Question marks (?) are punctuation marks used to indicate a direct question. They are most commonly used at the end of a sentence, but they can also appear at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence. Knowing when and how to use question marks is important for creating clear, grammatically correct sentences.
Rules with Examples
Question marks should be used at the end of a direct question. A direct question is a question that can be answered with a simple yes or no.
Examples:
• Are you coming to the party?
• Have you seen this movie before?
• Can you help me with this assignment?
Question marks should also be used at the end of rhetorical questions, which are questions that do not expect an answer.
Examples:
• What is the point of all this?
• How can anyone think that is a good idea?
• Why do we always have to do things the hard way?
Question marks should not be used after indirect questions, which are questions that are not directly asking for an answer.
Examples:
• I wonder if he is coming to the party.
• She asked if I had seen this movie before.
• He wanted to know if I could help him with the assignment.
In these examples, notice that the questions are not directly asking for a yes or no answer. Therefore, a question mark is not necessary.
Using Question Marks in the Middle of a Sentence
Question marks can also be used in the middle of a sentence to indicate a direct question or to indicate an interruption.
When used in the middle of a sentence, the question mark should be surrounded by parentheses.
For example:
• She asked me (what are you doing here?) before I had a chance to answer.
• I was wondering (did you finish the assignment?) when he walked in.
• He said he had the answer (or did he?), but he wasn't sure.
When used in the middle of a sentence, the question mark should not be used at the end of the sentence.
For example:
• She asked me (what are you doing here?) before I had a chance to answer? (incorrect)
• I was wondering (did you finish the assignment?) when he walked in? (incorrect)
• He said he had the answer (or did he?) but he wasn't sure? (incorrect)
Incorrect usage of the question mark in the middle of a sentence can be confusing and should be avoided.
Also Read:
Using Multiple Question Marks
Multiple question marks should not be used in a single sentence.
For example:
• Can you believe this?? (incorrect)
• Are you serious??? (incorrect)
Using multiple question marks can come across as overly dramatic or aggressive and should be avoided.
Rules for Question Marks with Quotations
Place the question mark inside the quotation marks if the quotation is a question.
Example:
She asked, “Did you enjoy the movie?”
Place the question mark outside the quotation marks if the sentence as a whole is a question.
Example:
Have you ever heard the phrase, “A penny saved is a penny earned”?
Place the question mark inside the quotation marks if the quotation is a direct quote but the sentence as a whole is not a question.
Example:
He said, “Do you think it will rain tomorrow?” but didn't seem interested in an answer.
Use a question mark after the first part of a quotation if the speaker is asking a question.
Example:
"Do you understand," he asked, "what I'm trying to say?"
Include a question mark in parenthesis (?) when a certain date or number is uncertain among experts.
For example:
The incident happened in the 1990s (?).
You don't need to use a question mark alongside other end punctuation, such as a period (.) or exclamation point (!), as the question mark symbol stands in place of them.
Example:
Incorrect: When is the next meeting?.
Correct: When is the next meeting?
However, an exception to this rule is the “interrobang”. The interrobang is an exception to this rule, as it is a combination of a question mark and an exclamation point. Although a separate symbol exists(‽), many people choose to type it using a question mark and exclamation point together.
Examples:
• "You won the lottery?!”
• “You mean to tell me you didn't study for the test?!”
• “You just bought a new car!?”
Following a question mark, capitalize the first letter of the word.
Example:
Where are you from? You must be new.
Conclusion
In conclusion, question marks are a powerful tool not only for writers but also for readers. Besides asking a question, they can be used to emphasize a point, indicate a pause, or help with the flow of a sentence. They can be used to show uncertainty or make a point. Ultimately, question marks can be used to add emphasis, clarify, and create interest in a piece of writing.