Example 1
Can dogs get laryngitis?
If Fido won't stop barking, he sure can, but it'll take him longer than it would take you thanks to his thick canine vocal cords. And thanks to the question mark at the end of this sentence, we know it's a direct question. If a question is indirect, use a period instead, like this: Nathan asked his dad if dogs could get laryngitis.
Example 2
Maria asked her orthodontist, "Who invented braces?"
Maria can blame the Egyptians for why she can't eat corn on the cob for the next two years. We should also point out that if a quotation ends in a question mark, like it does here, the question mark goes inside the quotation marks.
Example 3
What's the official state bird of Maryland?
Since this is a direct question, it ends in a question mark. And, if you guessed the Baltimore oriole, you'd be right. It's a small, migratory breeding bird that hasn't won a World Series since 1983.