a tentative question

USAGE SUMMARY

"a tentative question" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to ask a question in a gentle or non-threatening way. For example: "Can I ask you a tentative question?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

And then a tentative question: "Perhaps 2011 will come to rank alongside 1968 and 1989 as a year of global revolt?" This year has so far seen convulsive events in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Syria and Yemen.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The performance style is practically anti-theatrical, with actors stammering and pausing and speaking guilelessly right from an actor's first tentative question to the audience: "May I begin?" This is the characterization that the troupe has in mind for its writer-subject, Okada.

The Washington Post

Instead, TV commentators asked tentative questions about a religion that few had heard of.

Huffington Post

Absent are the tentative questions of a young woman trying to process life and love through song, and in their place are the assured words and music of a star who feels like she has learned a lot about life and wants to share her knowledge.

Los Angeles Times

But after Israel withdrew its troops last month from Lebanon, where Syria is the power broker, officials here and in Syria voiced tentative questions about renewing the peace effort.

The New York Times

Tentative questions were posed to the data; e.g., What might the understanding behind this expression be?

BMC Family Practice

We will discuss four domains of quality criteria and provide a tentative list of questions to be considered by researchers when engaging in EE research.

BMC Medical Ethics

They might also be a tentative answer to the question of whether he's primarily a novelist or a dramatist: the building blocks of his imagination seem to take a dialogic form.

The Guardian - Books

— What if everybody had an ocean, across the U.S.A.? A tentative answer to that question took shape on a recent morning in a giant artificial body of water within 160 acres of cactus-studded former ranch land here in Hill Country.

The New York Times

We're asked to accept, for instance, that Posy is simultaneously a provocatively brilliant scholar and a ditzy ingénue who betrays all the telltale linguistic tics of a Valley Girl, such as peppering her speech with the filler word "like" and turning every statement into a tentative, like, y'know, question?

The New York Times - Books

Preliminary research done at Touro University in Vallejo gives a tentative yes to that question, a professor said.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a tentative question" when you want to express uncertainty or a lack of confidence in the question being asked. It softens the inquiry.

Common error

Avoid using "a tentative question" excessively, as it can make your communication seem weak or indecisive. Balance tentative inquiries with more direct questions to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a tentative question" functions as a noun phrase, where 'tentative' modifies 'question'. It typically introduces a question that is posed with uncertainty or caution. Ludwig AI confirms this through its examples, showcasing the phrase's role in softening the inquiry.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a tentative question" is a phrase used to introduce a query with uncertainty or caution. As Ludwig AI confirms, it functions as a noun phrase and serves to soften the inquiry. Although its usage is relatively rare, the phrase appears across diverse contexts, including news, science, and academia. When using this phrase, be mindful of the potential for appearing indecisive; balance it with more direct questions as needed. Alternatives like "a hesitant inquiry" or "a cautious question" can offer subtle shifts in meaning. Ultimately, understanding the nuances of "a tentative question" allows for more effective and considerate communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a hesitant inquiry

Replaces "question" with "inquiry" and "tentative" with "hesitant", emphasizing the reluctance or uncertainty in asking.

a cautious question

Substitutes "tentative" with "cautious", highlighting the care taken in phrasing the question.

a speculative query

Replaces "question" with "query" and "tentative" with "speculative", suggesting the question is based on conjecture.

a provisional question

Synonymizes "tentative" with "provisional", indicating the question is subject to change or confirmation.

a preliminary inquiry

Replaces both "tentative" and "question" with synonyms that highlight the introductory nature of the questioning.

a gentle question

Substitutes "tentative" with "gentle", focusing on the considerate manner of questioning.

an initial question

Replaces "tentative" with "initial", emphasizing that it's the first question asked.

a qualifying question

Substitutes "tentative" with "qualifying", suggesting the question aims to set conditions or understand specifics.

a trial question

Substitutes "tentative" with "trial", suggesting the question is exploratory or experimental.

an exploratory question

Replaces "tentative" with "exploratory", highlighting the probing nature of the question.

FAQs

How can I use "a tentative question" in a sentence?

You can use "a tentative question" when introducing a question you're unsure about, like: "I have "a tentative question" about the budget."

What's a good alternative to "a tentative question"?

Alternatives include "a hesitant inquiry", "a cautious question", or "a preliminary inquiry", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to ask "a tentative question"?

It's appropriate to ask "a tentative question" when you are unsure of the answer, when you want to be polite or non-confrontational, or when you are exploring a sensitive topic.

Is "a tentative question" too weak for formal writing?

While "a tentative question" is acceptable, consider using stronger alternatives like "a preliminary question" or "a speculative query" in formal writing to convey more confidence.