a follow-on question

USAGE SUMMARY

"a follow-on question" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to ask a second, related question after someone has already responded to a previous question. For example, "Can I ask a follow-on question about the implications of this policy?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But this raises a follow-on question: is Germany more like France than it is like America?

The Economist

With the latter a follow-on question then demands answering: to what degree will the new line take root?

TechCrunch

A positive response to this question led to a follow-on question: "What was the reason/ reasons for not seeking dental care?".

BMC Oral Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

A logical follow-on question, though, is to ask how long this will continue.

The Guardian - Tech

But every follow-on question I ask to tease this out only prompts a subject-changing anecdote about something else.

Huffington Post

The obvious follow-on question though is, how pressing?

The Guardian

Of these, 94 (24% of those asked and 3.4% of the total) replied 'yes' to the follow-on question "Does the appearance of these marks bother you?".

BMC Oral Health

Joshua Zucker then proposed a number of follow-on questions, including: "What if player 2 must use exactly one multiplication sign, but may use one set of parentheses?" Rich in Atlanta's response: Much to my surprise, I believe player one can still always win by specifying all odd numbers.

The New York Times

Due to the nature of the survey there was a lack of probing and follow-on questions for the examples that participants provided of their experiences.

BMC Psychiatry

It works as a thought-provoking piece, begging many follow-on questions: How might we help AHSS researchers expand a definition of research data that will be relevant to them, and how do we enable the sector to acknowledge and redress the generalisation of its definition in favour of STEM disciplines?

F1000Research

"The glimpses I had of the in- production work, and some of the follow-on questions asked by the production team bore this out".

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a follow-on question" when you need to ask a related question building upon a previous answer or statement to seek deeper understanding or further clarification.

Common error

While "a follow-on question" and "a follow-up question" are often used interchangeably, be mindful of the context. "Follow-on" often implies a logical progression of thought, while "follow-up" can simply mean a subsequent inquiry. Choose the term that best reflects the relationship between the questions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a follow-on question" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving to introduce or describe a subsequent inquiry that is related to a preceding statement or response. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this usage is grammatically correct and serves to connect related ideas.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Encyclopedias

6%

Social Media

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a follow-on question" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase for introducing a subsequent, related inquiry. As Ludwig AI confirms, its function is to seek further information or clarification, typically building upon a previous statement or response. While "follow-on" and "follow-up" are often used interchangeably, "follow-on" often implies a logical progression of thought. This phrase is seen in a variety of contexts, including news, science, and formal business settings, making it a versatile choice for many writing scenarios. Although not extremely common, using this phrase can enhance clarity and logical flow in discussions and written materials.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a subsequent question

Replaces 'follow-on' with 'subsequent', emphasizing the sequential nature of the question.

a related question

Focuses on the connection between the questions, rather than the order.

a supplementary question

Highlights that the question adds to the previous one.

an additional question

Simply indicates another question is being asked.

a probing question

Emphasizes the investigative nature of the follow-on.

a secondary question

Indicates the question comes after the initial one.

a clarifying question

Highlights the intent to gain more clarity on a topic.

a building-upon question

This alternative emphasizes that the new question is based on previous answers.

a logical extension question

This alternative highlights the logic connection between the previous question and the new one.

an expanding question

Indicates that new question covers new territory related to the previous one.

FAQs

What's the difference between "a follow-on question" and "a follow-up question"?

While similar, "a follow-on question" often suggests a logical progression or natural extension of the previous question, whereas "a follow-up question" may simply mean a subsequent or related inquiry. The context determines the most appropriate choice.

How to use "a follow-on question" in a sentence?

You can use "a follow-on question" to introduce a query that builds upon a previous response. For example, "After the initial presentation, I had a follow-on question about the budget allocation."

What are some alternatives to "a follow-on question"?

You can use alternatives like "a subsequent question", "a related question", or "an additional question" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "a follow-on question" formal or informal?

"A follow-on question" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, depending on the overall tone and subject matter of the conversation or writing.