Meaning & use
key question
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
The most important question that needs to be answered about a situation or problem.
Grammar: Countable: a key question, the key questions. Often followed by about or of: a key question about safety.
Patterns
- a key question about something
- the key question is ...
- raise a key question
- answer a key question
The key question is whether we have enough time to finish.
Reporters asked the mayor a key question about the new road.
One key question remains: who will pay for the repairs?
Word forms
| plural | key questions |
|---|
Common combinations
- the key question is
- The key question is how we can reduce costs.
- a key question about
- She asked a key question about the data.
- raise a key question
- The study raises a key question about safety.
- answer a key question
- The experiment answered a key question in biology.
Synonyms and how they differ
- central question
- Very similar, but central question sounds a little more formal and academic.
- main issue
- Focuses on the problem or topic rather than on the question itself.
- crucial question
- Similar meaning, but crucial question emphasizes that the answer is extremely important.
Opposites
Word family
- key adjective
- Most important; used before a noun: a key point.
- question noun
- A sentence or phrase used to ask for information.
- questioning noun
- The act of asking questions.
Commonly confused: key question or key issue?
key question vs key issue
A key issue is the problem or topic itself; a key question is the question you need to answer about it.
Practice
The ______ question is whether the new law will actually help.
Choose one answer.
We need the adjective 'key' before the noun 'question'. 'Keyed', 'keys', and 'keying' are verb forms and do not fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “key question”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.