Parentheses (always used in pairs) allow a writer to provide additional information. The parenthetical material might be a single word, a fragment, or multiple complete sentences. Whatever the material inside the parentheses, it must not be grammatically integral to the surrounding sentence.

When you use parentheses to set off material in a sentence, you say that the material is “in parenthesis.” Put something in parentheses if it’s a comment, an afterthought, or additional information that is possibly interesting but not essential to the subject.

An entire sentence in parentheses is often acceptable without an enclosed period: Example: Please read the analysis (you’ll be amazed). Rule 2b. Take care to punctuate correctly when punctuation is required both inside and outside parentheses.

(When a complete sentence is enclosed in parentheses, place punctuation in the sentence inside the parentheses, like this.) If only part of a sentence is enclosed in parentheses (like this), place punctuation outside the parentheses (like this).

Commas may be placed after the closing parenthesis but not before either the opening or the closing parenthesis. If the sentence would not require any commas if the parentheses were removed, the sentence should not have any commas when the parentheses are present.

Periods and Parentheses When a complete, independent sentence is entirely enclosed by parentheses, the period goes inside the closing parenthesis. But, if the parenthetical material is nested inside another sentence, the period should go on the outside.

ellipsis

Ⓐ; The symbol of anarchism; an A inside a circle (and often extending slightly beyond it). The symbol is derived from the slogan “Anarchy is Order” by French anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon.