Do not use a comma after a question mark occurring in the middle of a sentence. White, “The greater part of the world’s troubles are due to questions of grammar.” I asked, “Have oil prices hit rock bottom yet?” but she wouldn’t speculate. The post Question Mark - Definition, Uses and Examples touches on an important punctuation mark which has the symbol (?) No question mark after a command. It’s mostly among girls and young women but I sometimes hear it from men. You may want to rethink your (over)use of this punctuation mark. Wrong: “Will you pick up some olive oil,” he asked? Some examples of this are: "Do you know if Mark said, 'Bring dinner'?" "You didn't actually agree to that offer?" The speaker is not asking for a response; he or she is essentially thinking out loud while processing the traumatic incident. Keyboard Question Mark not Working 127/5000. Examples: She asked, "Will you still be my friend?" A discussion of exceptions to basic use of the question mark follows. He isn’t coming, is he? When to Use Question Marks. Why watch a video on question marks, you ask? Compare the following examples, where the usual commas are dropped: “Would you like a cup of coffee?” she said. Question words like who, when, where, why, what, which, and how indicate that a sentence is a question. Why do you need a calculator? Become a member and unlock all Study Answers. Clearly, he is saying something that translates as: Summary of Question Marks: Use a question mark at the end of a direct question. Correct: I asked her to pay the bill. Clearly, that man has a wife who is very bossy, she thinks that she is very smart, and she thinks that she is all-powerful. A direct question is posed explicitly, head-on. If a sentence starts with a question word such as why, when, how, who, what or where, then it should end with a question mark. working everywhere. A question mark will stand in place of a period when it is ending a question. her boss asked incredulously. “What Devil has gotten into you!?”. Question Marks. Question mark style conventions. “Have you lost your mind! Question marks go at the end of simple sentences. The basic rule is that a question mark should not be combined with commas, periods, or exclamation points. Depending on context, a sentence may or may not merit a question mark. ?” I’m surprised anyone still does this. Care is needed here as such a sentence can look, at first sight, like a statement rather than a question. The question mark punctuation is probably the most-used punctuation after the full stop or the period punctuation mark. Check it on Wikipedia for a simple expanation. Even if emotionally expressed, it’s still a question. Indirect: I wonder what’s in the envelope. Can we use question mark in sentences like- ” Describe the lesson in your own words?” Leisureguy on December 10, 2010 6:02 pm. But if the speaker asks someone to confirm that his or her suspicion of the other person’s complicity is unfounded, he or she would ask, with an upward inflection, “You didn’t break my antique vase?”, In a declarative or imperative sentence expressing disbelief, doubt, or surprise, a question mark is acceptable: “This is what it has come to?” However, an exclamation point can preempt a question mark in an emotionally expressed question: “How do you know that!”. A reported question should end with a full stop. Again, insert the mark after the question. Indirect: How they would get out of this was the question on everyone’s mind. However, there are certain rules and regulations to consider when we are using punctuation marks. The second one could be a request, depending on the context, but here, imagine a mom ordering a child to stop kicking the back of her seat while she’s driving. "You didn't actually agree to that offer?" It’s overkill. It is not a command or question. These two examples nicely illustrate the ear principle: Question: Are you joking? Common mistake: the use of a question mark after an indirect question or other sentence that at first glance may look like a question but really isn’t. The main purpose of a question mark, perhaps unsurprisingly, is to If a question is within the quoted material, a question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks. “Why on Earth did you do that! A word like why, or wonder, or asked. ‘I take it you want to rest just now.’ *(Question mark after 'now'? Find out more in this Bitesize Primary KS1 English guide. Just FYI, note the change in emphasis when our sentence is written as a single question: Do you prefer to read in bed, on the couch, or in a hammock? —Michel de Montaigne. @rm: No, the question mark in your example goes outside the quotation marks: the question is not the quoted matter, but the statement around it. why my question mark on the keyboard is not working when i press that shift but when i slash it ok. Inclusion or exclusion of a question mark is usually a straightforward matter. 3. So read on even if you think you’ve got this one covered. B. If not, it may not be a true question. That vs. Read your sentence aloud. You'll also get three bonus ebooks completely free. An indirect question is asked at a remove. Indirect: The question was why he did it. Questions are statements of inquiry intended to elicit a response — for example, “What is the matter with you?” — but not all inquiries or seeming inquiries are, technically, questions. For instance, you don't put a question mark in after a rhetorical question, because an answer is not really wanted. Curtis, if anything, I’d say that teen upspeak, as I’ve heard it called, is more prevalent than ever. Note that you put a question mark at the end of a question, even if the words in the sentence are not in the normal question order, or some words are omitted. )* ‘Yes, I do.’ ‘I’m going to do it now then – as long as you’re sure you don’t mind. For instance: Would everyone please hand in the assignment today. When you are changing a question from direct speech into indirect speech, you end the sentence with a full stop, not a question mark. No question mark after an exclamation. For example, the rhetorical question “You didn’t break my antique vase,” uttered in an alarmed tone after the speaker has witnessed that very action, would be voiced with downward inflection. (Styling rule: The interrogative words are in roman here because the sentence as a whole is styled in italics. Question mark style conventions. Those of us who’ve taught English as a second language may be familiar with two rare instances in which the intonation of a statement and a question can be identical: All Right Reserved. As per the rules of English grammar, you should use the question mark to end all direct questions. (How well do you know your question marks? her boss asked incredulously. 1. Statement: You must be joking. He wouldn’t do that, would he? Sometimes, writers get miscued when their sentence contains a word that is indeed often part of a question. Based in western Massachusetts, ?” 2. Usually, one-word questions need no question mark. Is it wrong to combine a question mark and an exclamation point, and what might be the rule as to which goes first? Indirect: You might well ask what the best course of action is in this case. When Not to Use a Question Mark. Question marks are used in direct questions, i.e. Incorrect: I asked her to pay the bill? Any questions? And you wouldn't but one in in a sentence like this one: George wondered whether he had made a … —Erasmus, “English usage is sometimes more than mere taste, judgment, and education—sometimes it’s sheer luck, like getting across the street.” A sentence worded as a question may in some contexts be meant as an exclamation. A question mark (?) The combined question and exclamation mark. Why not take the risk. Are you on fire? Whether or not to put a mark (?) and which we usually place at the end of a sentence or phrase that asks a question or is intended as a direct question. ?” For instance: What is your name? Do not use question marks when writing indirect questions such as those in the following examples. What would you use with the following: “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please.” (I would use a question mark, but based on your column now I’m wondering if that’s right — in the context, the sentence was shouted, so it could also get an exclamation point). 1. I agree that it’s surprising that anyone still does it and find it maddening to hear female experts say things like, “Economic growth may be limited to less than two percent this year?”, Well, Mr. Nichol, what do you think of an exclamation point AND a question mark both at the end, such as in: “So now, you want to be Jesus Christ!?”. Likewise, an exclamation that superficially appears to be a question — for example, “Was she ever surprised!” — is just that: an exclamation. If it is, put the question mark inside the closing quotation mark. Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Test your child on question marks and help them learn in this year 1 and year 2 KS1 English and Literacy quiz. Which: Yes, There Is a Difference, the difference between direct and indirect questions, questions that aren’t, statements that are, sentences that contain more than one question. Who is the president of India? Question marks should not follow questions that are disguised requests: “Could you please close the door on your way out.” (In writing, such requests are best rendered more concisely: “Please close the door on your way out.”). It’s better to use a single question mark when the questions are otherwise distinguished from each other. Your voice may tend to rise at the end of a sentence that contains a question but is not itself a question. Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. is part of the quotation. Put a question mark outside the quotes if you're asking a question about a quote. Now that it’s clear when and when not to use the question mark, the question remains where to put it in a sentence. The mark completes the statement as a "yes/no" question, giving the person being addressed an option of responding with "no" or "sorry, I can't." '” The difference between direct and indirect may be subtle: Direct: You might well ask, what is the best course of action in this case? I’d use a question mark in that example. Usually, one-word questions need no question mark.It’s overkill. You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! Also, we wouldn't use a question mark when the question becomes a request. A question mark goes on the end of every question. It indicates the interrogative clause or phrasein several languages. Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"? Indirect questions: As a general rule, do not use a question mark at the end of an indirect question, a declarative sentence that reports a question and ends with a period rather than a question mark. Direct: How would they get out of this? This is why we have the interrobang. The question mark is NOT used: after indirect questions; after rhetorical questions; This can be seen in the following examples: I wonder if he's sure about that. (Image Source: Wikipedia) on the couch? (If they are German, you don’t need to understand them.”) Some authorities include a space between the uncertain word and the opening parenthesis; others omit the space (as shown in the example below). (Styling rule: The interrogative words are in roman here because the sentence as a whole is styled in italics.) If your sentence begins with one of those words, then it is most likely a question and should be ended with a question mark. A declarative sentence is a sentence in the form of a statement. Does your voice rise at the end? Do not use a period after a question mark occurring in the end of a sentence, even if followed by quotation marks. The question Will you still be my friend? If the question mark is not part of a sentence-ending title, don't italicize the question mark: Did he sing the French national anthem, la Marseillaise? Did you actually take that offer? Susan asked, “Do you think it’s realistic to finish the project by Friday?” Every day, a soldier may face this question: “Is this the day I die?” If the quoted material is not asking a question, put the question mark … “In a declarative or imperative sentence expressing disbelief, doubt, or surprise, a question mark is acceptable: ‘This is what it has come to? If a writer wants to retain the nicety of a question when stating an imperative, adding a question mark will do. Did you actually take that offer? The coach asked the quarterback to sit on the bench. You use a question mark whenever the sentence itself asks a question. An example of an indirect question would be: She asked me if I was happy to be home. Subscribers get access to our archives with 800+ interactive exercises! Or question itself. —E. Do you prefer to read in bed? He wouldn’t do that, Woody. When a question ends with an abbreviation, end the abbreviation with a period and then add the question mark. The error can be glaring (to the likes of me, anyway), but it can also be subtle. A question may occur within a sentence that is, as a whole, a statement. Always feel free to write and ask. The woman of the house has the bathtub completely filled with water, and she is walking around on the water. An indirect question is question found in a declarative sentence. Indirect: She wondered why he did it. The placement of question marks with quotation marks follows logic. “God does not much mind bad grammar, but He does not take any particular pleasure in it.” Her husband walked in, saw her, and addressed her. I also got a book of German cartoons that either don’t have any captions or they don’t need any. Where to put it? However, there are instances in which what are framed as questions should end with other punctuation, and occasionally, a statement might be followed by a question mark. That’s a good question! Question: Will you please pick up some olive oil? A question mark usually shows that a sentence is a direct question. No question mark after a question that’s really a statement. Mark sorry but wouldn’t have been better: When a question is not a question? Definitely not a request. For example, the rhetorical question “You didn’t break my antique vase,” uttered in an alarmed tone after the speaker has witnessed that very action, would … If a sentence contains two or more questions, consider a question mark after each to distinguish them as separate. a question mark phrase. However, if a period is used to mark an abbreviation that appears at the end of a question, we put the question mark outside (to the right of) the period, with no space between them. "Did you hear Steve say, 'Go away'?" '” Do not use a question mark at the end of an indirect question. In such a case, the question mark comes after the question, not at the end of the sentence.

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