Tagged Questions

Questions about the question mark (?) that appears at the end of questions.

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30
votes
8answers
8k views

Is there a standard ordering for the question mark and the exclamation mark used together?

We've all wanted to express certain questions, rhetorical or not, with annoyance, excitement, surprise, frustration and so on. What better way than with both a question mark (?) and an exclamation ...
21
votes
4answers
1k views

How should I punctuate around quotes?

The American convention in quotations is (typically) to place punctuation inside quoted text. But I always run into situations where the punctuation of the quote interferes with the punctuation of the ...
16
votes
3answers
6k views

Is it ever correct to have a space before a question or exclamation mark?

In written English (mainly online) I often come across sentences ending with a question or an exclamation mark with a space before it. Is it always just an error or a typo? Or there are cases when it ...
14
votes
6answers
2k views

Any authoritative source on British rules on space before question mark?

A space before a question or an exclamation mark. Can it be correct? is affirming what I always use, but now some translators at my office said that I always need a space before. I am sure they are ...
10
votes
3answers
1k views

Quoting a question at the end of a sentence which is itself a question

If my sentence is a question and ends with a quote of a question, where exactly do I put a question mark? Did she ask, "Is it raining"? Did she ask, "Is it raining?"? Did she ask, "Is it ...
9
votes
3answers
195 views

Which punctuation mark dominates?

If a question is asked in surprise, informally many people use "?!" as their ending punctuation, as in the following: What did you do to my sausages?! According to the accepted answer in this ...
9
votes
2answers
2k views

Position of question mark when sentence doesn't end with question

This is something that has always bugged me. I am never sure where to place the question mark, or whether to place it at all when the end of the sentence does not finish with a question, or a number ...
8
votes
5answers
739 views

Is it OK to add a question mark to show inflection?

When asking a question you generally have to raise your voice at the end of the sentence, is it okay to stuff a question mark in order to show inflection? A couple examples: 'That really happened?' ...
8
votes
2answers
6k views

Should sentences like “I wonder…” end with a question mark?

This may be related to a general grammar rule, but which of these is correct? I wonder if Steve Jobs will be giving the keynote speech at WWDC this year? or I wonder if Steve Jobs will be ...
7
votes
4answers
5k views

Where does the question mark go — inside or outside the parentheses?

I know that when brackets enclose part of a sentence, the full stop goes outside. I tripped over this morning. I was distracted by a plane (which turned out to be Superman). If it's a full ...
7
votes
3answers
262 views

Punctuation of an exclamative question

What is the proper way of writing an exclamative question: What are you doing!? What are you doing?! or is it better to just leave it as a simple question?
6
votes
4answers
695 views

Is the question mark misused in affirmative sentences?

For example, I found the following sentence written by a native English speaker (UK) so I'm going to assume that he knows how to put it the right way, although I wouldn't use this form. I now have ...
6
votes
7answers
3k views

Using a question mark mid-sentence

May I use a question mark in the middle of a sentence? Examples: Would you like the drapes to be white? or perhaps something off-white? Would you like the logo to be centered? at the bottom? ...
6
votes
1answer
872 views

Question mark usage/position when sentence ends with a declarative quotation?

Who said "I am hungry?" The quotation is not a question, but do I put "my" question mark there anyway? This is related to, but not the same as Position of question mark when sentence doesn't ...
6
votes
1answer
111 views

Using “?:” after a question

I find myself using the dual punctuation marks "?:" when I want to say "I have a question about the thing that follows". For example: Is it possible for the following sentence to be translated ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views

When is it appropriate to end a question without a question mark?

Basically, if I ask a rhetorical question, it's not really prompting for an answer. Does that mean it should not end in a question mark? Here are two examples: "What's New" used as a title for a ...
5
votes
2answers
10k views

When do I use a question mark with “Could you [please] …”

A sentence like Could you please pass me the pepper shaker is not really a question. Should I use a question mark or a period to end this sentence? What about: Could you let me know when ...
5
votes
1answer
133 views

Punctuating “What are you going to do, sue me?”

For example: What are you going to do, sue me? Is that correct? Or is there supposed to be a question mark after the first question: What are you going to do? Sue me? It seems like "Sue ...
5
votes
1answer
414 views

Using Multiple Sentence Stoppers? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Is there a standard ordering for the question mark and the exclamation mark used together? When writing an exclamation-question like: What you you mean, I'm fired ...
4
votes
1answer
343 views

Punctuating a Sentence Containing a Question

If a sentence contains a complete question, but ends with a statement, should it be punctuated with a question mark? Example: Could she go to the store, he wondered
3
votes
3answers
153 views

How should I write “Why questions”?

I would like to know how to properly write, somewhere in a paragraph, the phrase "Why questions". By which I mean questions of the form "Why... ?". The sentence I would like to write is "How to ...
3
votes
2answers
142 views

Punctuation following an interruption with a dash

I am not sure what the correct punctuation to use when ending a clause that was introduced with a dash when the next character in the main sentence is a punctuation mark. Take the following contrived ...
3
votes
0answers
48 views

Is “qo” a step in the evolution of the question mark?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Question_mark According to the wikipedia article I've linked to above, "qo" was sometimes used in the middle ages to abbreviate the latin word "questio" in the way that we ...
3
votes
0answers
73 views

If a question ends in the abbreviation of et cetera, do you still add the period before the question mark? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: When “etc.” is at the end of a phrase, do you place a period after it? Example: How do I pay for the bananas, oranges, etc.? or How do I pay for the bananas, ...
2
votes
4answers
679 views

Punctuation around the word “OK” at the end of a sentence

If a sentence ends in "OK", and the sentence is a request, usually there is a comma before the OK and a question mark after it. The comma signifies a pause, correct? What if there was no pause, then ...
2
votes
2answers
122 views

Ending a sentence with “?!” or “!?”

When ending a sentence with a ? and a !, is there a rule which one comes first? That is, ?! or !?? If either is okay, are they interchangeable, or for difference circumstances?
2
votes
2answers
3k views

Punctuation with “The question is…” '.', '?' or ' “… ?” ' [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Position of question mark when sentence doesn't end with question Take this statement for example: That's not the question. The question is what was Colonel ...
2
votes
2answers
54 views

How would we punctuate a sentence which ends in an abbreviation and exclamation mark or question mark? [duplicate]

I was wondering what to do if I have abbreviation at the end of a sentence which ends in a question mark. What is Google inc.? What is Google inc. What is Google inc?
2
votes
1answer
801 views

Should I use a question mark when the second independent clause of my sentence is not a question?

Is it appropriate to use a question mark at the end of a compound sentence where the first independent clause is a question but the second is a statement? For example: Do you want attribution for ...
2
votes
2answers
389 views

Placement of question mark when terminal quote has no question mark but sentence does [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Question mark usage/position when sentence ends with a declarative quotation? If I'm quoting something someone said and the quote does not have a question mark, but I ...
2
votes
1answer
146 views

Punctuation outside of quotes [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: How should I punctuate around quotes? When should end punctuation go inside quotes? Here is what I have written: Is it too late to say, "Don't go. I'm sorry"? Here ...
1
vote
3answers
259 views

How to use the question mark in multiple choice questions?

Which one of the following three forms is correct for a multiple choice question? Do you prefer the blue dress? or the red shirt? Do you prefer the blue dress or the red shirt? Do you ...
1
vote
1answer
166 views

Where do we put the question mark in a long question/statement?

Without the question mark, it is simple... Can we make it in one hour — as I want to eat my dinner now. (I like the dash as a clear separator for the question and statement parts of the ...
1
vote
2answers
191 views

Question mark(s) when asking about a quoted query [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Quoting a question at the end of a sentence which is itself a question Although some might say you can't say a question, only ask it, I assume I can say (write)... ...
1
vote
2answers
234 views

Is this correct English? What should one do when you're supposed to have *two* punctuations at *one* position?

This is the first sentence of which ground-breaking document: "The importance of a Web page is an inherently subjective matter, which depends on the readers interests, knowledge and ...
1
vote
2answers
748 views

How to punctuate a quoted rhetorical interrogative sentence that ends a declarative sentence?

Below is the sentence I am writing. I am not sure whether I should just end it with an interrogation mark within the quotes, with a period within the quotes, no in-quote punctuation except ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views

Question? or Question? sentence structure

I'm not exactly sure on how this should be structured. I have a question, or, question that reflects first question. Does the media change the way we think? or Does it have no effect on us?
1
vote
1answer
101 views

Is a question mark needed at the end of a question if the sentence ends with a period or an exclamation mark?

For example, in the two sentences below, are you supposed to end with a question mark? Which of Shaw's plays has the line "If only parents would realize how they bore their children!" And Is ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views

Question marks at the end of declarative sentences [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Is the question mark misused in affirmative sentences? I often see declarative sentences ending with question marks, like these: I tried your solution but it didn't ...
1
vote
1answer
110 views

Punctuation placement in speech [duplicate]

Possible Duplicates: Is it ever acceptable for a period to come after a quote at the end of a sentence? How much punctuation is appropriate when ending a sentence with a full-sentence ...
0
votes
2answers
132 views

Difference between “?!” and “!?”?

Is there any difference between “?!” and “!?”? The Wikipedia page on Interrobang describes: In informal English, the same inflection is usually notated by ending a sentence with first a question ...
0
votes
1answer
150 views

Questions on question mark with a certain type of sentence

Do you use a question mark when a sentence starts as a question but then turns into a statement? For example, "Can you explain this to me, because I don't understand the second part." Another example ...
0
votes
0answers
13 views

Do you use a period when you end a question with an abbrev.? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: If a question ends in the abbreviation of et cetera, do you still add the period before the question mark? If I end a question with (for instance) etc., should I include ...
-1
votes
1answer
160 views

Ask question without using “?” in it [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: When is it appropriate to end a question without a question mark? I have heard so many times people use two way of asking question? Is there any way to ask question ...
-1
votes
1answer
95 views

Punctuation immediately after a question mark in a quote? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: How should I punctuate around quotes? Comma placement when using quotes that end with a question mark Say you're quoting someone with a requirement for a punctuation, ...