ICQs & CCQs
The art of checking understanding — why “Do you understand?” is the wrong question, and what to ask instead.
Why Checking Matters
The invisible problem at the heart of every lesson — and the two tools that make it visible.
A student who does not understand will rarely say so. Social pressure, embarrassment, and the desire to please the teacher all conspire to produce the same response: a nod, a smile, or a quiet “yes.” Without active checking strategies, this gap remains invisible until it surfaces in an assignment — or never at all. Effective teachers engineer situations where comprehension becomes visible.
The two main tools for doing this are Instruction Checking Questions (ICQs) and Concept Checking Questions (CCQs). They serve different purposes, are used at different moments, and are designed in different ways.
ICQ — Instruction Check
- Checks that students understand what to do
- Used before an activity begins
- Targets task logistics: who, what, how long, with whom
- Prevents wasted time on a misunderstood task
CCQ — Concept Check
- Checks that students understand language meaning
- Used after presenting vocabulary, grammar, or a function
- Targets meaning, form, or appropriacy
- Prevents building further learning on a shaky foundation
This question is well-intentioned but almost useless. It is a yes/no question with a social default answer of “yes.” Studies in ELT practice consistently identify this as one of the most common yet least effective checking strategies.
Similarly ineffective: “Does that make sense?” / “Are you ready?” / “OK?” / “Got it?”
Instruction Checking Questions
Making sure every student knows exactly what they are about to do — before they start.
An ICQ is a short, closed question targeted at the most likely point of confusion in an instruction. It reveals immediately whether the class is ready to proceed.
What to Check
Who
Solo, pairs, groups, or whole class?
“Are you working alone or with a partner?”What
Writing, speaking, reading, listening?
“Are you writing sentences or just notes?”Order / Steps
Multi-step tasks need sequencing.
“Do you read the text first, or write first?”How Long
Students pace themselves differently with time pressure.
“How many minutes do you have?”Worked Examples
Concept Checking Questions
Confirming that language meaning — not just sound — has been grasped.
Students can repeat a word or sentence perfectly without having any idea what it means. A CCQ probes below the surface form to test whether the meaning, use, or implication of a language item has actually been understood.
CCQs for Vocabulary
CCQs for Grammar
CCQs for Functions & Pragmatics
How to Write Effective CCQs
Six principles that separate useful questions from unhelpful ones.
Never use the target word or structure in the question
A CCQ for “exhausted” should not contain “exhausted.” Replace the target item with simpler synonyms or contextual descriptions.
Use language well below the level of the target item
If your CCQ requires advanced vocabulary to understand, you have added a second unknown. Use the simplest language possible.
Require a short, specific answer
Yes/no, a number, a single word, or a choice between two options. Short answers either confirm comprehension or reveal the gap immediately.
Check the right feature, not the obvious one
For “borrow,” the key feature is return, not cost. Identify what is pedagogically critical and target that.
Sequence from easier to harder
Start with a question students can almost certainly answer, then narrow in on the trickier distinction. Two or three questions is usually optimal.
Prepare them in advance — not on the spot
CCQs designed in the moment tend to be poor. Write your CCQs during lesson planning, when you have time to think about the concept clearly.
“The art of the CCQ is to find the simplest question whose answer could only be given correctly by someone who understood the concept.”Principle of targeted checking
In Practice
Techniques for delivering checks naturally and reading student responses well.
Wait Time
Mary Budd Rowe’s landmark research (1986) found that most teachers wait less than one second after asking a question. Extending wait time to 3–7 seconds produced striking improvements in the quality and length of student responses.
Students gave longer, more complete answers · More students participated · Responses showed higher-order thinking · Fewer “I don’t know” responses · Students asked more questions themselves.
Nomination
Ask the question first, then nominate: “Does she still live in Paris?…María?” This gives all students a moment to process.
Reading Responses
- Ask the class — “What do others think?” Peer correction is less threatening.
- Return to the context — Reconnect to the concrete anchor.
- Use a different CCQ — Approach the concept from a different direction before re-presenting.
Beyond Oral Checking
Mini whiteboards or show-of-hands
Students write or hold up answers simultaneously — the teacher sees the whole class response at once. Particularly effective for binary yes/no CCQs.
Traffic light cards
Green (understood), amber (partially), red (confused). Requires a classroom culture where honesty about confusion is normal and safe.
Concept mapping
After presenting a lexical set or grammar structure, students draw or complete a diagram showing relationships between items. Reveals the full shape of a student’s understanding.
Related Ideas & Broader Context
Where ICQs and CCQs sit within the wider landscape of responsive teaching.
Eliciting
Eliciting is drawing knowledge out of students rather than telling them. Related to CCQs but distinct: eliciting happens before presentation to find out what students already know; CCQs happen after to confirm what has been learned.
The IRF Pattern
The Initiation–Response–Feedback pattern (Sinclair & Coulthard, 1975): teacher initiates (I), student responds (R), teacher evaluates (F). Both ICQs and CCQs operate within this pattern.
Display vs. Referential Questions
Christine Brock (1986) distinguished display questions (teacher already knows the answer) from referential questions (genuine requests for information). Research shows referential questions produce longer, more complex responses.
Formative Assessment
CCQs are a form of formative assessment. Black & Wiliam’s influential meta-analysis (1998) found that effective formative assessment has among the highest effect sizes of any educational intervention.
Common Pitfalls
What goes wrong, and how to avoid it.
Using the target word in the CCQ
“If someone is exhausted, are they very exhausted or just a little exhausted?” — this confirms nothing about meaning. Replace with: “Do they have much energy, or very little?”
Asking a question that has no wrong answer
“So ‘borrow’ is a useful word, isn’t it?” — anyone can answer yes regardless of understanding. A CCQ must have a wrong answer.
Calling on the same confident student every time
The most enthusiastic hand does not represent the class. Use randomisation or pair discussion before whole-class nomination.
Overchecking — making students feel interrogated
Eight CCQs for one vocabulary item signals that language learning is a minefield. Two or three carefully chosen questions establish meaning.
ICQs after the activity has started
ICQs must come before activity onset. Stopping students mid-task to clarify instructions is disruptive.
Quick Reference
Everything on one card — for your lesson planning toolkit.
ICQ — Before Every Activity
- What are students producing? (oral / written)
- Solo, pairs, or groups?
- How long?
- What do they do first?
- Any constraints? (no L1, no notes…)
- Max 1–2 questions
CCQ — After Every Presentation
- Never use the target word
- Use simpler language than the item
- Yes/no or short answer only
- 2–3 questions: easy → harder
- Target the key semantic/grammatical feature
- Prepare in advance, not on the spot
“Do you understand?” / “Does that make sense?” / “OK?” / “Are you ready?” — these produce compliance responses, not evidence of comprehension.
Ask a short, closed question whose correct answer requires genuine understanding. Wait 3–7 seconds. Nominate after waiting.