Understand the idea.
Ask about one thing
Decide what you want to find out before you ask. To find out about favourite fruit, ask, 'Which fruit is your favourite?' Each person chooses one fruit.
A category is a group for answers of the same kind. Apple, banana and pear are fruit categories. A question about fruit should give answers that fit fruit groups.
Make room for the answers
Check that every answer has a place. If someone names a fruit outside your choices, add that fruit or an Other group. Keep the answer they gave.
Ask everyone the same clear question and let each person choose. Saying 'Choose apple because it is best' can change their answer, so it will not show their own favourite.
See the method in action.
Choose a question
You want to sort lunch fruit into apple, banana and pear. What could you ask?
Worked solution
- 1
Look at the groups.
Apple, banana and pear name the fruit brought for lunch.
- 2
Ask, 'Which fruit did you bring today?'
The answer tells us which fruit group to use for today's lunch.
Which fruit did you bring today?
A missing choice
Your favourite-colour choices are red and blue. Jo says green. What could you do?
Worked solution
- 1
Keep Jo's answer as green.
Green is Jo's choice, even though it is missing from the list.
- 2
Add green or an Other group.
Either gives Jo's answer a place without changing it to red or blue.
Add green or an Other group.
Try it yourself.
Check your understanding
You want to find favourite pets. Which question fits: Which pet do you like most? or What day is it?
Show answer & reasoning
Which pet do you like most?
'Which pet do you like most?' asks about pets, so its answers can go into pet groups. The day of the week does not tell us a favourite pet.
Keep practising
6 worksheet questions
Read the questions online
- Write a question with answers that could be red, blue, green or another colour.
- You want to group transport as walk, car, bus or bike. What could you ask?
- A question asks for a favourite fruit. Is train a fruit answer?
- A child likes yellow, but your list has only red and blue. How can you include the answer fairly?
- Should you ask Is blue the best colour, so choose blue? Explain.
- Choose a simple class question and name three possible answer groups.
Read the worked solutions
- Write a question with answers that could be red, blue, green or another colour.
The question asks about one colour choice.
For example, Which colour do you like best? - You want to group transport as walk, car, bus or bike. What could you ask?
The question matches the transport groups.
For example, How did you travel to school today? - A question asks for a favourite fruit. Is train a fruit answer?
The answer should belong to the fruit category or a matching Other group.
No. - A child likes yellow, but your list has only red and blue. How can you include the answer fairly?
Do not replace the child's choice with a different colour.
Add yellow or an Other group. - Should you ask Is blue the best colour, so choose blue? Explain.
That wording pushes people towards one answer.
No. - Choose a simple class question and name three possible answer groups.
Check the groups all answer the same question.
Answers vary, such as favourite play activity with drawing, blocks and reading.
Curriculum reference & lesson scope
Australian Curriculum v9 / SA Curriculum 2026
Year 1 categorical questions, response collection, lists, one-to-one displays and comparison of frequencies.
Official curriculum source ↗