Punctuation: Periods and Question Marks inside of vs outside of Quotation Marks

[Dante]

A question mark goes outside a quotation mark when the entire sentence is a question, but the quoted material is not. When the quote is not a question, the question mark outside indicates the whole sentence is a question, such as: Did she say, “I am tired”?. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Rules for Question Marks Outside Quotes

• Whole Sentence is a Question: Use the question mark outside if the quotation itself is a statement but the sentence it is part of is a question.
  • Example: What did she mean by "no way"?
• Logic Wins: If the quoted material is part of a larger question, the question mark follows the closing quotation mark.
• No Extra Period: Do not add a period after the question mark if it is at the end of the sentence. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Contrast with Inside the Quote

• If the quoted text is a question, the question mark goes inside.
  • Example: He asked, “Is it over?”
• If the quote is a question, but the surrounding sentence is not, you generally keep the question mark inside and do not add a period outside

 

[Dogmaphobe]

A question mark goes outside a quotation mark when the entire sentence is a question, but the quoted material is not. When the quote is not a question, the question mark outside indicates the whole sentence is a question, such as: Did she say, “I am tired”?. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Rules for Question Marks Outside Quotes

• Whole Sentence is a Question:Use the question mark outside if the quotation itself is a statement but the sentence it is part of is a question.
  • Example: What did she mean by "no way"?
• Logic Wins: If the quoted material is part of a larger question, the question mark follows the closing quotation mark.
• No Extra Period: Do not add a period after the question mark if it is at the end of the sentence. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Contrast with Inside the Quote

• If the quoted text is a question, the question mark goes inside.
  • Example: He asked, “Is it over?”
• If the quote is a question, but the surrounding sentence is not, you generally keep the question mark inside and do not add a period outside

It's so good to have you focusing that considerable energy of yours on something so truly important.

 

[Dante]

It's so good to have you focusing that considerable energy of yours on something so truly important.

Thank you for trolling here in

Announcements from USMB staff, also post your feedback and questions here. FLAMING PROHIBITED. USMB Lounge rules apply.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Thank you for trolling here in

I certainly would not want you to come down with a serious case of the vapors, that's for sure.

 

[Captain Caveman]

A question mark goes outside a quotation mark when the entire sentence is a question, but the quoted material is not. When the quote is not a question, the question mark outside indicates the whole sentence is a question, such as: Did she say, “I am tired”?. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Key Rules for Question Marks Outside Quotes

• Whole Sentence is a Question:Use the question mark outside if the quotation itself is a statement but the sentence it is part of is a question.
  • Example: What did she mean by "no way"?
• Logic Wins: If the quoted material is part of a larger question, the question mark follows the closing quotation mark.
• No Extra Period: Do not add a period after the question mark if it is at the end of the sentence. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Contrast with Inside the Quote

• If the quoted text is a question, the question mark goes inside.
  • Example: He asked, “Is it over?”
• If the quote is a question, but the surrounding sentence is not, you generally keep the question mark inside and do not add a period outside

When you debate with someone, if they're more interested in punctuation, grammar, spelling etc.. they're not worth talking to. We are not sitting an English exam. 99% of the time, tap it out and hit post, even proof reading goes out of the window most of the time.

You are on the wrong forum if the quotes and question marks don't land where you want them. The IMPORTANT part is, just as long you understood the reply.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

When you debate with someone, if they're more interested in punctuation, grammar, spelling etc.. they're not worth talking to. We are not sitting an English exam. 99% of the time, tap it out and hit post, even proof reading goes out of the window most of the time.

You are on the wrong forum if the quotes and question marks don't land where you want them. The IMPORTANT part is, just as long you understood the reply.

I don't know about you, but I'm a bit apprehensive over the possibility that he might use this posting to segue into a discussion involving the myriad uses of colons.

 

[my2¢]

In the early 1960's I was taught if a name ending in "s" was a possessive, an apostrophe would suffice.
Such as Thomas' boat.

Lately I've been noticing the inclusion of the "s" is such circumstances. It looks weird to me.
Such as a recent headline Justice Thomas's Constitution.

 

[Dante]

When you debate with someone, if they're more interested in punctuation, grammar, spelling etc.. they're not worth talking to. We are not sitting an English exam. 99% of the time, tap it out and hit post, even proof reading goes out of the window most of the time.

You are on the wrong forum if the quotes and question marks don't land where you want them. The IMPORTANT part is, just as long you understood the reply.

Your problem here which is glaring is this: You suffer from delusions that you are an authority on something, on anything.

Were you a Hall Monitor in High School?

 

[Dante]

In the early 1960's I was taught if a name ending in "s" was a possessive, an apostrophe would suffice.
Such as Thomas' boat.

Lately I've been noticing the inclusion of the "s" is such circumstances. It looks weird to me.
Such as a recent headline Justice Thomas's Constitution.

Bots doing the editing.

 

[Dante]

I don't know about you, but I'm a bit apprehensive over the possibility that he might use this posting to segue into a discussion involving the myriad uses of colons.

Yes. Trump's colon being so damaged because of the constant inserting of heads up there.

 

[Dante]

When you debate with someone, if they're more interested in punctuation, grammar, spelling etc.. they're not worth talking to. We are not sitting an English exam. 99% of the time, tap it out and hit post, even proof reading goes out of the window most of the time.

You are on the wrong forum if the quotes and question marks don't land where you want them. The IMPORTANT part is, just as long you understood the reply.

btw, it is you who are on the wrong forum

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Thank you for trolling here in

Thank you for showing everybody an example of a fragment that ends in a preposition.

 

[Dante]

Some people are interested in writing. The written word. This interest can help some people as they age: Latest in Brain Science. Dante knew people like this troglodyte Captain Caveman would inject some deflections based on IT's own issues with reading & comprehension. He just hopes that some here have the capability of ignoring Trolls like that one. And that Dogmaphobe? IT is so excited (like a pup peeing all over itself), to post @ Dante, it missed a lack of punctuation on some posts.

peace out!

In American English, commas and periods always go inside closing quotation marks (“... .” or “...,” ), regardless of whether they are part of the original quote. Colons and semicolons always go outside. Question marks and exclamation points go inside if they belong to the quote, but outside if they belong to the overall sentence. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Key Punctuation Rules

• Commas and Periods:Placed inside quotation marks.
  • Example: “I am leaving,” she said, “and I am not coming back.”
• Colons and Semicolons:Placed outside quotation marks.
  • Example: He called it his “little surprise”; however, no one was surprised.
• Question Marks and Exclamation Points (Logical Placement):
  • Inside:If the quote itself is a question or exclamation.
    • Example: She asked, “Are we there yet?”
  • Outside:If the entire sentence is a question, but the quote is not.
    • Example: Did he say, “I hate pizza”?
• Capitalization: Capitalize the first word of a complete sentence quote, even if it is in the middle of a sentence. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Quoting Techniques and Punctuation

• Introducing a Quote: Use a comma after conversational verbs like said, asked, replied, or shouted.
• Mid-Sentence Quote:If a quoted word is blended into your sentence, no comma is needed.
  • Example: He said I was “too demanding.”
• Split Quotes:If the first half is a full sentence and the second is a new sentence, use a period after the attribution.
  • Example: “I want cake,” she said. “It is my birthday.”
• Quotes Within Quotes:Use single quotation marks (') for a quote inside a double-quoted quote.
  • Example: “She told me, ‘Don't move,’ and ran away,” he said. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Common Pitfalls

• No Extra Punctuation:Do not add a comma or colon if the sentence structure does not require one.
  • Wrong: He said, "that I was wrong."
  • Right: He said, “That I was wrong.”
• Parenthetical Citations: If a citation follows the quote, the period goes afterthe citation, not inside the quote.
  • Example: “The treaty is invalid” (Smith 14)

Quotation marks | The Punctuation Guide

www.thepunctuationguide.com

 

[sparky]

~S~