How to Use Question Marks

Co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD

Last Updated: June 7, 2021 References

Question marks are a form of punctuation that indicate a question. In their simplest form, they're used at the end of direct questions that often start with words like "who," "what," or "why." When you're using question marks along with quotes, it depends on what's being said or asked within the quotation marks as to where the question mark goes. Question marks can even be used to split up a sentence to replace commas.

Help with Question Marks

Question Mark Usage Chart

Question Marks 101

Question Marks Worksheet

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Question Marks to End a Sentence

1
Use a question mark at the end of a direct question. Direct questions often start with words such as "where," "what," "why," "who," or "how." Anytime you ask a straightforward, direct question, put a question mark at the end as the form of punctuation. Some examples of direction questions are:^{[1]
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- "How is your sore throat?"
- "Are the roses wilting?"
- "When will you be home?"
- "Who made breakfast?"
2
Use periods at the end of indirect questions instead of question marks. An example of an indirect question is, "I wonder if he would go with me." These don't require a question mark as they're not asking a direct question. Similarly, if you're talking about a question someone else asked, such as "He asked me why I wasn't at work," you would use a period instead of a question mark.^{[2]
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- For example, "I wonder if there's ice in the freezer" is an indirect question that doesn't need a question mark at the end.
- Another example of an indirect question that doesn't need a question mark at the end is "She asked if you were going to the movies."
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3
Avoid using a question mark for polite commands disguised as questions. If you're asking someone to do something politely, you would use a period instead of a question mark. Some examples of polite commands disguised as questions include:^{[3]
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- "Could you send us a copy of that invoice as soon as possible."
- "Will you please read the transcript back to me."
- "Can I please take a look at that book."
4
Capitalize the word that immediately follows a question mark. A question mark is used similarly to a period, meaning that it shows the end of a sentence. Whenever you use a question mark, even if it's in the middle of a sentence, always capitalize the word that comes right after it.
- For example, "Do you want to go to the mall? it would be fun" is incorrect because "it" isn't capitalized after the question mark. Instead, you would write "Do you want to go to the mall? It would be fun."

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Adding Question Marks to Quotes and Titles

1
Keep question marks inside quotation marks if they're part of the quote. If you're quoting a direct question that has a question mark at the end, you should add the question mark at the end of the quote so it's inside of the quotation marks.^{[4]
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- For example, if you were quoting someone asking for their glasses, you would write "'Can you bring me my glasses?' she asked."
2
Place a question mark outside of the quote if it ends in an exclamation point. An exclamation point is kept with a quote to show the emotion, so the question mark would go outside of the quotation marks.^{[5]
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- For example, you would put the question mark outside of the quotation marks in "Who yelled, 'The dog has escaped!'?"
3
Put a question mark outside the quotes if you're asking a question about a quote. If you're asking someone a question about a specific phrase that you heard, use a question mark outside of the quotation marks. Some examples of this are:^{[6]
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- "Do you know if Mark said, 'Bring dinner'?"
- "Did you hear Steve say, 'Go away'?"
- Was Mary just saying that she 'Loves John'?"
4
Leave a question mark if it's part of a title of a work. If you're writing about a title that contains a question mark, whether it's a book, movie, screenplay, or other title, keep the question mark since it's part of the entire title.^{[7]
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- For example, books such as Are You My Mother? or Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? both keep their question marks.
5
Don't capitalize dialogue phrases right after a question mark. An exception to the rule of capitalizing the word right after a question mark is when the question mark is included in a quotation or title. In this case, the next words are explanatory and are simply continuing the sentence, so you wouldn't capitalize them. Some examples include:^{[8]
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- "'Are you sure about that?' she asked."
- "Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman, is a classic children's book."

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Splitting up a Sentence

1
Use a question mark for direct questions within a sentence. Since plain direct questions end with a question mark, they also take a question mark when they're in the middle of a sentence.^{[9]
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- An example of this would be, "Would they be able to pay for the trip? she wondered."
- It may help to think of these question marks replacing where a comma would go.
- Another example is, "How will he get home? she thought."
2
Replace commas with question marks if multiple questions are being asked. This is most commonly accepted in works of fiction, and it creates an emphasis on each separate phrase. As you separate the words with question marks, capitalize the word that goes right after (though some authors choose not to).
- For example: “Would I have time to take my car, my photo album, my laptop, my favorite clothes and jewelry?” could change to, “Would I have time to take my car? My photo album? My laptop? My favorite clothes and jewelry?”
3
Separate a half-statement, half-question sentence with a comma. If the sentence begins with a statement but then ends with a question, add a question mark at the end of the sentence and split up the two clauses with a comma.^{[10]
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- For example, “She lives in Virginia, doesn't she?”
- Another example might be, “I want to visit the beach, do you?”

Expert Q&A
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Question

Do you put a question mark after a request?

Christopher Taylor, PhD
English Professor
Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.

Christopher Taylor, PhD

English Professor

Expert Answer

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If the request is a polite command disguised as a question, do not use a question mark.
Question

Do you put a question mark before or after parentheses?

Christopher Taylor, PhD
English Professor
Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.

Christopher Taylor, PhD

English Professor

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Unless the question itself is stated within the parentheses, place the question mark outside of the parentheses.
Question

Do you use question marks for rhetorical questions?

Christopher Taylor, PhD
English Professor
Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.

Christopher Taylor, PhD

English Professor

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Yes, since a rhetorical question is grammatically still a question, you would use a question mark.