No ?
please don't reply with just a question mark in chat
Imagine someone asks you something, and you just stare, raise an eyebrow, and say "?"... 🤦♀️
❌ Don't do this
Thomas Middleditch thought he was being efficient: one character, job done. But that tiny "?" forces the other person to explain themselves again, slowing the whole exchange down.
Most people who do this don't mean to be rude. It's a reflex: "I didn't understand, so I'll just reply with a question mark."
But in text conversations, "?" doesn't give context. It adds friction, confusion, and sometimes even passive-aggressive vibes.
The same goes for:
- ...?
- rlly?
- uh?
- ?????
- ¿¿??
Just say what's unclear!
✅ Instead, try this
Being clear takes maybe two more seconds, but it makes the whole conversation smoother.
Instead of "?", try one of these:
- Do you mean the weekly one?
- Not sure what you're referring to
- Could you clarify what part you mean?
- I don't get it, can you explain a bit more?
Clarity is kindness, and async-friendly. If someone comes back later, they'll understand exactly what you needed.
When done right, everyone saves time. 🎉