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Ryansamturner Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

Question Mark Usage.

In the below conversation between my two characters, I have placed a question mark after 'Try for another baby', however is that correct? Although it is not a question, it is following on from the first line.....how would you write it?

‘Do you think you will try again?’ William asked.
‘Try for what?’
‘Try for another baby?’
‘What? It’s too soon to be talking about that, way too soon.’
  

Top answer

ryansamturner I have placed a question mark after 'Try for another baby', No. William was expanding on his question, not asking a second time. Assuming that William wants to know if the other character plans to have another baby, I would rewrite the sentence as follows: Try to have another baby.

— RandomGuy

  • ryansamturner I have placed a question mark after 'Try for another baby', No.
  • William was expanding on his question, not asking a second time.
  • Assuming that William wants to know if the other character plans to have another baby, I would rewrite the sentence as follows: Try to have another baby.
  • Still, this isn't quite right.
  • The verb seems to be in the imperative mood, but it should be in the indicative mood.
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5 Answers
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ryansamturnerI have placed a question mark after 'Try for another baby',
No. William was expanding on his question, not asking a second time.

Assuming that William wants to know if the other character plans to have another baby, I would rewrite the sentence as follows:

Try to have another baby.

Still, this isn't quite right. T
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It is entirely up to you whether to use a question mark or not. If you want his vocal inflection to be questioning, use it, otherwise, no. This is dialogue in fiction, and the regular formal rules do not all apply. One thing—the person asks William "Try for what?" when there is no way he could know that William meant try "for" anything. Why not "Try what?" or ""Try to do what?", which are more to
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Aspara GusThe verb seems to be in the imperative mood, but it should be in the indicative mood.
I don't think there are any imperatives in that dialogue:

‘Do you think [Present simple, interrogative] you will [modal] try [bare infinitive] again
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fivejedjonI don't think there are any imperatives in that dialogue:
‘Do you think [Present simple, interrogative] you will [modal] try [bare infinitive] again?’ William asked [past simple].
‘(Do I think I will)Try [bare infinitive] for what?’
‘‘(Do you think you will)Try [bare infinitive] for another baby?’
‘What? It’s [Present simple] too soon to be talki
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