When there are two independent clauses that are joined by a coordinate conjunction, — and, but, or, nor — a comma goes before the conjunction. This is probably the most basic of all comma rules. …There were three of us, and I assumed we were all in agreement. …I saw her early in the day, but she was not at the …
What about…? How about…?
“What about…?” and “How about…?” are idiomatic expressions that are meant to ask a question. It is true that they are not grammatically complete sentences in that they do not have a verb. However, idioms are unique unto themselves, and these two indicate questions and must stand alone with a question mark. If there is a question after this expression, …
“My Question Is…”
This construction always causes consternation and no end of disagreement. This is my understanding of the way English grammar works. It is never correct to use a single separating comma between the verb and the predicate nominative. Surely no one wants a comma in the following examples. …My name is Margie. …Her response is that she was not home. …My …
A Period or a Question Mark?
When the witness repeats the question or part of the question and then answers it, use a question mark after the question and let the rest of the answer stand on its own. …Q Was it after 10:00 that he called that night? …A Was it after 10:00? Yes. …Q What was the attire for the meeting? …
Two Questions
Even when said as one thought with NO pause and NO change of the timbre of the voice, this construction takes two question marks. …Were your car windows open? Do you remember? …Was your radio on? Do you know? Reversing the subject and verb in English is the indication that there is a question. These are questions — …
This Is How It Should Look…
Q No one saw you; is that correct? A No. Q “No,” it’s not correct? Or, “No,” no one saw you? Happy punctuating! Margie
“Where are you going? is my question.”
When there are two parts to a sentence, one a statement and one a question, it is the part at the end that determines the terminal punctuation. …My question is where are you going? …Where are you going? is my question. In the second example, since the sentence ends in a period, there has to be a question mark mid-sentence …
Put the Question Mark Where the Question Is First Asked
It seems as if I just addressed this, but I looked back and don’t see it. The only way to consistently punctuate questions is to follow this rule: Put the question mark where the question is first asked; where, if the attorney had just stopped and waited, s/he could have gotten an answer. …What was she wearing? Did you notice? …
Quotes
Periods and commas go inside quotes without exception; colons and semicolons go outside quotes without exception. Question marks go inside or outside quotes depending on where the question is being asked: If there is a question inside the quotes, the question mark goes inside; if there is no question inside the quotes but there is one outside, the question mark …
“Do You Know What I Mean?” and Other Nonquestions
When someone has a language “glitch” and uses a word or phrase over and over, that word or phrase is surrounded by commas. …He was, like, on the, you know, edge that day. …The company, like, you know, did not really have, like, a policy, you know, on that. When this type of element is normally a question but is …