Parenthetical Expression Quiz

A parenthesis (plural: parentheses; from the Ancient Greek term v parénthesis 'injection, insertion', literally '(a) putting in beside') or parenthetical expression meaning in rhetoric is an explanatory or qualifying word, clause, or sentence introduced into a paragraph. The parenthesis might be omitted and the sentence would still be grammatically correct. Round or square brackets, dashes, or commas are commonly used to separate parentheses.

Parenthetical expressions are words, phrases, or clauses that writers employ to supplement a sentence with additional information. Parenthetical expressions are also known as nonessential expressions since they are not required to understand the main meaning of a statement. Consider them as sentence interrupters, asides, and add-ons. This course will teach you the different forms of parenthetical phrases and how to properly punctuate them.

Parenthetical Types

These are some types of parenthetical phrases:

• Direct address: Direct address is the first kind of parenthetical statement, and it includes the names of the people being addressed.

• Conjunctive adverbs: Conjunctive adverbs are the next form of a parenthetical statement. Adverbs that connect ideas are known as conjunctive adverbs. They include but are not limited to, also, accordingly, eventually, additionally, however, in addition, in fact, instead, moreover, nonetheless, next, presently, on the other hand, still, and thus.

• Contrasting expressions: Contrasting expressions are parenthetical expressions that inform the reader that you're talking about one thing but not the other.

• Common expressions: There are a variety of frequent expressions in addition to the three sorts of parenthetical expressions listed above, such as I believe and of course.

Punctuation

While a parenthesis does not have to be put within the curved brackets known as parentheses, its use, particularly surrounding rhetorical parentheses, has rendered the punctuation marks the only frequent use for the phrase in most circumstances.

Style and usage of the English language Guides from the twentieth century's news industry, such as the AP Stylebook, advise against using square brackets for parenthesis and other uses because "they cannot be carried over news wires." 

A parenthetical expression can alternatively be called a parenthetical phrase. These expressions necessitate the use of punctuation marks. Parentheses are an option, but they are not the only ones. Commas are the most commonly used kind of punctuation with parenthetical statements.

• Punctuating a Parenthetical Phrase Mid-Sentence: When these phrases are interspersed between other sections of a sentence, they are frequently punctuated with commas, parentheses, or em dashes (—).

1. I'm looking forward to going on a cruise with my family, this time on a fresh new ship.

2. The sun is shining today (unlike the previous five days), therefore it's a great day outside.

3. Because the law changed, the regulations were modified to demand training every two years.

• Punctuating a Parenthetical Phrase at the End or Beginning: When a parenthetical statement appears at the start or conclusion of a sentence, it is denoted by a single comma or em dash.

Of course, I had already gone shopping.

Yes, I will assist you — without a doubt!

You can rest assured, that your order will be delivered on time.

How do you correctly use parentheses?

• Around non-essential material or sudden shifts in thought, use parenthesis.

• Use the mark inside the parentheses only if the phrase finishes with a different mark if the information in parentheses demands a question mark or an exclamation mark.

• To clarify preceding words, use parenthesis.

Types and Implementation

Some information in a statement is "essential" to its meaning, while other information is "non-essential".

Essential: 

Non-essential: In order to save time, the cops took the expressway.

When non-essential material is introduced parenthetically to a statement, commas or other punctuation are used to divide it from the main sentence. In reality, parenthetical expressions can be separated using three different types of punctuation:

• long dashes  —…….—

• Commas,......., 

• Round brackets (.......)

Parenthetical Expression Examples

1. The man, however, came late.

2. She likes baguettes - or so it seemed.

3. The engineer, who graduated from MIT, is very intelligent.

4. The host, who was waiting for 30 minutes, started the show at 8 p.m.

5. Jaipur, one of the cities in India, is famous for its Rajasthani traditional jewellery, fabrics, and handicrafts, as well as its traditional Rajasthani food.

Parenthetical Expression Quiz

1. A parenthetical expression is a word or set of words that_____.

Answer: A parenthetical expression is a word or set of words that adds details to a sentence.

2. A parenthetical remark has no effect on the basic_____ of a sentence.

Answer: A parenthetical remark has no effect on the basic structure of a sentence.

3. When a parenthetical statement is removed from a sentence, the sentence_____.

Answer: When a parenthetical statement is removed from a sentence, the sentence will still make sense.

4. The pastries, not the crisps, were the best sellers of the day. In this sentence which is the parenthetical expression?

Answer: not the crisps.

5. Which of the following can be used to distinguish a mid-sentence parenthetic from the body of a sentence?

1. commas, round brackets or long dashes

2. commas, semi-colons or quotation marks

Answer: A

In this article, we have discussed what parenthetical expressions are, their usages, examples, and Parenthetical Expression Quiz. As discussed above, a parenthetical phrase is a word or words that are added to a statement without changing its meaning or grammar. Parenthetical expressions provide more information but are not required. The statement remains unchanged if a parenthesis is added or removed.