Square brackets

Square brackets are less common than round brackets. They are primarily used in three situations.

  • Clarifications within quoted text

    Use square brackets to set off a clarification within quoted text.

    Exemple adequatThe Rector said of the coming budget debate: “Never in all my years as rector have I had to make such a difficult decision about such a useful programme [grants for young researchers] affecting so many”.


  • Optional or tentative text

    Use square brackets to indicate text that is optional or still open to discussion. In the following example, the School of Education is responsible for implementing the project. What is optional or uncertain is whether the Office of External Relations will share that responsibility.

    Exemple adequatThe implementation of the project will be the [joint] responsibility of the School of Education [and the Office of External Relations].


  • Brackets within brackets

    Use square brackets to indicate parenthetical elements that are already in round brackets.

    Exemple adequatA large multilateral organization (e.g., the World Bank [WB]) has the following characteristics…

Universitat de Barcelona. Serveis Lingüístics
Darrera actualització: 23-6-2023
Recommended citation:
«Square brackets» [en línia]. A: Llibre d’estil de la Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona. Serveis Lingüístics. <https://www.ub.edu/llibre-estil/criteri.php?id=2325> [consulta: 29 març 2024].