Learn English – Sentences ending with both a colon and a question mark

colonpunctuationquestions

How should sentences that end with both a colon and a question mark be formed? Two examples are below, both questions, but one in which the colon presents a piece of information and the other in which it begins a list.

Is this the one you meant?: http://blah.com/somebody/blog/article/foobarbaz.gif

 

Do you have any of these symptoms?:
  •  Headache
  •  Nausea
  •  Dizziness

Obviously a question-mark—colon combination is no good, and at best, looks odd. Putting the question mark after the item(s) is no good either. Do they have to be rewritten in a more pointed way such as below or is there another option?

Is the one in the following picture the one you meant?

    http://blah.com/somebody/blog/article/foobarbaz.gif

 

Do you have any of the symptoms below?

  •  Headache
  •  Nausea
  •  Dizziness

Best Answer

The Chicago Manual of Style notes:

Many writers assume—wrongly—that a colon is always needed before a series or a list. [Section 6.67]

So dispense with the colon entirely:

Is this the one you meant?

Alternatively:

Is this the one you meant: http://blah.com/somebody/blog/article/foobarbaz.gif ?

Or:

Do you have any of the symptoms below?

  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
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