Most kids are taught not to interrupt a person who is talking. But did you know that some writers interrupt themselves in the middle of a sentence?!
Interruptions in sentences are called parenthetical elements. When a writer includes a parenthetical element in a sentence, the interrupting word or phrase is set aside in some way (such as in parentheses like these). Parenthetical elements provide nonessential information—information that is not needed to understand the main point of the sentence. Parenthetical elements can appear anywhere in a sentence.
Parentheses are just one way that parenthetical elements can be set off from the rest of a sentence. Use the activity below to make sure you understand all three methods. First, read the explanation. Then, click it to see an example.
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If you don’t mind, leave the keys on the kitchen counter before you go. |
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The vacuum cleaner finally broke (it was really old). |
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After the storm—the lightning was terrible—Kensey realized that her printer had stopped working. |
Question
Look back at each example sentence in the table. Try reading each sentence without the words in boldface. What do you notice about the parenthetical elements?
In Esperanza Rising, Pam Muñoz Ryan uses parenthetical elements to explain what Spanish words mean. Reread page 24 of the novel, looking for the Spanish words in italics.
Question
What is the parenthetical phrase that follows the Spanish word on page 24 of the novel?
Besides using parenthetical elements to explain Spanish words, Ryan also uses interruptions to add more information to a sentence. Reread the paragraph before the break on page 28. See if you can spot the parenthetical element.
Question
What nonessential information is included in the last sentence before the break on page 28?
