Parenthetical Elements

Front

What is a parenthetical element?

Back

A parenthetical element is a word, phrase, or clause that is inserted into a sentence to provide additional information but is not essential to the sentence's meaning.

Front

What punctuation is commonly used to set off parenthetical elements?

Back

Common punctuation used to set off parenthetical elements includes commas, dashes, and parentheses.

Front

Which of the following is NOT a parenthetical element: 'Walt Disney, (1901-1946), created a magical amusement park.'?

Back

The phrase '1901-1946' is a parenthetical element, while 'Walt Disney' is not.

Front

What is the difference between restrictive and nonrestrictive elements?

Back

Restrictive elements are essential to the meaning of a sentence, while nonrestrictive elements provide additional information that can be omitted without changing the sentence's meaning.

Front

How do you punctuate a nonrestrictive clause?

Back

A nonrestrictive clause is punctuated with commas before and after the clause.

Front

What is an example of a nonrestrictive element?

Back

An example of a nonrestrictive element is: 'My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting this weekend.'

Front

What is the purpose of using parentheses in writing?

Back

Parentheses are used to enclose additional information, clarifications, or asides that are not essential to the main point.

Front

Which punctuation can NOT be used to set off parenthetical elements?

Back

Quotation marks cannot be used to set off parenthetical elements.

Front

Identify the parenthetical element in the sentence: 'The book, which was published in 2020, became a bestseller.'

Back

The parenthetical element is 'which was published in 2020'.

Front

What is the effect of using dashes to set off parenthetical elements?

Back

Using dashes creates a stronger emphasis on the parenthetical information compared to commas.