Proper Punctuation for Parenthetical Phrases

Proper Punctuation for Parenthetical Phrases Proper Punctuation for Parenthetical Phrases Proper Punctuation for Parenthetical Phrases By Mark Nichol Writers often confuse a sentence that contains a parenthetical phrase starting with a conjunction with one that consists of two independent clauses divided by a conjunction, resulting in improper placement of punctuation. Here are a few examples, with discussion and revisions. 1. â€Å"The substance starts off in a higher energy state, and by combining with oxygen, ends up in a lower energy state.† Remove the optional parenthetical phrase â€Å"and by combining with oxygen,† and the resulting grammatically flawed sentence is â€Å"The substance starts off in a higher energy state ends up in a lower energy state.† The conjunction and must precede the first comma to produce the valid construction â€Å"The substance starts off in a higher energy state and ends up in a lower energy state†; therefore, the correctly punctuated revision is â€Å"The substance starts off in a higher energy state and, by combining with oxygen, ends up in a lower energy state.† If the original sentence read, â€Å"The substance starts off in a higher energy state, and when it combines with oxygen, it ends up in a lower energy state,† it would be correct. Here, and begins an independent clause (â€Å"and when it combines with oxygen, it ends up in a lower energy state†) rather than preceding a parenthetical phrase (â€Å"by combining with oxygen†) that is followed by a resumption of the main clause (â€Å"ends up in a lower energy state†). 2. â€Å"Then the answer is given in more detail, with a fuller explanation, and where possible, some illuminating and fun trivia.† When the parenthesis is omitted, the sentence that remains is â€Å"Then the answer is given in more detail, with a fuller explanation, some illuminating and fun trivia.† As in the previous example, the conjunction and is incorrectly thrown out with the rest of the phrase. (This construction also makes â€Å"with a fuller explanation† look like a parenthesis, too, rather than the beginning of a dependent clause.) The parenthesis is â€Å"where possible,† not â€Å"and where possible,† so the second comma must follow, not precede, and: â€Å"Then the answer is given in more detail, with a fuller explanation and, where possible, some illuminating and fun trivia.† 3. â€Å"Deciduous trees decide to cut and run, or in other words, drop all their leaves at once.† Other conjunctions can be misplaced, too: Here, or is mistakenly situated in the parenthetical phrase, resulting in the framing sentence â€Å"Deciduous trees decide to cut and run drop all their leaves at once.† In this case, however, a comma is necessary before or as well as after it, even though the second half of the sentence is not an independent clause. The phrase â€Å"or, in other words, drop all their leaves at once† is an appositive an elaboration that restates another word or phrase to the informal descriptive phrase â€Å"cut and run,† so the proper revision is â€Å"Deciduous trees decide to cut and run, or, in other words, drop all their leaves at once.† (Without the parenthesis, a verbal nudge that the writer is using an amusing turn of phrase, the sentence reads, â€Å"Deciduous trees decide to cut and run, or drop all their leaves at once.†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Types and Forms of Humor"Gratitude" or "Gratefulness"?Types of Plots