1. juice37

    juice37 New Member

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    How to use multiple questions in one sentence?

    Discussion in 'Word Mechanics' started by juice37, Feb 4, 2010.

    Hi Guys,

    Which is correct? I've looked everywhere with no luck!

    1. Go to the Google search engine and start looking at your future competitor’s websites. Are they good or poor quality, who comes up in the top 10 search results for your top keyword terms, do they advertise with Google Adwords, can you compete and give them a good run for their money and take sales and market share from them?

    2. Go to the Google search engine and start looking at your future competitor’s websites. Are they good or poor quality; who comes up in the top 10 search results for your top keyword terms; do they advertise with Google Adwords; can you compete and give them a good run for their money and take sales and market share from them?

    3. Go to the Google search engine and start looking at your future competitor’s websites. Are they good or poor quality? who comes up in the top 10 search results for your top keyword terms? do they advertise with Google Adwords? can you compete and give them a good run for their money and take sales and market share from them?


    Thanks
    Ian
     
  2. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    A question is a sentence. Each question begins with a capitalized word, and ends with a question mark.
     
  3. juice37

    juice37 New Member

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    Hi Gogito,

    Thanks for your fast response.

    I'm writing an ebook at present and i have 1 more issue that i'm not sure about. If you could help I'd greatly appreciate it.

    How to use commas versus semi colons. Here are 2 typical sentences. Do they use correct grammar?

    1) Things don’t always go to plan when using 3rd party courier companies; so expect it, and simply get reimbursements when things go wrong; such as: weather delays in winter, busy periods like Christmas, broken down vans, etc. All of these and more can affect shipping times.

    2) You need to weigh up the shipping costs that you charge to your customers; decide, will they be free and absorbed in the product price, or will you charge an extra shipping fee on top of the product price? What services will you offer such as Next Day Guaranteed or a slower service and giving various price options?


    Thanks in advance if you can help.
    Ian
     
  4. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    cog is right... none of your examples would be correct...

    ...not right... should be:

    also not correct... this would be:

    sorry to say, if the rest of your book has similar problems in writing quality to what i see here, i can't see anyone paying to publish it... hope this helps somewhat, to show you what you need to work on in re grammar, syntax, punctuation and such...

    love and hugs, maia
     
  5. Gannon

    Gannon Contributor Contributor

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    How do multiple questions work in this example?

    How best to get ahead in show business? Knowing the right people? Having talent? Good looks? Or, just good luck?​

    Is it necessary to rewrite these fragments into valid clauses and/or sentences?

    Is this better form? I suspect so. The above feels more natural (informal), but the below more formally correct.

    Knowing the right people, having talent, good lucks, or just good luck: how best to get ahead in show business?​
     
  6. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

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    There shouldn't be a question mark at the end of the sentence you give.
    You are making a statement:
    Knowing the right people, having talent, good looks, or just good luck: how best to get ahead in show business.

    If you want it to be a question, it should be something like:
    Knowing the right people, having talent, good looks, or just good luck: what's the best way to get ahead in show business?
    OR
    Knowing the right people, having talent, good looks, or just good luck: how do people get ahead in show business?

    But the long lead in lacks punch, IMO. Something short has more impact, like:
    What does it take to get ahead in showbiz--talent, looks, or luck?

    To the OP:
    Again, instead of:
    Go to the Google search engine and start looking at your future competitor’s websites. Are they good or poor quality, who comes up in the top 10 search results for your top keyword terms, do they advertise with Google Adwords, can you compete and give them a good run for their money and take sales and market share from them?

    Short sentences can work better:
    Google your competitors. What is the quality of their websites like? Who appears in the top 10 search results for your keywords? Do they advertise with Google Adwords? Will you be able to take sales and market share from them?

    I can't see any advantage in forcing all these questions into one sentence, otherwise. Why don't you just bullet point the questions?
     
  7. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

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    gannon...
    both are terrible, sorry to say... mad's last version is the only way to do it well, imo...

    his suggestions to the op are also on target... what i would advise...
     
  8. Gannon

    Gannon Contributor Contributor

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    Agreed 100%, the long lead in lacks the requisite punch sought. How can I avoid the em dash though, because it looks terribly foreign in British English IMO? Can I formally replace it with a comma in your example?

    For the record, the sentence isn't mine ;). I was casting my eye over someone else's work and became unsure how to correctly form this type of sentence / question so thought I'd ask to learn.

    Thanks both.
     
  9. madhoca

    madhoca Contributor Contributor

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    1 person likes this.
  10. Gannon

    Gannon Contributor Contributor

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    Thanks for your help on this madhoca - I wasn't really clear with my last post - I meant it seemed 'foreign' in most registers, though agree in has a grammatical function in British English. Likewise, the colon does, and I certainly favour it over the em dash in this example. The example you provide with the colon suits my need, as well as that of the original work I was reading. Thanks
     

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