What are leading questions?

• A. Questions that require long answers
• B. Questions that suggest an answer
• C. Questions that challenge credibility
• D. Questions about motives

Answer: (B)

Leading questions are questions that suggest an answer by how they’re worded, often nudging the witness toward a yes or no or presupposing facts not yet established. In court practice, they’re generally not allowed on direct examination because they can bias the testimony and shape the jury’s impression. On cross-examination, they’re commonly used to control the narrative and elicit specific responses. For example, “You were at the scene at 10 p.m., weren’t you?” pushes the witness toward confirming involvement. A neutral alternative like “Where were you at 10 p.m. on the night of the incident?” invites a descriptive answer without steering. The other options describe different ideas (length of answers, challenging credibility, motives) and don’t capture what makes a question leading.