Question mark's position within quotes

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Hoa Thai

#441648 Mon, 12 Nov 07 08:30 AM

Hello,

Please show me where the question mark should be placed (at position (A) or (B)) in the following sentence; and please explain your choice.

My friend warns, "Aren't you afraid your mother will ask, 'Are you ... (A) ' (B)"

Thank you in advance.
Hoa Thai

Hoa Thai

Joined on Mon, Oct 15 2007

Vietnam

Contributing Member (1,100)

Best Regards - Hoa Thai

Question marks

Cool Breeze

#441656 Mon, 12 Nov 07 09:29 AM

Hi Hoa Thai

There are two questions, so I would use two question marks as well.

CB

Cool Breeze

Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006

Helsinki, Finland

Senior Member (2,668)

The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.- Mark Twain

Question marks

Hoa Thai

#441667 Mon, 12 Nov 07 09:57 AM

Cool Breeze wrote:
Hi Hoa Thai

There are two questions, so I would use two question marks as well.

CB

Look like I have to pay for my friend's dinner tonight Smile [:)]

She asked me this question, and I told her that the asker really wants to ask "Are you crazy?", but inserts the question within another to soften the real comment. Thus, only one question mark is required and it would take position (A) (i.e., My friend warns, "Aren't you afraid your mother will ask, 'Are you crazy?'").

Thank you much!
Hoa Thai

Hoa Thai

Question marks

Tanit

#441739 Mon, 12 Nov 07 04:48 PM

Hoa Thai wrote:

Look like I have to pay for my friend's dinner tonight

Hi,
I guess nobody can lose or win here ... arguments supporting either views can be found!

1. a reference advocating two question marks:

The tone symbols should be placed before or after the second quotation mark according as they belong to the quotation or to the containing sentence. If both quotation and containing sentence need a tone symbol, both should be used, with the quotation mark between them.
...
Is the question 'Where was he?' or 'What was he doing?'?

2. a reference advocating one question mark only (inside the "inner" quotation marks):

A single question mark will suffice to end a quoted question within a question:
"Didn't he ask, 'What did we do, who preceded you?'" queried Johnson.

3a. a reference advocating one question mark only (outside the quotation marks):

If the quotation is not a question, put the question mark outside the quotation marks. If the quoted material would normally end with a period, drop the period.
Who was it that said, “All that glitters is not gold” ?

3b. a reference advocating one question mark only (outside the quotation marks):

Does Dr. Lim always say to her students, "You must work harder"?

You could have dinner together and go Dutch Stick out tongue [:P]

Tanit

Joined on Mon, Jul 31 2006

In the middle of the Mediterranean Sea

Contributing Member (1,918)

A man can do only what he can do. But if he does that each day he can sleep at night and do it again the next day. (A. Schweitzer)

Question marks, Quotation marks

Cool Breeze

#441744 Mon, 12 Nov 07 04:57 PM

Hoa Thai wrote:
Thus, only one question mark is required and it would take position (A) (i.e., My friend warns, "Aren't you afraid your mother will ask, 'Are you crazy?'").

Hi Hoa Thai

One will do. Two may look prettier to some. You don't seriously think there is agreement on a thing like this? Surprise [:O]

Cool Breeze

Question marks

Hoa Thai

#441752 Mon, 12 Nov 07 05:21 PM

Tanit wrote:

I guess nobody can lose or win here ... arguments supporting either views can be found!

Cool Breeze wrote:

One will do. Two may look prettier to some. You don't seriously think there is agreement on a thing like this?

Thank you all for the comments! It is never too late to find helpful and constructive opinions; BTW, I did happily take my friend out to dinner tonight. Smile [:)]

I could certainly show this to her tommorow morning; and maybe she will return in kind with lunch. Smile [:)]

Good way for friends to find reasons to go out and have fun together anyway.

Best Regards,
Hoa Thai

Hoa Thai