Quiz: Uses of Parentheses

1. Complete the following statement: Parentheses are used to ________
a. enclose incidental information.
b. enclose additional information or a brief explanation.
c. Both a and b
2. Which sentence shows the BEST use of parentheses?
a. Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22 (a satire about the insanity of war) was set during World War II, but its themes and humor still resonate today.
b. Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22, a satire about the insanity of war, was set during World War II, (but its themes and humor still resonate today).
c. Joseph Heller's novel ( Catch-22), a satire about the insanity of war, was set during World War II, but its themes and humor still resonate today.
3. Which statement is TRUE?
a. Never put a period at the end of a sentence enclosed by parentheses.
b. Put a question mark at the end of a question enclosed by parentheses.
c. Insert a comma before and after parentheses that enclose a complete sentence.
4. Complete the following statement: If the parentheses enclose a complete, stand-alone sentence, place ________
a. the ending period outside the closing parentheses.
b. one period inside the closing parentheses and one outside the closing parentheses.
c. the ending period inside the closing parentheses.
5. Which sentence is punctuated CORRECTLY?
a. Antonio spent hours washing and waxing his new car (which was already clean, in my opinion) rather than cleaning out the attic.
b. Antonio spent hours washing and waxing his new car (,which was already clean, in my opinion,) rather than cleaning out the attic.
c. Antonio spent hours washing and waxing his new car; (which was already clean, in my opinion,) rather than cleaning out the attic.
6. Which sentence within a sentence is punctuated CORRECTLY?
a. The oil company finally stopped the leak (Why didn't they act sooner?) but denied any corporate wrongdoing.
b. The oil company finally stopped the leak (why didn't they act sooner?) but denied any corporate wrongdoing.
c. The oil company finally stopped the leak (why didn't they act sooner)? but denied any corporate wrongdoing.
7. Which sentence shows INCORRECT punctuation with parentheses?
a. The Good Earth, Pearl Buck's epic novel about a Chinese family, won a Pulitzer Prize (1932.)
b. The Good Earth, Pearl Buck's epic novel about a Chinese family, won a Pulitzer Prize (1932).
c. The Good Earth (Pearl Buck's epic novel about a Chinese family) won a Pulitzer Prize in 1932.
8. Complete the following statement: Parentheses are highly visible punctuation marks, so ________
a. a well-organized piece of writing should have parentheses in every other sentence.
b. overusing parentheses can be distracting to readers and interrupt the flow of your writing.
c. the more parentheses in your writing, the more information is quickly communicated to the reader.

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