Overview
Dashes are often used as punctuation to note a change in direction, while parentheses are used to set off material within a sentence. Both dashes and parentheses can have the effect of introducing new ideas that are not essential, but add explanation.
Dashes
Dashes are often used when writers wish to signal a change in direction, as when a character is thinking about one thing and then another. The woman dyed her hair red— as red as her Corvette, rather than auburn. Similarly, a dash can be used when there is a break in the sentence. I wish you would – never mind. Dashes can also be used between dates or numbers instead of the word to, such as she took the class U.S. History 1880—1950. Problems 1-40 are in tonight’s homework. Rows 1-10 in the auditorium are reserved for season ticket holders.
Parentheses
Parentheses are most often used to set off material within a sentence that adds explanation. The shipment will arrive (once payment has been made) in 3-5 business days. Classes will start again in September (and that seems so far away). A sentence that uses parentheses will have both an opening and a closing parenthesis (). It is easy to overlook the closing parenthesis until the final proofreading.
Other Uses of Parentheses
Parentheses may also be used to enclose numbers or letters when they mark the divisions of a subject. Please bring the following to the final exam: (a) more than one #2 pencil, (b) a blue book, (c) a calculator, and (d) graph paper. Parentheses are also used for clarification, as in the meetings of the Bellingham (WA) City Council are held in chambers, while the meetings of the Bellingham (MA) City Council are held in City Hall. If an exclamation point or question mark within a sentence is enclosed in parentheses within a sentence, it might be intended as irony or sarcasm. The lecture was so exciting (?) than many students fell asleep.
Brackets
Although brackets may be more familiar in mathematical expressions, they are also used in English sentences. They are often used to insert details not included in a quotation, such as the date, author, or other comments. For example, in the following year [1969] astronauts landed on the moon.
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