How do you use brackets when changing a quote?
How do you use brackets when changing a quote?
When writers insert or alter words in a direct quotation, square brackets—[ ]—are placed around the change. The brackets, always used in pairs, enclose words intended to clarify meaning, provide a brief explanation, or to help integrate the quote into the writer’s sentence.
Do you use brackets when adding to a quote?
How to Use Brackets in Quotations. Here are some of the most common uses for brackets in quotations: Use square brackets to include words within a quote that are not part of the original quote. For example, if a quoted passage is not entirely clear, words enclosed in square brackets can be added to clarify the meaning.
What do the brackets mean in a quote?
Parentheses. Brackets: In a paper, use brackets to signify important information added to direct quotes. The brackets tell the reader that the information is added to further explain the quote.
What do brackets around a letter mean?
Typically this indicates that the passage was part of a quoted text in which the initial letter was not at the beginning of the sentence.
How do you use square brackets in quotes?
Use square brackets, not parentheses, to enclose material such as an addition or explanation you have inserted in a quotation. If you want to emphasize a word or words in a quotation, use italics. Immediately after the italicized words, insert “emphasis added” within square brackets as follows: [emphasis added].
Can square brackets replace words in quotes?
Square Brackets to Modify the Original Text Often, square brackets can be used to replace text in a quotation to make the quotation clearer for the reader.
Why are brackets used?
Brackets are used to insert explanations, corrections, clarifications, or comments into quoted material. Brackets are always used in pairs; you must have both an opening and a closing bracket. Do not confuse brackets [ ] with parentheses ( ).
What does [] around a word mean?
Square brackets (also called brackets, especially in American English) are mainly used to enclose words added by someone other than the original writer or speaker, typically in order to clarify the situation: He [the police officer] can’t prove they did it.
What are the straight brackets called?
Square brackets [ and ] are also called simply “brackets” (US), as well as “crotchets”, “closed brackets”, or “hard brackets”.
