Does the punctuation go inside or outside of the parentheses

Parentheses and brackets must never be used interchangeably.

Parentheses

Rule 1. Use parentheses to enclose information that clarifies or is used as an aside.

Example: He finally answered (after taking five minutes to think) that he did not understand the question.

If material in parentheses ends a sentence, the period goes after the parentheses.

Example: He gave me a nice bonus ($500).

Commas could have been used in the first example; a colon could have been used in the second example. The use of parentheses indicates that the writer considered the information less important—almost an afterthought.

Rule 2a. Periods go inside parentheses only if an entire sentence is inside the parentheses.

Example: Please read the analysis. (You'll be amazed.)

This is a rule with a lot of wiggle room. 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.

Example: You are late (aren't you?).

Note the question mark within the parentheses. The period after the parentheses is necessary to bring the entire sentence to a close.

Rule 3. Parentheses, despite appearances, are not part of the subject.

Example: Joe (and his trusty mutt) was always welcome.

If this seems awkward, try rewriting the sentence:

Example: Joe (accompanied by his trusty mutt) was always welcome.

Rule 4. Commas are more likely to follow parentheses than precede them.

Incorrect: When he got home, (it was already dark outside) he fixed dinner.
Correct: When he got home (it was already dark outside), he fixed dinner.

Brackets

Brackets are far less common than parentheses, and they are only used in special cases. Brackets (like single quotation marks) are used exclusively within quoted material.

Rule 1. Brackets are interruptions. When we see them, we know they've been added by someone else. They are used to explain or comment on the quotation.

Examples:
"Four score and seven [today we'd say eighty-seven] years ago..."
"Bill shook hands with [his son] Al."

Rule 2. When quoting something that has a spelling or grammar mistake or presents material in a confusing way, insert the term sic in italics and enclose it in nonitalic (unless the surrounding text is italic) brackets.

Sic ("thus" in Latin) is shorthand for, "This is exactly what the original material says."

Example: She wrote, "I would rather die then [sic] be seen wearing the same outfit as my sister."

The [sic] indicates that then was mistakenly used instead of than.

Rule 3. In formal writing, brackets are often used to maintain the integrity of both a quotation and the sentences others use it in.

Example: "[T]he better angels of our nature" gave a powerful ending to Lincoln's first inaugural address.

Lincoln's memorable phrase came midsentence, so the word the was not originally capitalized.

Where should the period go when using parentheses? For example:

In sentence one, I use this example (which has a parenthesis at the end.)

Should the period be inside, or outside of the parentheses? What about if the entire sentence is a parenthetical (as below)?

(Where does the terminal punctuation go here?)

Is there a hard and fast rule?

asked Dec 11, 2010 at 20:42

3

The best rule of thumb for punctuating in and around parenthetical remarks is that the sentence should be valid if you remove the parentheses and everything inside them.

Here I have an example (with a parenthetical remark).

Here is the same example (with the same remark, even.)

Removing the entire parenthetical remark from the first sentence still leaves me with a valid structure, while removing it from the second leaves me lacking any terminal punctuation; thus the first is correct.

References:

• The Punctuation Guide
• Study.com
• Grammar Girl

answered Dec 11, 2010 at 21:32

HellionHellion

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10

If only part of the sentence is parenthetical, then you put the final punctuation outside of the parenthesis:

I enjoy breakfast (sometimes).

If the entire sentence is parenthetical, then you put the punctuation inside the parenthesis.

I enjoy breakfast. (I enjoy lunch more.)

answered Feb 2, 2011 at 23:21

JSBձոգչJSBձոգչ

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Place the period logically when parentheses are involved. In the first example, the period goes outside because the single sentence ends after the parentheses. In the second example, it goes inside because it belongs to the second sentence.

I like apples (and bananas).

He likes apples. (I like bananas.)

answered Dec 11, 2010 at 20:57

6

Well, I prefer using the British logic for placing periods even though I'm not only American, but I live in Texas. Since I don't want to portray myself as an ignorant person, I think a lot of textual decency. While I place my periods outside the quotation marks, I'm left feeling haunted by the idea that an American might think I'm the ignorant one since I'm putting periods after closing quotes when the text being quoted is part of the structure of the sentence itself, not a dialogue in a story nor a quotation of a complete sentence.

answered Jan 14, 2011 at 4:43

Another "hard and fast" rule for placing the period, if you may: For a complete sentence, leave the period within the parentheses; for a phrase or clause in a sentence, leave the period without.

answered Dec 12, 2010 at 6:51

Jimi OkeJimi Oke

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I have an example sentence (which ends with parenthesis).

is correct, since you are writing the description of the word 'sentence' in the parenthesis and your sentence actually ends after that description.

It is like,

The cops caught a thief (the one who stole your wallet).

answered Jul 7, 2012 at 3:21

Rohan ShahRohan Shah

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Put the period outside the parentheses if what's inside is a subordinate or dependent clause (meaning that it could not stand on its own as a sentence).

Put the period inside the parentheses if what's inside is an independent clause (this means that it could stand on its own.)

answered Jul 7, 2012 at 5:21

MT_HeadMT_Head

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6

Does punctuation go inside or outside of quotation marks?

How do you use punctuation with parentheses?