I recently edited two non-fiction books with a lot of parentheses. They were mostly used for witty asides or extra detail. (Both authors had a loose, conversational style.) While I love using parentheses myself – and I’ll probably use a few in this post for illustrative purposes! – too many can distract, confuse or weaken your argument. So, let’s talk about when you should use them, when they might be superfluous and how to punctuate them correctly.
Parentheses vs brackets: Is there a difference?
Before we get stuck in, you’re probably wondering if there's a difference between parentheses and brackets. Technically, parentheses are a type of bracket. The four bracket types are: round (parentheses), square (square brackets), curly (curly brackets) and angled (angle brackets). They all serve different purposes, and yes, they always come in pairs! I’ll focus on parentheses in this article because they’re the most commonly used.
When can you use parentheses?
Typically, parentheses are used for information that’s non-essential but still relevant to the sentence. Here are some examples:
Asides. Remarks, afterthoughts, truths or playful comments that aren't essential to the meaning of the sentence but that add colour or humour. For example: 'Koala habitats may regenerate in 3–5 years (but I wouldn’t count on it).'
Citations. Use of the author–date referencing system to cite sources. For example: 'Bushfires have destroyed 70% of the koala population (Sterio, 2024).'
Clarifications. Information that expands on an idea introduced in the sentence. For example: 'The Australian Koala Foundation (a non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving and managing koala habitats) is running a tree-planting program.'
Cross-references. These are used when the author refers to a page, chapter or figure in the text. For example: 'There are fewer than 100,000 koalas left in the wild (see page 12).'
Extra detail. Additional information that provides context to the sentence. Example: 'Koalas sleep for up to 20 hours a day. (It takes a lot of energy to digest leaves.)'
Shortened forms. Acronyms or initialisms that appear after they've been spelled out. Example: 'The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) was founded in 1986.'
How do you punctuate parentheses?
As you can see from the examples above, if the parentheses contain a sentence fragment (an incomplete sentence), then the full stop or comma is placed outside the parentheses.
'There are fewer than 100,000 koalas left in the wild (see chapter 12).'
'Koala habitats may regenerate in 3–5 years (but I wouldn’t count on it).'
If the parentheses contain a full sentence, the terminal punctuation is placed inside the parentheses.
'Koalas sleep for up to 20 hours a day. (It takes a lot of energy to digest leaves.)
That said, it's acceptable to have a full sentence without terminal punctuation if it's in the middle of a sentence. However, question marks and exclamation marks are an exception.
If you find that you’re using too many parentheses (I’ve used a lot in this post – but mostly for illustrative purposes), then consider why you might be doing this.
Some people hate koalas (crazy, right?), but you can't please everyone.
Can you use too many parentheses?
Yes, it's easy to get carried away with parentheses. Not only can they weigh down your prose and distract readers, but they can also suggest uncertainty. If most of your statements are in parentheses, you may not be making your point forcefully enough, or you could be minimising an idea that deserves more attention.
If you tend to use too many parentheses, consider why you might be doing this. Are you uncertain about punctuation rules? Are you trying to cram too much into your sentences? Are you including irrelevant information?
After you’ve audited your writing, decide which parentheses stay, which go and which can be recast to become part of the text. In the end, your writing will be clearer and more focused – and any remaining parentheses will carry more weight.
Can you use dashes instead of parentheses?
Dashes (an unspaced em or spaced en, depending on your style manual) and parentheses are sometimes used interchangeably, but they perform a different function. In general, dashes are used to emphasise, interrupt, correct, introduce a list or indicate a change of thought. As for parentheses, they're best for additional but non-essential info.
To help you decide which to use, consider how important the information is to the sentence and what function it performs. What needs more emphasis? What is less essential? As with parentheses, use them sparingly. Too many can be distracting and affect readability.
How to use parentheses: Summing up
As you can see, parentheses are a great way to include asides, clarifications and extra information in your writing. They're also handy for acronyms, citations or references – anything that's relevant but not strictly essential to your argument. But don't go overboard. Overusing parentheses can clutter your writing and suggest uncertainty. Remember, a little goes a long way!
Are you guilty of overusing parentheses? Do they ever trip you up? Let me know in the comments! If you need someone to help you weed out excessive parentheses (or tackle other tricky writing problems), get in touch to discuss your project or request a sample edit.
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