1. Parenthetical Elements
By Lizette Vasquez & Ilecia Mares

2. What is a parenthetical element?
To use a complete set of commas or dashes to enclose an interrupter.
Are in ascending order of strength: commas,dashes, and parentheses.

3. The difference between each
Commas and dashes differ from parenthesis in a way that they can be used singularly whereas parenthesis occur in a complete set.

4. Examples using commas
The bird, after moments of deliberation, ate the bug.
My teacher, who usually is in her classroom, is not in there today.
The child, after 10 minutes of waiting patiently, finally got his ice cream.

5. Examples using parenthesis
That slice of pie (the one one with the bite taken out of it) is mine.
Yesterday(one of the best days of my life) I received flowers.
My brother (the one in the grey shirt) is trying to call me over there.

6. Examples using dashes
My birthday-- what a surprise!-- was a lot of fun.
The frog-- the one who jumped off the window and made me jump a mile-- is now under the chair.
I bit my lip-- Ouch!-- to keep from speaking my mind.

7. Practice ACT question
What is the proper use of commas in this sentence, This dog however is not ours.
This, dog however is, not ours.
This dog, however is not, ours
This dog, however,is not ours.

8. Correct Answer
C. This dog, however, is not ours.