punctuation - How to punctuate an embedded quoted question within a declarative sentence?





How should I punctuate around quotes?



I'm having a devil of a time trying to determine how to punctuate an embedded quoted question within a declarative sentence. A comma is used to introduce the quote, but things get hairy at the end of the quote.



When Ms. Peremptory asked, "Are you ever going to be ready?" I was unable to respond.



Is this situation best handled with no closing comma? Placement in any of the possible spaces between the closing "y" in "ready" and the subject of the sentence produces visually confounding -- though possibly grammatically correct -- results.




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