How Question Marks and Exclamation Marks Change Your Voice

End marks tell you whether to sound curious, excited, or calm.

The mark at the end of a sentence tells you how the whole sentence should sound, so good readers peek at it before they start. A question mark usually means your voice lifts at the end, especially for yes-or-no questions: 'Is the bus late? ' Questions that start with who, what, where, when, why, or how often fall at the end instead, but they still sound curious.

An exclamation mark signals strong feeling, such as surprise, joy, fear, or anger: 'The bus is here! ' A period signals a calm statement: 'The bus is here. ' Notice that the same four words can carry three different feelings. If you only notice the end mark after you finish, you'll have to reread. Glancing ahead lets your voice carry the right feeling from the first word.

• 1Peek at the end mark before you read the sentence.
• 2Yes-or-no questions usually rise at the end.
• 3Exclamation marks show strong feeling.