No Punctuation Between 'My Question Is' and the Question
The Question Mark
Rulebase Summary
When the material before a direct question is not a grammatically complete sentence -- typically the 'My question is...' pattern where 'is' is a linking verb and the question serves as its predicate nominative -- use no punctuation between the introductory words and the question. Put the question mark at the end of the sentence.
This is a widely debated pattern because authorities disagree on how to handle it. Some recommend a comma or colon after 'is,' but grammatically, you should not separate a verb from its completer (predicate nominative). The same logic applies to constructions like 'The issue is...' or 'What I want to know is...'
Examples
Q. My question is, who was in charge of that division?
Q. My question is who was in charge of that division?
'Is' is a linking verb — do not separate it from its completer with punctuation.
Q. What I want to know is: how did you gain access to the building?
Q. What I want to know is how did you gain access to the building?
No colon or comma between the linking verb and the question that completes it.
Transcript Notes
This is one of the most debated patterns in court reporting. The grammatical argument for no punctuation is strong: 'is' is a linking verb and the question completes it. However, reporters who find the result visually confusing sometimes insert a comma or colon. Consistency within a transcript is important regardless of which approach is chosen.
Style Guide References (1)
BGGP