Home/Common Mistakes/Writing/All Other Punctuation/Don’t use question marks for indirect questions
Home/Common Mistakes/Writing/All Other Punctuation/Don’t use question marks for indirect questions

Don’t use question marks for indirect questions

A question needs a question mark and an answer. If no answer is needed, it isn’t a question and it shouldn’t have a question mark.
No question mark after an indirect question.

  • Why did he go home so early?
    (direct question)
    She didn’t know why he had gone home so early.
    (indirect question)
  • Have you seen his new car yet?
    He asked if I had seen his new car yet.

No question mark after a statement.

  • Do you think she is happy?
    (question)
    I wonder if she is happy.
    (statement)
  • Who taught you how to drive?
    I’d like to know who taught you how to drive.