问号表示问句的结束。问号的主要使用规则很简单,即如果句子是以问句形式出现,就应该在句尾使用问号。
直接疑问句表示在提出一个问题后,希望获得答案。在很多情况下,直接疑问句以“谁”、“什么”、“何时”、“何地”和“为什么”开始。
- Example
- What is your name?
- Example
- Does anyone have a pencil I can use?
问号应当用在直接疑问句的末尾。
- Incorrect
- You did eat, didn’t you.
- correct
- You did eat, didn’t you?
- Incorrect
- Will you go there with me.
- correct
- Will you go there with me?
间接疑问句
间接疑问句是隐藏在一个陈述句或另一个疑问句中的疑问句。
- Example
- She is asking if you are available tomorrow.
- Example
- I was wondering if you could help me.
在间接疑问句的末尾应该加句号,而不是问号。
- Incorrect
- I wonder if I should call him?
- correct
- I wonder if I should call him.
- Incorrect
- He asked me if I can borrow the book?
- correct
- He asked me if I can borrow the book.
问号和引号
问号是应该放在引号里面还是放在引号外面,有时令人困惑。一般的规则是,如果疑问句是被引用的,问号应该放在引号里面。
- Example
- He asked, “Can I come?”
- Example
- “Are you done with your homework?” she asked.
但是,如果整个句子是一个问句形式,而且引用的短语不是一个疑问句的形式,那么问号应该放在引号的外面。
- Example
- Did she really say, “You are fat”?
- Example
- Are you sure she said “go out and spend all your money”?
问号和括号
问号和括号联用时的规则与问号和引号联用时的规则相同。如果括号内的内容是一个疑问句,问号应该放在括号里面。
- Example
- I saw the fourth edition of the book (or was it the fifth?).
如果问号适用于整个句子,而不仅仅适用于括号内的内容,那么问号应该放在括号外面。
- Example
- Will he come home tomorrow (May 4th)?
- Example
- Can you believe he walked all the way over here (from his house)?
其他关于问号的用法
在有些情况下,问号有一些特殊用法,例如反问句和句子中间带有引用内容时。
反问句
反问句是指不期待或不需要回答的疑问句。反问句可以用来强调某一点。虽然不指望得到回答,根据文意,反问句末尾是可以使用问号的。实际上,由于反问句多以疑问句的形式出现,反问句的末尾确实是通常使用问号的。
- Example
- I mean, who would want to go with her?
- Example
- What is the meaning of life?
句中带有引用内容时的问号
当句中嵌有引号时,通常用逗号将引用部分与其他部分隔开(例如,“she said,” “he asked,”,等等)。但是,当句中使用问号来引用时,引号后面不要使用逗号。
- Incorrect
- “Are you sure you want to eat this?”, she asked.
- correct
- “Are you sure you want to eat this?” she asked.
- Incorrect
- “Can you tell me your name?”, the woman asked him.
- correct
- “Can you tell me your name?” the woman asked him.