Parenthesis is a word, phrase or clause inserted into a sentence to add extra information. If you remove it, the sentence still makes sense.
You can mark parenthesis with a pair of commas (My uncle, a keen gardener, grows tomatoes), brackets (The novel (published in 1847) shocked readers) or dashes (The prize – a scholarship – went to Ade).
Brackets feel quieter, like an aside; dashes feel more dramatic; commas are the most neutral. Always use a pair: do not forget the closing mark.
Worked example
Add brackets: “The Nile which flows through eleven countries is very long.”
- Find the extra information: which flows through eleven countries.
- Put brackets around it.
Answer:The Nile (which flows through eleven countries) is very long.
Key words
- parenthesis
- extra information inserted into a sentence
- brackets
- the marks ( ) used for parenthesis
- aside
- a quieter, extra comment
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.6.2a