In my Closing Argument (for an administrative-type hearing), I invented a concise way of referring to page numbers in the Parent exhibit book, for example: There was no follow-up to R’s June 22 suggestion to meet in September (Q 202-203). (Note there is no confusion between parent exhibits and respondent (school) exhibits because the respondent … Read more
I recently answered a question on ELL. It included a sentence similar to this: If it’s neither A nor B, I assume that it’s C? I answered the question, and noted that I think that a clause beginning "I assume…" should not end with a question mark. The OP disagreed with me, and said that … Read more
Is it ever okay to follow a question mark with a comma or semi-colon? For example, would any of the following be valid? 1 The main questions addressed in the literature are: who said it?, what does it mean?, and does it all make sense? 2 The main questions addressed in the literature are, (i) … Read more
A non-English native friend has just said that an English speaker told him the question mark should NOT be used after a pair of sentences separated by a comma. Something like this: "Could someone else have done that, as she was on holidays" I am also a non-native speaker and am not a language expert … Read more
Say I have the sentence: I suggest we do an interview at 12 pm, if that’s fine with you. Is this sentence a direct question which requires a question mark, or should I keep it the way it is? Answer You can use either. Without the question mark, it really means “assuming that’s ok with … Read more
I recently received by email this sentence: Please tell me if the problem is now solved. I usually answer any email I receive that have questions. This sentence is not a question because it does not have a question mark. However it seems legit to interpret this sentence as a question and then I should … Read more
I want to write the folowing sentence in some work: You went there on Thursday? for instance, is not an interrogative clause but a declarative one, even if the utterance may be a question. In the format that I am expected to use, sentences like this should appear without any quotation marks, but in Italics. … Read more
Should Why not read our story? have a question mark? It is a suggestion, not really a question, so I assume it shouldn’t have the question mark. Answer This is a rhetorical question: A rhetorical question is asked just for effect or to lay emphasis on some point discussed when no real answer is expected. … Read more
In email communication, people often use "can you do X" instead of "please do X". Is this a more polite form, or is this just an idiom which means exactly the same? If I use "dig this hole" as an abstract example, I can write this in several forms: Can you dig this hole? Can … Read more
I’m about to send out some questions to someone. How was it starting your own business? tougher,easier than you had expected? Does “tougher” need to become “Tougher”? Answer Yes. Any word after a question mark always needs to be capitalized. Though in this case that makes a question and and incomplete thought. I’d rewrite it … Read more
