Questioning Skill

• Every day of our lives, we use questions.

Effective • Much of our day to day conversation involves either asking or answering
Communication questions.
• It is possible to improve your questioning skills.
• Most of the time people ask either open or closed questions
• An open question allows the person to answer in whatever way they choose.
• A closed question asks for specific information or a yes/no response.
 Questioning Technique

• Most of the time people ask either open or closed questions.

Questioning • An open question allows the person to answer in whatever way they
choose.
Skill • A closed question asks for specific information or a yes/no response.
• Open questions tend to encourage people to talk, open up and expand.
• Closed questions meanwhile, are more likely to encourage short
answers.
 Identifying Open/Closed Questions

Closed question open questions

Questioning • Do…? • How…?

• Is…? • Why…?
Skill • Can….? • When…?
• Could…? • Where…?
• Will…? • What…?
• Would…? • Who…?
• Shall…? • Which…?
• Should…?
 Types of Question
Probing/clarifying • These are open or closed questions that serve to
build on the person’s previous answers, comments
Questions and responses.

Questioning
Reflective • Reflective questions or statements are really
Skill Questions comments made before another type of question.

• Are helpful when you need to get the other

Direct Questions person’s attention and acquire specific
information.

• Hypothetical questions can be an excellent way to

Hypothetical encourage people to reflect on issues through
thinking through previously unconsidered options
Questions