Period or question mark?
Now that you know both kinds of sentence, every sentence you write needs a decision at the end.
Ask yourself one question: does this sentence want an answer?
- Yes, it wants an answer. Use a question mark.
- No, it just tells something. Use a period.
Watch it work
| Sentence | Does it want an answer? | End mark |
|---|---|---|
| The library opens at nine | no | The library opens at nine. |
| When does the library open | yes | When does the library open? |
| Can we walk there | yes | Can we walk there? |
| I know the way | no | I know the way. |
Look at the last row. It has no question word and it wants nothing back, so it takes a period.
One mark only
A sentence gets one end mark. Not two.
“Is it raining?.” is wrong. The question mark already ended the sentence, so the period has nothing left to do.
“Is it raining?” is right.
Checking your writing
- Read one sentence at a time.
- Ask whether it wants an answer.
- Put the mark that matches.
- Check that there is only one mark.
- Check the capital letter at the front.
Your turn
Add the right end mark to each one.
- “My grandma is coming on Friday”
- “Do you want to help me”
- “Where did I put the glue”
- “The glue is in the drawer”
Check your answers
- “My grandma is coming on Friday.”
- “Do you want to help me?”
- “Where did I put the glue?”
- “The glue is in the drawer.”
Remember
- Wants an answer means a question mark.
- Tells something means a period.
- One end mark on each sentence.