Don’t panic if you suddenly need to use a question mark in a piece of writing that is crucial. On any actual or virtual keyboard, regardless of the operating system (Windows, Macintosh, or Linux), there are a variety of ways to enter this spelling mark. You have learned how to write words with umlauts, with tildes, with quote marks, between brackets, and more in previous articles. You are now aware of the keyboard shortcut for the question mark, or question (?).

window writing

using a keyboard

The question mark can be written as follows:

• Find the key by looking for the leading (?) question mark. Immediately squeeze it.
• Place the key where this symbol is to create the question mark (?). You must now hit the key while holding down Shift.

Shift and Ascii Code

Another way to enter the question mark on your keyboard is to use the ASCII code. The only need is that you need a keyboard with a number keypad.

Keep in mind that all computer characters, including numbers, letters, and symbols, have the ASCII encoding. You may get to them by pressing the “Alt” key together with the relevant code. The actions listed below should be used in the event of the question mark:

Question mark at the start (?)

1. When pressing “168,” hold down the “Alt” key to write the beginning question mark (?).
2. The ampersand will then appear in your text once you release the “Alt” button.

Closed question mark (?)

1. Hold down the “Alt” key while pressing the “63” key at the same time to enter the last question mark (?).
2. You may still use alternative techniques to type the question mark in your papers even if you don’t have a number pad.

type on a MAC

The key where the question mark appears, whether opening or closing, must first be identified because there are several distinct keyboard setups for MAC. Many options:

1. It is situated next to the number 0, on the right. The key in question must then be pressed while holding down Shift.
2. If you search for the question mark key on a MAC keyboard and it doesn’t appear, try pressing Option, Shift, and the regular question mark at the same time to obtain a backwards question mark.

Use the MAC’s symbols panel.

On a MAC, the question mark may also be written using the symbol map. The steps are as follows:

1. Click the apple icon to start.
2. Then, choose “System Preferences.”
3. Then, select the “Keyboard” tab.
4. Make sure “Show keyboard and emoji viewers” is selected in the menu.
5. Click “Display emojis and symbols” at this point.
6. Lastly, choose the beginning and ending question marks in the “Punctuation” tab.

compose in linux

You may also use a combination of keys and instructions to enter the opening and closing question mark if you’re running Linux. Simply adhere to this advice:

• Press “Ctrl” to display the sign. Then press “Shift,” “u,” and “bf” at the same time.
• Press “Ctrl” to turn the sign off. Then “Shift,” “u,” and “3f” all at once.

Use the on-screen keyboard.

You may enable the virtual keyboard in macOS so that you can type the question mark both open and closed. Simply adhere to these easy steps:

1. Next choose “System Preferences.”
2. Press the “Keyboard” button.
3. Then tick the box next to “Show keyboard and emoji viewers” in the menu.
4. Choose “Show Keyboard Viewer” to enable the virtual keyboard display.
5. Once engaged, proceed as in the previous option, but instead of typing, place your mouse over the appropriate keys.

With character map

The question mark may also be written on Windows using the character map. the subsequent actions:

1. After pressing “Win,” press the dot (.) key.
2. After that, select the “Symbols” () tab.
3. Lastly, choose “General score” to see the question mark.

without a numeric keypad on a laptop

If you wish to enter the question mark using the ASCII code on a laptop that doesn’t already have one, you’ll need to briefly enable the numeric keypad.

• Press the “Fn” key and “NumLock” to enable the numeric keypad.
• The keys 7, 8, 9, U, I, O, J, K, and L will be replaced by the numerals 0 to 9 when activated.

The punctuation mark may now be written using the ASCII code by marking:

• To open (), press “Alt” and then “168.”
• To finish, press “Alt” and “63” (?).

Uses of the question mark

When writing in a recursive fashion, the question mark is utilized. Here are a few applications for it. You will see how crucial its utilization is as a result.

• When it is a part of a sentence and intended to convey sarcasm or skepticism, it is enclosed in parentheses. Examples: He may have sold 10,000 copies of his novel.
• It can substitute an unclear date of birth or death when it follows dates that seem dubious by appearing in parenthesis. Examples include Hernández, Gregorio (1576-1636) and Adele Bouchard (1714–1750).
• When some of the data is uncertain, it is also feasible to use merely the concluding question mark. An illustration is Father Miguel de Salinas (1577).
• They may be used in conjunction with other symbols, such as the exclamation point. What are you saying, for instance?

Regular inquiries

Why is there a question mark at the beginning of Spanish?

In contrast to other languages, Spanish begins with a question mark (?). To prevent confusion, this indicator is utilized. This makes it simple to recognize when a question has started to be sung.

Can the initial question mark be removed?

While it is becoming frequent, it is incorrect to write sentences in Spanish without the initial sign. The question mark is doubled in Spanish. In interrogative statements, it is improper to omit the starting sign.

How should the question mark be typed on an Android phone?

Tap “?123” on your keyboard after opening it. The option (?) is located on the bottom side. Just tap it to type the closing (?) symbol. Keep pressing the opening one (), and it will show up in the selections.

How do I add a question mark to Windows?

Start by hitting the Windows logo key and period to reveal the emoji keyboard. Next, to filter the results, choose the sign emoji or write “question.”

How can a question mark emoji be added on a MAC?

Open the “Character Viewer” program by using the “Ctrl + Command + Space” keys. Insert the question mark emoji from the app after typing “question”.