leaving a question open

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "leaving a question open" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing a situation where a question has not been answered or resolved, allowing for further discussion or inquiry. Example: "The speaker concluded the presentation by leaving a question open for the audience to ponder."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Our data is in conflict with two previous biomarker-based studies leaving a question open of whether these fats are truly unrelated to preeclampsia or whether an association exists at greater intake levels.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Leaving a question open-ended gives your opponents room to refute.

WikiHow

Indeed, these limitations unfortunately leave a question open concerning the identity of the mentioned ball-lightning-like objects and natural thunderstorm related ball lightning.

Nanoscale Research Letters

But it left an important question open: whether the required testimony must come from the analyst who actually did the work or from a colleague or a supervisor.

The New York Times

However, measuring the level of attention in this way leaves an important question open: Do the followers of this user really read this message or does it get lost in the vast information flow one user is confronted with when following a large number of accounts?

European Journal of Futures Research

Therefore, our frequency based approach leaves a few questions open.

Plosone

That is because Israel refuses to demarcate its future borders, leaving an open question of what it considers to be the extent of the "existence" it is demanding Hamas recognises.

The Guardian - Opinion

It is interesting to note that many known MITEs, such as the Stowaway family in rice, have no homologies with other TEs, leaving an open question regarding the origin and means of replication of these small, non-autonomous elements [ 58].

BMC Genomics

In the majority of these species, the sex-determining (SEX) locus has been identified on different chromosomes (Woram et al. 2003; Li et al. 2011), leaving an open question about the uniqueness of a master sex-determining gene in this family (Davidson et al. 2009).

Evolutionary Applications

This bridging of H3K27me3 and H3K9me3 domains is thought to be necessary for Xi compaction, however, depletion of HBiX or SMCHD1 by siRNA did not lead to upregulation of Xi-linked genes [ 52], leaving an open question as to whether H3K9me3 has silencing function in XCI and whether that function is dependent on HP1 and HBiX binding.

Epigenetics and Chromatin

Does the result hold for any finite group G, at least in the case of an Abelian variety A? We leave this question open, hoping to return on it.

Bulletin of Mathematical Sciences

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In debates, instead of providing a definitive answer on a complex point, consider "leaving a question open" to challenge your opponents to engage with the nuance and complexity of the issue.

Common error

Don't use "leaving a question open" as an excuse to avoid addressing difficult aspects of a topic. Ensure you've provided sufficient context before suggesting further inquiry; otherwise, it might appear as a lack of preparation or understanding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "leaving a question open" functions as a verbal phrase indicating that an issue or inquiry remains unresolved or unanswered. This often serves to invite further discussion or exploration of a topic, which Ludwig confirms.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "leaving a question open" is grammatically correct and commonly used to indicate that an issue remains unresolved and requires further investigation. Ludwig confirms its usability and correctness. It is appropriate for various contexts, including science, news, and general discourse. While versatile, it's best employed when genuinely seeking further inquiry rather than avoiding direct answers. Alternatives like "keeping a question unresolved" or "leaving the issue open" offer similar meanings, but the specific choice should reflect the context and desired nuance. Its neutral register ensures broad applicability across diverse audiences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

leaving it an open question

This variation uses a slightly different sentence structure but retains the core meaning.

keeping a question unresolved

This alternative emphasizes the state of the question remaining unanswered, maintaining a high degree of similarity.

leaving the issue open

Similar to the original, but uses "issue" instead of "question", broadening the scope slightly.

not closing the question

This alternative highlights the deliberate act of not concluding a discussion or inquiry.

leaving the question unanswered

This emphasizes the lack of a response or resolution to the question.

raising a question

This alternative focuses on the act of introducing a question, rather than leaving it unresolved.

posing a question

Similar to "raising a question", this highlights the act of asking, with less emphasis on the lack of an answer.

leaving the matter unresolved

This shifts the focus from a specific question to a broader issue or matter.

presenting an unsolved question

Focus shifts to the existence of the unsolved question

opening an inquiry

This suggests a more formal and structured investigation, departing from the casual sense of "leaving a question open".

FAQs

How can I use "leaving a question open" in a sentence?

You can use "leaving a question open" to indicate that an issue is unresolved or that further investigation is needed. For example, "The research concludes, "leaving a question open" about the long-term effects of the treatment".

What are some alternatives to "leaving a question open"?

Some alternatives include "keeping a question unresolved", "leaving the issue open", or "not closing the question". The best choice depends on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "leaving a question open" in writing?

It's appropriate to use "leaving a question open" when you want to acknowledge that a topic requires further exploration or that there are unresolved aspects to a discussion. Use it when you want to encourage further thought or investigation rather than providing a definitive conclusion.

What's the difference between "leaving a question open" and "raising a question"?

"Leaving a question open" implies that a question has been introduced but not answered, whereas "raising a question" simply means introducing a question for consideration. The former suggests a state of incompleteness, while the latter focuses on the act of inquiry.