pose a question

Meaning

1. 1phraseidiomformal

   To put a question forward for people to think about or answer, often a serious or difficult one.

   Grammar: Pose is the verb and the question is its object: she posed a question to the class.

   Patterns

   • pose a question to someone
   • pose a question about something

   The teacher posed a question to the whole class before the break.

   His article poses a question many voters have been asking.

   At the meeting, a student posed a question about the budget.

Word forms

Common combinations

pose a question to

The reporter posed a question to the mayor.

pose a difficult question

The child posed a difficult question about space.

pose a question about

Let me pose a question about the schedule.

pose the question

I'll pose the question again for anyone who missed it.

pose an interesting question

The film poses an interesting question about memory.

Synonyms and how they differ

ask

Ask is the ordinary everyday word, whereas pose a question sounds more formal and deliberate.

raise

Raise a question suggests bringing up a point for discussion, while pose suggests presenting it for an answer.

put

Put a question to someone is formal, and mostly British.

query

Query is more technical and often used about requests for information.

Opposites

Word family

pose verb

to put forward or present

question noun

a sentence that asks for an answer

questioner noun

a person who asks questions

Commonly confused: pose a question or propose a question? pose a question or pause?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “pose a question”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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