Courseversity

Lesson

Analytical questions

Primary EducationGrade 6English & Language ArtsCV-PRI-G06-ELA-U01-L0545–60 min

You will learn

  • Tell factual from analytical questions.
  • Write analytical questions.
  • Answer with reasons.
  • Follow up.

Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.

Student lesson

The lesson in 60 seconds

  1. Choose a topic.
  2. Write how and why questions.
  3. Answer with reasons.
  4. Follow up.

Words to know

analytical question
a question needing reasoning, not just recall
factual question
a question with a simple fact as an answer
follow-up question
a question that extends an earlier answer
hypothetical question
a what-if question

1. Discover: Questions about the water cycle

Factual: What is evaporation? Analytical: Why does evaporation increase on hot days, and how does that affect rainfall? Hypothetical: What if the oceans were much colder? Follow-up: If the oceans cooled, what would happen to clouds?

The analytical questions need reasoning, not just recall.

Think: How do analytical questions help you learn more?

2. Understand: Questions that think

Idea 1: Factual

A factual question asks what, who, when and has a short answer.

Idea 2: Analytical

An analytical question asks how, why or what if and needs reasons and evidence.

Idea 3: Follow-up

Use follow-up and hypothetical questions to dig deeper.

Remember: Analytical questions ask how, why and what if, and need reasoning rather than recall.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Factual

Which is factual?

  1. What is.

Answer: What is evaporation?

Example 2 (We do it together): Analytical

Which is analytical?

  1. Why.

Answer: Why does evaporation increase on hot days?

Example 3 (You try): Hypothetical

Which is hypothetical?

Show the steps and answer
  1. What if.

Answer: What if the oceans were much colder?

Did you know?

Many exam questions ask you to explain why, not only to state what.

Why this matters

Analytical questions build deep understanding and critical thinking.

4. Explore: Ask deeper

Write analytical questions.

  1. Choose a topic.
  2. Write a factual question.
  3. Turn it into an analytical one.
  4. Write a follow-up.
Think about it: what did you notice?

You can ask analytical questions.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

  • How does ___ affect ___?
  • Why might ___?
  • What would happen if ___?
  • What evidence suggests ___?

Guided practice

Question 1. A question needing reasoning is an ___ question.

analytical

Question 2. A question with a simple fact answer is a ___ question.

factual

Question 3. A question that extends an answer is a ___ question.

follow-up

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

  1. A question needing reasoning is an ___ question.
  2. A question with a simple fact answer is a ___ question.
  3. A question that extends an answer is a ___ question.
  4. A what-if question is ___.
  5. Evaporation increases on ___ days.

Level 2: Grow

  1. Which question starts with what if?
  2. What would cold oceans affect?
  3. What does evaporation affect?

Level 3: Stretch

  1. Does how need reasons?
  2. Is who a factual word?
  3. Can you follow up an answer?

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Write one factual, one analytical and one hypothetical question on a topic.

Show a sample answer

three questions

Another one. Turn three factual questions into analytical ones and discuss one with a family member.

Show a sample answer

a completed task

7. Common mistakes

Mistake: Rushing without checking.
Fix: Slow down and check your work.
Another mistake: Skipping the worked example.
Fix: Study the example first, then try.

8. Lesson summary and revision card

I can…

  • I can tell factual from analytical questions.
  • I can write analytical questions.
  • I can answer with reasons.
  • I can follow up.

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

1. An analytical question needs ___.

2. A factual question has a simple ___ answer.

3. A follow-up question ___ an earlier answer.

4. A hypothetical question asks what ___.

5. Which is factual?

6. Which is analytical?

7. Which is hypothetical?

8. Which words begin analytical questions?

9. What should an analytical answer have?

10. Which is a follow-up?

11. Why ask analytical questions?

12. Which question needs a longer answer?

Challenge 1. Which turns a factual question into an analytical one?

Challenge 2. Which is a hypothetical question?

Your result appears here after you answer every question.

10. Key takeaways

  • Choose a topic.
  • Write how and why questions.
  • Answer with reasons.
  • Follow up.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Evaluating presentations. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Exam practice

These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.

  1. Difference between factual and analytical questions? [2 marks]
  2. Write an analytical question about trees. [1 mark]
  3. What is a hypothetical question? Give an example. [2 marks]
  4. What is a follow-up question? [1 mark]
  5. Explain how to ask analytical questions. [3 marks]

Total: 9 marks.

Marking guide and model answers
  1. factual has a simple fact answer [1]; analytical needs reasoning [1]
  2. a suitable how or why question [1]
  3. a what-if question [1]; What if oceans were colder? [1]
  4. a question that extends an earlier answer [1]
  5. start with how, why or what if [1]; aim for reasons and evidence [1]; follow up to dig deeper [1]

Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.

Printable worksheet

  1. A question needing reasoning is an ___ question.
  2. A question with a simple fact answer is a ___ question.
  3. A question that extends an answer is a ___ question.
  4. A what-if question is ___.
  5. Evaporation increases on ___ days.
  6. Which question starts with what if?
  7. What would cold oceans affect?
  8. What does evaporation affect?
  9. Does how need reasons?
  10. Is who a factual word?

Homework

Turn three factual questions into analytical ones and discuss one with a family member.

Answer key and marking scheme

Question Expected response Marks
1. A question needing reasoning is an ___ question. analytical 1
2. A question with a simple fact answer is a ___ question. factual 1
3. A question that extends an answer is a ___ question. follow-up 1
4. A what-if question is ___. hypothetical 1
5. Evaporation increases on ___ days. hot 1
6. Which question starts with what if? the hypothetical one 1
7. What would cold oceans affect? clouds 1
8. What does evaporation affect? rainfall 1
9. Does how need reasons? yes 1
10. Is who a factual word? yes 1
Total 10

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 analytical; 2 factual; 3 follow-up; 4 hypothetical; 5 hot. Level 2: 1 the hypothetical one; 2 clouds; 3 rainfall. Level 3: 1 yes; 2 yes; 3 yes.

Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.

Mastery and remediation

Objective Bronze (Developing) Silver (Proficient) Gold (Advanced)
O1 Tell factual from analytical questions Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O2 Write analytical questions Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O3 Answer with reasons Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation
O4 Follow up Shows this with help from an adult or a picture Does this independently and explains how they know Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation

Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

  1. Find the misconception: Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.
  2. Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
  3. Show a simpler example: Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames.
  4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
  5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
  6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child practises a key Grade 3 English skill with clear examples and a quiz. You do not need to be an expert to help.

  • Listen while your child explains the idea.
  • Ask for one new example.
  • Praise effort and careful work.
  • Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
  • Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
  • Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.

Teacher package

1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration

Lesson objectives. Learners will: tell factual from analytical questions; write analytical questions; answer with reasons; follow up.

Prerequisite knowledge. Academic discussions.

Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.

Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.

Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.

6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities

Introduction (5 min). Introduce the idea with the opening example.

Explanation (10 min). Teach the key words.

Guided activity (10 min). Practise together.

Independent activity (10 min). Check understanding with the quiz.

Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.

Key questions. What is the key idea? Can I give my own example?

Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.

10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions

Support. Use the sentence frames and work with a partner. Extension. Create a harder example of your own.

Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.

Misconceptions. Rushing without checking. Slow down and check your work.

13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme

Use the quiz, the 9-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.

16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection

Remediation. Re-read the examples slowly and use the sentence frames. Enrichment. Make up your own example and teach it to someone at home. Homework. See above.

Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.

Sources and standards

This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.

Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 6 » Speaking & Listening. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.

Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core SL.6.1c and SL.6.2 (pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail); Cambridge Primary English Stage 6 (questioning). These sources informed the lesson.

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