How to Use Parentheses
Use parentheses for supplemental information.If you want to include information related to the main text, but that information does not fit into the main part of the sentence or paragraph, you would enclose that information in parentheses., Note...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use parentheses for supplemental information.If you want to include information related to the main text
By setting it off in parentheses, you de-emphasize its significance so that it does not detract from the main point of your text.
Example:
J.
R.
R.
Tolkien (author of The Lord of the Rings) and C.
S.
Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia) were both regular members of a literary discussion group known as the "Inklings." -
Step 2: but that information does not fit into the main part of the sentence or paragraph
Oftentimes, when you spell out a numerical figure, you may find it useful to note the numerical form of that figure, as well.
You can specify that numerical form by placing it in parentheses.
Example:
She owes seven hundred dollars ($700) in rent by the end of this week. , You should place the numbers or letters used to highlight each point in parentheses.
Example:
The company is looking to hire someone who (1) has a great work ethic, (2) knows everything there is to know about the latest photo editing and enhancement software, and (3) has at least five years of professional experience in the field.
Example:
The company is looking to hire someone who (A) has a great work ethic, (B) knows everything there is to know about the latest photo editing and enhancement software, and (C) has at least five years of professional experience in the field. , Within your text, you may end up speaking about a singular form of a specific noun while realizing that the same information would also apply to a plural form of that noun.
If the reader would benefit from knowing that you are speaking to the plural form as well as the singular form, you can note this intention by placing an “s” in parentheses following the noun that could be pluralized.
Example:
The organizers of this year's festival are hoping to have a big crowd, so bring along your friend(s) when you come. , When writing about an organization, product, or other object that is usually referred to by an acronym, you need to write out the full name of the object the first time you refer to it in your text.
If you intend to refer to it by its standard acronym after that point, you should make a note of that acronym in parentheses so that readers will know to look for it later on.
Example:
Employees and volunteers with the Animal Protective League (APL) hope to reduce and eventually eliminate cases of animal cruelty and mistreatment within the community. , While it is not always necessary, in certain contexts, you may need to indicate the birth date and/or the death date of a certain individual who you are mentioning in the body of the text.
When this happen, you need to enclose these dates in parentheses.
Example:
Jane Austen (1775-1817) is best known for works like Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
George R.
R.
Martin (b. 1948) is the man responsible for the popular Game of Thrones series. , These citations contain bibliographic information and should be included in parentheses immediately after the borrowed information.
APA Example:
Research suggests that a link exists between migraine headaches and clinical depression (Smith, 2012).
MLA Example:
Research suggests that a link exists between migraine headaches and clinical depression (Smith 32).
For more information regarding the proper use of in-text parenthetical citations, please see How to Write In-Text Citations. , If the parentheses appear at the end of the sentence or immediately before another form of punctuation, that punctuation mark must be placed on the outside of the closing parentheses and not on the inside.
Good example:
J.
R.
R.
Tolkien (author of The Lord of the Rings) was good friends with C.
S.
Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia).
Bad example:
J.
R.
R.
Tolkien (author of The Lord of the Rings) was good friends with C.
S.
Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia.) , Occasionally, an aside or similar information enclosed in parentheses will be phrased as a complete sentence, rather than merely being part of a broader sentence.
When this happens, you should punctuate the sentence inside the parentheses by placing the period on the inside of the closing parentheses.
Good example:
A new church was built on the grounds of the old one. (This took place 14 years after the old church had been torn down.) Bad example:
A new church was built on the grounds of the old one. (This took place 14 years after the old church had been torn down). , Similarly, if you need to include a question mark or exclamation point at the end of the statement in your parentheses, rather than at the end of the broader sentence that parenthetical text falls inside, you can include those two punctuation marks on the inside of the closing parentheses.
Good example:
J.
R.
R.
Tolkien (author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and more) was a member of a literary group known as the “Inklings.” Good example:
My sister's husband (remember him?) is planning a surprise for her birthday.
Bad example:
My sister's husband (remember him)? is planning a surprise for her birthday. , Parentheses can appear by themselves within a broader sentence.
You do not need to introduce them with any other punctuation mark, nor do you need to finish them with another punctuation mark.
The only time you should place a punctuation mark before or after your parentheses would be if the sentence would have included that punctuation mark there without the parenthetical information included.
Good example:
Contrary to her previous rationale (or lack thereof), she decided to change her stance on the issue.
Bad example:
Contrary to her previous rationale (or lack thereof) she decided to change her stance on the issue.
Good example:
The new coffee shop (on 22nd Street) also offers a selection of baked goods.
Bad example:
The new coffee shop, (on 22nd Street), also offers a selection of baked goods. -
Step 3: you would enclose that information in parentheses.
-
Step 4: Note figures in parentheses.
-
Step 5: Enclose numbers or letters for a list.When you need to list a series of information within a paragraph or sentence
-
Step 6: numbering each point within that series can make the list less confusing.
-
Step 7: Indicate plural nouns.
-
Step 8: Specify an acronym.
-
Step 9: Mention significant dates.
-
Step 10: Use parenthetical citations.In academic writing for both the MLA and APA styles
-
Step 11: parenthetical citations need to be included in the text whenever you directly or indirectly cite another work.
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Step 12: Place punctuation outside of the parentheses.Ordinarily
-
Step 13: parenthetical information falls within a broader sentence.
-
Step 14: Punctuate inside the parentheses for full sentences.
-
Step 15: Enclose other punctuation as needed.Commas
-
Step 16: colons
-
Step 17: or semicolons that appear in the middle of parenthetical text should be included in the parentheses.
-
Step 18: Only use punctuation when called for in the sentence.
Detailed Guide
By setting it off in parentheses, you de-emphasize its significance so that it does not detract from the main point of your text.
Example:
J.
R.
R.
Tolkien (author of The Lord of the Rings) and C.
S.
Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia) were both regular members of a literary discussion group known as the "Inklings."
Oftentimes, when you spell out a numerical figure, you may find it useful to note the numerical form of that figure, as well.
You can specify that numerical form by placing it in parentheses.
Example:
She owes seven hundred dollars ($700) in rent by the end of this week. , You should place the numbers or letters used to highlight each point in parentheses.
Example:
The company is looking to hire someone who (1) has a great work ethic, (2) knows everything there is to know about the latest photo editing and enhancement software, and (3) has at least five years of professional experience in the field.
Example:
The company is looking to hire someone who (A) has a great work ethic, (B) knows everything there is to know about the latest photo editing and enhancement software, and (C) has at least five years of professional experience in the field. , Within your text, you may end up speaking about a singular form of a specific noun while realizing that the same information would also apply to a plural form of that noun.
If the reader would benefit from knowing that you are speaking to the plural form as well as the singular form, you can note this intention by placing an “s” in parentheses following the noun that could be pluralized.
Example:
The organizers of this year's festival are hoping to have a big crowd, so bring along your friend(s) when you come. , When writing about an organization, product, or other object that is usually referred to by an acronym, you need to write out the full name of the object the first time you refer to it in your text.
If you intend to refer to it by its standard acronym after that point, you should make a note of that acronym in parentheses so that readers will know to look for it later on.
Example:
Employees and volunteers with the Animal Protective League (APL) hope to reduce and eventually eliminate cases of animal cruelty and mistreatment within the community. , While it is not always necessary, in certain contexts, you may need to indicate the birth date and/or the death date of a certain individual who you are mentioning in the body of the text.
When this happen, you need to enclose these dates in parentheses.
Example:
Jane Austen (1775-1817) is best known for works like Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
George R.
R.
Martin (b. 1948) is the man responsible for the popular Game of Thrones series. , These citations contain bibliographic information and should be included in parentheses immediately after the borrowed information.
APA Example:
Research suggests that a link exists between migraine headaches and clinical depression (Smith, 2012).
MLA Example:
Research suggests that a link exists between migraine headaches and clinical depression (Smith 32).
For more information regarding the proper use of in-text parenthetical citations, please see How to Write In-Text Citations. , If the parentheses appear at the end of the sentence or immediately before another form of punctuation, that punctuation mark must be placed on the outside of the closing parentheses and not on the inside.
Good example:
J.
R.
R.
Tolkien (author of The Lord of the Rings) was good friends with C.
S.
Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia).
Bad example:
J.
R.
R.
Tolkien (author of The Lord of the Rings) was good friends with C.
S.
Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia.) , Occasionally, an aside or similar information enclosed in parentheses will be phrased as a complete sentence, rather than merely being part of a broader sentence.
When this happens, you should punctuate the sentence inside the parentheses by placing the period on the inside of the closing parentheses.
Good example:
A new church was built on the grounds of the old one. (This took place 14 years after the old church had been torn down.) Bad example:
A new church was built on the grounds of the old one. (This took place 14 years after the old church had been torn down). , Similarly, if you need to include a question mark or exclamation point at the end of the statement in your parentheses, rather than at the end of the broader sentence that parenthetical text falls inside, you can include those two punctuation marks on the inside of the closing parentheses.
Good example:
J.
R.
R.
Tolkien (author of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and more) was a member of a literary group known as the “Inklings.” Good example:
My sister's husband (remember him?) is planning a surprise for her birthday.
Bad example:
My sister's husband (remember him)? is planning a surprise for her birthday. , Parentheses can appear by themselves within a broader sentence.
You do not need to introduce them with any other punctuation mark, nor do you need to finish them with another punctuation mark.
The only time you should place a punctuation mark before or after your parentheses would be if the sentence would have included that punctuation mark there without the parenthetical information included.
Good example:
Contrary to her previous rationale (or lack thereof), she decided to change her stance on the issue.
Bad example:
Contrary to her previous rationale (or lack thereof) she decided to change her stance on the issue.
Good example:
The new coffee shop (on 22nd Street) also offers a selection of baked goods.
Bad example:
The new coffee shop, (on 22nd Street), also offers a selection of baked goods.
About the Author
Lori Green
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in pet care and beyond.
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