A rhetorical question is a kind of question that is not meant to be answered. Rhetorical questions are used to make a point. This makes them different from Yes / No questions because the latter expect an answer.
Here is a quick review of Yes / No questions
Yes / No questions are asked to get a simple answer. They are usually answered with yes or no and an auxiliary verb.
Examples are given below.
Are you coming with me?
Yes, I am.
Would you like to go to the theater tonight?
No, I wouldn’t.
Did you know the answer?
Yes, I did.
Are you working in the garage?
Yes, I am.
Wh-questions are also used for getting information.
They are introduced by the following question words:
Where
What
When / What time
Which
How many / much / often / far / etc.
Why
These questions should be answered in full sentences so that the listener gets the information they need.
Examples are given below.
What do you do?
I work at a bank.
Where do you live?
I live in New York.
What time does the train leave?
The train leaves at 6.30.
How far is it to the next railway station?
It is a 30 minute drive from here.
Rhetorical questions don’t expect an answer. They are asked with the objective of making people think.
A rhetorical question often has an implied meaning. Sometimes the person who asks the question does not want an answer. They are making a statement that the listener obviously knows.
For example, the rhetorical question ‘Do you know what time it is?’ simply means that you are late.
