A question phrased in a manner that there is a strong implication that the answer is already known when it is not is called

• A. Direct question
• B. Assumptive question
• C. Leading question
• D. Loaded question

Answer: (B)

In questioning, the key idea is how a question can plant a presupposition—an assumption about something that isn’t proven yet. When a question strongly implies that the answer is already known, it’s taking the form of an assumptive question. This kind of framing nudges the respondent toward a particular conclusion by presuming a fact that may not be true, which can bias the reply and obscure the true account of what happened. For example, asking something like, “When did you stop doing X?” presumes that you did X in the past, even if that’s not established, which is characteristic of an assumptive question.

This differs from a direct, neutral question, which asks for information without pushing a prior assumption, and from a leading question, which tries to steer toward a specific answer rather than simply presuppose a fact. It also differs from a loaded question, which traps the respondent by anchoring the question to a controversial or loaded premise. In practice, avoiding assumptive wording helps keep responses more accurate and uncolored by unproven assumptions; a neutral alternative would be, “Can you describe what happened?” or “What is your account of the events?”