How to Punctuate a Question

Introduction

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In this lesson we discuss how to punctuate a question. As we discussed earlier, there are three types of questions, and each one is punctuated uniquely:

How to Punctuate a Direct Question

 

Each direct question should end with a question mark.  (?)

  • Do you know of any job openings?

  • Why are some rich and others poor?

  • Why is there so much hate?

  • Did these parents ever think about how it felt growing up in such a family?

  • When will this semester be over?

How to Punctuate a Quoted Question

 

What's wrong with this sentence?

Problem:  In our society, people tend to ask questions such as, "Are you married and do you have children."

In a quoted question:

  • there will be a comma before the quote

  • quotation marks surrounding the quote

  • the sentence in the direct quote begins with a capital letter

  • the question in the direct quote ends with a question mark

Examples:

  • My father asked, "Are you going to quit smoking?"

  • Then I asked, Do you know of any job openings?"

  Variations: Begin the Sentence with the Quoted Question

  • "Do you know of any job openings?" she then asked.

  Variations: Interject the Main Subject and Verb into the Quote

"Do you know," she asked, "of any job openings?"

Good writing will have a lot of variety. Become familiar with all three types of direct quotes.

Problem:  

In our society, people tend to ask questions such as, "Are you married and do you have children."

Solutions:   

In our society, people tend to ask questions such as, "Are you married and do you have children?"

"Are you married and do you have children?" are questions that people in our society tend to ask.

How to Punctuate a Question in Reported Speech

 

Please see Chapter 13, Reported Speech.

Test Your Skills

Considering the readers' point of view

Exercise 2   Study the word order and the punctuation of each sentence below. Write quoted or indirect next to each sentence, according to which sentence type each one is.

1.  Juan asked, "Where are you going?" __________

2.  Juan asked him where he was going. __________

3.  Is she afraid?  __________

4. They asked, "Will you take us home?" __________

5.  They asked him if he would drive them home. __________

6.  We wondered, "Is she afraid?" __________

7.  We wondered if she was afraid. __________

Exercise 3

The punctuation has been omitted from the following sentences, which are either direct questions or quoted questions.  From the word order, determine which sentence is which type. Then add the appropriate punctuation.

1.  What is the secret to staying young

2.  Then I asked him what is the secret to staying young

3. Which do you prefer

4.  Then I asked him which do you prefer

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