Does Punctuation go Inside or Outside Parentheses?

The Ground Rules

You want to use parentheses to indicate an additional thought or idea. You might wonder whether the punctuation should be placed inside or outside the parentheses. Well, the answer might surprise you. Sometimes it goes inside, but sometimes it is placed outside the parentheses.

The Basics

Here are the rules to consider:

Rule #1

If the words that appear inside the parentheses are not a complete sentence, then the terminal punctuation, regardless of whether it is a period, exclamation point, or question mark, is placed after the parentheses.

Consider these examples:

1. We need your help (hurry).
2. When Montana is hungry, she craves apples (and peanut butter).
3. She loves meat (and veggies).

So, as you can see, it is clear that what is in the parentheses is something that is in addition to the rest of the sentence, but it is not a complete sentence.

Rule #2

If the words inside the parentheses form a complete sentence, then the terminal punctuation is placed insidethe parenthesis. (This is true whether you use a period, exclamation point, or question mark.)

Consider these examples:

• We need your help. (Please come quickly!)
• When Montana is hungry, she craves apples. (But she has to have peanut butter on them as well.)
• She loves meat. (She also loves to eat roasted veggies with her steak.)
• We are going to the beach. (Make sure you pack lunch.)

In these examples, what is in the parentheses is a complete sentence. It can stand on its own, and this is why the terminal punctuation is placed inside the parentheses.

Rule #3

When the information in the parentheses is in the middle of the sentence, the punctuation is placed just as it would be if the parentheses were removed from the sentence. Commas will most likely follow the parentheses rather than proceed them.

Consider these examples:

• Students will live in dorms (see exceptions listed below) for their first two years of college, and then off-campus housing is available.
• When you begin to put the ingredients together (see the note on the process), you will need to make sure the eggs are tempered in the milk to keep from having scrambled eggs.
• When you apply for the position, make sure you include your social security number (or tax id number), so we can check your credit rating.