Which sentence uses parentheses correctly?
Responses
A Although Lara was upset (her mother had never called), she still had a great birthday.Although Lara was upset (her mother had never called), she still had a great birthday.
B Matthew wanted to ask her out (he wanted to ask anyone out really but he lost his nerve.Matthew wanted to ask her out (he wanted to ask anyone out really but he lost his nerve.
C After years of training, Daniel (finally ran the 100 mile race held each year in Arizona.After years of training, Daniel (finally ran the 100 mile race held each year in Arizona.
D (When Donald looked in the mirror) he saw a man who had aged ten years in only two years.
D When Donald looked in the mirror (he saw a man who had aged ten years in only two years).
Explanation: This sentence uses parentheses to include additional information that is not essential to the main point but provides extra context. However, the correct placement of parentheses in this context should be around the additional information, not at the very beginning of the sentence. So the correct sentence should be:
When Donald looked in the mirror (he saw a man who had aged ten years in only two), he saw a man who had aged ten years in only two.
On the other hand, sentence A correctly uses parentheses. The information within the parentheses is not essential to the main clause, "Although Lara was upset, she still had a great birthday." It simply provides additional context for why Lara was upset.
The correct sentences with proper use of parentheses are:
A Although Lara was upset (her mother had never called), she still had a great birthday.
D When Donald looked in the mirror, he saw a man who had aged ten years in only two (when he looked in the mirror).
B and C are incorrect because they contain an opening parenthesis without a corresponding closing parenthesis.