Open questions usually begin with What and How.

• A. Is and Are
• B. Why and Where
• C. What and How
• D. When and Who

Answer: (C)

Open questions invite clients to describe, elaborate, and reflect rather than give yes/no answers. When a clinician starts with What or How, the prompt encourages describing events, feelings, and processes in the client’s own words, leading to richer detail and insight. For example, What happened next? How did you cope with that feeling? These starters require more than a simple yes or no and foster narrative and meaning, which is essential in counseling.

Is and Are tend to produce yes/no responses, which limit depth. When and Who often guide toward specific moments, dates, or people, which can miss the broader experience. Why and Where can be open, but they may shift toward justification or location rather than ongoing description. Because What and How consistently invite expansive, descriptive responses, they are the best fit for open questions.