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Serial questions in one sentence

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JaCKo__007  #405867  Fri, 17 Aug 07 06:46 PM

Hi all!

Say you had a series of questions, jammed them in one sentence and added a question mark at the end. Is that ok, perhaps a matter of style, or is it just plain sloppy?

E.g. Do they value the quality of their lives, are they ready to face the challenge and how much of a chance do you give them, if any?

Thanks!

  
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CalifJim  #405880  Fri, 17 Aug 07 07:15 PM
I would add a comma after challenge.  As such, to me this is 'Sunday supplement' style -- not at all formal.

CJ

  
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JaCKo__007  #405926  Fri, 17 Aug 07 09:23 PM

Wouldn't the comma after challenge be an "Oxford" comma in this case? Supposedly not entirely necessary in BrE, right?

Thanks for the tip on the informality of the "Sunday supplement" style (I like the expression). So I gather you would separate them and add question marks after each question. Am I right?

  
CalifJim  #405929  Fri, 17 Aug 07 09:29 PM
Supposedly not entirely necessary in BrE, right?  -- Yes, that's my understanding.
I would separate them and use question marks between, yes, if I were doing more formal writing.
But I would leave them as you have written them if I were writing them for -- well -- a Sunday supplement of a newspaper!  Smile [:)]

CJ
  
JaCKo__007  #406447  Sun, 19 Aug 07 04:05 PM
Thanks, you've been great!
  
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