person’s reaction to something you’ve said. If possible, try to use open-ended questions 
rather than closed-ended questions. A closed-ended question  is one that elicits a response 
of only one or two words. For example, the closed-ended question “Did you like the 
movie?” could easily lead to responses like “Yes” or “No,” at which point you would be 
back at square one, trying to ﬁnd another topic of conversation. Closed-ended questions 
usually begin with words like “are,” “do,” “who,” “when,” “where,” and “which.”
In contrast, open-ended questions  usually can elicit more detailed answers. Open-ended 
questions are more likely than closed-ended questions to generate longer and more inter -
esting conversations. These types of question usually begin with words or phrases like 
“how,” “why,” and “in what way.” For example, the question “What did you think about 
the movie?” draws out a more thorough response than “Did you like the movie?”