Parenthesis
A parenthesis is the symbols ( ) that are put around a word, phrase, or sentence in a piece of writing to show that what is inside them should be considered separate from the main part.
Parentheses are a pair of punctuation marks that separate inessential information from the sentence or add an aside to a sentence.
We use them in three ways;
1.It indicates remarks by the writer of a text.
John ( my best friend) is getting married next month. In this example, it is not important to know who John is to make the sentence meaningful, but, by this way, we give extra information. When we omit the parentheses, it must make sense. The sentence should be correct grammatically.
2. To specify a definition or give a reference, we use parentheses as in the example below.
In today’s newspaper, there is a piece of interesting news “ Why we shouldn’t write off Johnson just yet.” (by Daniel Finkelstein, The Times).
3.Parentheses show interruptions.
I was walking in the forest and dogs were barking (woof woof!) which made me very afraid.
How do we punctuate with Parentheses?
- If a parenthesis is used for incomplete sentences, punctuation marks are used out of the parenthesis.
I love cakes (and cookies) a lot.
She bought me an expensive bag (and a small purse) for me and my sister.
2. If a sentence is followed by a full sentence in the parenthesis, it should have all its punctuation in the parenthesis.
While he was watching outside the window, he was also thinking about his new book. (He was a well-known author.)
3. When a sentence in parenthesis is used in a long sentence to give extra information, a punctuation mark is used after the parenthesis.
Hollywood has piled on with serious movies “ Dallas Buyers Club” and “The Danish Girl” ( about Lili Elbe, one of the first transgender women to undergo sex-reassignment surgery), but both starred cisgender — meaning non-contrast-men.
