What is hypophora?
Hypophora is a figure of speech in which a speaker or writer asks a question and then answers it right away. The question and the answer both come from the same voice, so the effect is like a small conversation with the audience.
A simple example: What makes a good friend? Someone who listens before they speak.
The device is common in speeches, essays, advertising and fiction. It is especially useful when a writer wants to lead readers toward a particular conclusion, because the writer chooses both the question and the answer.
Hypophora vs. rhetorical question
The two are easy to mix up, since both use a question the audience is not expected to answer aloud.
| Hypophora | Rhetorical question | |
|---|---|---|
| Is the answer given? | Yes, immediately, by the speaker | No |
| Purpose | Guide the audience, raise and settle a point | Make a point; the answer is implied |
| Example | Why do we read? To meet minds we could not meet otherwise. | Who doesn’t want to be happy? |
In short, a rhetorical question leaves the answer unsaid because it seems obvious. Hypophora says the answer out loud. Some writers treat hypophora as a type of rhetorical question, so you may see sources describe it that way.
Hypophora examples in literature and speeches
Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”
“Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus … To be great is to be misunderstood.”
Emerson asks a challenging question, then answers it with a list of famous figures. The answer takes several sentences, which shows hypophora does not have to be short.
The Bible, Romans
A well-known example in the New Testament letter to the Romans asks, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” and answers, “God forbid.” Similar question-and-answer patterns appear throughout the letter, where the writer raises an objection and responds to it.
Political speeches
Speakers often ask what a movement or a promise means, then answer. A frequently cited example is from Barack Obama’s 2008 convention speech, which asks, “What is that promise?” and goes on to explain it. The pattern lets a speaker introduce a theme and define it in the same breath. Speechwriters often pair it with shared pronouns such as “we” and “our”; see inclusive pronouns in persuasive writing.
Fiction and nonfiction prose
Writers such as Kurt Vonnegut have used the device in essays and talks, asking what people should do with their lives and answering directly. In novels, a narrator or character may ask, “Why did he do it?” and then give the explanation, which moves the story forward.
Hypophora in everyday writing and advertising
You will find hypophora all around:
- Advertising: What’s the secret to a great cup of coffee? Fresh beans, ground just before brewing.
- Blog posts and articles: Why does this matter? Because small habits add up. Many headings in how-to writing follow this pattern.
- Classroom talk: A teacher asks, “So what caused the war?” and then explains it.
Why writers use hypophora
- To engage the audience. A question draws attention and invites the reader to think.
- To anticipate objections. The writer raises the doubt before the reader can.
- To direct thinking. The writer controls which questions get asked and how they are answered.
- To emphasize a point. The answer lands harder after a question has set it up.
- To transition. A question can move the text smoothly from one topic to the next.
How to spot hypophora
Ask three things about a passage:
- Is there a question?
- Does the same speaker answer it straight away?
- Is the question meant to guide the audience rather than to get information from them?
If all three are “yes,” it is probably hypophora. If the question hangs unanswered, it is more likely a rhetorical question.
How to write hypophora
- Pick the question your reader is already asking. “Is it worth the price?”
- Ask it plainly, in a short sentence.
- Answer at once. Don’t let a long detour separate the question from the answer.
- Keep the answer proportionate. It can be a word, a sentence or a paragraph, but it should be what the reader needs.
- Don’t overuse it. One or two well-placed questions work better than a question every other sentence.
Other names and related devices
Hypophora is also called anthypophora, ratiocinatio, apocrisis, rogatio and subjectio, depending on the source. Some older rhetoric treats “hypophora” as the question and “anthypophora” as the answer, though today the first term is often used for both.
Related devices that readers often ask about alongside hypophora include rhetorical questions, repetition and parallel structure, as in isocolon. A broader “list of literary devices” will usually include metaphor, simile, alliteration, personification, irony, hyperbole and foreshadowing, though lists differ from one source to another.
Frequently asked questions
What are some examples of hypophora in literature?
Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” and the letter to the Romans, both quoted above, are well-known cases. Prose writers and speechmakers use the device often.
Can you explain hypophora in a simple way?
It is when you ask a question and answer it yourself right away.
What is another name for hypophora?
Anthypophora is the most common alternative, along with ratiocinatio and subjectio.