Macmillan Holdings, LLC. Grammar Girl, Grammar Girl's, QDnow, and Quick and Dirty Tips are all trademarks of Macmillan Holdings, LLC. Today's topic is how to format questions. Omorose Panya grammar I've never heard of the interrobang before (and, apparently, neither has the spellchecker!). I'm glad I listened to this podcast. Informally, I still prefer using "?!" I agree with ending polite "questions" with periods because they always appear to be demands. Random question: Is there a difference between "appears to be" and "seems to be"? I assume that "appears" is literal "seems" is figurative but I wonder if they are interchangeable. Thanks =) http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=18531#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=18531#Comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:29:29 GMT Hank grammar As usual, I love the clarity with which you deal with this punctuation question. I do, however, have an issue to raise: Vanilla is the only edible fruit of an orchid. It is unusual, rich, exotic, and in no way plain. Thanks for the great post! http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=16296#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=16296#Comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 17:19:49 GMT Emery grammar As a very grammatically challenged blogger I'd like to say, Thanks for clarifying that! I have just one more question for you: is this the correct way to punctuate this type of question? :) http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=12559#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=12559#Comments Fri, 09 May 2008 16:12:43 GMT Albert grammar I think that the Spanish have a great way to cope with sentences that begin as statements and end as questions. They use an inverted question mark just before the interrogative part begins, and the regular question mark at the end. They also (of course) use the inverted question mark at the beginning of normal interrogative sentences. They use inverted exclamation marks too. In answer to Don, and the use of 'loan' as a verb, GG's answer was excellent, as Don later agreed. I'd just like to add what I believe is an American quotation or maxim: "You can verb any noun." Many well-accepted verbs began this way, to the horror of readers and listeners at the time it was first done. One verb I cannot stand is "burglarise". What is wrong with "burgle", which the dictionary says is a back-formation from "burglar"? I'd like to have put the question mark after "burgle" and to have ended the sentence with a full stop (period). No mention here of the Australian rising inflexion that makes every statement sound like a question. It was very noticeable for a couple of years. (It infected America too.) But now it is on the wane (thank God). http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=11379#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=11379#Comments Sat, 12 Jan 2008 01:37:37 GMT Paula grammar I cannot find the grammar rule that states that when using quotation marks that lower case (comma, period) punctuation goes inside the end quote and upper case (exclmation, semi-colon, etc.) go outside the end quote. Please quote the rule. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=11198#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=11198#Comments Tue, 01 Jan 2008 00:43:16 GMT Thomas W grammar Hi, Grammar Girl. I'm getting caught up on all the episodes (except 1-7, which aren't on Podcast, so I'll look around here when I get through the Podcasted ones). I'm really enjoying them as well. The section I found to be most helpful was that on question marks within punctuation. Does this hold true for non-question mark punctuation as well? I'm guessing it would, but just want to make sure. I didn't see it in the comments, so hopefully you haven't already addressed this issue to death. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=4771#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=4771#Comments Sat, 22 Sep 2007 00:46:24 GMT Evan grammar Grammar Girl, Thank you so much for answering this question. ----- -------- http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=512#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=512#Comments Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:41:58 GMT Patrick Moss grammar Hi Grammar Girl, I'm teaching English in Seoul, South Korea. I found your podcast and have downloaded and listened to all episodes. I really enjoy it. You make grammar interesting and fun to learn. Keep up the good work!! Your fan, Pat ----- http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=511#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=511#Comments Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:45:32 GMT Donald L. Denis grammar "It's good to know the rules, but these sentences seem so contorted that I think it is better to try to rewrite them." I took this for an instant to mean that it is better to try to rewrite the rules. That's just the validation I've been waiting for: permission to effect grammatical change by literate disobedience! I don't expect that permission to be forthcoming soon, but one never knows. I'll keep listening... ----- http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=509#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=509#Comments Mon, 30 Jul 2007 06:08:20 GMT Grammar Girl grammar "Into" is a preposition that has many definitions, but they all generally relate to direction. The book "Common Errors in English Usage" says "'into' often answers the question 'where?'" On the other hand, "in" by itself can be an adverb, preposition, or adjective (and "to" by itself is a preposition or an adverb). Sometimes these words just end up next to each other. Maybe examples will help! He walked into the room. (Where was he going? Into the room.) We're going to break in to the room. ("Break in" is a phrasal verb. What are you going to break in to? The room.) ----- http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=507#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx?commentid=507#Comments Sun, 29 Jul 2007 02:28:17 GMT Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:29:29 GMT http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/punctuating-questions.aspx feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Managing Editor) feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Webmaster) en-us