When parenthetical content occurs in the middle of a larger sentence
, the surrounding punctuation should be placed outside the parentheses, exactly as it would be if the parenthetical content were not there.
Which side of the parentheses does the period go?
When a complete, independent sentence is entirely enclosed by parentheses, the period goes
inside the closing parenthesis
.
Does period go inside or outside parentheses?
In summary: If the parenthetical is part of a larger sentence, then the sentence housing the parenthetical takes care of the punctuation—commas,
periods, and anything else will go outside the parentheses
.
Can you put a whole sentence in parentheses?
An entire sentence in
parentheses is often acceptable without an enclosed period
: Example: Please read the analysis (you’ll be amazed). Rule 2b. Take care to punctuate correctly when punctuation is required both inside and outside parentheses.
When should I use parentheses?
Parentheses ( ) are used
to enclose nonessential or supplemental information in a sentence
. Parentheses are always used in pairs; you must have both an opening and a closing parenthesis. In formal academic writing, it is a good practice to use parentheses sparingly.
Can you use two parentheses in a row?
Do not use a double enclosure or back-to-back parentheses
. Correct: Gender differences may reflect underlying continuous attributes, such as personality (e.g., communion and agency; Spence & Helmreich, 1978).
Where do question marks go in parentheses?
The rules for question marks and parentheses are similar to the rules for question marks and quotation marks. If a question mark applies to the parenthetical information, place the question
mark inside the parentheses
: I saw the chicken (or was it the rooster?) crossing the road.
How do you punctuate a sentence using parentheses?
Punctuation with parentheses is very similar to punctuation with quotation marks. If the information in the parentheses is a separate, complete sentence,
the period at the end of the sentence goes inside the parentheses
. We spent two hours at the zoo. (Most of us could have spent two hours watching the otters.)
What’s the difference between parenthesis and parentheses?
The
singular form is parenthesis
, but the plural parentheses is the word you’re more likely to see. For our purposes, a parenthesis is one of a pair of curved marks that look like this: ( ), and parentheses are both marks. …
What is the difference between brackets and parentheses?
Parentheses are punctuation marks that are used to set off information within a text or paragraph. Brackets, sometimes called square brackets, are most often used to show that words have been added to a direct quotation. …
How do you write an example in parentheses?
Use parentheses to enclose information that clarifies or is used as an aside
. Example: He finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that he did not understand the question. If material in parentheses ends a sentence, the period goes after the parentheses. Example: He gave me a nice bonus ($500).
What does it mean when two parentheses are next to each other?
The next set of parentheses only has one number inside, so it means
multiplication
. We multiply the 7 by the 2 to get 14.
How do you deal with back to back parentheses?
Do not use a double enclosure or back-
to-back parentheses. Correct: Gender differences may reflect underlying continuous attributes, such as personality (e.g., communion and agency; Spence & Helmreich, 1978).
What can I use instead of brackets?
A pair of em dashes
can replace a pair of parentheses. Dashes are considered less formal than parentheses; they are also more intrusive. If you want to draw attention to the parenthetical content, use dashes. If you want to include the parenthetical content more subtly, use parentheses.
Do periods go inside quotation marks?
Put commas and periods within quotation marks
, except when a parenthetical reference follows. … Place the punctuation outside the closing quotation marks if the punctuation applies to the whole sentence.
Do exclamations go inside parentheses?
Put the exclamation
point inside the parentheses when it applies to the words inside the parentheses
. … Put the exclamation point outside the parentheses if it applies to the whole sentence.
