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()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.
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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. • Robert Bobert was an acceptable salesman. Parentheses omitted
Using Those Parentheses • If you are listing items in your sentencesand 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?