Related Pages
What Is a Rhetorical Question? (with Examples)
Rhetorical Question
A rhetorical question is a question for which no answer is expected. A rhetorical question is typically asked to make a point or to introduce a subject.

Examples of a Rhetorical Questions
Here are some examples of rhetorical questions:A rhetorical question can be used to make a positive point:
- What's not to like? (It's like saying "I like it", which is a statement.)
- Who doesn't love pizza? ("I love pizza.")
- Wow, who knew? ("This is surprisingly good.")
- Does it look like I'm bothered? ("I'm not bothered.")
- What is the matter with kids today? ("Kids today have issues")
- What have the Romans ever done for us? (from Monty Python's Life of Brian) ("The Romans have done nothing for us.")
- Why should you take by force that from us which you can have by love? (from the 1607 speech to white settlers by Chief Powhatan, father of Pocahontas) ("We'd have provided for you if you'd asked nicely.)
- Is your boss still ignoring you?
- Do bears, er, live in the woods?
- What are super foods?
- Why do we need to reduce carbon emissions?
- What happened to your vote?
More about Rhetorical Questions

That said though, even today, some people consider a rhetorical question to be more statement than question, and they don't end one with a question mark, opting instead for a full stop (period, in the US) or an exclamation mark. Perhaps there's some merit to that, but it's not a popular convention. You're far more likely to be red-penned for avoiding a question mark than praised for it. Use a question mark with a rhetorical question.
Examples of Rhetorical Questions in Literature
Here are two commonly cited rhetorical questions written by Playwright William Shakespeare:- "If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh?
If you poison us, do we not die?
And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? (Shylock from Shakespeare’s play "The Merchant of Venice")
- What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet. (Juliet from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet")
Why Should I Care about Rhetorical Questions?
Using a rhetorical question to introduce a new subject or idea is a useful trick to keep up your sleeve. There are two benefits:(Benefit 1) Rhetorical questions make good titles and are engaging.
Look at this title for a magazine article:- Who Was Responsible for the Genocide in Srebrenica? (This is far more engaging than a title like "Responsibility for the Genocide in Srebrenica".)
Of interest, some argue that a rhetorical question that introduces an idea isn't actually a rhetorical question because the answer is provided immediately after the question (i.e., it's just a normal question with an answer). There's some logic to that argument, but, as such questions don't expect answers from those being "asked," they are rhetorical.)
(Benefit 2) Rhetorical questions can be diplomatic.
Look at this title for a lecture:- Who was the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest?
A rhetorical question can have the effect of a soft statement. So, when some diplomacy is required, using a rhetorical question might be a good option.
Of course, a rhetorical question doesn't have to be a title. It could be in the middle of your text.
- Sir Edmund Hillary is credited for being the first man to conquer Mount Everest. But, who did reach the summit first? Some believe that Englishman George Mallory, who led an expedition to Everest in 1924, reached the summit first. However, Mallory died on the mountain, and it is unknown whether he reached the top.
Key Points
- Use a rhetorical question as a title to engage your readers.
- Use a rhetorical question like a soft statement when some diplomacy is required.
Interactive Exercise
Here are three randomly selected questions from a larger exercise, which can be edited, printed to create an exercise worksheet, or sent via email to friends or students.- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?