-2

I wrote this today. Should this be 2 sentences with 2 question marks or is it correct as is?

as in a boy that is rude, or are you just not dialling it back quite enough generations for me?

WendyG
  • 2,410
  • 11
  • 20
  • Related, although it's not quite the same situation: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/294977/how-should-a-question-which-quotes-a-question-be-punctuated – Brandin Oct 19 '22 at 08:45
  • Possible duplicate here: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/108611/what-is-the-proper-way-to-ask-two-questions-in-one-sentence – Brandin Oct 19 '22 at 08:47
  • 6
    The first part is a sentence fragment without a main verb, and without context it's not clear what you're saying or what the connection is between the two parts. You're obviously not interested in standard punctuation because you don't use capital letters, so it's hard to know which conventions you use and don't use. That said, in a casual text message it's probably fine. – Stuart F Oct 19 '22 at 09:05

1 Answers1

4

If the phrases are all fragments or very short sentences that all clearly connect to a single point of question, then one question mark works well enough, with the preceding phrases separated by commas:

Cards as in postcards, or as in playing cards?

Ford as in the car, or as in Henry Ford?

What would you like to drink? Beer, wine, or coffee?

Shall we go for a walk, or shall we stay home?

Which way? Left, or right?

Which way? To the left, straight ahead, or to the right?

A, B, C, or D?

If the phrases become too long, or if you want to emphasize a spoken pause between both questions, or if the connection to a single question becomes less clear, then it would be better to break them off into separate questions with separate marks.

What does F mean? False?

See also: What is the proper way to ask two questions in one sentence?

Brandin
  • 436