essential question

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase “essential question” is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in any context in which you need to pose a question that is important to the topic at hand. For example, “What is the essential question behind this issue?”.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That is an essential question".

The New York Times

"That is always the essential question".

The Guardian - Film

Which is, of course, the essential question of every dystopia.

The Guardian - Books

And basically the essential question of every teenager, too.

The Guardian - Books

The essential question, she said, is the quality of review.

The New York Times

But it was nonetheless an essential question, perhaps the essential question when it comes to considering Cruise's more than thirty years as a movie star.

The New Yorker

But the campaign had to begin with a simple, essential question: what exactly was causing SARS?

The New York Times

It gets at that essential question of what part of ourself is continuing".

The Guardian - Film

What if – the storyteller's essential question – what if we could be watching "War & Peace Regained"?

The Guardian - TV & Radio

So when I consider that simple, essential question — What is narrative?

The New Yorker

But if we are being used as a pawn, we must ask ourselves an essential question.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "essential question" to frame discussions or arguments. It can help to focus the conversation and prevent it from straying into less relevant areas.

Common error

Avoid using "essential question" repetitively in a single document or presentation. While it's a useful phrase, overuse can diminish its impact and make your writing sound monotonous. Instead, consider rephrasing or using synonyms like "key question" or "core question".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "essential question" functions as a noun phrase that identifies a question of utmost importance. It serves to highlight a critical inquiry that needs to be addressed in order to understand a particular subject matter, as confirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

18%

Formal & Business

11%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "essential question" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to denote a fundamental inquiry, as confirmed by Ludwig. It functions as a noun phrase and serves to emphasize the critical nature of a specific question within a discussion or analysis. It is most commonly found in news and media, science, and formal business contexts. To enhance clarity and avoid repetition, related phrases such as "key question" or "core question" can be used. When using "essential question", ensure that the question truly reflects the core issue being addressed, and avoid overuse to maintain its impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

key question

Replaces "essential" with "key", emphasizing the importance and centrality of the question.

fundamental question

Substitutes "essential" with "fundamental", highlighting the foundational nature of the question.

core question

Uses "core" instead of "essential" to denote the most important or central aspect of the inquiry.

central question

Employs "central" as a substitute for "essential", indicating the question's primary importance.

critical question

Replaces "essential" with "critical", stressing the crucial nature of the question.

vital question

Substitutes "essential" with "vital", underscoring the question's importance for success or survival.

basic question

Uses "basic" instead of "essential" to denote the foundational aspect of the inquiry.

primary question

Employs "primary" as a substitute for "essential", indicating the question's main importance.

main question

Replaces "essential" with "main", stressing the chief nature of the question.

underlying question

Substitutes "essential" with "underlying", highlighting the implicit or fundamental aspect of the question.

FAQs

How to use "essential question" in a sentence?

You can use "essential question" to introduce a critical inquiry. For example, "The "essential question" is: How can we improve student outcomes?"

What can I say instead of "essential question"?

You can use alternatives like "key question", "fundamental question", or "core question" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "essential question" or "important question"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but ""essential question"" implies that the question is absolutely necessary to address, while "important question" simply means the question is of high value or significance.

What's the difference between "essential question" and "guiding question"?

An ""essential question"" is a fundamental inquiry that must be answered, while a "guiding question" is a question used to steer a conversation or investigation, potentially not being the definitive inquiry to be answered.