Identify the sentence with correct punctuation marks.

Question

Identify the sentence with correct punctuation marks.

1. A. Are you coming to the party? he asked, raising an eyebrow.
2. B. "Are you coming to the party?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. (Correct answer)
3. C. "Are you coming to the party" he asked; raising an eyebrow.
4. D. Are you coming to the party? he asked raising an eyebrow.

Correct Answer

Option B — "Are you coming to the party?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is option B.

Key Points

• Direct speech requires quotation marks around the spoken words: "Are you coming to the party?"
• The question mark sits inside the closing quotation mark because the question belongs to the quoted speech.
• A comma follows *asked* to introduce the participial phrase *raising an eyebrow*.
• Option C wrongly uses a semicolon, and options A and D omit the quotation marks entirely.

Additional Information

• Compare the two placements carefully, because exams test the contrast directly:
  • "Are you coming to the party?" he asked — the *quotation* is the question, so the mark sits inside.
  • Did she really say "I am leaving"? — the *whole sentence* is the question, so the mark sits outside.
• When a question mark or exclamation mark ends the quotation, no comma is added after it before the reporting clause; the single mark does both jobs.