Although in this web-based world, we find more use of dashes than parentheses to add comments, remarks, or afterthoughts, yet parentheses is more relevant if the content is serious. Serious content writers can make a habit of being biased towards parentheses. We will now go in detail of everything that you would need to know about parentheses and using it forcefully in the right format.
The word parenthesis (plural parentheses) literally means comment, remark, afterthought, addition, or digression. In the context of punctuation, we call parentheses instead of singular parenthesis. You may wonder while punctuation marks such as period, comma, colon, semicolon, hyphen, and question mark are referred in singular, why we refer the term parentheses as plural instead of singular parenthesis. We will just discuss the reason.
Some comments or afterthought are put within an opening bracket and a closing bracket (comment or afterthought). There are thus 2 symbols (opening bracket and closing bracket) that make this punctuation mark. As a result, we call it plural parentheses when it comes to punctuation. It is for this reason we call quotation marks and not quotation mark as opening quote (“) and closing quote (“) are two symbols or marks that comprise it.
Conventional Treatment:
Make use of parentheses to include insignificant information or remarks that are not an essential part of the passage: For example: She says that she was a professional singer in the past (she quit sometime ago) and now is employed at Wal-Mart.
The actor contacted The New York Times (but was initially unable to be identified at the front office desk) and denied rumors of his involvement in the scam.
Punctuation and Capitalization:
1. Inside a Sentence: If the parenthetical remark is inside a sentence, start it with a lowercase letter and ignore closing punctuation irrespective of whether or not it is a complete sentence. For example: The first-hand examination (it was carried out here in the local forensic department) did not show any evidence of actor’s involvement.
2. Standing Alone: A parenthetical remark which stays on its own (is not inside a sentence) should be a complete sentence. Begin with a capital letter and terminate it with closing punctuation within the closing parenthesis. For example: His first-hand account did not reveal any involvement. (It was carried out here in the local forensic department.)
3. Commas: Parentheses sign should not be preceded by a comma. For example: His first-hand account (the one carried out here in the local forensic department), his subsequent statements, and his final remark did not reveal any anomaly. In other words, comma should follow the closing parenthesis.
Spacing:
1. Opening Parenthesis:
a) Before an opening parenthesis sign, always put a space.
b) Following an opening parenthesis sign, do not put a space.
2. Closing Parenthesis:
a) Never put a space before a closing parenthesis sign.
b) Do not put a space in between the parenthesis and the punctuation.
c) Put a space after the parenthesis sign if no punctuation follows the parenthesis sign.
Source by Harry Tata
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