I Wonder……. Full Stop or Question Mark?

Posted on by upendranskye

Should I use a full stop or a question mark when a sentence begins with ‘I wonder’? (K. Sameer, Pune)

During the various phases of our life, we wonder about many things. When we are in school, we wonder if we will do well in the coming exams. Once we graduate, we wonder if we will get a good job. The fact that I have not ended the two preceding sentences with a question mark answers your question about ‘I wonder’, doesn’t it? Books on grammar and usage suggest that any sentence beginning with ‘I wonder’ is a statement, and not a question – and being a statement, it should end with a full stop or a period, and not a question mark. The problem is, however, when you ask someone, ‘I wonder if you could help me’, you are in a roundabout or an indirect way asking him a question – as to whether he can help you or not. Such questions are called indirect questions, and they never end with a question mark.

I wonder if I should have ice cream for dessert.

I wonder if Sudesh will recognize me after all these years.

Appeared in the Hindu on 28 June 2021.

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Published by upendranskye

Taught at the Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages/ English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, between 1983 and 2020. In addition to teaching on the programmes run by the Institute/University, produced a number radio and television programmes for English language learners and teachers. After retirement, have been keeping myself busy playing tennis, re-reading the novels of my favourite author, PG Wodehouse, and listening to old Tamil, Hindi, and English songs. Have been writing the weekly Know Your English column in the Hindu since 1992.