Re: Punctuating A Question In A Sentence

Tim Lebant wrote:

I'd like to know the correct way of punctuating a sentence, such as
the following, containing a question

A) "My question is, will the exam cover the material in the lectures?"

B) "My question is, 'Will the exam cover the material in the
lectures?' "

C) "My question is: 'Will the exam cover the material in the
lectures?' "


If your sentence is not being quoted,

My question is, will the exam cover the materials in the lectures?


If your "my question is" serves as a unquoted rhetorical preface,

My question is, "Will the exam cover the materials in the lectures?"


If your entire sentence is being quoted and "my question is" serves
as a rhetorical preface within original written context,

"My question is, 'will the exam cover the materials in the lecture?'"


If you are simply quoting your entire sentence,

"My question is, will the exam cover the materials in the lectures?"


Rather confusing, yes?

Note, "materials" rather than "material" because "lectures" is plural
and do note "Will" rather than "will" when quoting, as following.

Challenge here is degree of formality and a question of possession.


When writing a casual question, such as a note to a professor,
no quotes at all, simply ask your question,

My question is, will the exam cover the materials in the lectures?


Should your professor ask in writing, "What is your question?"
then respond with possessive quoting, as if you own your question,

My question is, "Will the exam cover the materials in the lectures?"


When writing, in general, about your question to a casual reader,

I wrote to my professor, "My question is, will the exam cover the
materials in the lectures?"


This following syntax is rare and better to be avoided because
of awkward quoting. This would be a case of your writing about
responding to your professor asking, "What is your question?"
Other words, very formal writing, lawyer legalese gibberish,

My professor wrote to me, "What is your question?" My formal
response to him is, "My question is, 'Will the exam cover the
materials in the lectures?'"

As you can see, my last example is simply awkward. Using this
method can lead to circumstances of quotes within quotes within
quotes within quotes... awkward embedding.

"During our exchange of notes, my professor wrote to me, 'What
is your question?' My formal response to him is, 'My question
is, ''Will the exam cover the materials in the lectures?''"

When you find yourself needing to use apostrophe quoting within
standard quoting, do not. This is a signal you need to rewrite
your sentence for better clarity. Avoid using apostrophe quoting,
not when you can, rather always.

A good method to avoid this awkward quoting is to use a personal
story telling voice, rather than strict quoting.

The other day, my professor wrote to me, "What is your question?"
I decided to write back to him my question is, "Will the exam
cover the materials in the lectures?" A day later, my professor
wrote back, "Yes, now get busy studying!"


Apostrophe quoting is bad mojo. Don't do this to yourself.

--
Purl Gurl
--
"Then again what can you expect from a fat-assed, champagne swilling,
half-breed just off the Rez?"
- Joe Kline
.

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