Recently, I've seen both pros and amateurs make similar mistakes in articles, reports, memos, brochures, websites and blogs.
Let's take a quick look at two examples and see if we can spot and fix the problems.
The website would benefit from a carefully executed upgrade (this doesn’t need to be complicated.)What's wrong? The period is placed inside the closing parenthesis. This is incorrect.
Tackle the process in four easy stages (update content; revamp structure; redesign template; launch revised site.)
So, when you're mixing periods and parentheses, what rules apply?
Periods are most frequently used to indicate the end of a complete thought or sentence. When the information contained inside the parentheses is part of the thought or sentence, the period is always outside the closing parenthesis. Always.
To fix our examples, move the period as shown:
The website would benefit from a carefully executed upgrade (this doesn’t need to be complicated).When should the period be placed inside the parentheses?
Tackle the process in four easy stages (update content; revamp structure; redesign template; launch revised site).
It's simple. If you’re using parentheses to enclose a complete, stand-alone sentence, the period belongs inside, too. For example:
The website would benefit from a carefully executed upgrade. (This doesn’t need to be complicated.)Follow these basic guidelines, and you'll use periods and parentheses like a pro.
Tackle the process in four easy stages. (First update content, then revamp the structure, redesign the template and launch the revised site.)
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