50 Examples of Question Marks / Question

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The question marks or question marks (¿?) are those that are placed at the beginning and at the end of interrogative sentences. For example: What is photosynthesis?

Question marks are used with direct interrogative sentences, that is, with those that are main clauses. For example: What time does the train arrive?

But these signs are not used with indirect interrogative sentences, that is, with those that are subordinate clauses to a main clause. For example: He asked me what time the train arrived.

• See also: Open questions

Rules for using question marks

• The opening question marks (¿) and closing (?) are always placed and written next to the first and last words of the interrogative sentence, but separated from the words before or after the question. For example: Will they be coming? I think so.
• After the closing question mark, never place a point (.), but you can write others punctuation marks. For example: *What time is the parade? / How much does bread cost? Is it sold per kilo?
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• If the question does not match the entire sentence, the opening sign is placed where the interrogative sentence begins. For example: Also, is the airport not too far?
• If a vocative or a conditional, concessive, final or causal clause are at the beginning of the sentence, they are excluded from the question. For example:Analía, will you come to dinner on Friday?However, if these constructions are found at the end of the sentence, they are included in the question. For example: Will you come to dinner on Friday, Analía?
• If several questions are considered to belong to the same sentence, they are separated by commas (,) either dots and comas (;) and, except for the first, start with lowercase. For example: What time does the movie start? Who is the director? Where was it filmed?But if the questions are considered to be independent sentences, they are not separated by another punctuation mark and all start with a capital letter. For example: Who is the best writer in the country? Why? What is the best book of his?
• If a statement is considered to have an interrogative and exclamatory modality at the same time, question marks and exclamation marks can be combined in different ways:

• The statement begins with a question mark and ends with an exclamation mark. For example: There are now eleven!
• The statement begins with an exclamation point and ends with a question mark. For example: When will the subway come?
• The statement begins and closes with both signs (this use is the most recommended). For example: Haven't they finished the bridge yet?! / Who's the new boss!?

In addition to being used to ask questions, these signs are used to:

• To ask for a favor or give an order politely. For example: Would you pass me that report?
• Show irony. For example: Nice, that car?In some cases, irony or doubt can also be expressed by placing the closing sign in parentheses. For example:I'm serious (?), tomorrow I'll start the gym.
• Express that certain information is not known. For example:Pedro Gomez (?-1897). In this case, it is indicated that the year of birth of Pedro Gómez is not known.

to take into account: Question marks may not be placed if an interrogative sentence functions as the title of a text. For example: How to use question marks.

Examples of question marks or question marks

Examples of question marks with direct interrogative sentences

1. What is the name of the president of Mexico?
2. When does winter start?
3. Why does evaporation occur?
4. What are the characteristics of rural areas?
5. Who is the director of the company?

Examples of question marks combined with other punctuation marks

1. Is the park close? How far is it?
2. How many onions should be added to the sauce?; four?; five?
3. Does Sofia live in this city...
4. Existentialism (or would it be better to speak of existentialisms?) is one of the most important philosophical currents of the 20th century.
5. -How are you? Martha asked.

Examples of question marks with questions that do not match the entire sentence

1. The report is due on Friday, right?
2. In relation to investments, has the contract already been signed?
3. Honestly, do you think the movie is any good?
4. However, wouldn't it be a good idea to consult the editor of the newspaper on this matter?
5. The cat is sleeping?

Examples of question marks in sentences containing a vocative

1. Sir, would you tell me your full name?
2. Are the cutlery in this drawer, Pedro?
3. Maria, have you finished reading the book?
4. Gabriel, did you find the car keys?
5. Do you need the patient file, doctor?

Examples of question marks in sentences that have conditional, concessive, final or causal clauses

1. If I'm not here before six, can you go buy the ingredients to make the sauce? (conditional clause)
2. Shall we go to the park, even if it's raining? (concessive subordination)
3. Since it's so cold, shouldn't we light the fireplace? (causal statement)
4. For your consideration, isn't it better to store samples in the lab freezer? (final subphrase)
5. Can the reservation be canceled if I decide not to make the trip? (conditional clause)

Examples of question marks with questions that belong to a single sentence

1. Where do polar bears live? What do they eat? Do they hibernate?
2. What are the movements that the Earth makes? How long does it take this planet to go around the Sun?
3. What characteristics do fantasy and science fiction stories share? How are they different?
4. When was the reform of the Constitution carried out? What were the main changes that were implemented? Who carried out this project?
5. What are the characteristics that all living beings share? In what groups are they classified? What criteria are used to make this classification?

Examples of question marks with questions that are independent sentences

1. What her name? Where does he live? What do you work on?
2. What is the name of the author? What is the best story of him? And his best novel?
3. What is your favorite season of the year? Which one do you like the least? Why?
4. What materials can be recycled? How and where is recycling done?
5. What is a lunar eclipse? What is a solar eclipse? Can they be seen at any time of the day?

Examples of question marks with sentences that have an interrogative and exclamatory modality at the same time

1. This temperature at this time of year!
2. Did the window break in the wind?
3. How much does the ticket cost?!
4. He won another tournament!?
5. Are we out of movie tickets?!

Examples of question marks with sentences that are used to ask for favors or give orders

1. Would you give me the same sweater but green?
2. Would you bring me the bill?
3. Will you email it to me?
4. Would you tell me the time?
5. Could you turn down the music volume?

Examples of question marks with sentences that are used to convey irony or doubt

1. Make a good movie, that director?
2. Go on vacation to a city?
3. It's impossible (?), but I finished all the work before six o'clock.
4. It was not difficult (?) to win the game.
5. The movie was interesting (?).

Examples of question marks that express that certain information is not known

1. The count (1376?-1450) always lived in the same castle.
2. María Pérez (?-1765) was a great painter.
3. Julio Sánchez (1457-?) was a well-known explorer.
4. Elena (1245-1313?) became queen at the age of twenty.
5. Pablo Suárez (1845-1920?) was a great poet.

Interactive test to practice

Follow with:

• Rhetorical questions
• Closed questions
• Open and closed questions
• Two points
• exclamation marks
• Use of parentheses

References

• Garcia Negroni, M. M., Pergola, L. and Stern, M. (2004). The art of writing well in Spanish: style correction manual. Santiago Arcos.
• Royal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language. (2010). Spelling of the Spanish language. Spare.
• Royal Spanish Academy. (s.f.). Question mark and exclamation mark. In Pan-Hispanic Dictionary of Doubts. Available in: Pan-Hispanic Dictionary of Doubts