Revised as of
13 Feb 2023
Oh, baby, set that mood . . . Okay, okay, seriously, the choices you make in punctuating parenthetical text can set a mood, create an effect in the text, clarify intent. It gives you the opportunity to place the focus where you want it.
Em dashes make that nonessential text seem very important. It places an emphasis — almost an exclamation mark — to draw your attention. Commas are much more casual, as if this phrase is simply part of the conversation, and don’t pull at the reader’s attention. Parentheses are quiet (keeping a lid on things) and indicate that the information isn’t that important.
It is a bit crazy that parenthetical text can result in whole phrases being set aside as nonessential. I find that most parenthetical text, while considered nonessential to the sentence, does help in creating that rich atmosphere I love so well. Hmmm, does that make it essential text then? And those bloody coordinating conjunctions can really throw a spanner in the works as it forces you to examine your sentence for whether it’s composed of two independent clauses or one indy and a dependent — almost sounds like a game of cards, doesn’t it?
Yet, to ignore the comma (the most common punctuation for parenthetical text) is to force your readers to work harder at figuring out what you’re saying.
If you don’t care if you have repeat readers, i.e., buyers of your books, then ignore the parenthetical text, hoard those commas.
Grammar Explanations is . . .
. . . an evolving list of the structural rules and principles that determines where words are placed in phrases or sentences as well as how the language is spoken. Sometimes I run across an example that helps explain better or another “also known as”. Heck, there’s always a better way to explain it, so if it makes quicker and/or better sense, I would appreciate suggestions and comments from anyone on an area of grammar with which you struggle or on which you can contribute more understanding.
If you found this post on “Parenthetical Elements” interesting, consider subscribing to KD Did It, if you’d like to track this post for future updates.
| Parenthetical Text | |
| Definition: Text that will not change the essential meaning of a sentence if it were removed. It is set off within the sentence as though it were in parentheses using commas, em dashes, or parentheses.
Each choice carries a degree of importance: em dashes are the most emphatic; commas are casual, just part of the conversation, and parentheses generally indicate that the information isn’t that important. Examples of Other Posts Using Parenthetical Elements: And, of course, there is that punctuation issue with cities and their geographic locations, which are also treated as parenthetical elements. A.k.a. added information, aside, interrupter, parenthetical element |
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Legend:
The president’s schedule, timed to the minute, can be changed. The private university, well-funded for decades, is experiencing a budget crisis. Vampires are depicted as gorgeous — yet deadly — in movies today. Helene (such a mouse all those years) suddenly decided to open her own business. |
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| Exceptions include: | |
| Well, it just wouldn’t be English if we didn’t have exceptions…
Rule: Use commas and treat a coordinating conjunction as a parenthetical element if it is used to connect two independent clauses. |
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Legend:
The Red Sox were leading the league at the end of May, but of course, they always do well in the spring. The Yankees didn’t do so well in the early going, but frankly, everyone expects them to win the season. The Tigers spent much of the season at the bottom of the league, and even though they picked up several promising rookies, they expect to be there again next year. Credit to: Commas |
C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Grammar Explanations by exploring its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Word Confusions, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Parenthetical Elements
“Commas.” Capital Community College Guide to Grammar & Writing. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm>. Credits William Strunk and his Elements of Style with the definition.
Pinterest Photo Credits
This pin is a derivative of a book cover for Alice in Wonderland by David Frankland, via Goodreads, flanked by a couple of parentheses.
