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Question marks show questions — Language, 4–6

A question mark is a written clue that a sentence is asking rather than simply telling. It helps your voice and your reader know that an answer is expected.

A question mark leaves a question open

At the end of a written question, you may see this mark: ?. It tells you that the words are asking for information, a choice or an idea. “Where is the cat?” needs an answer, while “The cat is under the chair.” gives information.

Why mark a question?

When people speak, their voice can show that they are asking. Writing has no voice for the reader to hear, so the question mark carries that clue. It prevents a reader from treating “You found it?” like the statement “You found it.”

Spotting the question

Look at these two lines: “The frog is green.” and “Is the frog green?” First, the words in the second line ask you to answer yes or no. Next, notice the ? at its end. The mark confirms that the line is a question, while the full stop in the first line closes a statement.

A question can sound like a statement

You might add a question mark only when your voice rises a lot, because that is the clearest kind of question you hear. That makes sense, but some questions sound calm: “What time is lunch?” Look at what the sentence is doing: if it asks for an answer, use the question mark.

Questions in messages and notes

When you write a note asking where someone is, what they want or when they will return, a question mark helps them read your purpose straight away. You can write, “Are you in the garden?” or “Which cup is yours?” The reader knows to answer instead of just read.

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