How should I punctuate this sentence?

[Ilovemycam]

1) My only thought was "Will this subject make a good photograph?".



2) My only thought was "Will this subject make a good photograph"?



3) My only thought was "Will this subject make a good photograph?"



Thanks

 

[sm4him]

Assuming you're using American English, #3.

When you have a quote that ends a sentence like that, the standard rule is that if it ends with a period, the period ALWAYS goes inside the quotation marks. If it's a question, the exclamation point goes inside the quotes IF it refers only to the quoted matter. If it applies to the entire sentence, it goes outside the quote marks.
So, for example, you'd write:
He asked, "How long will this take?" --the exclamation mark is inside because it refers ONLY to the quoted matter.
BUT--
Who wrote "Gone With The Wind"? --the exclamation mark is outside because it refers to the entire sentence.

 

[CCericola]

They are all wrong. You forgot the comma. Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes. The placement of question marks with quotes follows logic. If a question is in quotation marks, the question mark should be place d inside the quotation marks. When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the quotation mark. Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes. Note that the period goes inside all quote marks. Use quotation marks to set off a direct quotation only. When you are quoting something that has a spelling or grammar mistake or presents material in a confusing way, insert the term sic in italics and enclose it in brackets. Sic means, "This is the way the original material was."

My only thought was, "Will this subject make a good photograph?"

 

[sm4him]

^Correct.
I was just about to edit my post, but she ninja'd me.

I was so focused on the question mark that I missed that...Bad Editor, bad!!

 

[CCericola]

Great minds think alike.

 

[jwbryson1]

Now, try this one on for size. This is not a joke---punctuate the following so it makes sense gramatically (good luck!):

John while James had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher

 

[Designer]

You also forgot the colon.

 

[sm4him]

Now, try this one on for size. This is not a joke---punctuate the following so it makes sense gramatically (good luck!):

John while James had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher

I shall leave this for others, as I've seen it before. Even when it is punctuated correctly, it still kinda makes my head hurt a little bit. :lmao:

 

[ClickAddict]

[SIZE=+1]The importance of correct punctuation.
Read the two vesions of same letter below with different punctuation.

Dear John:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy--will you let me be yours?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Gloria[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Dear John:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Yours, Gloria[/SIZE]

 

[Helen B]

You also forgot the colon.

Yes.

My only thought was: "Will this subject make a good photograph?"

It's a colon rather than a comma because the words in the quote marks (Will this subject make a good photograph?) make a complete sentence.

 

[sm4him]

You also forgot the colon.

Yes.

My only thought was: "Will this subject make a good photograph?"

It's a colon rather than a comma because the words in the quote marks (Will this subject make a good photograph?) make a complete sentence.

Interesting. I would use a comma but I wasn't sure I could explain why, so I checked a couple of references. The AP Stylebook (admittedly, a very old copy of it, as I haven't updated in years) uses a comma rather than a colon in its example.

I haven't found the exact entry in the Chicago Manual of Style, but did find a similar sentence that reads "As Franklin advised, 'Plough deep while sluggards sleep.' " That leads me to believe they would use a comma in the OP's sentence as well.

EDIT: Okay, Chicago Manual of Style says, "A quotation consisting of more than one complete sentence is usually introduced by a colon if the text preceding the quotation is not a complete sentence...If the quotation is only one sentence, a comma follows such a phrase instead of a colon."

However, as the Manual of Style ALSO points out: "Such introductory phrases as 'Professor Jones writes:' or 'She said (stated, observed, etc),' are often awkward and redundant. A sensitive writer will avoid them."
Personally, I would put this in the awkward construction category.

 

[Helen B]

Ah, the difference might be because we use different style manuals for different purposes.

GPO Style Manual:

The colon is used—
...
8.24. To introduce formally any matter that forms a complete sentence,
question, or quotation.

The following question came up for discussion: What policy should be adopted?
She said: “I believe the time is now or never.”

The comma is used—
...
8.35. Before a direct quotation of only a few words following an introductory
phrase.

He said, “Now or never.”

I'm pretty sure that it isn't a hard and fast rule, however, and that nobody cares much. I guess the colon seems more natural to me, maybe it's a British English thing, I really don't know now.

 

[sm4him]

Ah, GPO-- the government; that explains it!! :lmao:

When you first said to use a colon I thought it sounded like it could be a British English usage, but then I saw you were in NY.
That's interesting that the GPO has a different rule; I've never really used it, although technically my current job is more government-related (city public transit). However, I've used three style books most of my adult life--the AP, Chicago and a private stylebook from my first editorial job, developed by a woman who was, as far as I'm concerned, the Crown Queen of all Editors anywhere. That woman could *smell* a grammatical mistake on a piece of paper. :lmao:

You are absolutely correct in your assessment that nobody much cares. I find that to be true about so many of the editorial tasks I spent my hours dithering over.

OP: I guess the consensus is #3, but with either a comma or a colon after the "was." Take your pick as to which one.

 

[Ilovemycam]

Thanks ladies!

 

[oliveparke]

You also forgot the colon.

Yes.

My only thought was: "Will this subject make a good photograph?"

It's a colon rather than a comma because the words in the quote marks (Will this subject make a good photograph?) make a complete sentence.

I think this will be the coerrect format.