f letters of the alphabet, of words
spoken of as words, and sometimes numbers.= But do not form the regular
plural of a word by adding _'s_ (See 77).

Right: His _B's_, _8's_ (or _8s_), and _it's_ look much alike.

Wrong: The Jones's, the Smith's, and the Brown's.

Right: The Joneses, the Smiths, and the Browns.

Exercise:

1. We don't know theyr'e dishonest.

2. The soldier's heads showed above the trenches.

3. Five 8es, three 7es, and two 12es make 85.

4. Pierce told the Keslers that Jones hogs were fatter than
their's.

5. Its three oclock by his watch; five minutes past three by
her's.

=The Question Mark and the Exclamation Point=

=98a. Place a question mark after a direct question, but not after an
indirect question.=

Wrong: What of it. What does it matter.

Right: What of it? What does it matter?

Wrong: He asked whether I belonged to the glee club?

Right: He asked whether I belonged to the glee club.

Note.--When the main sentence which introduces an indirect question is
itself interrogatory, a question mark follows.

Right: Did she inquire whether you had met her aunt?

=b. A question mark is often used within a sentence, but should not be
followed by a comma, semicolon, or period.=

Wrong: "What shall I do?," he asked.

Right: "What shall I do?" he asked.

Wrong: But where are the stocks?, the bonds?, the evidences of
prosperity?

Right: But where are the stocks? the bonds? the evidences of
prosperity?

=c. A question mark within parentheses may be used to express uncertainty
as to the correctness of an assertion.=

Right: Shakespeare was born April 23 (?), 1564.

Right: In 1340 (?) was born Geoffrey Chaucer.

=d. The use of a question mark as a label for humor or irony is childish.=

Superfluous: Immediately the social lion (?) rose to his feet.

Better: Immediately the social lion rose to his feet.

=e. The exclamation point is used after words, expressions, or sentences
to show strong emotion.=

Right: Hark! I hear horses. Give us a light there, ho!

Note.--The lavish use of the exclamation point is not in good taste.
Unless the emotion to be conveyed is strong, a comma will suffice. See
91e.

Exercise:

1. What is my temperature, doctor.

2. "Shall we go by the old mill?", asked Newcomb?

3. Did Wu Tin