Punctuation:

Parentheses, Dash,
Hyphens
Year 8
 Parentheses
➢ Parentheses are a form of punctuation
to be used around words in a sentence
to add or clarify information.
➢ Generally anything placed in
parentheses is considered to be less
important than anything outside of it.
➢ Parentheses can contain a single
word, a sentence fragment, or a
complete sentence.
Parentheses Usage
• Use parentheses to enclose additional information that is
not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Example:

➢ The new restaurant in town (which serves vegan food)

has become quite popular among the locals.

❑ In this sentence, the information within the brackets

provides additional information about the new restraint,
but it is not essential to the meaning of the sentence.
 Parentheses Usage
• Use parentheses to clarify an idea.
Example:
➢ John enjoys playing sports (especially
soccer and basketball).
❑ In this example, the parentheses are used
to specify the sports that John enjoys
playing. By including “(especially soccer
and basketball)”, the writer clarifies the type
of sports John likes playing without
interrupting the flow of the sentence or
changing its meaning.
Parentheses Usage
• Use parentheses to enclose numbers or letters
when you’re using them to show the order in your
text.

Example:

• To unlock the screen, (1) press the power button,

(2) swipe the screen with your finger and (3) enter
your pin code.

• I’m not going because (a) I don’t want to and (b)

I’m too tired.
Important Notes on Parentheses

Place punctuation inside the

Rule parentheses if it belongs to the
material in parentheses.

If the parenthetical text is a

Rule complete sentence that stands on
its own, the punctuation will be
within the parentheses.

She made a weak excuse (“My dog

Example ate it.”) for not having finished her
project.
 Important Notes on Parentheses
• Place punctuation outside the parentheses if it belongs to the main
sentence. Do not add punctuation if it is an incomplete sentence.
Example:
➢ Learn the dos and don’ts of flower arrangement (and watering) in our upcoming
workshop.
❖ EXCEPTION: If the parenthetical text is a question, or an exclamation, you may
include those punctuation marks, regardless of whether it’s a complete sentence.
Examples:
➢ It was then I spotted a (huge!) black spider crawling up my bedroom wall.
➢ His dog (Rex?) was excited to see us all.
 Important Notes on Parentheses
• Subject-verb agreement is when the verb is conjugated correctly
according to its subject.

Example:
The boys loves spaghetti Bolognese for dinner.

❑ For this sentence to have correct subject-verb agreement, we’d have to change
the verb to “love.”

• With parentheses, you must ignore the text within the parentheses.
➢ My friend (and half the population) loves the new Oppenheimer movie.

❑ In this sentence, the subject is “friend” ; the subject is singular and ‘loves’ is
appropriate.
Examples:
➢ My daughter (and her cute pup) is joining us later.
 • Commas and parentheses can be used to enclose
extra information.
• Commas are considered to be more formal while

Important parentheses are informal.

• However, when brackets are used in fiction writing,
Notes on they can create a sense of intimacy between the
Parentheses reader and the character making the reader more
into the character's thoughts, emotions or personal
reactions to a particular event or situation.
• By enclosing these thoughts in parentheses, the
reader can feel as if they are privy to the
character’s innermost thoughts and feelings.
Effect of Parentheses
1. To create a sense of intimacy or connection between the writer
and the reader.
Example:
➢ I can’t believe it’s been five years since we first met (at that coffee
shop on Main Street).
❑ By enclosing additional information about where the writer and
reader first met in parentheses, the writer is creating a sense of
intimacy or connection by reminding the reader of a shared
experience.

2. To indicate emphasis
Example:
➢ The athlete’s performance in the final race was truly remarkable
(she broke the world record by more than two seconds)!
❑ By placing the phrase in parentheses, the writer is emphasizing the
exceptional nature of the athlete’s performance.
Dashes
Rule
Use dashes to set off extra/
dramatic information.

Example
Our team – consisting of five
members – won the competition.

Dramatic Information
Locating fresh water would
mean we stood a chance—our
only chance at surviving until
our rescuers could find us.
Dash Usage

Use a dash to show a break or

Rule interruption in thought in a
sentence.

The Black Stallion – my all-time

Example favorite book – was for sale at the
used bookstore.

I can’t believe she – wait, did you

Example see that? - just ran past us without
saying anything.
Dash Usage

Rule Example

Use a dash to replace I’ve decided to do more

the following words: outdoor activities—riding
that is, namely, in my bike, hiking, and
other words roller-blading.
Dash Usage

Language arts, social studies,

Use a dash to
science, and math—all my
summarize
academic subjects— seem to
information
have homework.

Rule Example
Dash Usage

Rule Example

Use a dash to create

“I – er – uh – can’t remember –
special effects,
interruptions, and where we went,” Ravi cried.
sudden stops in speech.
 Dash Usage
• Use a dash to show an afterthought.

Example: Afterthought

➢ I attached the photo to my email –at least I hope I did!

Dash Usage

Rule Example

Don’t forget to buy some

Use a dash to
food-eggs, bread, tuna
introduce a list.
and cheese.
Dash Usage

Use a dash to create emphasis or

Rule draw attention to a particular
word or phrase.

I absolutely cannot believe what I

Example just heard –the news is just too
shocking.

She was not just angry –she was

Example furious.
Dash Usage

Rule Example

Use a dash to indicate

The years 1950-1960 were
a range of numbers or
a time of great change.
dates.
 1. Create emphasis
Example:

Effects ➢ The best part of the trip was not the

destination –it was the journey itself.
2. To show interruption

of dashes Example:
➢ She was about to confess her secret
to him when –oh no! – he got a phone
call and had to leave.
 3. To add intensity or urgency to a
sentence, creating a sense of heightened
emotion or drama.

Effects of
Example:
➢ The storm was coming fast – they
needed to find shelter and fast!

dashes 4. To create a dramatic pause

Example:
➢ She stepped onto the stage, the lights
shining in her eyes – and then, with a
deep breath, she began to sing.
 Effect of dashes
5. Creates a pause or hesitation in a sentence,
reflecting a character’s uncertainty or hesitation.
Example:
➢ He wasn’t sure what to do – should he stay and
fight, or run for his life?
 Note
• Dashes can extra information just like the comma
and parentheses.
• Dashes are considered to be informal.
• Dashes make the enclosed information stand out
adding more importance to it and grabbing the
reader’s attention to its value.
 Practise time
1. Use a dash to punctuate this sentence.

He wanted only one thing in life money.

2. Use the dash to punctuate this sentence.

All four of them Bob, Justin, Jason, and Brittany did well in high school.

3. Use parentheses to punctuate this sentence.

We went to Ottawa a very hot place on our trip across Canada.

4. Use parentheses to punctuate this sentence.

Before arriving at the airport, the old plane an old war jet caught on fire.
 Practise time
5. Use a dash to punctuate this sentence.
There was only one thing I could do to pass the exam study till dawn.

6. Use parentheses to punctuate this sentence.

We saw golden eagles have you ever seen one? when we visited Alaska.

7. Use parentheses to punctuate this sentence.

We took a trip across Canada a big country. We drove from Vancouver all the
way to Halifax.
• Just as all punctuation marks ensure the
clarity of writing, hyphens function to
avoid confusion and misreading by
joining compound words including
nouns and other modifiers.
—Hyphens
 Do use hyphens with

Hyphen
➢
compound numbers from
twenty-one to ninety-
nine. For example:

Usage •
•
•
21 twenty-one
45 forty-five
58 fifty-eight
• 77 seventy-seven
• 99 ninety-nine
 Hyphen Usage
➢ Do use hyphens to separate numerators and
denominators in fractions. For example:
½ one-half
2/3 two-thirds
5/8 five-eights
3/10 three-tens
¾ three-quarters
Hyphen Usage

Use a hyphen when two or more

Rule words are joined to form a single
adjective before the noun.

Two or more words must work

NOTE together as a single descriptor
and not start with an –ly word.

He had all the up-to-date edits on

Example the latest submission.
Susan’s edits were up to date.(no
hyphen needed)
Hyphens
Rule
Use a hyphen to join compound
words.

Examples
• Self-esteem
• Mother-in-law
• Part-time
Examples
• High-tech
• Close-up
• Self-respect
• Empty-handed
 Hyphen Usage
Rule
To indicate a prefix or suffix
that is not usually used with
a particular word.
Examples
• Pre-World War II
• Anti- American
• Post- election
• He is an ex-hockey player.
• She was very non-specific in
her request.
Hyphen Usage

Rule Example

Use a hyphen to make • My doctor gave me an anti-

long words clearer, inflammatory for my swollen
especially ones that knee.
contain repeated letters. • The rocket is about to re-enter
the atmosphere.
Practise Time
In the following sentences, insert hyphens where appropriate. Some
sentences may require more than one hyphen.

1. Charlotte Bronte was a great nineteenth century novelist.

2. His six year old daughter could read very well.

3. Holden was a very well known performer in the theater community.

4. The ocean kayaking trip was a never to be forgotten experience.

5. She had to maintain her self control when speaking with her

exhusband.
6. The eleventh grade teachers met with the parents.
Practise Time

7. Part time employees at the restaurant will get raises this year.
8. They are all first year students in this high school.
9. Jim Johnson was a fifty five year old extreme snowboarder.
10. He accidentally drove down a one way street.
11. The trip to Mexico was an all inclusive special, so David and
John didn’t have to pay extra for airfare.
THANKS!
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