Does punctuation go in brackets or out?
Whether to place punctuation in brackets or out of them is a question that regularly perplexes writers. Is there a correct format when it comes to punctuating brackets? Do periods, commas, and all other punctuation go inside or outside a pair of brackets (also known as parentheses)?
The answer depends on where they appear in a sentence. Generally speaking, with parenthetical phrases (the writing that goes inside the brackets), we don’t include punctuation. However, if what’s within the brackets is a complete or standalone sentence, we keep the punctuation within the brackets (as in a period or exclamation mark).
Brackets in the middle of sentences?
Often, brackets appear in the middle of a sentence to include nonessential or ‘parenthetical’ information. As a general rule of thumb, do not punctuate brackets with nonessential/parenthetical information.
The general rule is to keep punctuation with the sentence it belongs to. If a period belongs to the broader sentence (and not just what’s within the parentheses), place the period at the end of the sentence.
Sentences with punctuation inside the brackets
If an entire sentence is within the brackets, include punctuation in the sentence: (Several other courses were offered, but they were not as popular.)
If what’s inside the brackets is a complete sentence, include punctuation: I arrived at work at 9.30 am. (That’s earlier than usual.)
Sentences with punctuation outside the brackets
We leave punctuation outside of the brackets when the information provided is additional or nonessential:
- Students completed several psychology courses (social, personality, and clinical).
- The cake looks great (and tastes even better).
- I arrived at work at 9.30 am (which is earlier than usual).
