How do I properly punctuate this statement? “Can you watch my dog because I need to run errands” I get confused if it should be a question mark because the first clause asks a question but the second half is not.
I personally would state it as two sentences.“Can you watch my dog? I need to run errands.”Bang. Two punctuation marks.The only other acceptable formats make use of a question mark. It it reprehensible to end a statement with a period when it includes a question.“Can you watch my dog because I need to run errands?”But there’s a problem. That isn’t what you wanted to say. What that this question asks is whether or not the fact that I need to run errands makes you able to watch my dog. But whether you’re able or not usually doesn’t depend on whether I need it or not. It’s a rather unusual question. Another approach is to swap out the word “can” for “would”. By putting it in the future conditional tense, you make it a request rather than a question.“Would you watch my dog because I need to run errands?”This is still kind of clunky, but it’s absolutely correct to use it when you simply must use a single punctuation mark.
How would you punctuate a sentence starting with the word "guess"?
It is, by no means, "definitely" a question, since you are essentially telling the person to do something, as in "take off your muddy shoes," or "hand me the phone," or "guess who is coming to dinner." Or look at it this way: On a math test, you might see the instruction "Solve for y" or even "Find the solution." Neither would be followed by a question mark, unless they were preceded by the phrase "Can you" or "Are you able to." By themselves they are statements, unless they've been modified into questions as shown. The implied statements you gave as examples might clear up the situation if they were included in the sentence. By the way, another way to interpret the phrase "guess who's coming to dinner" might be this: "[You'll never] guess who's coming to dinner!" in which case an exclamation point could be used to show excitement. Have I muddied the waters enough?
Punctuation: When I write a sentence like "I wonder if ..." should it end with a question mark or a full stop (period)?
In all of your sentences, the words that follow are all indirect quotations, so they end in a period, not a question mark. This is true whether the complementizer that introduces the subordinate clause is whether or if. Some people believe thatwhether is more appropriate than if, but that is a stylistic objection, not a linguistic objection. The same guidance applies if the complementizer is that: I wonder that it never occurred to him to just stop talking. There are sentences, introduced with wonder, that include direct quotations, for example: I wonder, will Mary come today? Note that with direct quotations there is no complementizer (whether, if, or that) and the auxiliary verb is the first word in the embedded clause. An auxiliary verb is a modal verb (would,can, etc.) or an inflection of do, be, or have. In direct questions, the auxiliary always precedes the subject. However, the direct question is not a quoted sentence, so no quotation marks are used. But since it is a direct question, it is preceded by a comma, and it is terminated with a question mark.
How do I punctuate a sentence that starts as a question but ends in statement as a two-part sentence? Do I use a semicolon to separate the parts and then have the question mark at the end, as in “Who is that guy; I wish they would tell us?”?
A sentence is a complete thought or idea: You would get nothing from the phrase, “Is that guy.” Someone would literally walk up to you and ask, “Is that guy, what?”“Who is that guy?” is a complete idea. It expresses your need to know who a person is. “I wish they would tell us.” is another idea. I think I’m getting what you’re asking because I’ve been having the same problem as of late. It usually starts with a question about an event that may have happened but not always. Should I believe him when he says, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”I mean, in that situation, do you put a period after what he says or do you put a question mark after the entire question? Do you put a period inside the parenthesis and a question mark outside? It’s an imperative-interrogative and I have yet to find a satisfactory answer.
How would you punctuate this sentence? “Mother died of ovarian cancer, father of testicular cancer.”
How would you punctuate this sentence?Mother died of ovarian cancer, father of testicular cancer.The popular suggestion to date has been to replace the comma with a semicolon. However . . .SEMICOLON: used to keep two closely related statements within the same sentence. A semicolon must be followed by a complete statement.The statement following the comma is not a complete statement because it relies on the verb “died” in the preceding statement. Thus, it cannot stand alone.COLON: used to equate two items; if the term “namely” can be used to introduce what follows the colon, then the colon is the appropriate punctuationMother died of ovarian cancer; namely, father of testicular cancer.As you can see, the colon is not the correct punctuation.DASHES: used when interrupting text should receive the most emphasis.COMMAS: used when the interrupting text is treated as neutral.PARENTHESES: used when the interrupting text receives the least emphasis.Given the definitions of the last three options, either a dash or a comma would seem to be the most appropriate punctuation as follows:Mother died of ovarian cancer — father of testicular cancer.Mother died of ovarian cancer, father of testicular cancer.
How would you punctuate this sentence? "A woman without her man is nothing."
Ah, the ole chestnut.I know it's supposed to go like:A woman, without her man, is nothing.A woman, without her, man is nothing.But let me propose some alternatives.A woman without. Her man is nothing.A woman with. Out! Her man is nothing.A woman without her ma. N is nothing.A woman? With? Out her! Man, is nothing.A WO*.Man?Without her?Man.Is?Nothing.*WOabbreviation for1. (Military) War Office2. (Military) Warrant Officer3. (Electronics & Computer Science / Telecommunications) wireless operator
How do I punctuate the following sentence to make it clearer: "I never said she stole my money."?
How do I punctuate the following sentence to make it clearer: "I never said she stole my money."?Note: There are slight differences between American and British punctuation, but here is the British version: ‘I never said; “She stole my money!”’Your statement comes in two parts: Denial and Accusative-quote!Now, punctuation… what have I used here?Single quotation marks: The single quotation indicates a spoken sentence as-in your question… it opens the sentence and closes it at the very end. (‘) & (’)Double quotation marks: The double quotation mark indicates an actual reference to another quotation… in this instance: “She stole my money” (“) & (”)Note also that the closing single quotation mark immediately follows the closing double quotation mark. (This is optional and rarely used today, but it is not unknown! In effect, you are closing both statements at the same time)Semi Colon: (Conjugative) i.e. the link that joins/separates/differentiates the two halves of the statement. (;) The first half: ‘I never said’ is your statement of denial.The second statement: “She stole my money” is the accusative-quotation that you are challenging.The exclamation mark: This indicates that you have made a profound statement; (as opposed to either a full stop (period) or a question mark. (You are not asking a question here within your statement). (!)Note also that the dot at the bottom of all exclamation marks and the base of all question marks; IS the full point/period mark, so there is no need to use both point and mark as you have done in your question.I hope this helps.
I have to punctuate the following sentence, my version is below it.
This will be a big help, it's part of my course. Like I say, my answer is below it, if you could just give me some pointers as to anything that might be wrong with it. Thanks heaps! The point is this does the committee intend to consider an increase in fees if so by what amount in the meantime nothing can be done it would be useful perhaps to call a meeting in the near future which date would be convenient. The point is this. Does the committee intend to consider an increase in fees: If so, by what amount? In the meantime, nothing can be done. It would be useful perhaps, to call a meeting in the near future. Which date would be convenient?
Is a sentence that starts with "I wonder" a question or a statement?
I wonder... lol Anyway, I think it is usually a statement because when you ask it, you are not actually asking a question. For example, I wonder what is for lunch today. But if you said I wonder. . . What is for lunch today? It is a question. I have no idea how to explain the law of using "wonder." I may not even know my self. Interesting though, I never thought of this before. I probably didn't help much.