punctuation - Using Multiple Sentence Stoppers?





Is there a standard ordering for the question mark and the exclamation mark used together?



When writing an exclamation-question like:



What you you mean, I'm fired


Don't you think you've done ENOUGH today



Should you end the sentence with ?!, !? or just !


What's grammatically correct?


What's acceptable for casual usage (where grammar is less important)?


Is it just preference?


WHAT'S THE ANSWER?! <-- my preference



Answer



Well, there is the linguists approach and then there is the standard, formal written English approach. A linguist would just say that double punctuation exists and probably varies based on pragmatic issues, for example, if the text is both a question and emphatic.


If you want to write standard, formal written English, you wouldn't use double or multiple final punctuation, or all caps for that matter.


And since you seem to be asking about usage in casual environments, then it depends on what your peers are doing. If you are writing on a internet forum where it is expected and acceptable style, then that the precedent that you follow.


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