4.3 Answering questions

Types of answers

Questions take on different forms. Sometimes the person wants a very short, simple answer like ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or they want you to choose between very few options like tea or coffee. These are called closed questions.

At other times, people ask questions in order to let you speak. These are questions like ‘What do you think about …?’ These are called open questions.

Sometimes a question may pose as both. The question ‘How was your day?’ could be given a one-word answer or could be given a full answer. It is up to you to work out what kind of answer the person wants.

Deciding how to respond

Sometimes it’s easy to know what kind of answer you should give. This is particularly true when you’re with people you know well. You will be used to communicating with each other.

The same is true of very formal situations. You know what kind of answer to give when, for example, a nurse is asking about your medical history. The context tells you how to answer.

You can be asked the same question in different contexts and be expected to give very different answers.

For example, think about the question ‘How are you?’ What kind of responses might you be expected to give?

• Sometimes ‘How are you?’ can just be another way of saying ‘Hi’ and you’re expected to say no more than ‘Fine, thanks’.

• If a doctor asks you how you are, you are expected to tell them what’s wrong.

• If you’ve been unwell and your friends ask how you are, you’re expected to reply that you’re getting better or that you’re fine now.

• If someone knows you’ve been having a hard time, they’re expecting you to tell them about your situation or how stressed you feel.

• Someone you’re very close to may want you to share quite deeply about your feelings.

• If you meet someone in the street and they say ‘How are you?’ it might be totally inappropriate to start telling them all your troubles!