QUESTION MATRIX

The Question Matrix, developed by Charles Wiederhold (1995), is a collection of 36 question starters that help promote student thinking.
They ask what, where, which, who, why and how. The questions towards the top of the matrix are knowledge and information questions, while the questions in the lower
rows require analysing, synthesising and evaluating and promote higher order thinking. Students can generate and answer their own questions about any topic, or
teachers can use the matrix to ensure a wide variety of questioning in their classrooms.
PRESENT
KNOWING
Can you recall what
you have seen or
heard?
PAST
UNDERSTANDING
Can you explain or
show you understand?
POSSIBILITY
APPLYING
Can you use the new
knowledge or show
how it connects to
other things you know
or can do?
PROBABILITY
ANALYSING
Can you break down
the information in a
meaningful way?
PREDICTION
EVALUATION
Can you justify a
decision with evidence
of reasoning?
IMAGINATION
CREATING
Can you create new
products, ideas or a
new way of looking at
things?

EVENT
What is? What
happened after?

SITUATION
Where/When is?
What happened
when?

CHOICE
Which did?
Which is true or
false?

PERSON
Who is?
What was it that?
Can you name?
Who spoke to?

REASON
Why is?

MEANS
How is?
How many?

What did?
What was the main
idea?

Where/When did?
What do you think
could have
happened next?
Where/When can?
Do you know of
another instance
when?

Which did?

Who did?
Who do you think?
Does everyone act
in the way does?
Who can?
Who can you think
of that would be
able to?

Why did?

How did?
How would you
explain?

Why can?
Why can some
people. And
others cant?

How can?
From the
information given
can you develop a
set of instructions
for?

Where/When
would?
Can you explain
what must/might
have happened
when?
Where/When will?
What happened
when ?

Which would?
Which choices lead
to?

Who would?
What were some of
the motives
behind doing
what they did?

Why would? Why

didchanges
occur?

How would?
How is.similar/
different to?

Which will?
Which is more
important or .?

Why will?
Why was this a
success/otherwise?

How will?
How would you
have handled? How
effective are?

Where/When
might?

Which might?

Who will?
Do you believe
whatsaid?
How would you
feel if?
Who might?
Can you see
possible solutions
to/for?

Why might?

How might?
How many ways
can you?

What can?

What would?
If happened,
what might the
ending have been
What will?
What do you think
about?
What might?
What might be
created by
combining and
.

Which can?
Which factors
would you change
if?