Final answer:
The question involves nonessential modifiers in English writing, which are additional clauses or phrases in a sentence that should be set apart with parentheses. It also touches on the use of hyphens with modifiers and the alphabetical ordering of words in an index.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the use of nonessential modifiers in writing, specifically in the context of punctuation and grammar. In English, nonessential modifiers are phrases or clauses that provide additional information without altering the core meaning of the sentence.
They are also known as nonrestrictive elements and should be enclosed in parentheses to de-emphasize their importance or to indicate that the information is supplementary. For example, the sentence 'He graduated with high honors (magna c u m laude) and found a job immediately.' contains a nonessential modifier within the parentheses, providing extra information that is not required to understand the main idea of the sentence.
In addition to parentheses, English grammar utilizes hyphens with modifiers when they precede a noun and work together as a single adjective (compound modifiers), like in 'high-school prom-night fundraiser'.
However, hyphens are not needed when the modifiers come after the noun or when each word can modify the noun independently. Moreover, in-text citations and indices utilize specific formatting to reference additional materials or to list words in alphabetical order.
Correct use of punctuation, like commas, hyphens, parentheses, and capitalization, is crucial for clarity and precision in writing.