Lesson SL-R3

SL-R3 Asking questions to elicit clarification Quiz: AQA English Language, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson SL-R3, Asking questions to elicit clarification: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE English Language (8700), Unit 4: Spoken language, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What does 'asking questions to elicit clarification' mean?

    • Asking questions to test the speaker's memory, so that the speaker is caught out in front of others
    • Asking questions to obtain further information or explanation about something that was unclear
    • Asking questions to change the topic of the discussion entirely, so that the speaker is confused
    • Asking questions to show off the questioner's knowledge, without any real interest in the answer

  2. A student does not understand a point in a talk. What is the best question to ask?

    • Is it true that nobody in the room understood what you were saying, and that you know it?
    • Do you know that you were wrong about the whole thing from the start, and why did you say it?
    • Why are you talking about this at all, when there are so many other things to discuss today?
    • Could you explain what you meant by that point, perhaps with an example to help me follow it?

  3. Which question is most likely to elicit useful clarification in a discussion about a plan?

    • How would the plan be funded, and over what time period would the costs be spread?
    • Is this plan the one that your friend suggested, or is it a different plan entirely?
    • What colour is the cover of the plan, and is it printed on paper or on a sheet of card?
    • Do you like plans, or do you prefer the sort of thing that people make in their own homes?

  4. Why is it useful to ask a clarifying question rather than guess the meaning of something?

    • It ensures the listener understands the speaker's meaning accurately, avoiding misunderstanding
    • It ends the discussion more quickly, since the speaker will have to repeat the whole talk again
    • It makes the speaker feel uncomfortable, which encourages a stronger and more confident reply
    • It shows the listener has not been paying attention, which is a useful way to show honesty

  5. A listener is unsure whether a statistic refers to 2019 or 2020. What is the best way to ask?

    • Do not worry about the year, since figures never change and so one year is as good as another
    • Could you confirm whether the figure you gave refers to 2019 or to 2020, please?
    • The figure is wrong, so you must be lying about the year, and everyone here knows it to be false
    • I will assume it is 2019, and I will not mention the question again to the speaker afterwards

  6. Which feature makes a clarifying question effective?

    • It is aggressive and challenges the speaker's competence, so the speaker is forced to justify it
    • It is specific, polite and points to the part of the talk that needs explaining
    • It is asked after the whole session has finished, so that the speaker cannot respond to it at all
    • It is vague, long and rambling, so that the speaker has to guess which part is meant

  7. What is the danger of not asking a clarifying question when something is unclear?

    • The listener will avoid all future misunderstandings, because the confusion removes any uncertainty
    • The listener will be rewarded with extra marks, since silence shows the listener is attentive
    • The listener will always be given the correct understanding automatically by the speaker afterwards
    • The listener may misunderstand the point and carry the error forward into their own thinking

  8. Which of these is an example of a clarifying question in a formal discussion?

    • When you said the scheme ran for three years, did you mean three full years from its launch?
    • You clearly have no idea what you are talking about, so could you stop wasting everyone's time?
    • Everyone knows the scheme was a failure, so why do you even bother to mention it at all today?
    • This scheme is obviously the worst idea ever to be proposed in this room, is it not, friend?

  9. A speaker says 'the result is significant' without explaining what that means. What question would clarify it?

    • Why are you using the word significant, when a simpler word would have been much better for us?
    • In what sense is the result significant, and how large is the difference you are describing?
    • Is the result significant because it is written in a larger font on the slide than the others?
    • Do you think the result is significant, and have you always been interested in results like it?

  10. Which is the most appropriate way to ask for clarification after a presentation?

    • Write a question on a card and throw it to the front, so that the speaker has to catch it and answer
    • Shout a question from the back of the room without raising a hand, so that the speaker notices it
    • Wait until the speaker has finished, then ask a clear question about the specific point that is unclear
    • Interrupt the speaker mid-sentence with a loud question, so that the audience is sure to hear it

  11. Which of these is a polite way to ask for clarification?

    • I may have missed something, so could you clarify the second point for me, please?
    • I already know the answer, but I want to see if you can explain it for the rest of the room
    • You obviously did not explain that point properly, so please explain it again, and do it better
    • That was rubbish, and I want you to tell me what you meant, because it was not clear at all

  12. What should a listener do if an answer to a clarifying question still leaves them confused?

    • Assume the speaker is hiding something, and say so loudly to the rest of the audience in the room
    • Stop listening, since a confusing answer means the rest of the talk will be confusing as well
    • Accept the confusion without comment, since asking again would show a lack of understanding of the topic
    • Ask a follow-up question that focuses on the part still unclear, so the answer can become precise

  13. Which example shows a clarifying question that is also a form of respect for the speaker?

    • Thank you for that. Could you say a little more about how the sample was chosen, please?
    • Nobody here understood you, so please go back to the beginning and do the whole thing again.
    • Your sample is too small, so explain why you bothered to use it at all in such a serious talk.
    • Stop talking for a moment and tell us whether your point is the same as the last speaker's point.

  14. Why might a listener ask a clarifying question about a term used in the talk?

    • Because the listener wishes to correct the speaker's pronunciation of the term in front of the audience
    • Because the term may be unfamiliar, and the listener needs its meaning in order to follow the point
    • Because the listener wants to show that the term is unfamiliar to the speaker, so the talk is interrupted
    • Because the listener is bored, so the question is a way of changing the subject of the discussion

  15. Which of these is an effective use of a clarifying question in a group discussion?

    • Asking the group to vote on a word's meaning before anyone has explained what it means in context
    • Asking the same question three times, so that the speaker is forced to answer in a single sentence
    • Asking a question that has nothing to do with the discussion, so that the group is distracted from it
    • Asking what the speaker meant by 'fair', so the group can agree a shared definition before continuing

  16. Which phrase is the most effective way to open a clarifying question during a debate?

    • Your argument makes no sense, so I am going to ask you to explain it from the beginning once more
    • Look, it is obvious what you mean, so there is no need to say it again for the people at the back
    • I do not care what you meant, but tell me the answer before the bell rings at the end of the lesson
    • If I have understood correctly, you are saying the policy applies only to new members. Is that right?

  17. A speaker uses an acronym without explaining it. What is the best clarifying question?

    • Why would anyone use an acronym, when everyone in the world already knows what they all mean?
    • What does the acronym stand for, and how does it relate to the point you were making just now?
    • Can you use the acronym again so that I can hear how it sounds in your voice, please?
    • Is the acronym written in capital letters on purpose, or was that simply a mistake in the slide?

  18. Which of these is most likely to be seen as a clarifying question rather than a challenge?

    • How can you possibly believe that, given everything that has been shown to be false about it?
    • Why would anyone listen to you on this topic when the evidence obviously points the other way?
    • Could you give an example of how that would work in a school setting, to help me picture it?
    • Who gave you permission to suggest such a thing in front of a room full of people like this?

  19. Which of these best defines 'eliciting' clarification?

    • Drawing out further information or explanation from the speaker through a well-chosen question
    • Forcing the speaker to admit a mistake, so that the audience can see the speaker is not reliable
    • Stopping the speaker to change the topic, so that the discussion moves onto a different point
    • Repeating the speaker's words back to them, word for word, with no request for any new information

  20. A speaker's phrase 'cost-effective' is unclear. Which clarifying question is best?

    • Is it true that the speaker is trying to save money, or is that just the speaker's own opinion?
    • Cost-effective is a silly phrase, so could you please just stop using it for the rest of the talk?
    • When you say cost-effective, do you mean the saving per pupil or the saving for the whole school?
    • Why do you keep using the phrase cost-effective, when it is obvious what it means to everyone?

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