Question or not?

[scoobydooby]

I was typing an email the other day and a colleague was looking over my shoulder. I finished the email with something like 'I would be grateful if you would give this your attention' and my colleague argued that this sentence should have a question mark on the end. I disputed this but she said it wasn't a statement. She is a senior secretary and i would expect her letter writing skills to be much better than mine - but is she right?

[REDHEAD24]

its a e

[REDHEAD24]

its a request for the person to look at iti
if u said " can u please look at it " i would expect u to put a question mark on it

[Lueclue]

what you did was correct.

You did not ask a question, but made a request which did not warrant a question mark.

if you said ''please could you give this your attention or could you look into this for me'' this is a question and therefore would need a question mark.

[Whickerman]

I would be grateful... is a statement.

Would I be grateful?... is a question.

[Buenchico]

"I would be grateful if . . " is a (conditional) statement and does not require a question mark.

Your colleague seems to have got things muddled. If you'd have written, "Perhaps you might give this your attention?", the use of 'perhaps' implies a question and thus justifies the question mark.

Similarly, Frederick T. Wood's Current English Usage says that a question mark is used after constructions such as, "I wonder whether . . ", where the sentence has the force of a request. (Your colleague seems to be suggesting that "I would be grateful . . " carries similar weight as a request but I would dispute this).

Conversely, Longman's Guide to English Usage states that it's acceptable to omit the question mark at the end of a question used as a request. They give, "Would you please send me another ten copies so that I can give one to each member of my staff" as an example of a question/request which does not require a question mark (although it would still be acceptable to use one).

Chris

[Dagman]

She is wrong. No question mark is required as no answer can be given. It is, as suggested, a request. Tell your colleague it is rude to view others' emails let alone criticise!

[rojash]

"She is a senior secretary" - ha ha. In my experience that means she's good at writing pompous sounding letters and wildly abusing reflexive pronouns.

[scoobydooby]

I think 'it's a e' would be 'it's an e'. lol

Thank you all. Luckily, i didn't take her word for it and left the question mark off.

[REDHEAD24]

put some arsenic in her tea next time that willkeep her quiet

[Panic Button]

She needs a good seeing to.

[4candles]

She's been watching too much Neighbours - or she's Australian.

[filthiestfis]

She is pretty dumb. I would also poison her tea with some milk that's gone off ages ago.