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Short answer questions

Short answer questions (or SAQs) can be used in examinations or as part of assessment tasks.

They are generally questions that require students to construct a response. Short answer questions require a concise and focused response that may be factual, interpretive or a combination of the two.

SAQs can also be used in a non-examination situation. A series of SAQs can comprise a larger assessment task that is completed over time.

Advantages and limitations

  • Limitations
  • Questions can reveal a student’s ability to describe, explain, reason, create, analyse, synthesise, and evaluate.
  • Gives opportunities for students to show higher level skills and knowledge.
  • Allows students to elaborate on responses in a limited way.
  • Provides an opportunity to assess a student’s writing ability.
  • Can be less time consuming to prepare than other item types.
  • Structured in a variety of ways that elicit a range of responses, from a few words to a paragraph.
  • Can limit the range of content that can be assessed.
  • Favours students who have good writing skills.
  • Can potentially be difficult to moderate.
  • Can be time consuming to assess.
  • Need to be well written for the standard of answers to be able to be differentiated in terms of assessment.

Guidelines for constructing short answer questions

  • Effective short answer questions should provide students with a focus (types of thinking and content) to use in their response.
  • Avoid indeterminate, vague questions that are open to numerous and/or subjective interpretations.
  • Select verbs that match the intended learning outcome and direct students in their thinking.
  • If you use ‘discuss’ or ‘explain’, give specific instructions as to what points should be discussed/explained.
  • Delimit the scope of the task to avoid students going off on an unrelated tangent.
  • Know what a good response would look like and what it might include reference to.
  • Practice writing a good response yourself so you have an exemplar and so you are aware of how long it may take to answer.
  • Provide students with practice questions so they are familiar with question types and understand time limitations.
  • Distribute marks based on the time required to answer.
  • Does the question align with the learning outcome/s?
  • Is the focus of the question clear?
  • Is the scope specific and clear enough for students to be able to answer in the time allocated?
  • Is there enough direction to guide the student to the expected response?

Examples of short answer questions

Your questions can access a range of cognitive skills/action verbs.

List/identify

This SAQ requires students to simply identify or list. The question may indicate the scope of requirements. e.g. List three, List the most important.

For example:

  • “List the typical and atypical neuroleptics (anti-psychotics) used to treat schizophrenia.”

This question asks student to define a term or idea.

  • “What is the capital gains tax?”
  • “Define soundness as an element of reasoning”.

This is a question where students are asked to provide an explanation. The explanation may address what, how or why.

  • “Why does the demand for luxury goods increase as the price increases?”
  • “What are the important elements of a well-presented communication strategy?”
  • “Why does an autoantibody binding to a post-synaptic receptor stop neuron communication?
  • “Explain the purpose of scaffolding as a teaching strategy”.

Justify/support

A question that includes a requirement to justify or support can ask students to provide an example of one or several specific occurrences of an idea or concept.

  • “Use 2 examples to show how scaffolding can be used to improve the efficacy of teaching and learning”.

For this kind of question, asks students to discuss how two or more concepts or objects are related. Is one different from the other? If so, how? Are they perfectly alike? Does one represent the other in some way?

  • “Why would a rise in the price of sugar lead to an increase in the sales of honey?”

Combination

Types of questions can be combined.

  • “List the three subphyla of the Phylum Chordata. What features permit us to place them all within the same phylum? “
  • “What benefits does territorial behaviour provide? Why do many animals display territorial behaviour?”
  • “Will you include short answer questions on your next exam? Justify your decision with two to three sentences explaining the factors that have influenced your decision.”

Additional resources

Short Answer Questions- Assessment Resource Centre - University of Hong Kong

What Is a Short Answer and How Is It Used?

Glossary of Grammatical and Rhetorical Terms

rawpixel / Pixabay

  • An Introduction to Punctuation
  • Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
  • M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
  • B.A., English, State University of New York

In spoken English and informal writing, a short answer is a response made up of a subject and an auxiliary verb or modal . Short answers are brief but complete—they can answer "yes or no" questions or more complicated queries.

Conventionally, the verb in a short answer is in the same tense as the verb in the question asked. Also, the verb in the short answer should agree in person and number with its subject.

Examples of Short Answers

Short answers can appear in just about any context. The following examples are all from literature—study them to better understand how short answers look and sound in conversation.

An Equal Music: A Novel

"'How did she do in her exams?' Maria had already told me she had done quite well, but I was now flailing around to keep the conversation going.

'She passed.'

'She is all right, isn't she?'

' Yes, she is, ' he replied firmly," (Seth 2000).

"'The poor lass took quite a fall, didn't she?' Gelfrid remarked. 'Is she usually so clumsy?'

' No, she isn't ,' Judith answered," (Garwood 1992).

The Bean Trees

"You're asking yourself, Can I give this child the best possible upbringing and keep her out of harm's way her whole life long? The answer is no, you can't, " (Kingslover 1988).

Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guide 2005

"Can we change? Yes, we can . Can they change? Yes, they can, " (Clarke 2004).

The Tea Rose

"'Will, you've been in love before, haven't you? I mean, with Anna, of course ... and your various ... well, you have , haven't you?'

Will looked into his glass. 'No. No, I haven't, '" (Donnelly 2007).

Anybody Out There?

"'What's up with him?'

'His stomach is sick. He's nervous about his speech.'

'He's got food poisoning!' Helen declared. 'Hasn't he?'

'No, he has not!'

'Yes, he has.'

'No, he has not'!'

'Yes, he has,'" (Keyes 2007).

Little Dorrit

"'No, I won't, Jeremiah—no I won't— no I won't!—I won't go, I'll stay here. I'll hear all I don't know and say all I know. I will, at last, if I die for it. I will, I will, I will, I will!'" (Dickens 1857).

Short Answer Patterns

The structure of a short answer is important. Without a subject and an auxiliary verb, a short answer is not a full answer. However, a short answer does not need to entirely restate a question. Because they often lack a main verb, they are technically not complete sentences. Writer and language expert Michael Swan explains this further in the following excerpt.

"Answers are often grammatically incomplete because they do not need to repeat words that have just been said. A typical ' short answer ' pattern is subject + auxiliary verb , together with whatever other words are really necessary.

Can he swim?
Yes, he can.

"This response is more natural than Yes, he can swim .

Has it stopped raining?
No, it hasn't.
Are you enjoying yourself?
I certainly am.
You'll be on holiday soon.
Yes, I will.
Don't forget to telephone.
I won't.
You didn't phone Debbie last night.
No, but I did this morning.

"Non-auxiliary verbs be and have are also used in short answers.

Is she happy?
I think she is.
Have you a light?
Yes, I have.

"We use do and did in answers to sentences that have neither an auxiliary verb nor non-auxiliary verbs be or have .

She likes cakes.
She really does.
That surprised you.
It certainly did.

"Short answers can be followed by tags .

Yes, it is, isn't it?

"Note that stressed , non-contracted forms are used in short answers," (Swan 2005).

Short Answers With So, Neither, and Nor

Another way to shorten an answer is to use a word like so in place of part of a statement. You have likely seen and heard this many times before. The book Active English Grammar offers a description of how such words are used in short answers.

"Sometimes a statement about one person also applies to another person. When this is the case, you can use a short answer with 'so' for positive statements, and with 'neither' or 'nor' for negative statements using the same verb that was used in the statement.

"You use 'so,' 'neither,' or 'nor' with an auxiliary, modal, or the main verb 'be.' The verb comes before the subject.

You were different then.— So were you. I don't normally drink at lunch.— Neither do I. I can't do it.— Nor can I.

"You can use 'not either' instead of 'neither,' in which case the verb comes after the subject .

He doesn't understand.— We don't either.

"You often use 'so' in short answers after verbs such as 'think,' 'hope,' 'expect,' 'imagine,' and 'suppose,' when you think that the answer to the question is 'yes.'

You'll be home at six?— I hope so . So it was worth doing?— I suppose so .

"You use 'I'm afraid so' when you are sorry that the answer is 'yes.'

Is it raining?— I'm afraid so .

"With 'suppose,' 'think,' 'imagine,' or 'expect' in short answers, you also form negatives with 'so.'

Will I see you again?— I don't suppose so. Is Barry Knight a golfer?— No, I don't think so .

"However, you say 'I hope not' and 'I'm afraid not.'

It isn't empty, is it?— I hope not, " ( Active English Grammar 2011).
  • Active English Grammar (Collins COBUILD) . HarperCollins Publishers, 2011.
  • Clarke, Oz. Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guide 2005 . Harcourt, 2004.
  • Dickens, Charles . Little Dorrit. Bradbury and Evans, 1857.
  • Donnelly, Jennifer. The Tea Rose . 1st ed., St. Martin's Griffin, 2007.
  • Garwood, Julie. The Secret . Pocket Books, 1992.
  • Keyes, Marian. Anybody Out There? William Morrow Paperbacks, 2007.
  • Kingsolver, Barbara. The Bean Trees. Harper, 1988.
  • Seth, Vikram. An Equal Music: A Novel . 1st ed., Vintage, 2000.
  • Swan, Michael. Practical English Usage. 3rd ed., Oxford University Press, 2005.
  • Know your Auxiliary Verbs
  • How to Use 'It Depends' in Conversation
  • Rhetorical Questions for English Learners
  • The Yes-No Question in English Grammar
  • Italian Direct Object Pronouns With Passato Prossimo
  • How to Ask Questions in English
  • Direct Question in Grammar
  • Definition and Examples of Negative Contractions
  • How to Use the French Expression 'N'est-ce Pas' in Conversation
  • What is a Question?
  • Negative Structures
  • Doch ...and Other Tricky German Words
  • What Are Auxiliary Verbs?
  • How to Teach the Present Simple
  • Definition and Examples of Subject-Auxiliary Inversion
  • ESL Lesson Plan: How to Use "Have"

Studying & Test Taking

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Short Answer questions can be difficult for students. While not as lengthy as an essay question, you are still expected to cover enough material in the question to get full marks.

Unlike multiple choice and true/false questions, short answer questions have no possible answers written down for you—you have to recall and summarize ideas in your own words.

Despite the added difficulty, there are still some tricks you can use when writing responses to short answer questions.

Keyword Clues in Short Answer Questions

Here are some typical words (instructions) you might find in a short-answer test and their meaning. Understanding the question ensures that you respond to it fully—and earn full marks!

Short Answer Quick Tips

  • Read the questions carefully : Take your time to make sure you fully understand what is being asked of you.
  • Do not over analyze : Go with your first instinct on your answer.
  • Don't leave the answer blank! You can still get partial marks for having some of the answer.
  • Make sure you answer the entire question : That's why reading the question carefully is so important.
  • Check how many marks each question is worth : Each point you write down will be worth one mark in your final grade. For example, if the short answer question is worth five (5) marks, write down five (5) points in your answer.
  • Last Updated: Jan 12, 2024 2:29 PM
  • URL: https://sheridancollege.libguides.com/studyingandtesttaking

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Education Corner

Best Preparation Tips for Short Answer Tests

Photo of author

Most tests contain at least a few short answer questions. The following are proven study and test preparation strategies that will help improve your performance on short answer/essay questions and tests.

Best Short Answer Test Preparation Tips and Strategies

Study for understanding.

Teachers, professors and instructors typically give short answer and/or essay tests to see how well students have grasped course concepts, their meanings and significance. This has both pros and cons with respect to test preparation and performance.

The con is that you can’t just just memorize information and expect to do well on a short answer test – you must understand course material and concepts.

The pro is that even if you can’t remember a specific term, as long as you have a general understanding of the concept in question, you can still develop an answer that is likely to get you full or partial credit.

When preparing for short answer tests focus on understanding rather than memorization of facts.

Focus on topics and concepts

As with all types of test questions, the best way to prepare is by studying and becoming intimately familiar with course content, concepts and material. During lectures, try to decipher what types of topics and concepts will be covered on the test by looking for hints provided by the professor.

While it’s still important to memorize facts and information, try and do so within the framework of important topics that are being explored and concepts that are being taught.

Employ self testing

Make a guess as to what types of concepts will be covered on a test and create some practice questions to prepare yourself for the test. If accessible, study from previous class tests.

Use flashcards

Many students benefit by creating flashcards. On one side of a card, write definitions or other facts, and on the opposite side, write the definition.

If in doubt, make an educated guess

If you are completely unsure about a question, make an educated guess since there is usually no penalty for doing so. Show your work because teachers often provide partial credit if work is shown. Make sure the work you show is accurate.

Answer the easy questions first

When encountering confusing questions, move on to easier ones. Return to tackle more challenging questions once you’ve answered all the questions for which you know the answer. In some cases, you can decipher clues to answers for difficult questions from questions you’ve already answered.

Read all instructions

It’s critical to carefully read instructions for each short answer question. What exactly is the question asking you? Often short answer questions will ask you to describe, list, compare, contrast, identify, analyze, summarize, or a combination of these. If you describe when you’re supposed to compare, or summarize when you’ve been instructed to analyze, your test performance is going to decrease.

Budget your time

With short answer/essay tests it’s easy to lose track of time. At the beginning of the test check to see how many questions on the test and if the test is divided up into sections. Make sure to allocate a specific amount of time per section and per question.

You don’t want to get halfway through the test and realize you only have a few minutes left. Some short answer questions may be worth substantially more than others. Make sure to allocate time to those questions that are worth the most.

Reread each question

Always reread the question after answering it. It’s not uncommon for a short answer question to have multiple parts. For example: “Compare and contrast Frye’s and Bartky’s accounts of social oppression with respect to gender inequality. List the differences in their views.” Answering only part of the short answer question will likely result in only partial credit.

Ask for clarification

If you don’t understand a question or find it is a bit confusing, ask your instructor for clarification. Don’t be scared to ask. Chances are there are several other students who are struggling to understand it as well.

Be thorough. But be concise

While opinions may differ, most teachers believe a short answer question typically requires a “short” answer. That doesn’t mean an answer lacking depth analysis or information. It simply means an answer that is concise and includes just enough information to accurately and fully answer the question being asked.

Typically an answer that’s longer than necessary isn’t going to cause you to lose points, as long as your information is correct. However, if you include incorrect information in your short answer, you’ll likely lose points.

The 6 Basic Types of Short-answer Questions

There are six basic types of short-answer questions. Understanding each will improve your performance on short-answer quizzes, tests and exams. When answering short-answer questions, make sure the format and type of answer you provide matches the type of question being asked.

1. Definition questions

Definition questions require you to define a concept.

  • Question: “What is a supply curve?”
  • Answer: “A supply curve shows the relationship between the price of a good or service and the quantity supplied. Typically, the price appears on the left vertical axis and the quality supplied on the horizontal axis.”

2. Explanation questions

Explanation questions require you to explain why something is true or how something functions.

  • Question: “Why is the supply curve upward-sloping for most goods and services?”
  • Answer: “The supply curve is upward-sloping because as the price the market pays increases for goods and services the volume that suppliers are willing to produce increases.”

3. Example questions

Example questions simply require a specific real-world example of a concept or phenomenon.

  • Question: “Provide two examples of pairs of goods that are substitutes.”
  • Answer: “Margarine and butter, and tea and coffee are examples of pairs of goods that are substitutes.”

4. Relationship questions

Relationship questions require you to state or show how two or more things relate to one another. Are they complementary? Are they the same? Are they different? Are they opposites? How does the existence of one affect the other? Etc. Relationship questions can be a bit more challenging than other types of short answers but are very doable if you’re prepared.

  • Question: “In a competitive market, what is the relationship between supply and demand?”
  • Answer: “Demand refers to the quality of a good or service consumers are willing to buy at a given price. Supply represents the quantity of a good supplied by producers at various prices. The price resulting from where supply and demand meet is referred to as the equilibrium price.”

5. Calculation questions

As the name suggests, calculations questions require you to calculate or compute a numerical answer or response.

  • Question: “If the demand for used motorcycle purchases in the United States is represented by P = 1000 – .2Q and the supply of used motorcycles is represented by P = 400 + .2Q what is the market equilibrium price and quantity?”
  • Answer: “The market equilibrium price (P) is 700. The market equilibrium quantity (Q) is 1,500.”

6. Graphing questions

Graphing questions typically require an answer in the form of a graph.

  • Question: “Draw a diagram of a supply curve that shows the relationship between quantity supplied and price.”
  • The answer is shown below.

Graphing questions

Short-answer versus Short Essay Questions

Students often confuse short-answer questions with short essay questions. While these two question forms share some common characteristics, they are different. The following are the differences between short answer questions and essay questions that students need to know for test taking.

  • Short Answer: Someone who assigned the material (teacher, professor, etc.) who has an expert level of the information.
  • Short Essay: Someone who has never read or seen the assigned material or topic.

Level of expertise

  • Short Answer: Assumes that the reader of the answer is an expert. The reader of the short answer is checking the knowledge of the author of the answer against a specific standard.
  • Short Essay: Assumes the reader is not familiar or educated on the topic being addressed. As part of the essay an overview should be provided.

Length of answer

  • Short Answer: Typically, very short–no more than 3 to 4 sentences. The more concise the better.
  • Short Essay: Answer may vary in length, but ranges from 200-800 words or more.
  • Short Answer: Typically comes from a very narrow arena of fact-based knowledge. Details and examples provided in answers are usually limited to assigned/required readings.
  • Short Essay: Even though the short essay typically focuses on one specific issue or topic, the information presented in the essay may come from a variety of sources.

Answer format

  • Short Answer: The answer format for a short answer will usually be a single sentence or paragraph. Short answers are concise and word selection is important to maximize effect.
  • Short Essay: The answer format for short essays, unlike short answers, includes at minimum three paragraphs: the introduction; the body; and the conclusion. The introduction provides a general overview. The body provides the detail of the essay and varies from 1-8 paragraphs (200-800+ words). The conclusion is the wrap-up of the essay and reiterates the main points being communicated. It may also suggest an action.

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8 tips for designing short answer questions

  • February 17, 2021
  • Crowdmark Team

Previously, we discussed  how to design effective multiple choice questions . In that article, we covered ten ways to create multiple choice questions and debated multiple choice questions vs. short answer questions.

While both formats have their merits, short answer questions can give instructors a better look at their students’ understanding of the material. Short answer questions are an excellent way to give students space to explain their answers and determine which students did not grasp the lesson.

This article will discuss helpful strategies for creating smart and effective short answer questions to assess a students’ understanding and design these questions accordingly. This guide is beneficial to  new instructors  looking to refine their approach.

Short answer questions vs. multiple choice questions

Multiple choice questions , especially when created using our guide, can be a simple and effective way to assess your students’ learning. However, while this may seem like the best way to develop an exam, some students find multiple choice exams daunting and challenging to understand.

The main benefit of short answer questions is that students can explain how they came to their conclusion. If you replace this explanation with a simple “yes or no,” there’s no measurable way to tell if your student has absorbed the information.

Knowing this, we’d like to teach you our top eight tips for writing the best short answer questions for your class.

Teacher writing in a notebook

How to write short answer questions

  • Clear and concise questions:  As an instructor, you should write your questions clearly and concisely and in an easily understandable way. If the question’s wording is convoluted, students will waste more time dissecting the problem than answering it.
  • Avoid misleading questions:  Questions should be straightforward and avoid misleading language. The goal of examinations is to gauge your students’ level of understanding. Remember that “tricky” questions have no place in a  proper exam .
  • Avoid new language:  Avoid using any new terms or language when writing short answer questions. All wording used in your examination should be familiar to your students to avoid confusion.
  • Memory triggers:  Short answer questions should include memory triggers or recognizable language to help students  jog their memory . This technique will be beneficial to students who suffer from exam anxiety or tend to fail under pressure.
  • Useful prompts:  When designing your short answer questions, include helpful writing prompts. Using open-ended questions will allow students to provide more context with their answers and aid in the evaluation process. Prompts should also be within the question itself, including writing suggestions or language that the student will recognize as a writing prompt.
  • Reading comprehension:  Reading comprehension questions are the bread and butter of examinations. Be sure to include some reading comprehension short answer questions in your exam to encourage students to absorb the course material. Being able to read and relay information is an essential skill for both professional and personal situations.
  • Room for explanation:  Give students an opening to explain by writing  “Please explain”  after the question. Like the  useful prompts  tip, leaving room for students to demonstrate their understanding gives instructors a look at their student’s development. Any student can make an educated guess and write down a few words, but asking them to break down their answer will provide a better impression of what they’ve learned.
  • Proper page real estate:  In addition to creating an opening for an explanation after short answer questions, make sure you also provide enough physical space. There’s nothing worse than answering a short answer question and running out of lines. Be sure to give each short answer question an appropriate amount of page real estate. Alternatively, you can indicate how long you’d like your students’ answers to be within the short answer question.

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Help Centre

Types of assignment, short answer questions.

Some assignments have questions that are broken down into parts that each require a brief answer. These are called short answer questions.

Short answer questions require concise answers so it is essential to read the question carefully and to take account of the process words. It is all too easy to go off track and overshoot word limits by including irrelevant information.

Sample questions

Look at the following examples, adapted from SK277, Human Biology.

  • Define insoluble dietary fibre in one or two sentences. (2 marks)
  • Explain why insoluble dietary fibre is important in the human diet. (4 marks)
  • Insoluble dietary fibre consists of indigestible carbohydrates, mostly cellulose, which is a large structural carbohydrate that supports plant cell walls. Cellulose is a polysaccharide that consists of many glucose molecules strung together as long strands linked to each other, forming long insoluble and indigestible fibres.
  • Insoluble fibre helps to bulk up food and speed up transit times as it passes through the gut, and helps to prevent diverticular disease. By minimising transit times, fibre restricts contact time between any toxic substances in food (which might trigger cancer) and the cells lining the gut. Diets high in fibre are likely to be healthy, being generally low in fat and non-milk extrinsic sugars and high in vitamins and minerals.

The answer addresses the required factual content in the context established by the process words and to the length required. Dietary fibre is defined, and its role in the human diet is explained. Scientific terms such as 'carbohydrate', 'polysaccharide', 'glucose' and 'diverticular' are used appropriately and spelt correctly.

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Short Answers In English Grammar

Why does english use short answers, how to form short answers step by step, short answers with have got, short answers and statements.

  • Lingolia Plus English

What are short answers?

Short answers are how we reply to yes/no questions and statements in English. Short answers are more polite than a simple yes or no .

Form affirmative short answers with yes + subject + auxiliary verb ; form negative short answers with no + subject + negated auxiliary verb .

The auxiliary verb we use in short answers matches the tense used in the original question or statement.

Read on for a step-by-step guide to forming short answers in English, then practise in the interactive exercises.

—Are you a farmer?

— Yes, I am.

—Do you have a lot of animals?

— Yes, I do .

—Your rabbit is really cute.

— Yes, she is .

—Does your chicken lay eggs?

— No, he doesn’t .

—Can I visit your farm?

— Yes, you can !

We use short answers in English to sound more polite.

Just yes or no can sound rude. Repeating the whole sentence sounds strange. Short answers are a perfect middle ground.

Short answers follow the structure yes/no + subject + auxiliary verb .

The auxiliary verb matches the tense used in the original question or statement.

To form short answers, follow these three steps:

  • Step 1: decide if your short answer is affirmative or negative
  • Step 2: decide which subject pronoun you need
  • Step 3: identify the auxiliary verb and negate it if needed

Let’s take a look at those steps in practice:

Let’s try another example with a different verb.

In this example, there is no question auxiliary; only the main verb be (are) . In such questions, we use a form of be in the short answer.

Note: we do not use contractions (short forms) in affirmative short answers.

There are two ways to say have in the simple present : have and have got .

For short answers with have , use the auxiliaries do(n’t)/does(n’t) (as is standard with simple present questions).

For short answers with have got , use the auxiliaries have(n’t)/has(n’t) .

Learn more about the difference between have and have got in English grammar .

As well as responding to questions, we can also use short answers to agree or disagree with statements.

When a statement doesn’t contain an auxiliary or a modal verb, this usually means that we use a form of the verb do in the short answer.

Sometimes we omit the yes/no part of a short answer, especially if we’re responding to a statement.

We can even follow these short answers with a question tag .

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Short answer question reading strategies

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short answer questions meaning

Do you read a text and understand it, but get the questions wrong? To improve your technique, follow these steps:

Click on the links throughout to get more information and practice exercises. 

1. Manage your time

How much time can you spend on each section and question? If you plan, you will not run out of time and can avoid missing an easy question. There are many different ways to do this. Which technique works best for you? Try them all. 

  • e.g. Test = 60 minutes with 4 Sections
  • Time = 15 minutes per section
  • e.g. Test = 60 minutes with 30 Questions
  • Time = 2 minutes per question
  • e.g. Test = 60 minutes with 15 Marks
  • Time = 4 minutes per mark

Note : some questions may be worth more marks. Using style C, you would spend more time on a question worth 2 marks than on a question worth 1 mark. 

2. Read the instructions carefully

Instructions can be written and spoken. In class, you may get instructions from your book, the text or your teacher. Remember to listen carefully to your teacher’s instructions too. For tests, make sure you read the instructions carefully.  If you are unsure, check with your teacher at the beginning of the exam.

  • You may get zero if you write 11 words
  • Your answer may not be complete with only 1 word
  • You may get ½ a mark for only 1 answer
  • You may get zero if you write 3 or more answers

3. Read the questions and analyse the type/purpose

Understanding question types will help you answer the questions. 

  • Fact or specific details  = WH Question words will show what kind of specific information to focus on. Answers are often people, places, things or times. 
  • Definitions  = You explain the meaning of a word or idea based on the information in the reading.  Look at the context – the words/sentences around that word. Sometimes the text contains a definition already. Look for words like this means, in other words and this is defined as.  Examples in the text can also include a definition. Look for words like such as, for example, for instance and like. 
  • Technique  = What is the writing style of the author? This might also include questions about genre (type of text) or methods of text organisation. 
  • Main idea  = You need to find the main topic of the whole text or central thought of the author. This might include questions focusing on the main idea of a paragraph.
  • Emotion / Tone / Attitude of Author  = What does the author feel about an idea, situation or topic? This can be shown through adjectives (description of a noun) and adverbs (description of an action/verb). You need to understand the difference between fact or the opinion. 
  • Inference  = An inference is a way to understand ideas not directly stated by the author. Inference questions ask you to join the information from the text with your own knowledge/experience about the idea and then answer the question. 

For more examples go to  Reading strategy examples .

4. Start with the easy questions

When reading you can choose the order of what to read and which question to answer first. It is better to start with a topic that you are more familiar with, as you will know more vocabulary. You can choose to start with an easy question first.

Short answer questions are usually presented in the same order as the text. Mark  where  you find the answers clearly, so you can skip difficult questions and return to them at the end.  

5. Read the question and look for key words

Choose 1 question and identify the key words in it. Highlight them. What are the synonyms (words with similar meanings) for these words? In addition, key words can be specific people, places, things or events. Does the question have marker words such as  Mr Tom Jones, New York city, in paragraph 4, MacDonald’s, in 1995 ? 

6. Read the text and highlight the key words in the text that match the key words in the question

Now scan the text for the key word or its synonyms.  Scanning  is reading a text quickly in order to find specific information. It is different to skimming, which is reading quickly to get a general idea of meaning. 

Use the  text’s structure  to help. Find the introduction, body and conclusion paragraphs. Read paragraph topic sentences or concluding sentences as they will summarise the idea in that paragraph. For more help, look at signal language,  discourse markers  and  conjunctions . 

Highlight the key words in the text as well. Write the question number nearby (e.g try putting it in the margin.) This way, if you skip a question, it will be easy to return and look for that answer at the end. This will also make re-reading and checking your answer easier too. 

7. Find the answer by reading the 2-3 lines before and after the word/phrase

For short answer questions, the answer is usually close to the key words.  This means that you may find it before, after or around the information you highlighted at step 6. 

Read the 2-3 lines before and after the key words. Look for words like pronouns. These may be used instead of the nouns (both  subject  and  object  nouns). Click on the links below for more information and practice options: 

  • Subject pronouns  (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
  • Object pronouns  (me, you, him, her, it, us, them)
  • Reflexive pronouns  (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, themselves)
  • Possessive pronouns  (mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs)
  • Demonstrative pronouns  (this, that, those, these)
  • Relative pronouns  (who, which, that, whose)

8. Remove unnecessary words from the answer

If the answer is short and simple, you can write the exact words as your answer. However, for difficult questions you often need to show that you can identify the most important part of the answer. This may mean removing ‘extra’ information. So, highlight the important words and then write those as your answer. 

If you need to make a grammatical change, do it. This could mean changing a verb to a noun, a noun to an adjective, etc. However, do not use synonyms. Often, students use synonyms that they are not familiar with. This may mean the meaning is not exactly the same. Start practising synonyms with a  thesaurus . 

9. Check the logic of your answer

You have an answer, but does it make sense? Have you checked the logic of your answer? Some areas to check: 

  • Grammar - Have you compared your grammar with the question’s grammar? For example, did the question use present, past or future? 
  • Cause and effect language – Does your answer make sense? Did you identify the cause/effect correctly? Did you use the correct  cause/effect vocabulary and grammar ?
  • Reason or purpose questions – Does your answer explain Why? Use:  because….
  • Instructions – Did you have to write a full sentence? How many words did you need to write? 

Now it’s time to practice. Try:

  • BBC – Skillwise - Reading
  • Free reading stories and exercises
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  • Assignments

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Short answer questions in exams

  • Understanding rubrics

Many exams and tests will have a section of short-answer questions.

The videos identify seven key points:

1. Deconstruct the question. Identify three types of words: task words, topic words and limit words. This list of task words   will guide you on the meaning of common task words. Deconstructing a question .

2. Rephrase the question in your own words.

3. Plan the structure of your answer before starting to write. Make sure you deconstruct the question and consider using the PEEL paragraph structure.  Writing Paragraphs .

4. Use examples to give evidence and help give your writing credibility.

5. Use plain language and keep your writing straight to the point. Use the words from the question in your answer to signpost your answer for the marker.

6 . Use the mark allocation to plan how much time to spend on each question.  Managing time in exams .

7. Practice writing short answer responses. Doing practice questions in exam conditions will improve your performance in the real exam. Past exam papers are available on the Library and Learning Services website.

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IELTS Reading lesson 5: Short-answer Questions

In this lesson we’re going to learn reading strategies and tips for short-answer questions on IELTS Reading.

Short-answer questions on IELTS Reading are very similar to sentence completion questions. Again, you should answer questions with words taken directly from the text. And you’re given a word limit (for example: write no more than two words).

The only difference is that in sentence completion you obviously have to complete sentences. And in short-answer questions you may have either to complete sentences or answer questions , for example:

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 5–10 on your answer sheet.

5. Which animal has the most fat? ..................

When tackling short-answer questions, you have to pay attention to the word limit . A lot of IELTS test-takers get caught by the word limit: even if answer is logically correct, but number of words exceeds the limit, it achieves 0 points.

  • You should complete statements or answer questions with words taken from the text.
  • You're given a word limit.
  • Questions follow the order of the text.

Questions or statements are not simply copied from the text. But they keep the initial meaning and contain some key words, so you could find the answers in the text.

Note that if you are asked to complete sentence with no more than two words, you can write one or two words, a three-word answer will be automatically wrong.

To understand the theory better, see an example below . Answering strategy :

  • Skim over the text.
  • Read the question and find the paragraph, which is likely to contain the answer. Use key words to navigate.
  • Read attentively the paragraph you’ve found, searching for the answer.
  • Once you've found the answer, check if it doesn't exceed the word limit.
  • Repeat this strategy with other questions.

If you prefer, you can read the text by passages.

  • Make sure that your answer doesn't exceed the word limit. It’s super-important.
  • The order of questions can help you. Answer for question 4 will be between answers for questions 3 and 5 in the text.
  • If text introduces new terms, some answers are likely to be among them.

The fattest animals

As the largest animal in the world, the blue whale also has the most fat. In a 1968 study involving 49 different species of mammal from across the US and Brazil, researchers deduced that the blue whale had the highest percentage of body fat – more than 35%. With the whales weighing in at up to 180 tonnes, that’s easily a record-breaking amount of fat for one animal.

But if we look at things proportionally, you might be surprised by some of the world’s full-fat species. We’ll begin with blubber, the fat rich tissue belonging to marine mammals that has myriad benefits for streamlining, buoyancy, defence, insulation and energy storage.

In waters further north live bowhead whales. To survive in these frosty, remote waters they have a layer of blubber almost half a metre thick. In his studies, Dr Craig George found blubber mass ranged from 43% to 50% of the body mass of yearling whales.

Answer the questions with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS :

Which animal has the most fat?

As the largest animal in the world, the blue whale also has the most fat.

✓ it's no longer than two words;

✓ it's clearly stated in the text that blue whale has the most fat;

Thus, we can deduce that correct answer is blue whale .

How is called tissue of marine mammals that is rich with fat?

We'll begin with blubber , the fat rich tissue belonging to marine mammals ...

Which marine animals need a thick layer of fat to survive in cold waters?

In waters further north live bowhead whales . To survive in these frosty, remote waters they have a layer of blubber almost half a metre thick.

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IELTS Short Answer Questions

This lesson provides advice on IELTS short answer questions and further practice on True, False, Not Given questions.

  • What can you predict  from the title?
  • Skim read the first  paragraph. What is the topic?
  • What are the aspects  of the topic?
  • What type of  language do you expect to be in this passage?
  • Does the writing  include any examples? If so, what are they examples of?

True (T) False (F) Not Given (NG)

Remember with True, False, Not Given questions, you should first see if the statement given agrees with the information in the reading.

If it does it is true. Otherwise, it must be false or not given.

If the evidence is not there to say that it is false, that means that it could be true or false but you don't know - you cannot know from the information you have been given.

Education Industry Revving Up

1. A recent newspaper investigation into the growing number of foreign fee-paying students raises some issues for timely reflection. To be blunt, we need to prepare ourselves for a sudden and major increase in population. This new population will not be permanent but it will continue to increase in numbers and make itself at home in New Zealand for the main purpose of intellectual advancement. It will, in effect, be a rotating population but one that produces an increase in the total population at any one time. 

2. If you think, as even some Asian students do, that Auckland is already too Asian (one in eight Aucklanders is now Asian), be prepared for it becoming too European or too South American. Our booming education industry still catches some locals by surprise and, depending on your point of view about racial diversity, it may or may not be of comfort to know that it has only just begun.

3. The only limitations to its growth will be the decisions and behaviour of organizations serving these students from overseas who want to study here - whether it is English language or IT skills. And I do not mean just the education function itself: it includes health, transport, property and entertainment. The list increases into all aspects of society as more students arrive from the major continents.

4. My own company has grown 500 per cent in the past four years and our board is anticipating an even higher rate over the next five years. I see no reason we should consider industry growth expectations below this. Early next month we will open a new international language school in Queen St designed to give students internationally accredited English language skills so they can stay longer and study IT courses. Some will go on to our universities.

5. This one new school alone will inject an extra $60 million-odd annually into Auckland's economy. What does this industry growth mean? It could mean a $10 billion (contribution to gross domestic product) industry by the end of this decade, employing 100,000 New Zealanders directly and many more indirectly.

6. The conditions which have created this opportunity are many, but underlying them all are the standards which shape education in this country. Some will argue that whimsical circumstances, such as a favourable exchange rate or our distance from the troubled areas of the world, have caused it all. But without the right internationally recognised education standards we would have no such booming industry. 

7. Make no mistake, this is our trump card. As long as we are known for quality education we can develop what we have started regardless of almost any other change of circumstance. Undoubtedly, there are financial benefits for society. But we would be blind not to acknowledge and address the many other implications which the newspaper article began to identify.

8. The growth opportunity is so good that we must effectively evolve as an industry and fast, too. We must eliminate the clumsy, experimental mistake-ridden phase of youth. Fundamentally we must leap from childhood to maturity.

9. But how? Experiences in my company lead me to suggest three main areas to address - total service, performance regulation and long-term planning. By total service I mean accepting some responsibility for students inside and outside of campus. Within two years, my company expects at least 1000 overseas students to be studying at all our six campuses. We must take some responsibility for this size of customer base, as any normal company would.

10. This means we must attract other suppliers as dedicated partners with us - property, insurance, healthcare, transport, social support, the list goes on. Education New Zealand has a valuable role here.

11. This type of care begins in the students' home country, ensuring they have correct information about our country and how different it will be in many small and large ways. Our company, intent on achieving this, is introducing marketing programmes in three continents. Performance regulation will be vital in our leap to adulthood. We cannot leave it up to the Government; it will mean a private sector-Government partnership. 

12. I am also not surprised to hear calls for the Government to introduce an industry levy - frankly, just another tax - to "protect" standards. We should keep in mind that foreign students are happy to come here because of our stable Government, virtually non-existent corruption, and education standards. For the Government to come to our support with an extra levy imposition reminds me of an old saying: When a sufficient number of management layers are superimposed on top of each other, it can be assured that disaster is not left to chance. 

13. Long-term planning usually begins with a vision agreed by the industry and I will support any immediate efforts in this area. We now have an industry that is arguably our country's third largest export earner. We need to know where we can take this industry, how it fits with society and its place in an increasingly systemic world where people move more freely and technology drives a global economy.

Questions 1 - 10

Score = Correct answers:

Go to the bottom of the page for an explanation of these answers.

  • Read the instructions carefully - these tell you how many words you can use (a maximum of three in this case).
  • In IELTS short answer questions you should use words from the text rather than your own, and don't change the words.
  • Quickly read through all of the questions so you can get an idea of what information you will have to find in the text.
  • Use key words from the question to help you skim the text quickly to find the information. For example, in the first one, you need to look for "type of care".
  • Remember though that synomys will also be used in the text, so you must be careful when you look for the information.
  • Read the section of the text where you know the answer is carefully to see which words will answer the question.
  • Your answer must make sense grammatically to be correct.

Using the above tips and advice, try to answer the following IELTS short answer questions.

You can write your answer in the text box below each question. You can the click at the end to reveal the answers.

Questions 11 - 16

Answer the following questions in no more than three words:

11        Where should the type of care the writer discusses initially come from?  

12        What will be very important in the education sector's rise to maturity? 

13        What does the government want to bring in?            

14        Give one reason why students are content to study in New Zealand?

15        What does the ongoing preparation usually start with?         

16        How big an export industry is English language teaching?  

Show / hide answers

11 . Students’ home country / The students’ country 12 . Performance regulation 13 . An industry levy/tax 14 . (A / The) stable government/ virtually non-existent corruption / education standards 15 . (A) vision 16 . (The) third largest

Answers Discussion for Q 1 - 10

1. The new residents will stay in New Zealand forever? F

This new population may not be permanent but ...(para. 1)

2. The main reason these people are in New Zealand is to progress academically. T

. ..in New Zealand for the main purpose of intellectual advancement . (para. 1)

3. There are many Vietnamese people living in New Zealand. NG

Auckland is already too Asian (one in eight Aucklanders is now Asian), (para. 2) - we are told Asians are in Auckland but we don't know what country they are from.

4. The success of the education industry has been happening for many years. F

Our booming education industry...to know that it has only just begun. (para. 2)

5. People from Auckland are surprised at the number of Asian students there are. NG

Our booming education industry still catches some locals by surprise .(para 2) - the word 'surprise' is mentioned here but it is nothing to do with surprise at the number of Asian students. People could be surprised but we don't know. This information is not given in the text.

6. All students want to study English and IT. NG

...these students from overseas who want to study here - whether it is English language or IT skills. (para. 3) - It is possible that ALL students want to study English and IT, but we are not told whether this is true or not. There could be other subjects as well.

7. The writer’s company has increased in size over the last few years. T

My own company has grown 500 per cent in the past four years. (para. 4)

8. The country’s financial situation will benefit from overseas students. T

will inject an extra $60 million-odd annually into Auckland's economy . (para. 5)

9. There will be less jobs for native speakers in the future. F

employing 100,000 New Zealanders directly and many more indirectly. (para. 5)

10. According to the writer, New Zealand's exchange rate and location underpin the opportunities available.. F

.. .without the right internationally recognised education standards we would have no such booming industry . (para. 6)

IELTS Reading Lessons:

short answer questions meaning

IELTS Reading Multiple Choice: Skimming & Scanning

Tips for IELTS reading multiple choice questions and how to use skimming and scanning to find the answers quickly.

short answer questions meaning

IELTS True False Not Given Reading Lesson

Learn how to answer IELTS true false not given questions for the reading test with tips on how to answer this type of question.

IELTS True False Not Given Reading Questions

Practice IELTS True False Not Given Reading Questions with this reading text on the growing elderly population.

IELTS Reading Strategies to Increase Speed

Develop your IELTS reading strategies with this lesson which helps you to skim and scan so you can find the answers faster.

IELTS Sentence Completion Type Reading Questions

Learn how to do IELTS Sentence Completion exercises for the reading module of the IELTS Test.

Guessing Meaning from Context in IELTS Reading

Guessing meaning from context is an important skill for vocabulary you don't know in the IELTS test.

Matching IELTS Paragraph Headings

Matching IELTS paragraph headings to paragraphs can cause difficulties. Get tips to help you answer this type of question.

Matching Paragraph Headings for IELTS Reading

Practice for matching paragraph headings IELTS reading type questions. You are given a heading which you have to match to the correct paragarph.

IELTS Reading Gap Fill Exercise

In this IELTS Reading Gap Fill you will learn strategies to complete a gapped summary from a reading to prepare you for the IELTS test.

IELTS Reading True False Not Given Exercises

IELTS reading true false not given exercises to improve your test score for this types of reading question.

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IELTS Reading Short Answer Questions

1. introduction to short answer questions in ielts reading.

Your task for Short Answer Questions is to give one-to-three-word answers to a specific set of questions. Also, test-takers may consider rushing through this question type due to its uncomplicated essence. Nevertheless, be more careful with unwanted mistakes while answering in a hurry.

Short Answer Questions IELTS reading will evaluate your:

  • Skimming techniques for the general meaning
  • Identifying keywords, synonyms, and paraphrases
  • Scanning technique for specific information

Some examples for this question type:

short answer questions

2. Ielts Reading Short answer questions strategies

2.1. read the requirements carefully.

A thorough consideration of the instructions should be prioritised in the first place. Candidates should cautiously take special notes of the word limit for the answers  (e.g. NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER).

short answer questions ielts reading

2.2. Read the questions and try to Understand what is being asked

Having a deep understanding of what the questions are asking will help test-takers save time for locating the information in the given text.

2.3. Identify and Underline key words and Think of synonyms or paraphrases

Remember that the questions will not appear exactly the same in the reading text, therefore, while identifying and underlining key words, try to think of potential synonyms or paraphrases based on your own words and understanding. 

Don’t panic if there are unfamiliar or new words, you can work them out in the context with help of the aforethought synonyms and paraphrases.

>>> Practice now: IELTS Reading Practice Test

2.4. Skim the text and Identify the related paragraph

Candidates had better read the first sentence of each paragraph in a little more detail than the rest to get the main idea. Then, locating the information of each short answer question will be more effortless to locate.

2.5. Re-read the questions in order and Find the answer

You should follow the same process of scanning keywords or synonyms or paraphrases to find the answer for each short answer question.

2.6. Double-check the answers

Maybe you have missed something that forces you to check the answers again after finding them.

You should check whether your answer is correct or not, as well as spelling, and grammatical mistakes.

3. Common mistakes and tips for short answer questions in IELTS reading

>> Read more: IELTS Reading Summary Completion Questions

ielts reading short answer questions

Other tips for Short Answer Questions in IELTS Reading:

  • Don’t worry about the order of the questions since they will follow a sequence.
  • Don’t exceed the word limit or you will lose a chance to get a point.
  • Only use the actual words from the reading text for your answers instead of your own words. Also, make sure that your answers are grammatically correct.
  • Don’t take too much time on one question but move to the next one if you are not sure about the answer. Note down the hesitations

These strategies and tips can help you master the Short Answer Questions in IELTS Reading . However, practice makes perfect so install our app – IELTS Test Pro now with manifold updated tests preparing for your IELTS Test journey.

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Short answers and Short Forms

Answering a question with ‘yes’ or ‘no’ may sometimes be considered impolite; It might give the impression that the person answering is not really interested in replying. Here are some examples of short answers. We usually repeat the words that come first in the verb phrase.

Lesson by Tristan, teacher at EC Malta. Learn English in Malta

Can you give me an answer by tomorrow?  "Yes, I can./No, I can’t." Do you like skiing? "Yes, I do./No, I don’t." Have you started Tango lessons yet? "Yes, I have./No, I haven’t" However: Have you started Tango lessons yet?  "No, not yet. (is also possible)"

Modal Verbs

With modal verbs we change the modal verb depending on the situation and meaning: Will you come to the party?  "Yes, we might. (we’re not sure.) / Yes, we are. (coming to the party)"

With 'Think'

Do you think they’ll like the show?  "Yes, I think they will. / They might not."

With verbs like; think, suppose, expect, hope, imagine, expect we use ‘so’ or ‘not’ in the answer.

Can you give me an answer by tomorrow? "I hope so. I think so. I expect so." Does he like skiing? "I imagine so." Do you think it’ll rain tomorrow? "I hope not." Do you think he was upset?  "I don’t think so."

Short Answers

Short answers can have adverbials like probably, maybe, possibly. Do you think he was upset? "Yes, probably. Probably not."

Short answers when agreeing or disagreeing. We can use short answers when we agree or disagree. Again we usually use the first part of the verb phrase. It’s a great story.  "Yes it is." They might have got stuck in traffic. "Yes, they might." They will be arriving in the morning. "No, they won’t. They’ll get here in the afternoon."

Auxiliary Verb 'Do'

We use the auxiliary ‘do’ to agree or disagree. He plays the violin so well.   "Yes, he does." Marc lives in Paris. "No, he doesn’t. He lives in Rome." They all enjoyed the party. "Yes, they did."

Choose the correct form for the following:

  • 1) Do you like travelling? Yes, I like. Yes, I am. Yes, I do.
  • 2) Have you spoken to Paul about the problem? No, I won’t. No, I didn’t. No, I haven’t.
  • 3) Do you think they will arrive in time? I hope so. I might. I hope to.
  • 4) Do you think the trip will be long? Yes, I expect so. Yes, I will. Yes, it is.
  • 5) Did it rain when you were in London? No, it doesn’t. No, it didn’t. No, it wasn’t.
  • 6) Do you think it will be bad weather tomorrow? Yes, it is. Yes, it might. Yes, I will.
  • 7) The French all speak English. No, they don’t. Not all of them. No they do. Not all of them. No they are.Not all of them.

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ielts-material

Short Answer Questions IELTS Reading Lessons, Tips

Zuhana

Updated On Sep 18, 2023

short answer questions meaning

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Short Answer Questions IELTS Reading Lessons, Tips

Recent IELTS Reading Test with Answers - Free PDF

Understanding IELTS Short Answer Questions

Most of the time, candidates find this question type to be the easiest. Basically, all you have to do is read the given text and simply answer a specific set of questions in one to three words. Considering that this question type is not too difficult, candidates may get tempted to rush through questions. However, this may lead to unwanted mistakes. Thus, ensure that you are careful while answering. 

Strategies for answering the Short Answer questions

There are a few strategies that have to be borne in mind while answering these types of questions. They are listed below:

  • Read the instructions carefully, taking special notes of the word limit for the answer
  • Read the questions and understand what is being asked.
  • Underline all of the keywords and think of potential synonyms.
  • Stay cautious for all the synonyms and keywords. However, don’t read each and every line. Skim through the text.
  • Read the first question. Then, scan the first and second paragraphs until you find the answer. Repeat the process for each question. 

Tips for Short Answer Questions IELTS questions

Some tips to answer the questions and obtain a high band in the IELTS examination are given below: 

  • First read the question and then read the text
  • Understand what is being asked
  • The answers are going to be in the order, so look likewise
  • Don’t go beyond the word limit
  • Use the real words as mentioned in the text

Sample Practice

Questions 1-4.

Answer the questions below. Use NO MORE THAN SIX WORDS from the passage for each answer. 

Write your answers next to 1-4 on your answer sheet. 

  • What exactly overwhelms people?
  • What is the singular failure of the modern information age?
  • According to the author, what has the world turned into?
  • What are the consequences in the workplace of moving large amounts of raw data around?

Explanation

What is a short response question.

Short answer questions are the open-ended questions that need you to write an answer. Commonly, they are used to evaluate the basic knowledge and understanding.

What skills are tested with short answer questions?

Skills like ability to skim the paragraphs and understanding the meaning, proficiency in scanning the certain information, understanding the question, identifying keywords and thinking of possible paraphrases and synonyms of keywords are judged. 

What is the word limit in short answer questions?

The word limit ranges anywhere between 2-4 words. 

Here are the 10 examples for the Short Answer Questions:

Also check: 

  • IELTS Reading tips
  • IELTS Reading Practice Test
  • True False Not Given IELTS Reading
  • IELTS Reading recent actual test
  • IELTS past paper pdf

Practice IELTS Reading based on question types

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Zuhana

Nafia Zuhana is an experienced content writer and IELTS Trainer. Currently, she is guiding students who are appearing for IELTS General and Academic exams through ieltsmaterial.com. With an 8.5 score herself, she trains and provides test takers with strategies, tips, and nuances on how to crack the IELTS Exam. She holds a degree in Master of Arts – Creative Writing, Oxford Brookes University, UK. She has worked with The Hindu for over a year as an English language trainer.

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  1. Short answer questions

    Short answer questions (or SAQs) can be used in examinations or as part of assessment tasks. They are generally questions that require students to construct a response. Short answer questions require a concise and focused response that may be factual, interpretive or a combination of the two. SAQs can also be used in a non-examination situation.

  2. What Is a Short Answer and How Is It Used?

    Short answers are brief but complete—they can answer "yes or no" questions or more complicated queries. Conventionally, the verb in a short answer is in the same tense as the verb in the question asked. Also, the verb in the short answer should agree in person and number with its subject. Examples of Short Answers

  3. Short Answer

    Watch on Writing Short Answer Responses by Heart Lake Literacy Keyword Clues in Short Answer Questions Here are some typical words (instructions) you might find in a short-answer test and their meaning. Understanding the question ensures that you respond to it fully—and earn full marks! Short Answer Quick Tips

  4. Answering Short-Answer Essays

    With the essay question (short or long), how well you document your answer will often make the difference between an A and B grade. Well-Presented Writing Students who do not use the accepted rules of English are often thought to be less competent or knowledgeable than those who do.

  5. Best Preparation Tips for Short Answer Tests

    Often short answer questions will ask you to describe, list, compare, contrast, identify, analyze, summarize, or a combination of these. If you describe when you're supposed to compare, or summarize when you've been instructed to analyze, your test performance is going to decrease. Budget your time

  6. 8 tips for designing short answer questions

    Remember that "tricky" questions have no place in a proper exam. Avoid new language: Avoid using any new terms or language when writing short answer questions. All wording used in your examination should be familiar to your students to avoid confusion. Memory triggers: Short answer questions should include memory triggers or recognizable ...

  7. PDF Short-Answer Exams

    In general, there are two types of short-answer exam questions: factual (i.e. testing memory work) and interpretive (i.e. testing your ability to apply learnt concepts). Factual short-answer questions The function of factual questions is to describe or define the way things are.

  8. TALIC

    Short-answer questions are open-ended questions that require students to create an answer. They are commonly used in examinations to assess the basic knowledge and understanding (low cognitive levels) of a topic before more in-depth assessment questions are asked on the topic. Structure of Short Answer Questions

  9. Types of assignment: Short answer questions

    Short answer questions. Some assignments have questions that are broken down into parts that each require a brief answer. These are called short answer questions. Short answer questions require concise answers so it is essential to read the question carefully and to take account of the process words. It is all too easy to go off track and ...

  10. PDF What Are Short Answer or Fill-in-the-blanks Questions?

    Reserve short answer questions for situations where supplying the answer is a necessary part of the learning outcome you are measuring, such as: • When you want students to recall information instead of recognize it • When you use computational problems • When multiple-choice or true-false questions would make the answer obvious

  11. Short Answers In English Grammar

    Short answers are how we reply to yes/no questions and statements in English. Short answers are more polite than a simple yes or no. Form affirmative short answers with yes + subject + auxiliary verb; form negative short answers with no + subject + negated auxiliary verb.

  12. Short answer question reading strategies

    7. Find the answer by reading the 2-3 lines before and after the word/phrase. For short answer questions, the answer is usually close to the key words. This means that you may find it before, after or around the information you highlighted at step 6. Read the 2-3 lines before and after the key words.

  13. PDF Dealing with Short Answer questions

    9 Put the following into the correct order to give you a strategy for dealing with Short Answer questions. 1 Put your answers on the answer sheet (test on paper) or type in the answers on. screen (test on computer). 2 Read the questions and underline the key words. 3 Scan the appropriate paragraphs to find the answers.

  14. Short answer questions in exams

    Many exams and tests will have a section of short-answer questions. The following videos will take you through how to prepare for short-answer questions in exams. Answer the interactive questions as you watch the videos. The videos identify seven key points: 1. Deconstruct the question. Identify three types of words: task words, topic words and ...

  15. Part 11: How To Prepare For Short Answer Questions

    Part 11: How To Prepare For Short Answer Questions - Matrix Education. Nervous about facing HSC English Paper 1? Learn how to respond to short answer questions in our Beginner's Guide to Acing HSC English!

  16. IELTS Reading lesson: short answer questions

    The order of questions can help you. Answer for question 4 will be between answers for questions 3 and 5 in the text. If text introduces new terms, some answers are likely to be among them. Useful exercises for IELTS Reading short-answer questions: Exercise 1. Exercise 2.

  17. PDF Short Answer Questions

    Short answer questions tend to be short, and have more precise answers, thus, it is possible for each question, list all ... Definition: Definition is strong and clear. Some details and definition is generally correct. Limited or weak definition. Question has not been

  18. How to teach short answers

    3b) Short answers Simon says. This game is based on the well-known children's game, with hearing a Yes/ No question being equivalent hearing "Simon says…" in the original game. Students listen to questions and must answer only with short answers, meaning that they must stay silent if they hear Wh- questions, statements, etc.

  19. Tips for IELTS Short Answer Questions

    Tips Remember with True, False, Not Given questions, you should first see if the statement given agrees with the information in the reading. If it does it is true. Otherwise, it must be false or not given.

  20. IELTS Reading Short Answer Questions

    At first, read the short answer questions to deeply understand the meaning, and underline keywords to locate the information later: 2. Leaving blank answers. Try to not let any questions be unanswered. Give the answers to every question and you may get a point from your predictions: 3.

  21. Short answers and Short Forms

    Short answers when agreeing or disagreeing. We can use short answers when we agree or disagree. Again we usually use the first part of the verb phrase. It's a great story. "Yes it is." They might have got stuck in traffic. "Yes, they might." They will be arriving in the morning. "No, they won't.

  22. Short Answer Questions IELTS Reading Lessons, Tips

    Short answer questions are the open-ended questions that need you to write an answer. Commonly, they are used to evaluate the basic knowledge and understanding. What skills are tested with short answer questions? Skills like ability to skim the paragraphs and understanding the meaning, proficiency in scanning the certain information ...