Is it acceptable to place a dash after a question mark?
Is it professionally acceptable to place a dash after a question mark in the following example?
Bob: 'I don't like asking Matt but I need some help.'
Peter: 'Why don't you go and ask him to help you? - He's a really nice guy.'
I want to use the dash to highlight the reason for the function of the question which is to encourage Bob to ask.
This post was sourced from https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/10675. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
1 answer
No, because the dash (which should properly be an M-dash, like this — ) is an interrupter. You can use it at the end of a broken-off phrase, or if a sentence is interrupted, but you need some kind of narration in between.
examples:
"Why don't you go and ask him to help you? He's a really nice guy," Peter added.
"Why don't you go and ask him to help you?" Peter quickly added, "He's a really nice guy."
"Why don't you go and ask him to help you? I know you don't like him —" Peter continued, his tone clearly indicating what he thought of Bob's attitude, "— but he's really a nice guy."
"Why don't you go and ask him to help you? I know you don't like him —" Bob made a face; Peter shrugged. "— but he's really a nice guy."
"I don't like to ask Matt for help — "
"Why don't you go and ask him to help you? He's a really nice guy," Peter added.
0 comment threads
0 comment threads