What are parentheses

and brackets?

Grammar Toolkit

Parentheses and brackets

Grammar Toolkit

Parentheses and brackets

Parentheses and brackets enclose extra information. They are always used in pairs.

Information inside parentheses makes the meaning of the text clearer. It might be a reference or a writer’s aside.

In a script, parentheses often show stage directions.Add 100 g chocolate (dark is best) Mohandas Gandhi (1869–1948)

Most people (but not me!) love the ocean. CAESAR: You too, Brutus? (clutches chest)

Text inside brackets shows information added to a quotation by someone other than the writer or speaker.

Jenson wrote: “I was born on the fourth of July [1966], with a burst of fireworks.”

JULIET: searching for him O Romeo, Romeo!

stage direction

Callum was terrified who wouldn’t be? but opened the door anyway.

writer’s aside

Sam left for work early on Saturday people often worked six days of the week at this time.

extra information

Ryan was very active: “I loved surfing but Dean his brother was a footballer.”

addition toa quotation

Australia has two territories see map on page 43.reference

Grammar Toolkit

Parentheses and brackets

Put parentheses or brackets around the extra information in colour.

( )

()

[ ]

( )

( )

Grammar Toolkit

Parentheses and brackets

• Punctuation helps others to understand our writing.• Parentheses enclose extra information, such as

an example or a comment, e.g. The unit of currency of Europe is the euro (1 euro equals 100 euro cents).• Brackets enclose information added to a

quotation, e.g. Dickson writes: “I grew up in Sydney [Canada, not Australia] and worked in the steel mills.”

Grammar Toolkit

Parentheses and brackets

The End