1

For example, would I write:

"What do you mean by, 'It's not over yet?'"

Or

"What do you mean by, 'It's not over yet'?"

The thing the speaker is quoting is not a question, so where would the question mark go? I use American punctuation.

Edwin Ashworth
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Mitzi
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    There seems to be a series of questions asking the same thing, but the last (or first) question is closed itself for needing details, so I think this can remain open. It might still be an informative read, though. – Joachim Feb 05 '23 at 17:40
  • @EdwinAshworth: Maybe I missed something, but I don't see a single instance in that linked question of *Quotes within quotes. They're all just about how to punctuate a "reported speech" question, wherein the issue of alternating between single and double quote marks simply doesn't arise. And there was me thinking I might include example 1c* in my answer here, to start with Did she just say '[entirety of example 1b text, including all punctuation marks]?'. Purely to illustrate Peter Shor's point about alternating, even when "nesting" down *four* levels! – FumbleFingers Feb 05 '23 at 20:09
  • @FF OP here is asking solely about the use of question marks in sentences such as 'Did she ask "Where is my brother?" ' / 'Did she ask "Where is my brother"?' / 'Did she ask "Where is my brother?"?' Andrew's answer has << Both the "inner" question and the "outer" question end in the same place, and both need a question mark. In this case, there's a convention that punctuation is not duplicated and it's the inner question which prevails. ... [but] It's entirely possible that the pronunciation is context-dependent, in which case the punctuation is, too. >> ... – Edwin Ashworth Feb 06 '23 at 15:33
  • Positioning of the question mark otherwise comes within the inverted commas offsetting the quoted question. // Are two question marks correct in a sentence ... Did she say, "Where's the coffee?"? is also relevant. – Edwin Ashworth Feb 06 '23 at 15:34

1 Answers1

2

From How to Punctuate Quotations - a practical handout

Rule #5
Question marks should go inside of the quotation marks if the quote is a question. If the quote is not a question, but the sentence is, the question mark should be outside the quotation marks.

Examples:
1: The caterpillar answered, “Who are you?”
2: Why did you say that I was “ugly and annoying”?

So I guess we could extend those examples...

1a: "I think his exact words were 'The caterpillar answered, "Who are you?"'" 1
1b: "Do you think his exact words were 'The caterpillar answered, "Who are you?"'?"

Things might get even messier using British punctuation (where the question mark goes after "the" closing quote - but good luck finding the relevant quote mark! :)

1 From a comment by Peter Shor under the original (closed) question on this issue:
If you have inner inner quotes, you go back to double quotes. If you have more than three layers of quotes, you keep alternating.

FumbleFingers
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