Search results for 'tag:Question marks tag:Grammar' matching tags 'Question marks' and 'Grammar'

Re: Some very basic grammar questions

Doll — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:39:19 GMT

Hi Clive,

Could you give us more explanation about your points because I afree Newguest and I didn't understand your reason. (Should I use a question mark?)

Take care.

Re: after each sentence

Mr Wordy — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:40:11 GMT

New2grammar
Why is it awkward? I would say "after every sentence" but I understand each perfectly well. Could someone explain why it is awkward?

It's "slightly awkward and ambiguous" to me because it appears to literally mean one thing, but feels as if it might have been intended mean something else.

To me, "each" means "each sentence, considered individually in turn". So, "...after each sentence" would appear to mean this:

Sentence 1 shouldn't have a question mark.
Sentence 2 shouldn't have a question mark.
Sentence 3 shouldn't have a question mark.
...

Thus, none of the sentences should have question marks.

But did the author really mean this? Or did he intend to allow the possibility that some of the sentences can have question marks?

Re: after each sentence

RayH — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:04:22 GMT

New2grammar
You should not put [a question mark/question marks] after each sentence.

Are both correct? Is there any difference?
Thanks.

I think this needs some context to really make sense.

Still, as a strictly standalone sentence I an inclined to go with "You should not put a question mark after each sentence."
or
"You should not put question marks after all of your sentences.

grammar doubts!

Anonymous — Sat, 17 May 2008 09:59:30 GMT

(1) I want to begin by saluting Professor Ravi Sharma for having brought this important conference into being. Of all the people I think of Ravi as the man who gets things done.

Should it be "is the man"? Please insert commas where necessary.

(2) But as the story has it ~~I'm not sure this is quite right~~(if it pertains to) Galileo, (but)---it used to be thought the larger objects fell faster than smaller objects.

Should "that" be inserted before "the larger objects"

(3) Now, this new way of knowing ~~proof~~which retired false hypotheses and put in place their alternative ~~ones that were confirmed~~and went on into laboratory experiment.

Are there too many emdashes? Please clarify.

(4) Let's just think about this subject that has brought us together. Religio is Latin for rebinding. And religion involves belonging and, when that belonging has been sundered, then work toward rebinding it.

Does the last sentence "And religion...rebinding it" has clarity in mening? Please rephrase.

(5) But let me remind you, the only submission by true people, a scientist and religionists, were the only one they wouldn't touch.

"were the only one " s-v agreement please check

(6) September 11 proved that the most advanced parts of the current civilization is prone to harm from its most marginalized parts and the source of this vulnerability should be found in different layers of politics, culture, and economy.

Should it be "are prone"

(7) Could you speak a little more as a blogger yourself about the role of weblogs and the new generation.

can question mark inserted instead of period

(8) I repeat what I said in my talk that so many religious conflicts in the world are just called religious. In fact, they are more political issues and they have their roots in politics.

"they are more political..." Does it make sense?

Re: Punctation after punctuation that end a sentence

Yoong Liat — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:55:36 GMT

Grammar Geek wrote:

But we can't change the actual book title.

If the title of the book is Who Shot Mr. Gordon? then Who Shot Mr. Gordon? it must remain.

Thanks, Barbara. I overlooked that. I thought it was a question mark at the end of the post. The question mark should remain.

The punctuation of the sentence should, therefore, be as follows:

She was also reading the book 'Who Shot Mr Gordon?' (Please note that in BrE, the period after Mr is not required.)

She was also reading the book Who Shot Mr. Gordon? (If the title is italicized, no quotation marks are required.)

Re: INVERSION

Clive — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 19:53:29 GMT

Hi,

Boy, is it hot today! IS IT OK?

SHOULDN'T IT RATHER BE: Boy, it is hot today!

It's OK. It's just a way of using word order to add emphasis.

In terms of grammar, one could argue that it is a rhetorical question (ie a question for which no real answer is expected), and that there should therefore be a question mark rather than an exclamation mark.

Happy new year, Clive

Re: : vs. ?

Hoa Thai — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 08:05:00 GMT

Clive wrote:
Hi,

Very generally speaking, the expression 'How about these?' in writing often seems infelicitous and imprecise.

Clive

Hello Clive,

Thank to you, I've just learned a new word, infelicitous!

If you don't mind, may I pose a few more questions to you?

Question #1: The phrase 'very generally speaking' of yours tells me that the expression 'How about these?' has very little use in writing. So could you kindly show me a few cases when its use is not infelicitous and not imprecise?

For me, the few instances I use that expression are:
a) when I want to follow another question with a final question as an after thought; for instance: Do you think this word is acceptable ....? How about these (list of words) ? Of course, this pattern caused me to ask the original question (i.e., the placing of the question mark when a bulleted list is involved);

b) when I want to embed a suggestion in a question mode. I like to use a question tone more than a direct suggestion tone, not because I lack confidence, but because I feel that suggestion tone is rather pompous when the suggested item(s) is/are not factual and more on the imaginary / abstract side (beauty is in the eye of the beholder). From what you shared with me, in the future I will try to rephrase it in different way such as "Would you like to consider one of these alternatives:"

Question #2: What do you think of the italicized and underlined construction in part a) ? Is there a better alternative? (Perhaps, I should not write anything as an after thought, but I guess for forum exchange it is tolerable).

With special thanks,
Hoa Thai
P.S. By the way, could you kindly suggest anything I could / should change in this writing to make it better (grammar, punctuation, word choice, semantics, etc...)

Re: Have been being a cusotmer...

Anonymous — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 21:40:46 GMT

New2grammar wrote:
One thing that's clear to me now is every question must end with a question mark.

Make sure to put the question mark in the correct place, though!

*Is it grammatically correct to write? ----> This is incorrect. You need an object after "write" and before the end of the sentence (i.e., before the question mark). Try:

Is it grammatically correct to write: "Since March 1996, Mr. A has been a loyal customer of Mr. B."?

Re: Have been being a cusotmer...

Yoong Liat — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 18:59:42 GMT

New2grammar wrote:
Hi Yoong Liat,

I have the same problem with this type of question. If a question is incomplete, should we still include a question mark like you did? Or should the question be reworded so it becomes a complete question.

I would write:

Is the following grammatical?
Is it grammatically correct to write?
Is it grammatically correct to write as follows?

Re: Punctuation within quotes?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 07:33:53 GMT

I find these rules at http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/quotes.asp very helpful.

Rule 1	Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.
	Examples	The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
		She said, "Hurry up."
		She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"

Rule 2	The placement of question marks with quotes follows logic. If a question is in quotation marks, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks.
	Examples	She asked, "Will you still be my friend?"
		Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"? Here the question is outside the quote.
	NOTE	Only one ending punctuation mark is used with quotation marks. Also, the stronger punctuation mark wins. Therefore, no period after war is used.

Rule 3	When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the quotation mark.
	Example	Did she say, "May I go?"

Rule 4	Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes. Note that the period goes inside all quote marks.
	Example	He said, "Danea said, 'Do not treat me that way.'"

Rule 5	Use quotation marks to set off a direct quotation only.
	Examples	"When will you be here?" he asked.
		He asked when you will be there.

Rule 6

Do not use quotation marks with quoted material that is more than three lines in length. Introduce the quotation with a colon and leave a blank line above and below the quoted material. Single space the quoted material. Some style manuals say to indent one-half inch on both the left and right margins; others say to indent only on the left margin. Quotation marks are not used.

Rule 7	When you are quoting something that has a spelling or grammar mistake or presents material in a confusing way, insert the term sic in italics and enclose it in brackets. Sic means, "This is the way the original material was."
	Example	She wrote, "I would rather die then [sic] be seen wearing the same outfit as my sister has on." Should be than, not then.