Question marks and exclamation marks

The rules

When it's taught at school: From Year 1; exclamations with What and How in Year 2.

1. 1

   A question ends with a question mark

   Questions often start with who, what, where, when, why, how, or a verb like can, do or is.

   • Where did you put my pencil case?
   • Can we go to the park?
2. 2

   A reported question doesn't

   When you report what someone asked, without their own words, it's a statement and ends with a full stop.

   • Ben asked whether he could come too.
   • I wonder what time it is.
3. 3

   Exclamation marks for strong feeling

   Use them sparingly: one is enough.

   • What a brilliant idea!
   • How tall you've grown!
   • Watch out!

Common mistakes

• What time does the film start.

  What time does the film start?

  This sentence asks a question, so it ends with a question mark.

• Mum asked if we were hungry?

  Mum asked if we were hungry.

  This reports a question without Mum's own words, so it's a statement.

Spot the mistake, 11+ style

Real examples of the questions in our papers. Cover the answer and see if your child can find the mistake.

• Which of these / books would you / like to take / home tonight.

  Show the answer

  Part D should be home tonight?. This sentence asks a question, so it must end with a question mark, not a full stop.

• Did you remember / to bring / your swimming / costume.

  Show the answer

  Part D should be costume?. This sentence asks a question, so it must end with a question mark, not a full stop.

• Couldn't you / wait for / your sister / to catch up.

  Show the answer

  Part D should be to catch up?. This sentence asks a question, so it must end with a question mark, not a full stop.

• Ben asked / whether he / could stay up / late?

  Show the answer

  Part D should be late.. This sentence reports a question without using the speaker's own words, so it is a statement and ends with a full stop, not a question mark.

• Esme wanted / to know / why the / sky is blue?

  Show the answer

  Part D should be sky is blue.. This sentence reports a question without using the speaker's own words, so it is a statement and ends with a full stop, not a question mark.

• Zara asked / the librarian / how many / books she could borrow?

  Show the answer

  Part D should be books she could borrow.. This sentence reports a question without using the speaker's own words, so it is a statement and ends with a full stop, not a question mark.

Practise a little every day

The daily spelling workout ends with a short punctuation round at your child's level, and brings back the marks they miss.