http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3616.28671)http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38703Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:42:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:38703miriam0http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38703http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-38703.xmlFrom "A Grammar of Contemporary English", by R. Quirk et al. Both question and exclamation mark exclude the use of other separation punctuation and have the value of a period inasmuch as what follows begins with the capitalisation of a new sentence. But when they co-ocur with the end of quotation, they come within the quotation marks and if more of the including sentence follows, no capital letter is used. 'How silly she is!', he thought. Vocatives are, also, usually separated from the rest of the sentence in which they ocur by commas. The reason is that, intonationally, the vocative is set off from ther est of the clause either by constituing a separate tone-unit or by forming the 'tail' or post-nuclear part of a tone-unit. This...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38353Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:42:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:38353anon11http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38353http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-38353.xmlAny student who has not signed up for the contest by three o'clock will not be eligible to participate. No commas. Had you written the following sentence below, then you would be incorrect. Any student, who has not signed up for the contest by three o'clock, will not be eligible to participate. It is wrong because the clause "who has not signed up for the contest by three o'clock" is restrictive. It is necessary to properly understand the sentence. Thus, it is not set off with commas. You might wish to review clauses at Webster's Clauses: the Essential Building-Blocks . Hope that helps.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38347Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:42:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:38347malory2http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38347http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-38347.xmlWhat about this . . . does it need a comma? Any student who has not signed up for the contest by three o'clock will not be eligible to participate.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38343Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:42:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:38343anon13http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38343http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-38343.xmlI am going to take a slightly different approach than Novalee. I will include the commas. Why does the telephone alwasy ring just as soon as I sit down to work? she asked. "Why does the telephone always ring just as soon as I sit down to work?," she asked. "Where should the question makr be placed in a quoted sentence," Yolanda inquired. "Well Coach I can promise you that I'll be ready for the game next week," Kit said. See Webster's Rule Number 6 and see Purdue University Online Writing Lab - Using Commas - Rule 10" . There might be some other authority that claims that commas in these examples are optional, but I am accustomed to seeing the commas included. Hope that helps.http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38342Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:42:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:38342Novalee4http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htm#38342http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-38342.xmlWho was it who said, "I only retret that I have but one life to give for my country?" The punctuation here is correct, as far as I know. Why does the telephone alwasy ring just as soon as I sit down to work? she asked. I would place quotation marks at the beginning and end of the question, like this: "Why does the telephone always ring just as soon as I sit down to work?" she asked Where should the question makr be placed in a quoted sentence," Yolanda inquired. The opening quotation mark and the question mark are missing. "Where should the question mark be placed in a quoted sentence?" Yolanda inquired. Answering this question, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks. Well...http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htmWed, 27 May 2009 04:42:55 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:38321malory5http://www.englishforums.com/English/Punctuation/hnkd/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-38321.xmlWhat is correct punctuation and (?) placement for the following: Who was it who said, "I only retret that I have but one life to give for my country?" Why does the telephone alwasy ring just as soon as I sit down to work? she asked. Where should the question makr be placed in a quoted sentence," Yolanda inquired. Well Coach I can promise you that I'll be ready for the game next week," Kit said.