()Parentheses

What Are Parentheses? Parentheses are round brackets( the symbols that are enclosing this sentence). Parentheses usually contain information that adds more depth to the main sentence. This extra information can be omitted from the main sentence entirely without changing the meaning of it.

Example 1 Parentheses Robert Bobert(Yes, that is his real name!) was an acceptable salesman. Parentheses omitted Robert Bobert was an acceptable salesman.

Using Those Parentheses If you are listing items in your sentences and you are using numbers or letters, enclose them in parentheses. Example: Qualities that are often looked for in a future employee are (1) can they be on time, (2) how reliable they are, and (3) their willingness to work.

Hold Up! In that last example, why didn’t we just use commas or a colon? If you use too many commas, it can cause a confusion and the purpose for which the commas are there for is hard to see. You do not use a colon because your listing off and expanding a little on each item.

Review What are parentheses, and what do they usually contain? If you take away the parentheses and the information it contains, does that mean the meaning of the topic sentence changes? When listing items in your sentences and you are using numbers, do you use a comma or parenthesis?