NCO Primary Leadership Subjects
Parentheses
Parenthesis show that material is in addition, or not necessary, to the meaning of the
Purpose
sentence. Parentheses are also used in outlining material.
Read the rules and the examples for using parentheses. Then practice applying the
Rules
rues in the exercises that follow.
Use parentheses...
Example
to enclose explanatory material that is
This case (124U.S.329) is not
independent of the main thought but
relevant.
important enough to be included.
The Erie (Pa) News
The results (see Figure 3) were
surprising.
to enclose a clause when commas would
All classes will meet three days a
be confusing.
week (Monday, Tuesday, and
Thursday).
to enclose letters or numbs designating
The order of delivery will be: (a)
items in a series within a sentence.
food, (b) clothing, and (c) tents.
You will observe that the sword is
(1) old fashioned, (2) still sharp,
and (3) unusually light for its
size.
Continued on next page
2-32
Writing Mechanics and Composition
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