Grammar Video
Grammar Rule: Parentheses and Brackets
Explanation of Rule:
Parentheses: Parentheses are the round version of brackets and are very similar to commas. ( ). They are used to expand on an afterthought by contributing a point to the sentence that occurs after the sentence was derived. They add extra information, by adding a point that when removed does not change the independent clause. It can also be used to add interruptions to the sentence in a way that keeps the flow of writing. An example of how to use a parentheses would be: I visited Kathmandu (which was full of tourists) on my way to the Himalayas for a trekking expedition. This example works because the information added is not necessary to the point of the sentence if it is removed the sentence can still stand on it’s own. Periods are placed on the outside of the parentheses, unless the entire independent thought is expressed from start to finish in the parentheses.
Brackets: Brackets are the square version of Parentheses. They are used in technical manuals, literature, interviews and speeches. They can clarify, correct, further expand and help with the integration of mid-sentence quotes from these materials. When using a vague quote from one of these materials, it’s helpful to add information in brackets to further define what is meant by the original material. Brackets can be used to identify grammatical mistakes, by using the word [sic] in brackets, it notifies the reader that the original material has been copied exactly, mistakes included. “Rory started at Chilton [a private school].” would be a great example of one of the uses of brackets. because if the reader does not know what Chilton is, the brackets help to clarify what was meant. If the writer would like to integrate a quotation mid-sentence, square brackets can be placed around the first letter so that it can be capitalized. Just as with parentheses, periods are placed on the outside of the brackets, unless the entire independent thought is expressed from start to finish in the brackets
Parentheses and Brackets can be used together if there is the need to further expand on an afterthought or extra information. During a prolonged visit to Australia, Gleuk and an assistant (James Green, who was later to make his own study of a flightless bird [the kiwi] in New Zealand) spent several difficult months observing the survival behaviour of cassowaries and emus. This example works because the parentheses were used to elaborate on the word assistant. Furthermore, the brackets are used to clarify what was meant by a flightless bird.
Work Cited:
Straus, Jane, and GrammarBook. “Parentheses and Brackets.” GrammarBook.com | Your #1 Source for Grammar and Punctuation, Jane Straus/GrammarBook, www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/parens.asp.
2. https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-grammar/brackets-and-parentheses/
“Brackets and Parentheses | English Grammar.” EF Blog, EF Education First Ltd., www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-grammar/brackets-and-parentheses/.
3. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/punctuation/parentheses-and-brackets
Oxford University Press. “Parentheses and Brackets ( ) [ ] | Oxford Dictionaries.” Oxford Dictionaries | English, Oxford Dictionaries, en.oxforddictionaries.com/punctuation/parentheses-and-brackets.
4. https://www.dictionary.com/e/parentheses/
Dictionary.com. “What Are The ( ) { } [ ] And ⟨ ⟩?” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, 21 Aug. 2018, www.dictionary.com/e/parentheses/.