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Does this title make sense?, well does it?

  • 18-09-2005 4:29pm
    #1
    Sandals
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,299 ✭✭✭


    So thats my question, when you have a question mark can you follow it with a coma?


Comments

  • #2
    newgrange
    Closed Accounts Posts: 568 ✭✭✭newgrange


    I think it would be better to say -
    Does this title make sense? Well, does it?

    The question mark marks the end of the sentence.


  • #3
    Sandals
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,299 ✭✭✭Sandals


    yes that's true, I did'nt think the title out too well, my question is, is it possible, to follow a question mark directly with a coma.


  • #4
    newgrange
    Closed Accounts Posts: 568 ✭✭✭newgrange


    I don't know any rule about it, but I cannot think of a situation where it would happen. Perhaps in a quoting context?


  • #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    No you never use it, not even in a quoting context. It just doesn't make logical sense.

    If you are asking two separate questions, like the one above, you just use a question mark for each one:

    Does this title make sense? Well, does it?


    If you are asking two questions that are linked in some way, that they are many options of a single answer or that you want them to appear continuous, then you use a comma for each option/statement, then a question mark at the end, eg.:

    Shall I take the bus, the car, or the train? (Notice that although "Shall I take the bus? The car? The train?" is also correct, it is not grammatically suitable. On the other hand, if it were "Shall I take the bus? Or perhaps the car? Maybe even the train?", it would be suitable.

    There is no context in which a question mark is followed a comma, as a question mark can do all that a comma does, plus more.


  • #6
    biko
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 81,220 ✭✭✭✭biko


    No, you can not. A question mark equals a full stop.

    Ergo: Does this title make sense? Well does it?


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  • #7
    Talliesin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,314 ✭✭✭Talliesin


    A comma following a question mark (or for that matter an exclamation mark, or the accursed interrobang) is sometimes seen, especially by those (nerds for the most part) who attempt to place logic at the heart of their punctuation (the same people who would always put a period inside parenthesis or quotes to mark the sentence as wholely contained therein).

    However, this is not generally accepted as correct.


  • #8
    pickarooney
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,731 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Not unless you have a single or double quote separating them.
    "Does this title make sense?", asked Sandals.


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