Questions tagged [question-mark]

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

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
0 votes
0 answers
20 views

Does this direct speech need a question mark? [duplicate]

I have this direct speech: "What's in the bag?" "Let me go!", said John. "What's in the bag, I said!" Does the last line need a question mark and if so, should it be ...
ServerBloke's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
154 views

"This leads to the question" followed by a comma or a colon

I am saying something along the lines of "this leads to the question, why does x happen" or "this brings up an interesting question, why does x happen" but I'm not sure if it ...
Lil Mami Chula's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
77 views

Should you use a conjuncton in a question? [closed]

Example: What do you think of this as I was going to buy it? Alternative I suspect is correct: What do you think of this? I was going to buy it. I wanted to see if I can word it as a single ...
Mason's user avatar
  • 1
0 votes
0 answers
47 views

What is it called when an author uses a question mark without a question attached? [duplicate]

My specific example is from a passage in Fahrenheit 451 (although I've seen it used colloquially as well): Click? Pic? Look, Eye, Now, Flick, Here, There, Swift, Pace, Up, Down, In, Out, Why, How, ...
asdfjkl's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
310 views

Is it possible to make a declarative sentence starting with 'Can'?

everyone As the title shows, is it possible to make a declarative sentence starting with "Can"? For example, 'Please, can we request that you do not accept any proposals from him.' The ...
Daniel Seo's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
443 views

Confused in the usage of "where" in a non-interrogative sentence

I was writing an essay, but I came across a weird sentence: Where peace prevails, justice prevails. In the above sentence, I am confused if the usage of "where" at the beginning of the ...
Idris Lokhande's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
156 views

How do you properly write a question that contains follow-up questions? [closed]

For example if you were to write a question like: "Is this something that you would be interested in, and if so: when are you be available?" How do you structure the sentence with regards to ...
Oscar's user avatar
  • 121
0 votes
0 answers
204 views

Can I use a question mark for a list after a colon?

For example, After the incident, I was no longer sure who to blame: Ethan, Michael, or Jake? Or is there a better way to phrase this sentence?
Alvino123's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
815 views

Can a clause beginning "I assume" be made into a question by intonation?

I recently answered a question on ELL. It included a sentence similar to this: If it's neither A nor B, I assume that it's C? I answered the question, and noted that I think that a clause beginning &...
JavaLatte's user avatar
  • 191
2 votes
1 answer
94 views

Where to put question mark in sentences with two statements

I'm not sure where to put the question mark here. Can anyone help please? But why would anyone want to be famous? Especially since fame brings a bunch of problems. (This punctuation reflects the ...
John Smith's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
91 views

Where would the question marks fall within this poem?

Can someone help me punctuate this line? It is poetry, which may not always follow the common rules of punctuation... I asked myself is there such a place in the deepest part of the soul where noone ...
gayle's user avatar
  • 1
-1 votes
1 answer
107 views

Question mark after a comma and a second sentence? [duplicate]

A non-English native friend has just said that an English speaker told him the question mark should NOT be used after a pair of sentences separated by a comma. Something like this: "Could someone ...
Tonia's user avatar
  • 1
0 votes
0 answers
19 views

Punctuating questions containing questions [duplicate]

For example, ‘Did you just ask, “Why me?”?’, Rita Queried I know using two question marks is not right, but is this sentence right? Because both are questions.
Neha's user avatar
  • 1
-2 votes
2 answers
138 views

Question or statement?

This is a passage from a poem: What is love, but the passion I feel in my heart? What is passion, but the energy of my soul? What is my soul, but a fountain of emotions erupting? My question is, ...
stellarknight's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
814 views

Proper and polite usage of "can you"

In email communication, people often use "can you do X" instead of "please do X". Is this a more polite form, or is this just an idiom which means exactly the same? If I use "...
anatolyg's user avatar
  • 401
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

Punctuation of Isn't it

How would you punctuate the phrase It's a beautiful day, isn't it? Would you use a question mark or period at the end? My intent is to make it rhetorical. The full example is: She woke up alone, ...
Ed Kramer's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
70 views

Question Tag moved forward in sentence

If a question tag were moved forward in a sentence, how would it be punctuated? And if the question tag were a parenthetical, would the sentence still be a question? There’s no point, is there, in ...
David Marlowe's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
439 views

What is the correct punctuation in the sentence "Shall I open the window or you will do it"

I have a sentence: Shall I open the window or you will do it. I wonder whether the second half of the sentence is grammatically correct (is it an indirect question?) and whether or not we need a ...
Stacy's user avatar
  • 25
1 vote
1 answer
785 views

"He added" vs. "Did he add" (inversion after negative adverb) [duplicate]

I'm reading a book, and I found a sentence where I don't understand the grammar. It seems as the writer wants to write a statement, but uses the structure of a question. The sentence is highlighted in ...
agustin's user avatar
  • 111
0 votes
0 answers
64 views

Question mark before or after parentheses for incidental text? [duplicate]

I have this sentence: Can you share those documents with me? And I want to add an incidental text like "(no problem if they are in progress)". Shall I add that text before or after the quastion ...
Don's user avatar
  • 101
2 votes
2 answers
264 views

Punctuating mid-sentence question/uncertainty? [closed]

How do you indicate a question (as in an uncertain statement) mid-sentence? My first thought was: "That's Fred and his—cousin?—by the punch bowl." But if you take out the parenthetical, ...
Tibbie's user avatar
  • 35
0 votes
1 answer
95 views

How do I use a question as an embedded quotation when it also deserves a comma?

So I asked "Shall I do the thing?" and he responded with "Yes." In that sentence, should the ? exist? It kind of feels like it should be a comma, given its place in the sentence. ...
RackAttack's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
205 views

Can a gerund be used to start a question title? [duplicate]

For the sake of using less characters in a title I often change a question like: How do I learn to ride a bike? to: Learning to ride a bike? I know these two constructs are not identical in ...
PolyGeo's user avatar
  • 369
0 votes
1 answer
57 views

Question marks (again!)

I'm sorry, I've looked at other places here, and can't find the exact answer - maybe the searching strategy I'm using isn't good. There are some related ones, though none solving this that I can see. ...
Jonathan Jewell's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
39 views

should there be space between a sentence and question mark or not? [duplicate]

while asking questions in the sentence do we need to give space between question mark (?) and the sentence. what is your name? what is your name ? which one is correct?
Siluveru Kiran Kumar's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
103 views

Does a question mark (?) come to the end of a sentence which starts with "How to ..." ? if no/yes why? [duplicate]

Do these sentences need question mark? How To Repair and Restore Windows 10 (?) Or How to fix java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: Failed resolution of: Ljava/beans/Introspector error (?) (this ...
iDeveloper's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
43 views

How should I punctuate/capitalize the following question? [closed]

Is the following question punctuated/capitalized correctly? “What’s that, a dishrag?” Or should it be two questions? “What’s that? A dishrag?” Or would a third option be best? Thanks!
The Editor's user avatar
-2 votes
2 answers
51 views

Is a question mark needed? [closed]

Is a question mark needed after "kitchen"? I feel there might be as I imagine Bob has omitted "didn't you?" from the end of the sentence. If it was there a question mark seems like it would be needed: ...
Jack's user avatar
  • 25
-1 votes
1 answer
3k views

Is it okay to use a question mark after a name if another character wishes to draw that person's attention? [closed]

Is it okay to use a question mark if a character wishes to draw someone's attention? Anne: Bob? Bob: Yes? Anne: I think you should know something.
Jack's user avatar
  • 25
-1 votes
1 answer
85 views

Question Mark or Not With Continuation of Question? [closed]

Should there be a question mark after "in the story"? I know it's not a direct question, but it is a continuation of the original question & requires an answer Tim: So what happened next? Mum:...
Jack's user avatar
  • 25
0 votes
1 answer
63 views

Question mark or not? [duplicate]

SHOULD THERE BE A QUESTION MARK OR NOT? IT'S AN INDIRECT QUESTION BUT AN ANSWER WOULD BE EXPECTED. There's a party later if you're interested. There's a party later if you're interested?
Jack's user avatar
  • 25
-1 votes
2 answers
200 views

Do this sentence need a question mark [closed]

Please could you release orders for March to June 2019.
Annie's user avatar
  • 1
14 votes
2 answers
36k views

What does a question mark inside parentheses (?) mean?

If a sentence/word has (?) at the end, does it mean the sentence is not a fact and the author is not sure about it? As in the example: I am the tallest(?) in our class. Which means I am not sure ...
Yogith Teegala's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
113 views

How should I correctly write this question?

"Can you provide documentation stating the noise levels, so that we are able to show compliance if we get audited?" Even though this is a question, I feel like the question mark at the end doesn't ...
Andre's user avatar
  • 1
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

I'm using three questions in a list inside quotation marks, would I separate with a comma, semicolon, or nothing? Are the question marks even needed? [duplicate]

A sentence with a list of questions inside quotation marks, how do I separate them? I can't find a solid answer anywhere. Option 1: In simple terms, Naikan is based on three questions: “What have I ...
M. Stein's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
45 views

Punctuating a vertical list that is introduced by a question

I have searched online but can't find anything definitive on which of the following is preferable: Incorrect. What could you infer from these quotes: 'most of the dogs jump on the meat' '...
Gilwern's user avatar
  • 49
1 vote
0 answers
19 views

Linking statements ending in question or exclamation marks in quotes [duplicate]

Consider this: He began asking her rhetorical questions like "How dare you?", "How could you?", and "How can you think such a thing?", but she did not reply. How can I write the above sentence ...
Peganz's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
2 answers
9k views

"Why not?" vs. "Why not." [duplicate]

My question is: is there flexibility in how one can punctuate the phrase "Why not?" The answer may seem obvious at first...it is a question after all. However, it's also a common idiom, and I am ...
Christopher Issac's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
36k views

Phrase "you might ask"

I often wonder if I should use question marks in different situations. This occurs with me when a sentence starts out as a question, but after a comma turns into just a "normal sentence". The ...
A. Kvåle's user avatar
  • 2,127
0 votes
1 answer
118 views

Does this sentence require a question mark at the end? [duplicate]

"Children are continuously forced to hear stereotypes about themselves because of their gender, but what if a child wanted to challenge their fate?" I know it doesn't begin with a question word, but ...
Lilo P.'s user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
5k views

em dashes and question marks

Would it be correct to use the question mark as it is written in the following sentence? "If your cousin invites you to visit—and why would he not?—I will expect your return after only nine days."
JleolaJ's user avatar
  • 31
3 votes
3 answers
5k views

Where do I put the question mark if a question has a parenthetical statement at the end?

What would you have me do (given some factor is a and another factor is b and some other statement-y thing follows as well -- I'm not even sure what to make of the whole thing, not to mention that ...
Yevgeny Simkin's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
1k views

Can you use semicolons in place of question marks?

For example: "You've heard of warfare, right; it's when multiple countries fight for some cause." Is this correct? Or would you instead use something like: "You've heard of warfare, right? It's ...
Shadowtail's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
978 views

Affirmations with question marks

Today I was reviewing some code on GitHub, and end up with the following sentence/question: So, are you using a context to update a record? That makes no sense. I know that verbs and subjects are "...
Wikiti's user avatar
  • 103
4 votes
1 answer
36k views

Is it acceptable to use "Just wondering" as a question? [duplicate]

I often find myself writing sentences such as: "I am wondering if the landlord replied to you yet?" And I always end up removing the question mark and rephrasing the sentence. In speech it is easy to ...
Spellchamp's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
449 views

Quoted Titles & Possessives -- Journalistic Style

The Associated Press (they never use italics) punctuates the possessive of titles in quotes like this: "Jeopardy!'s" subtleties of language ... . (actual excerpt from The AP) If a question mark ...
FuzzyNavel's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
3k views

Punctuating a two part question

I'm trying to figure out how to best punctuate this. I'm torn between ; or ? Have we looked at this paper? Do we intend to? Have we looked at this paper; do we intend to? I want to say the first is ...
Lara's user avatar
  • 31
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

Question mark after “I don’t know what you want from me.”?

I’m getting mixed messages on which of the following punctuations is correct: I don’t know what you want from me. I don’t know what you want from me? It seems to be both an indirect question, ...
HME's user avatar
  • 31
2 votes
1 answer
139 views

Help settle an argument, question mark placement

So, I posted a picture in a group chat and one of the members of the chat questioned the placement of the question mark (attached for reference). Where's your plane, peasants? (original) or.. Where'...
jenovachild's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
80 views

punctuation when a quoted question is followed by a reference [closed]

In my Closing Argument (for an administrative-type hearing), I invented a concise way of referring to page numbers in the Parent exhibit book, for example: There was no follow-up to R’s June 22 ...
aparente001's user avatar
  • 21.5k