Parenthesis: pebble toad
The Grammar Bit!
The three sentences opposite each contain a parenthesis. A parenthesis (bold) is an additional piece of information added to a sentence. Brackets, dashes and commas can all be used to indicate parenthesis.
Try to think of parenthesis as if the writer is whispering in your ear, “Here is a little bit of extra information. It’s not vital that you know it, but it is interesting.”
With your partner, read each sentence with the parenthesis. Now read each sentence without the parenthesis. What do you notice?
Scintillating Sentences
1) The toad- eating tarantula (which is an ambush predator) patrolled the craggy mountaintop.
2) The pebble toad – found only in the mountainous regions of Venezuela – blended in with the rocky habitat due to its grey and black skin colour.
3) Sadly, the pebble toad, which is a poor swimmer, tumbled into a deep pool and drowned.
“That’s one small step for a pebble toad, but it’s one giant leap for toadkind!”