Other Punctuation

5.5: Other Punctuation

5.5.1: Parentheses

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Parentheses can be used to interject remarks or other information into a sentence. 

Learning Objective

List the uses of parentheses

Key Points

  • Parentheses can be used to set off supplementary, interjected, explanatory or illustrative remarks.
  • The words placed inside the parentheses are not necessary to understanding or completing the sentence.
  • Square brackets are mainly used to enclose explanatory or missing material, which is usually added by someone other than the original author.
  • Parentheses are sometimes used to enclose numbers within a sentence.

Key Term

parentheses

Punctuation marks used in matched pairs to set apart or interject additional text into a sentence.

Example

Parentheses

Parentheses can be used to
set off supplementary, interjected, explanatory, or illustrative remarks. They are tall punctuation marks “()” used in matched pairs within text, to set apart or interject other text.  

The words placed inside the parentheses are not necessary to understanding or completing the sentence. The words within the parentheses could be removed and a complete sentence would still exists.

Parentheses may also be nested (usually with one set (such as this) inside another set). This is not common in formal writing (though sometimes other brackets [especially square brackets] will be used for one or more inner set of parentheses [in other words, secondary {or even tertiary} phrases can be found within the main parenthetical sentence]).

There are many ways to use parentheses.

Interrupted Sentence

  • Jimmy (who we all know is
    smart) said we should keep searching.
  • Be sure to call me
    (extension 2104) when you get this message.

  • Copyright affects how much
    regulation is enforced (Lessig 2004).

  • Sen. John McCain (R.,
    Arizona) ran for president in 2008.

Any punctuation inside
parentheses or other brackets is independent of the rest of the text. When
several sentences of supplemental material are used in parentheses, the ending punctuation is placed within the parentheses. For example:

  • Mrs. Pennyfarthing (What?
    Yes, that was her name!) was my landlady.

Enumeration 

Parentheses are sometimes used to enclose numbers within a sentence. The purpose of using numbers within parentheses is to highlight multiple points in one sentence. 

  • All applicants must submit (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume, (3) a list of references, (4) an essay, and (5) letters of recommendation. 

The numbers within parentheses highlight the items applicants need to include. They are intended to add clarity to the sentence. 

Square Brackets

Square
brackets are mainly used to enclose explanatory or missing material, which is
usually added by someone other than the original author. This is especially
prevalent in quoted text. For example:

“I appreciate it [i.e., the
honor], but I must refuse. “

“The future of
psionics [i.e., mental powers that affect physical matter] is in doubt.”

Modifying Quotations

Square brackets may also
be used to modify quotations. For example, if referring to someone’s statement
“I hate to do laundry,” one could write: He “hate[s] to do
laundry.”

The bracketed expression
“[sic]” is used after a quote or reprinted text to indicate the
passage appears exactly as in the original source; a bracketed ellipsis
“[…]” is often used to indicate deleted material; bracketed
comments indicate when original text has been modified for clarity. For
example:

  • “I’d like to thank
    [several unimportant people] and my parentals [sic] for their love, tolerance
    […] and assistance [emphasis added].”

5.5.2: Ending Punctuation

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Ending punctuation identifies the end of a sentence, and most commonly includes periods, question marks, and exclamation marks.

Learning Objective

Identify the correct punctuation to end a given sentence

Key Points

  • Ending punctuation comprises symbols that indicate the end of a sentence, such as periods, question marks, and exclamation points.

  • Periods are used at the end of declarative or imperative sentences.
  • Question marks come at the end of sentences that make a request or ask a direct question. Declarative sentences sometimes contain direct questions.
  • A sentence ending in an exclamation mark may be an exclamation, an imperative, or may indicate astonishment.

Key Terms

exclamation mark

A punctuation mark usually used after an interjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings or high volume (shouting).

question mark

Punctuation at the end of a sentence that asks a direct question.

period

The punctuation mark that indicates the end of a sentence.

Ending punctuation comprises symbols that indicate the end of a sentence. Most commonly, these are periods,
question marks, and exclamation points. Ending punctuation can also be referred to
as end marks, stops, or terminal punctuation. 

There are three main types
of ending punctuation: the period, the question mark, and the exclamation mark.
A period (.) is the punctuation mark that indicates the end of a sentence.
The question mark (?) replaces a period at the end of a sentence that asks
a direct question. The exclamation mark (!) is a punctuation mark usually used
after an interjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings or high volume
(shouting), and often marks the end of a sentence. 

Period 

Periods are used at the
end of declarative or imperative sentences. Recall that declarative sentences
make statements and imperative sentences give commands. Periods can also be
used at the end of an indirect question. Indirect questions are designed to ask
for information without actually asking a question. Let’s review some examples.

  • My
    dog is a golden retriever. (declarative sentence)

  • Go
    get your dog and bring him inside the house. (imperative sentence)

  • Janet’s
    mom and dad want to know what she is doing. (indirect question)

  • “Get
    some paper towels,” she ordered. (declarative sentence containing an imperative
    statement) 

Periods are also used in
abbreviations. For example, “doctor” is abbreviated “Dr.” and “junior” is abbreviated “Jr.” Remember that if an abbreviation that uses a period comes at the end of a
sentence you do not add a period—the period with the abbreviation
serves as the ending punctuation as well. 

Question Mark 

Question marks come at the
end of sentences that make a request or ask a direct question. Declarative
sentences sometimes contain direct questions. 

  • What
    is Janet doing? (direct question)

  • Her
    mother asked, “What are you doing, Janet?” (declarative sentence with a direct
    question)

Exclamation Mark 

A sentence ending in an
exclamation mark may be an exclamation, an imperative, or may indicate
astonishment. Like question marks, exclamation marks can be included within
declarative sentences. Let’s review some examples. 

  • Wow!
    (exclamation)

  • Boo!
    (exclamation)

  • Stop!
    (imperative)

  • They
    were the footprints of a gigantic duck! (astonishment)

  • He
    yelled, “Stay off the grass!” (declarative sentence that includes an exclamation)

Exclamation marks are
occasionally placed mid-sentence with a function similar to a comma, for
dramatic effect, although this usage is obsolescent: “On the walk, oh!
there was a frightful noise.”

Informally, exclamation
marks may be repeated for additional emphasis (“That’s great!!!”),
but this practice is generally considered unacceptable in formal prose. The
exclamation mark is sometimes used in conjunction with the question mark. This
can be in protest or astonishment (“Out of all places, the squatter-camp?!”);
again, this is informal. Overly frequent use of the exclamation mark is
generally considered poor style, for it distracts the reader and devalues the
mark’s significance.

Cut out all those exclamation points.

Cut out all those exclamation points.

The famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald was not a fan of exclamation points; in his words: “Cut out all those exclamation points. An exclamation point is like laughing at your own jokes.”

Attributions