When to Use Parentheses
Parentheses and additional information for context
Use parentheses to provide additional information or context that is separate from a sentence’s main idea.
- Example: Godzilla is a giant monster (known in Japan as a kaiju) made famous by the 1954 Japanese film of the same name.
Use parentheses to provide contextual information, such as the years a historical person was alive.
- Example: Georgia Hamilton (1903-2001) was born on a rural farm and witnessed tremendous technological changes over her lifetime.
Parentheses for in-text citations
Use parentheses at the end of a sentence to provide an in-text citation.
- Example: In the opening line of Moby Dick, Ishmael says, “Call me Ishmael” (Melville 1).
