Parenthetical Phrases

Parenthetical Phrases Parenthetical Phrases Parenthetical Phrases By Mark Nichol Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you’re explaining something in writing such as which punctuation marks to use to signal a break in thought and you want to make it clear to your readers (many of whom may never have realized that there are distinctions to be made). How would you do it? I just did. One of three basic strategies usually suffices to set a parenthetical phrase off from its root sentence. By â€Å"parenthetical phrase,† I mean one that constitutes a digression (or a clarification) and, despite the name, it doesn’t have to involve parentheses. I did it again. You see, the mildest form of parenthesis, for when you want to quickly insert a detail without distracting the reader, is a subordinate clause: a nonessential phrase framed by a pair of commas. The preceding sentence includes a subordinate clause: the one that begins â€Å"for when† and ends â€Å"the reader.† If you temporarily remove that phrase from the sentence, its structural integrity remains intact. (Try it; I’ll wait but don’t forget to put it back when you’re done.) The subordinate-clause parenthesis is one strategy. Another is to use the punctuation characters called parentheses. (The singular form, also used for the compositional device under discussion, is â€Å"parenthesis.†) Notice that I just inserted a parenthesis inside parentheses to make a point that isn’t key to the explanation but provides an additional dollop of information. Note also that I inserted a subordinate clause inside the parenthesis. That’s acceptable but shouldn’t be overdone, because it complicates sentence structure and can obfuscate writing. The third device is the use of what are technically called em dashes so called because they were originally the width of the letter â€Å"m† though most people refer to them simply as dashes. Digression: A pair of en dashes the origin of this name should be apparent are often used in place of em dashes, though they were appropriated from another use. Simple hyphens either a single pair or two doubles also appear in their place, especially online. Why? The hyphen is part of the ASCII roster of basic alphanumeric characters that automatically translate online, but em dashes and en dashes often have to be coded, or they’ll manifest in most browser windows as odd characters; we’ve all seen that error on even otherwise professional Web sites. Therefore, they’re used less often on the Internet. End of digression. Dashes and their substitutes, as opposed to quotidian commas and wallflower parentheses, are best used to call attention to the inserted phrase hey, look at me! and note that often, they are used not in pairs with a parenthetical phrase within, but rather alone, setting a phrase off at the end of a sentence a function commas but not parentheses share. I have allowed these devices to proliferate here for the sake of instruction; but use them sparingly. (Especially, don’t use more than a single dash or a pair of dashes in one sentence or in consecutive sentences, or the passage may be difficult to follow.) Employed in moderation, and when each type is used according to its strength, parenthetical punctuation is a powerful textual tool try it! Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Types and Forms of HumorEmail Etiquette5 Ways to Reduce Use of Prepositions

Biography of Sarah Boone

Biography of Sarah Boone If youve ever tried to iron a shirt, you can appreciate how difficult it is to iron the sleeves. Dressmaker Sarah Boone tackled this problem and invented an improvement to the ironing board in 1892 that would make it easier to press sleeves without introducing unwanted creases. She was one of the first black women to receive a patent in the United States. Life of Sarah Boone, Inventor Sarah Boone began life as Sarah Marshall, born in 1832. In 1847, at age 15, she married freedman James Boone in New Bern, North Carolina. They moved north to New Haven, Connecticut before the ​Civil War. She worked as a dressmaker while he was a brick mason. They had eight children. She lived in New Haven for the rest of her life. She died in 1904 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery. She filed her patent July 23, 1891, listing New Haven, Connecticut  as her home. Her patent was published nine months later. There is no record found of whether her invention was produced and marketed. Sarah Boones Ironing Board Patent Boones patent was not the first for an ironing board, despite what you may see in some listings of inventors and inventions. Folding ironing board patents appeared in the 1860s. Ironing was done with irons heated on the stove or fire, using a table that was covered with a thick cloth. Often women would simply use the kitchen table, or prop a board on two chairs. Ironing would usually be done in the kitchen where the irons could be heated on the stove. Electric irons were patented in 1880 but didnt catch on until after the turn of the century. Sarah Boone patented an improvement to the ironing board (U.S. Patent #473,653) on April 26, 1892. Boones ironing board was designed to be effective in ironing the sleeves and bodies of ladies garments. Boones board was very narrow and curved, the size and fit of a sleeve common in ladies garments of that period. It was reversible, making it easy to iron both sides of a sleeve. She noted that the board could also be produced flat rather than curved, which might be better for the cut of the sleeves of mens coats. She noted that her ironing board would also be well-suited for ironing curved waist seams. Her invention would be most convenient to have for pressing sleeves even today. The typical folding ironing board for home use has a tapered end that can be useful for pressing necklines of some items, but sleeves and pant legs are always tricky. Many people simply iron them flat with a crease. If you dont want a crease, you have to avoid ironing over the folded edge. Finding storage for a home ironing board can be a challenge when you live in a small space, Compact ironing boards are one solution that is easier to put into a cupboard. Boones ironing board may look like an option youd prefer if you iron lots of shirts and pants and dont like creases.