What does it mean when a word is enclosed in [ ] in a quote?

Question

in a bunch of articles when people are quoted, sometimes words are enclosed in [ ] and i dont know what it means ! help !

Answer 1

It's used when the tense is changed, or if a pronoun is replaced.

"I told him to leave."

"I told [Tom] to leave."

"I [tell] him to leave."

Answer 2

awesomest question!

i always wondered what that meant,

in fact i told myself to ask that question

today and i forgot till now. lol.

thanks!!

<3

Answer 3

It is quoting something and changing names or tenses to fit what the writer is saying. What is inside the [ ] is what is changed

Answer 4

that means the person being quoted used a different word than the word written down in the magazine.

For example, if I was to quote your question in a magazine, I would say "in a bunch of articles when [they] are quoted..."