Asked by: Miguel Hight

Can rhetorical questions end with a period?

It’s called a rhetorical question, and it can end in either a question mark or an exclamation point, and in dialogue you can sometimes even have a speaker’s rhetorical question end in a period (1).

Should rhetorical questions end with a question mark?

Depending on the context, a rhetorical question can end in a question mark or an exclamation mark. Exclamation marks add emphasis – this can make a rhetorical question sound blunt.

How do you punctuate rhetorical questions?

Depending on the context, a rhetorical question may be punctuated by a question mark (?), full stop (.), or exclamation mark (!), but some sources argue that it is required to use a question mark for any question, rhetorical or not. In the 1580s, English printer Henry Denham invented a “rhetorical question mark” (⸮)

Can you use rhetorical questions in a narrative?

A rhetorical question is used to create dramatic effect or make a point rather than elicit an answer. Instead of telling the reader how the character feels or inserting information into the story, you have the character wonder about the information instead.

Can you put a period after a question?

If a sentence otherwise ends with a question mark or exclamation point, the period is omitted.

Can a statement end with a question mark?

A tag question is a device used to turn a statement into a question. It nearly always consists of a pronoun, a helping verb, and sometimes the word not. Although it begins as a statement, the tag question prevails when it comes to the end-mark: use a question mark.

Can you end a paragraph with a rhetorical question?

Don’t use rhetorical questions as thesis statements. Conclusion paragraphs may include rhetorical questions to provide questions for further study beyond the essay itself.

Is a rhetorical question a rhetorical device?

Rhetorical questions are often used as persuasive rhetorical devices (meant to influence the perspective of the listener or reader), frequently fostering comedy or drama. While particularly effective in literature, rhetorical questions are recognizable in everyday speech.

When would you use a rhetorical question?

A rhetorical question is a device used to persuade or subtly influence the audience. It’s a question asked not for the answer, but for the effect. Oftentimes, a rhetorical question is used to emphasize a point or just to get the audience thinking.

Which of the following question would be considered rhetorical?

A rhetorical question is a question (such as “How could I be so stupid?“) that’s asked merely for effect with no answer expected. The answer may be obvious or immediately provided by the questioner. Also known as erotesis, erotema, interrogatio, questioner, and reversed polarity question (RPQ).

Should you answer a rhetorical question?

Rhetorical questions are questions that do not expect an answer. A rhetorical question is a question asked to make a point, rather than get an answer. If you have ever been late, someone might say: ‘What time do you call this? ‘ This person doesn’t want an answer to the question.