Examples of Open-Ended and Closed-Ended Questions

Close-Ended Questions

If you can answer a question with only a "yes" or "no" response, then you are answering a close-ended type of question.

Examples of close-ended questions are:

Are you feeling better today?
May I use the bathroom?
Is the prime rib a special tonight?
Did that man walk by the house before?
Can I help you with that?
May I please have a bite of that pie?
Would you like to go to the movies tonight?
Is math your favorite subject?
Does four plus four equal eight?
Is that haunted house really scary?
Will you be going to Grandmother's house for Christmas?
Did Dad make the cake today?
Is there a Mass being held at noon?

Close-ended questions should not always be thought of as simple questions that anyone can quickly answer merely because they require a yes or no answer. Close-ended questions can also be very complicated. For example, "Is 1 in binary equal to 1 in counting numbers?" is a close-ended question that not everyone would be able to quickly answer.

Open-Ended Questions

Open-ended questions are ones that require more than one word answers. The answers could come in the form of a list, a few sentences or something longer such as a speech, paragraph or essay.

Here are some examples of open-ended questions:

What were the most important wars fought in the history of the United States?
What are you planning to buy today at the supermarket?
How exactly did the fight between the two of you start?
What is your favorite memory from childhood?
How will you help the company if you are hired to work for us?
What do you plan to do immediately following graduation from college?
What types of decorations do you plan to have for your friend's birthday party?
What was your high school experience like?
How did you and your best friend meet?
What sites do you expect to see on your vacation?
How do you go about booking tickets for a flight?
What were the major effects of World War II for the United States?
How do you go about purchasing a home?

Although open-ended questions require lengthier responses than do close-ended questions, open-ended questions are not always more complicated. For example, asking "What are you planning to buy today at the supermarket?" may simply require the respondent to read off of a list.

When These Questions Are Used

Either type of question can be used in a wide variety of scenarios. However, if you're looking for a guide to liken these types of questions to, you can think of close-ended questions as multiple choice questions on a school exam and open-ended questions as short responses and essay questions on an exam.

Open-ended Questions

Open-ended questions require a reponse with more depth and a lengthier response. Open-ended questions are also helpful in finding out more about a person or a situation, whether it's during an interview, at a party, or when getting to know a new friend.

Close-ended Questions

Close-ended questions can be answered in only one word or very short phrase. Close-ended questions can also be used in the situations mentioned above, although they have the potential to end the conversation.

Here are examples of close-ended questions in these types of situations:

Would you like vanilla ice cream?
Have you ever met Joe before?
Where did you go to college?
What is your best quality?

Now, here's some examples of these close-ended questions turned into open-ended questions - to keep the conversation going:

What is your favorite flavor of ice cream and why?
How did you meet Joe?
What do you feel was most beneficial about your college experience?
How can your top qualities help our company to thrive and grow?

From these examples, it is clear that close-ended questions are used to elicit a short, quick response, while open-ended questions are gateways into conversations.