When Should You Use a Question Mark in Indirect Questions?

 Understanding how and when to use question marks is fundamental in writing. Question marks signal to the reader that a sentence is interrogative — that is, it asks a question. However, not all sentences involving questions end with a question mark. In particular, indirect questions often confuse writers about punctuation.

In this article, we’ll explore:

• What direct and indirect questions are

• The difference in punctuation between them

• Clear rules about when to use question marks in indirect questions

• Examples to illustrate these rules

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What Is a Direct Question?

A direct question explicitly asks something and expects an answer. It usually begins with a question word (who, what, where, when, why, how) or an auxiliary verb (do, is, can, etc.).

Examples of Direct Questions:

• “Where are you going?”

• “Did you finish the report?”

• “What time does the meeting start?”

Direct questions always end with a question mark because the sentence directly asks something.

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What Is an Indirect Question?

An indirect question reports or refers to a question but does not directly ask it. Instead, it is embedded within a statement or another question.

Examples of Indirect Questions:

• “I wonder where you are going.”

• “Can you tell me if you finished the report?”

• “She asked what time the meeting starts.”

Notice how these sentences do not ask questions outright but mention or imply a question.

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The Key Difference in Punctuation

The main rule is:

• Direct questions end with a question mark because they are actual questions.

• Indirect questions do not end with a question mark because they are statements or commands that include a question within them.

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When Should You Use a Question Mark?

Use a question mark only with direct questions.

Examples:

• Correct: “Where are you going?” (Direct question — ends with a question mark.)

• Incorrect: “I wonder where you are going?” (Indirect question — does NOT end with a question mark.)

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Why Don’t Indirect Questions Use Question Marks?

Indirect questions are part of a larger statement or command. Even though they include a question, the whole sentence isn’t a direct inquiry. It’s more like a declarative sentence.

For example:

• “He asked when the train arrives.”
  This sentence reports a question, but it itself is a statement, so it ends with a period, not a question mark.

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When Does the Sentence End with a Question Mark if It Contains an Indirect Question?

Sometimes, an indirect question is part of a larger direct question. In these cases, the entire sentence is a direct question and ends with a question mark.

Example:

• “Do you know where the train arrives?”
  The overall sentence is a direct question, so it ends with a question mark, even though it contains an indirect question inside.

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Examples to Clarify

Sentence Type	Example	Correct Punctuation
Direct question	Where is the library?	Ends with question mark
Indirect question (statement)	She asked where the library is.	Ends with period
Direct question containing indirect question	Can you tell me where the library is?	Ends with question mark
Indirect question in command or request	Please tell me where the library is.	Ends with period

Additional Notes

• Sometimes indirect questions appear in exclamatory sentences expressing surprise or strong emotion. These typically end with an exclamation point, not a question mark.

Example:

• “I can’t believe you asked where the secret is!”

• When indirect questions appear as part of embedded questions, the punctuation depends on the main sentence.

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Summary: Quick Reference

Sentence Type	Ends With
Direct question	Question mark (?)
Indirect question as statement	Period (.)
Direct question containing indirect question	Question mark (?)
Indirect question in exclamation	Exclamation mark (!)

Conclusion

To summarize, question marks are used only at the end of direct questions — sentences that explicitly ask something. Indirect questions, which report or refer to a question, are part of statements or commands and therefore do not use question marks at the end.

By keeping this distinction in mind, you can punctuate your writing more accurately and convey the intended meaning clearly.