Hope I have the right site but I have a question why are some words wriiten with only one letter of the word in parenthesis and what are the symbols above the Quotation mark on the key board mean and how are they used? I have a dinner bet on this one

The only time I have seen a single letter in parentheses appended to a word is when the sentence may be multiple tenses. For example, I might refer to receiving a letter(s). Knowing I might receive only one letter, but possible more, ( use the s) (which doesn't go with the 'a') to indicate it might be plural. Similarly, one might write a sentence in present tense, but also refer to past tense.

The apostrophe is also referred to as a single quote. The symbol above is referred to as double quotes or just quotes.

Above the quote is open or left curly bracket and open or left square bracket

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Above the quote is open or left curly bracket and open or left square bracket

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Hmm I assume he meant on the same key, but you are correct, the keys above are the brackets.

Thanks all

Now I have another question why would a letter be in parenthesis at the beginning of a word or in the middle of a word. I don't recall ever seeing or paying attention to a letter being in parenthesis at the beginning or middle of a word
But my friend says its possible. I didn't know so I thought I would ask the experts

I've never seen that.

Ask your friend to show you an example in print, not seen this either

Chemistry often has a letter in parenthesis in the middle of an analyte name. Benzo(a)pyrene is a common example. The (a) refers to the position on the Benzene ring. That's the only time I recall ever seeing it.

Thanks everyone,
I am well aware of the chemistry
Formulas from working with colors but other than that I have never seen it either. I have asked him to show me in print. I think he may just be mistaken. I will let you all know what he comes up with.

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Originally Posted by DownUnder

Thanks all

Now I have another question why would a letter be in parenthesis at the begining of a word or in the middle of a word. I don't recall ever seeing or paying attention to a letter being in parenthesis at the begining or middle of a word
but my friend says its possible. I didn't know so I thought I would ask the experts

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It might be to distinguish other possible spellings, such as: recogniz(s)e or to show that a change was made to the original text or quote if someone made an error, such as: He bought a apple at the store. Corrected: He bought a(n) apple at the store. "it was not my problem" Corrected: "(I)t was not my problem"

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Originally Posted by DownUnder

Thanks all

Now I have another question why would a letter be in parenthesis at the begining of a word or in the middle of a word. I don't recall ever seeing or paying attention to a letter being in parenthesis at the begining or middle of a word
but my friend says its possible. I didn't know so I thought I would ask the experts

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If I were quoting and changed the first letter from a cap to a lower case, I would put that one letter in parentheses (plural for "parenthesis") --

Mother always told me that "(e)arly to bed, early to rise" is the best way to live.

{ } = braces
[ ] = brackets

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Originally Posted by DoulaLC

It might be to distinguish other possible spellings, such as: recogniz(s)e or to show that a change was made to the original text or quote if someone made an error, such as: He bought a apple at the store. Corrected: He bought a(n) apple at the store. "it was not my problem" Corrected: "(I)t was not my problem"

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If the writer is noting that a word has been misspelled or has a different spelling elsewhere, he would use [sic] --

Charlie had written that his sister is the best bakker [sic] in the whole world.

He said that his mother would recognise [sic] him no matter what.

I have seen this in print the title of the book is "Patterns Of American Jurisprudence", and it completely baffles me, I had desperately hoped someone here might have known the answer... Oh well Cheers Billy

I have seen this in texts before, such as "Patterns Of American Jurisprudence", and alas as hard as I have tried I have not gotten the answer... Cheers Billy

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Originally Posted by Councilr2014

I have seen this in print the title of the book is "Patterns Of American Jurisprudence", and it completely baffles me, I had desperately hoped someone here might have known the answer...Oh well Cheers Billy

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Please quote what you are talking about.

When words have only the first letter parenthesized like so as [F]ollows. Cheers Billy

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Originally Posted by Councilr2014

When words have only the first letter parenthesized like so as [F]ollows. Cheers Billy

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It means that in the original quote, the letter was lowercase, but for this book, the author begins a sentence with that word and so has to capitalize it.

Original quote: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Quote added to a book or story, but the entire quote isn't used: [D]on't fix it.