Do Question Marks Go Inside Quotation Marks

Hey there, curious mind! Let's chat about something that's been puzzling you, or maybe even keeping you up at night. I mean, who hasn't lost sleep over the great question mark vs. quotation marks debate, right? 😂

So, where do question marks go when they're playing hide and seek with quotes?

Alright, let's dive in. You've got your quote, like this: "She said, "Hello!"" Now, where does the question mark go? Inside? Outside? Or maybe it's playing a game of leapfrog with the commas? 🤔

First things first, let's clear the air. There's no universal rule that applies to every language. Some languages, like Spanish and French, are all like, "Question marks go inside quotes, no matter what!" But English, oh, English is a bit more finicky. It's like that friend who has different rules for everyone. 🙄

When in doubt, follow the rule of thumb

In English, we've got a little rule of thumb. If the question mark is part of the quoted sentence, it goes inside the quotes. Like this: "She asked, "What time is it?""

But if the question mark is part of the sentence outside the quotes, it goes... you guessed it! Outside the quotes. Like this: "She asked, "What time is it?" I wondered."

Easy peasy, right? Now, let's test your newfound knowledge with a little quiz. 😉

Quiz time!

1. "He said, "I'm going to the store." Is that a question or a statement?"

Does Punctuation Go Inside Quotation Marks? | The Editor’s Manual

2. "She asked, "What's for dinner?" I replied, "I don't know."" How many question marks should there be?

3. "He said, "I'm going to the store." Is that a question?"" What's wrong with this sentence?

Answers: 1. Statement. 2. Two. 3. The question mark should be outside the quotes.

But wait, what about those sneaky indirect questions?

Alright, now let's tackle those tricky indirect questions. You know, the ones that start with "Did he say..." or "Did she ask...". In these cases, the question mark goes outside the quotes. Like this: "I wondered if she asked, "What time is it?""

Quotation Marks Poster (Teacher-Made)

Why, you ask? Well, because the question mark is part of the sentence that's wondering, not the sentence that's being quoted. It's like they're having a little conversation, and the question mark is just joining in. 🗣️

And that, my friend, is the tale of the question mark and the quotation marks.