Starting a sentence with "The question is..."

Question

Do you need any punctuation after the phrase "the question is" when it begins a sentence?

"The question is how are we going to get inside?"

I've been thinking about it, and at first I thought a comma, but the more I think about it, the more I'm starting to think you don't need any punctuation at all.

I read somewhere that a colon is an appropriate choice, but isn't this grammatically incorrect? The rules for using a colon states that what comes before it must stand on its own as a complete sentence. "The question is" is not a complete sentence.

Tamguatlay · Accepted Answer

The question is "How are we going to get inside?"

AlpheccaStars · Answer

See advice here: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/colon.htm

Specifically:

It might be useful to say, also, when we don't use a colon. Remember that the clause that precedes the mark (where you're considering a colon) ought to be able to stand on its own as an independent clause. Its purpose might be strictly to introduce the clause that follows, so it might feel rather incomplete by itself, but grammatically it will have both a subject and a predicate. In other words, we would not use a colon in situations like the following:
Her recipe for gunpowder included saltpeter, dry oatmeal, and ground-up charcoal briquets. (no colon after "included")
His favorite breakfast cereals were Rice Krispies, Cheerios, and Wheaties. (no colon after "were")
Her usual advice, I remember, was "Keep your head up as you push the ball up the court." (no colon after "was")

JJDouglas · Answer

OK, so no comma and the question should be in quotation marks?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

JJDouglasOK, so no comma and the question should be in quotation marks?

Yes.

Starting a sentence with "The question is..."

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions