Braces

Punctuation is the basic element of English grammar and without it a sentence is not only incomplete but also insensible. There are various marks of punctuation that are used in sentences to give them more meaning and make it easier for the reader to understand. If we omit these punctuation marks from a sentence we will be left hanging. Also, without a punctuation mark a sentence can have various meanings and the reader might assume the meaning the writer is not conveying.

Today I will talk about the less known and easily mistaken punctuation mark called braces and its usage in English language.

Denotation:

The punctuation mark braces is represented by two pointed and curved parenthesis one after the other and appears as { }.

Braces:

Braces are used in English language punctuation to mark pauses and represent choices.

Braces are extensively used in mathematics to denote numerical sets of numbers.

Example:

Odd numbers {1, 3, 5, 7, 9….}

{1, 4, 7, 8, 15}

Note that any set of numbers that have a specific property or have any characteristic in common is enclosed inside braces.

Another usage of braces in English language is to indicate choices or preferences.

Example:

Choose your material {cloth, thread, needle, scissors} and move to step B.

Select one item {tea, soda, coffee, wine} and wait for your turn.

Note that the above examples show equal options or choices which are enclosed inside braces. Braces represent that each of these item is equal to the other regardless of the person’s choice.