Parentheticals
* Purpose: Parentheticals add extra information, comments, or explanations to a sentence. They can be used to:
* Clarify a point
* Provide an aside
* Emphasize something
* Add humor
* Provide an example
* Structure: They're usually enclosed in commas, parentheses, or dashes.
Examples:
1. Commas:
* "The cake, which was chocolate with raspberry filling, was delicious."
* "My brother, a talented musician, plays the piano beautifully."
2. Parentheses:
* "The new restaurant (located on Main Street) has a great menu."
* "I've been to Paris (twice) and I love it there."
3. Dashes:
* "The concert was amazing – the band played all my favorite songs."
* "I tried to call you – I left a message on your phone."
Phrases that can Interrupt:
* Explanatory phrases: (e.g., "in fact," "for example," "on the other hand")
* Interjections: (e.g., "Wow," "Really?")
* Short comments: (e.g., "you know," "I think," "it seems")
* Appositives: (e.g., "my dog, a golden retriever," "the city, a bustling metropolis")
Important Notes:
* The interrupting phrase should be grammatically correct and make sense within the sentence.
* The sentence should flow smoothly even with the interruption.
* Use parentheticals sparingly to avoid overusing them and making your writing cluttered.
Let me know if you'd like me to provide more examples of specific phrase types!