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English
Reading - text types
Reading comprehension
Writing process
Writing skills
Spelling
Word endings
Sentences
Punctuation
Speaking
English
Summary
Brackets, dashes and hyphens are types of punctuation marks used in sentences. In this summary, you will learn how to use each of them.
Brackets can be used to add additional information or an explanation to a sentence to give greater detail, expand an abbreviation or provide a time, date or place. The brackets go around the extra information, but the sentence must make sense without the brackets and extra information.
Without brackets | With brackets |
| Chapter six will give you more information about the Solar System. | Chapter six (pages ) will give you more information about the Solar System. |
A pair of dashes can be used instead of a pair of brackets to add extra information to a sentence. A single dash can be used in the middle of a sentence to show a sharp break in the flow of words. It can be used to mark a dramatic pause before saying something surprising or exciting.
Without dashes | With dashes |
| The new girl Iliana is very nice. | The new girl Iliana - who just joined our class - is very nice. |
| Cheetahs can run very fast, they are the fastest animal on earth. | Cheetahs can run very fast - they are the fastest animal on earth. |
Brackets and dashes can be used in sentences in a similar way. Brackets are often used in formal writing (such as information books) to suggest a serious tone of voice and provide factual information. Dashes however, are often used in more informal writing to suggest a chatty or snappy way of speaking.
Without punctuation | With brackets | With dashes |
| My friend Zara won the race. | My friend Zara (who was very fast) won the race. | My friend Zara - who was very fast - won the race. |
Hyphens are used between words to avoid confusion in a sentence. They can be used to show which word is an adjective.
Xavier's fun-loving mum threw him the best birthday party ever.
Hyphens may also be used to connect word parts and can be used for words with prefixes by connecting the prefix to the root word.
The TV show was pre-recorded.
FAQs
Question: How do I use hyphens in a sentence?
Answer: Hyphens are used between words to avoid confusion in a sentence. They can be used to show which word is an adjective.
Question: What is the purpose of a single dash in a sentence?
Answer: A single dash can be used in the middle of a sentence to show a sharp break in the flow of words. It can be used to mark a dramatic pause before saying something surprising or exciting.
Question: How do I use brackets in a sentence?
Answer: Brackets can be used to add additional information or an explanation to a sentence to give greater detail, expand on an abbreviation or provide a time, date or place.
Theory
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