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  1. Comma
  2. Colon
  3. Semicolon
  4. Brackets
  1. After useing comma should we use space between comma and next word or not?

E.g:

When I saw him, he was reading book.

When I saw him,he was reading book.

  1. After useing colon should we use space between next word or not?

e.g:

For example: look at ......

For example:look at......

  1. When we should use?/need space between Semicolon and next word or not?
  1. After useing brackets we should use space between last word and brakets/brakets and next word or not?/we should use full stop in brackets or out of them?

e.g:

We'll have fun (don't.....

We'll have fun(don't.....

......(don't......

......( don't......

......don't bring your brother.)

......dont bring your brother).

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1 Answer 1

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There should always be a space in English following a comma, colon, or semicolon. The exceptions to this are for specific circumstances, such as when the comma is used to break up a number: e.g. "1,000,000"; or when the colon is used for a time: e.g. "10:00". Apart from special punctuation needs such as in these numbers, codes, etc., expect a space.

Some "Old English" books may include a space before a colon or semicolon, as well as a space afterward. This is no longer standard. In normal text, the space should come only after the punctuation, not before it.

Parentheses and brackets usually do not have spaces between them and the text they are surrounding, but they do have a space outside of them; e.g. "He want to go with them (but they would not let him)" (notice the space after "them" but not before "but" nor after "him").

A period comes before the final bracket if the entire sentence is in that bracket, and outside of the bracket if it contained only an insertion into that sentence.

Examples:

  • (He doesn't like cabbage.)
  • He wouldn't eat any (he doesn't like cabbage).
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  • 1
    (He doesn't like cabbage.) - this looks odd. Could you clarify when someone might need to write such a thing?
    – Michael Harvey
    Commented Aug 6, 2023 at 10:01
  • 1
    One should avoid putting whole sentences into brackets. Brackets are to indicate parenthetical insertions, and if you have a whole sentence that can be removed you should remove it (perhaps to a footnote). If it needs to be there, then don't put it in brackets.
    – James K
    Commented Aug 6, 2023 at 10:17
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    The actual example in the answer is not great, since "he doesn't like cabbage" couldn't be part of the sentence. If you removed the brackets you would get something that is ungrammatical. I suggest an example like "He wouldn't eat any vegetables (like cabbage)." Here "like cabbage" can be removed from the sentence without breaking the grammar or significantly changing the sense.
    – James K
    Commented Aug 6, 2023 at 10:20
  • I'm surprised people here seem unacquainted with whole sentences in brackets. This usage seems ubiqitous, from my experience. Brackets can be used to inject an entire explanatory clause or sentence into the middle of something else which would otherwise change its topic and render the paragraph confusing. The brackets indicate that this explanatory information is off-topic to the rest of the thought, and, while giving the reader useful information, indicate that this information is a side-note and not part of the main topic.
    – Biblasia
    Commented Aug 6, 2023 at 10:24
  • @Biblasia it's not wrong, it's just that usually, it isn't good writing. If something is off-topic it should be cut altogether, or put in a footnote. If I ever want to put a whole sentence in brackets, that is a sign that I'm not writing clearly. I stop and think if I can phrase my thoughts in a more logical and structured way.
    – James K
    Commented Aug 6, 2023 at 10:58

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