beloved members of the Royal Family.
Explaining Abbreviation or Acronyms
We should always place abbreviations and acronyms, which are shortened forms of words, in parentheses.
There are two ways in which to do this. Firstly, you can place the abbreviation or acronym in parentheses after writing the word out in full and then refer to it as the abbreviation or acronym for the rest of the document.
The second way you can use it is first to use the abbreviation and place the description in parentheses should you feel that your readers may not know the meaning of the abbreviation or acronym in question. For example:
Philip Truter is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of a very large corporation. He has held the CFO position for a number of years.
A computer needs a lot of RAM (Random Access Memory) for you to be able to play online games.
Using Punctuation Marks with Parentheses
In English, it is essential to follow specific rules when using punctuation and parentheses. Let’s take a look at some of the most common examples.
Periods and Capitalization
A period is a dot that you put at the end of the sentence, and it is, perhaps, the most common of all punctuation marks and the one that second-language learners tend to learn first. British English refers to this same punctuation mark as the full stop.
When it comes to parentheses and parenthetical content, we can use the period in two ways.
If the content in the parentheses is a complete sentence that stands on its own in a larger chunk of text, we place the full stop inside of the last parenthesis or the last pair of the parentheses.
Additionally, if a parenthetical sentence stands on its own, we will also capitalize the first word as it would be for an ordinary sentence. For example:
It is possible to eat an entire pizza in one sitting. (Although it wouldn’t be a good idea to do this regularly.) We can also make pizza using gluten-free flour.
If we add the parenthetical content to the end of a longer sentence, we should place the period outside of the last parenthesis. For example:
It is possible to eat an entire pizza in one sitting (although we do not recommend it).
If the parenthetical content is in the middle of a sentence, it does not receive any capitalization or period. For example:
It is possible to eat an entire pizza in one sitting (although I wouldn’t recommend it) and still have room for dessert.
Question Marks and Exclamation Marks
We use question marks and exclamation marks fairly often in the English language, and they change the nature of the sentence. Although question marks and exclamation marks always go at the end of a sentence, we can make an exception where it concerns parentheses. This article was written for strategiesforparents.com
When using parentheses, even in the middle of a sentence, the writer can choose to add a question mark or exclamation mark. You will then not capitalize the next word as you may in ordinary writing, as you will remember that the parenthetical content does not change the grammatical structure of the sentence it is in (source).
She was very smart (and beautiful too!), which is why he liked her so much.
They verified my credentials for the job (why wouldn’t they?), and the company hired me the next day.
There are numerous punctuation marks in the English language, so it is useful for second-language learners to invest in helpful study aids to understand how they can use them.
Final Thoughts
The difference between the words “parenthesis” and “parentheses” is that “parentheses” is the plural form while “parenthesis” is the singular. You are most likely to use and hear the word “parentheses” in English when referring to the pair of curved lines we use to set off additional information from the rest of the sentence.
When we do use the term “parenthesis,” it is most often in reference to the parenthetical comment itself or, more broadly, to refer to an interruption in the normal course of events.
The parenthetical content inside the curved lines can often stand on its own and will never interfere with the grammatical structure of the sentence (remember that, and you’re good to go).
Parenthesis and parentheses are two sides of the same coin. They are common punctuation marks resembling curved brackets ( ) that are used to enclose non-essential or explanatory information in your sentences.
The difference is that parenthesis is the singular form of the punctuation, while parentheses are the plural form. Sometimes, parenthesis also refers to the enclosed non-essential information.
In this article, we’ll look at the difference between parenthesis vs parentheses and how to use them correctly.
Quick Definition and Meaning of Parenthesis
A parenthesis is a punctuation mark that encloses an aside or non-essential information in a sentence. Parenthesis is the single expression of this punctuation mark and resembles a curved vertical line.
The opening parenthesis, which looks like (, is used to begin parenthetical text. The closing parenthesis, ), denotes the end of the parenthetical information.
Parentheses refers to a pair or more of these punctuation marks. Whenever you’re using parentheses in your writing to include additional information, always remember that it’s grammatically incorrect to just use one opening parenthesis or one closing parenthesis. You must always use parentheses in pairs.
Parentheses are also known as round brackets or curved brackets, but these alternative names are only common in British English.
We use parentheses to add information that is classified as non-essential to the sentence that it’s in. It’s simply an aside or an afterthought. In fact, we can remove information enclosed in parentheses from a sentence, and the sentence would still make sense.
- I visited Paris (which was full of tourists) while I was travelling through Europe.
In the example above, the parentheses enclose the parenthetical statement, «which was full of tourists,” which adds a bit of information to the sentence. However, if we removed the statement, the overall meaning would still be the same.
In some cases, you may see a parenthesis described as the word, phrase, or expression that is enclosed in parentheses. Those enclosed expressions are also referred to as a “parenthetical element.” It’s better to reserve the word parenthesis for the punctuation mark for clarity.
What’s the Singular Form: Parenthesis or Parentheses?
The singular form is parenthesis, which is only one of the curved brackets, while the plural parentheses denotes the pair of open and closed curved brackets. Both words are of Greek origin. In terms of using the punctuation marks, you will almost always want to use them as a pair (parentheses).
The work of parentheses is similar to that of other pairs of punctuation marks, like the comma and em-dash. They all interrupt the flow of sentences. In fact, in certain instances, information set off by parentheses can also be set off by commas or em-dashes.
- My friend Emily (who is two years older than me) is coming to my apartment later.
- My friend Emily—who is two years older than me—is coming to my apartment later.
- My friend Emily, who is two years older than me, is coming to my apartment later.
Emily’s age difference isn’t essential to the meaning of the sentence, so we set it aside using punctuation.
Sometimes, the parenthetical element is an entire sentence. You can put the whole thought in parentheses, as in the example below:
- My friend Emily is coming to my house later. (She’s two years older than me.)
If you put an entire sentence in parentheses, put the ending punctuation before the closing parenthesis. However, if the parentheses are part of another sentence, close them before the end marks.
Examples of Parenthesis vs Parentheses Used in Sentences
In sum, the information found in parentheses can be a word, a sentence fragment, or an entire sentence. Let’s look at a few examples.
- Your use of critical analysis in the last essay (which was fluently written) demonstrated how to form a convincing argument.
- We’re so glad you could be here tonight (particularly the long-time fans), and now I ask you to put your phones on silent as we begin the show.
- Please look closely at the picture. (You’ll be surprised.)
- Jonathan perfected his slide tackle (after months of practice at home) and could now join the school’s football team.
- Most of the visitors (the only exception was Oliver) were vegetarian.
We can also find the use of parentheses in literary works when authors want to add secondary information or an aside in their thoughts:
what if a much of a which of a wind
gives the truth to summer’s lie;
bloodies with dizzying leaves the sun
and yanks immortal stars awry?
Blow king to beggar and queen to seem
(blow friend to fiend: blow space to time)
when skies are hanged and oceans drowned,
the single secret will still be man
—E.E. Cummings, “what if a much of a wind”
Here’s another example:
And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed). Kid, you’ll move mountains.
—Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go
While parentheses are used to enclose supplemental information, they also have special functions such as enclosing numbers or letters that introduce items in a list or outline.
- I will be visiting three different cities in the United Kingdom: (1) London, (2) Bristol, and (3) Manchester.
- Throughout the experiment, participants were told to avoid (a) fizzy drinks (b) fried food (c) caffeine.
Parentheses can be used in formal writing, such as academic papers. They are used to enclose abbreviations, citations, or just to include referencing quotes.
- The The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) utilises TV and radio.
What Does “Parens” Mean?
Sometimes, you might see the word “parens” used in texts. Parens is actually the shortened version of parentheses.
It’s most frequently seen in informal contexts. Like parentheses, it also refers to the pair of punctuation marks that resemble vertical curves.
Conclusion: Parenthesis vs Parentheses = Singular vs Plural
Now you understand the difference between parenthesis vs parentheses. Use parenthesis for a single punctuation mark and parentheses for two or more. Check your punctuation usage with ProWritingAid’s free grammar checker, so you never misuse a punctuation mark.
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Parentheses (constantly utilized in sets) enable an essayist to give extra data. The incidental material may be a solitary word, a section, or different finished sentences.
Whatever the material inside the Parentheses, it must not be syntactically necessary to the encompassing sentence. In the event that it is, the sentence must be recast. This is a simple misstep to maintain a strategic distance from. Basically, read your sentence without the parentheses substance. On the off chance that it bodes well, the parentheses are satisfactory; on the off chance that it doesn’t, the accentuation must be changed.
Example:
- Correct: The president (and his assistant) traveled by private jet.
Incorrect: The president (and his assistant) were expected to arrive by 10:00 a.m.
At the point when a parenthetical sentence remains without anyone else, the end accentuation check for the sentence is set inside the end parenthesis. The possibility that hypothetical material science can be educated without reference to complex arithmetic is obviously crazy.
At the point when parenthetical substance happens toward the finish of a bigger sentence, the end accentuation stamp for the sentence is set outside the end enclosure.
At the point when parenthetical substance happens amidst a bigger sentence, the encompassing accentuation ought to be set outside the enclosures, precisely as it would be if the incidental substance were not there.
At the point when an entire sentence happens in parentheses amidst a bigger sentence, it should not be promoted nor end with a period—however a question mark or outcry point is satisfactory.
Rule # 1
Use parentheses to enclose information that clarifies or is used as an aside.
Example:
- He at long last replied (subsequent to taking five minutes to figure) that he didn’t comprehend the inquiry.
If the material in parentheses ends a sentence, the period goes after the parentheses.
Example:
- He gave me a decent reward ($500).
Commas could have been used in the first example; a colon could have been used in the second example. The use of parentheses indicates that the writer considered the information less important—almost an afterthought.
Rule # 2
Periods go inside parentheses just if a whole sentence is inside the enclosures.
Examples:
- Please read the examination. (You’ll be astonished.)
- Please read the investigation (you’ll be flabbergasted).
Take care to intersperse effectively when accentuation is required both inside and outside enclosures.
Example:
- You are late (right?).
Note the question mark inside the enclosures. The period after the brackets is important to conclude the whole sentence. Brackets, notwithstanding appearances, are not part of the subject.
Example:
- Joe (and his trusty mutt) was constantly welcome.
On the off chance that this appears to be ungainly, take a stab at reworking the sentence:
Example:
- Joe (joined by his trusty mutt) was constantly welcome.
- Commas will probably pursue brackets than go before them.
Examples:
- When he returned home, (it was at that point dull outside) he settled for supper.
- When he returned home (it was at that point dull outside), he settled for supper.
Sections are far less basic than brackets, and they are just utilized in uncommon cases. Sections (like single quotes) are utilized solely inside cited material
An entire sentence in parentheses is often accepted without an enclosed period:
Example:
- Please read the analysis (you’ll be amazed).
Take care to punctuate correctly when punctuation is required both inside and outside parentheses.
Example:
- You are late (aren’t you?).
Note the question mark within the parentheses. The period after the parentheses is necessary to bring the entire sentence to a close.
Rule # 3
Parentheses, despite appearances, are not part of the subject.
Example:
- Joe (and his trusty mutt) was always welcome.
If this seems awkward, try rewriting the sentence:
Example:
- Joe (accompanied by his trusty mutt) was always welcome.
Rule # 4
Commas are more likely to follow parentheses than precede them.
Example:
- Incorrect: When he got home, (it was already dark outside) he fixed dinner.
Correct: When he got home (it was already dark outside), he fixed dinner.
Rule # 5
There are many different formats for citing authors and sources within a scholarly text. Many of these formats request that information such as authors’ names and year of publication be given in a parenthetical citation. When providing citations, be sure that it is clear to your readers what exactly the citation pertains to.
Example:
- “The proportional carbon content of this component, 20%, is very similar to that found in pine trees (Winston et al. 2010),” implying that the present study has replicated Winston et al.’s prior finding regarding the carbon content of pine trees.
- In contrast: “The proportional carbon content of this component, 20%, is very similar to that found in pine trees (See Winston et al. 2010 for a detailed description of the analyses)” clarifies that Winston et al. established the method by which this analysis was carried out, but may not have necessarily had the same findings.
Rule # 6
The first time that an abbreviation appears in the main text, it should appear within parentheses next to its full form:
Example:
- “Interest rates at First Regional Bank (FRB) have risen steadily over the past 20 years, despite FRB’s official corporate policy of offering affordable rates to the community.”
Rule # 7
Utilize brackets when you imagine that perusers may profit by a concise definition or rehashing of a word. Such incidental content can be a smart thought when a word has numerous conceivable distinctive definitions, or when you are utilizing an older particular word with a group of people who may not be comfortable with it. The accompanying precedent outlines not just a word that has numerous elective implications, however, one that is being utilized in a way that is likely not well-known to generally perusers:
Example:
“Sports gamblers can spend hours debating the spread (i.e., the number of points between the winner and the loser) of a big upcoming game.”
Rule # 8
Utilize brackets to present terms; i.e., words or expressions that have an unmistakably characterized importance or extension. Terms introduced incidentally are emphasized. For instance, in the sentence, “Patients were solicited to give models from terrible encounters (injury) they had encountered as kids,” injury is situationally characterized as alluding to “awful encounters.” In a paper talking about injury, the exact and steady meaning of this term guarantees that perusers don’t have any significant bearing on one of the numerous other sensible meanings of injury. Note that “i.e.” can also be used instead of parentheses to denote explanations of terms:
Example:
“Patients were asked to give examples of bad experiences, i.e., trauma, they had experienced as children.”
Conclusion
The last motivation to utilize parenthetical content is to pass on interference or an aside. This is normal in writing while repeating talked words: “Now, similarly as the princess was believing that all was lost—truly, Hattie, the princess’ name was Jenny, much the same as your dolly—she heard a booming thump at the front entryway.”
Interference may likewise be proper in exceptionally casual academic composition: “English is a troublesome dialect to learn, particularly for the individuals who have neither a Romance nor a Germanic local tongue.”
Notwithstanding, an excessive number of intrusions make it difficult for perusers to pursue your paper’s rationale or punctuation, and may demonstrate authoritative issues. On the off chance that you truly imagine that it is useful to perusers to embed such an inconsequential snippet of data, a commentary or end note might be less diverting.
Abbreviations and acronyms
On the first use of an abbreviation or acronym that might not be understood by your readers, the full term can be provided in parentheses.
John Smith has been appointed CKO (chief knowledge officer) of the merged company.
In reverse, an acronym or abbreviation can be provided in parentheses upon its first use, and then used in place of the full term in the remainder of the document.
In conducting the study, researchers relied on positron emission tomography (PET) and, to a lesser extent, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Parentheses and brackets must never be used interchangeably.
Rule 1. Brackets are interruptions. When we see them, we know they’ve been added by someone else. They are used to explain or comment on the quotation.
Examples:
“Four score and seven [today we’d say eighty-seven] years ago…”
“Bill shook hands with [his son] Al.”