Question Mark Definition, Punctuation and Examples

Questions Exercises

These exercises focus on different types of questions.

What a Question Mark Does

A question mark ends a direct question - whether the question is open (“What time is it?”) or closed (“Are you ready?”). It replaces a period and never appears together with one.

Indirect questions are statements, so they take a period: She asked why the report was late.

Core Rules of Placement

Stand-alone questions

Put the mark at the very end of the clause: Why do they make so many mistakes?

Quotation marks (AmE vs. BrE)

If the quoted words are the question, the mark stays inside: He asked, “Where are you?”
If only the framing sentence is the question, it sits outside: Did she really say “I quit”?

Parentheses and brackets

The mark goes inside if the whole parenthetical is a question: They decided (and why wouldn’t they?) to leave. It stays outside when the question applies to the full sentence: Is this proposal cost-effective (given the new data)?

Tag questions

Add the mark after the tag: You’re joining us, aren’t you?

Requests that masquerade as questions

Polite imperatives such as “Would you please pass the salt.” may take a period in formal copy because they function as commands, not real questions, though a mark is never wrong.

Special Uses and Edge Cases

Rhetorical questions

Most style guides keep the question mark: Who knew? But Chicago notes that a period (or even an exclamation point) can convey a deliberately flat or emphatic tone.

Interrobang (‽) or “?!”

Chicago advises choosing one mark - usually “!” for a rhetorical exclamation - and avoiding the doubled “?!” except in very informal contexts.

Uncertainty or doubtful data

A lone mark in parentheses or brackets shows uncertainty in scholarly dates: Mozart (1756 – 1791?) composed more than 600 works. Style manuals for history and genealogy accept this shorthand.

Multiple questions in one sentence

Either use one mark at the end - Where, when, and why did it happen? - or break the sentence apart for clarity.

Question Marks in Titles and Headings

AP and Chicago both keep question marks in headlines if the title is itself a direct question: “Should You Buy an EV Now?” The mark does not disqualify the sentence from headline-style capitalization.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Why it’s wrong	Fix
Adding a question mark to an indirect question	It’s a statement, not a query	She wondered where he was.
Using “?!” in formal writing	Seen as informal/shouty	Choose one mark, usually “!”
Combining a question mark with a period	The mark already ends the sentence	Drop the period

FAQs

When should I use a question mark instead of a period?

Use a question mark only after a direct question; use a period after statements and indirect questions.

Does the question mark go inside or outside quotation marks?

Place it inside if the quoted words are the question; otherwise keep it outside.

What punctuation ends a rhetorical question?

Most writers keep the question mark, but a period or exclamation point can convey irony or emphasis in rhetorical contexts.

Can I use a question mark to show uncertainty in dates?

Yes, insert a parenthetical question mark after the doubtful year: (1874?–1930).

Is “?!” acceptable in professional writing?

Formal guides recommend choosing either “?” or “!”; reserve “?!” for highly informal or creative copy.