TOEFL Writing Part 1: Asking Questions Back to the Prompt

By JoeyLast Updated: February 4, 2026Categories: Build a Sentence

Asking a Question Based on a Prompt
Practice Questions

Asking a Question Based on a Prompt

This is a common question pattern in TOEFL Writing Part 1. A speaker presents a situation, and you are required to make a question by arranging the given words.

In this format, the sentence with blanks already includes a question mark, as shown below. This clearly indicates that you must create a question that fits the given prompt.

Prompt: The company decided to delay the product launch.

____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ?

—
was / delay / reason / what / the / main
—

Because the question mark is already placed at the end of the sentence, you should focus on forming a grammatically correct question.

Now, let’s practice this type of question.

Practice Questions

Question 1

Explanation

When a question begins with a “to-be” verb such as “is” or “was,” it typically follows one of three patterns:

Passive structure (to-be + subject + past participle)
Progressive structure (to-be + subject + gerund)
State-of-being structure (to-be + subject + adjective or noun phrase)

In the given word list, there are no adjectives or gerunds. This allows us to narrow the sentence type down to the passive structure, which follows the word order below.

Passive question with a to-be verb:

“To-be” verb + subject + past participle verb

Example)

Was I attacked by a cat?

Because this sentence is a passive question, the structure begins with “Were you,” followed by the past participle “informed.”

In the question, “changes” is the only noun. Since it refers to a specific set of changes already mentioned in the context, it requires the definite article “the,” forming “the changes.”

The expression “in advance of” is a prepositional phrase meaning before. Because “the changes” functions as the object of “of,” it must appear at the end of the sentence. As a result, the prepositional phrase naturally follows “informed.”

So, only one word order is grammatically possible:

Were you informed in advance of the changes.

Question 2

Explanation

We know this is a question-forming task because a question mark is already provided.

There is a common question structure worth remembering for TOEFL Writing Part 1. When a word list includes “what” and “makes,” the sentence often follows one of the patterns below.

What + makes + object + adjective + to + base verb

or

What + makes + object + base verb

Based on this pattern, “what makes you” must form a unit. Among the given words, “hesitant” is an adjective, so the first structure applies. This allows us to construct the sentence:

What makes you hesitant to endorse it?

Since endorse is a transitive verb and “it” is the only available object in the word list, it must appear after the verb, completing the sentence.

Note that transitive verbs are verbs that require an object to complete their meaning.

Question 3

Explanation

“Do you know whether” is a common expression used to ask if someone has certain information. When this fixed structure is used, it must be followed by a clause in subject–verb order.

Nouns or noun-functioning expressions, such as noun phrases and gerunds, can serve as the subject. Also, in the given word list, “approved” is the only available verb.

So, we can set the sentence below.

Do you know whether the board approved?

Although “approve” can be used both transitively and intransitively, it does not necessarily require an object in this context. Since there are no nouns other than “board” that could function as the object of “approved,” the verb is interpreted as intransitive use here.

Question 4

Explanation

When a task requires you to form a question, beginning the sentence with “Do you think (that) …” is a common structure. In this pattern, “that” functions as a complementizer introducing the clause, which expresses the content of “think,” and it is often omitted. In this case, “that” does not appear in the word list.

After “Do you think,” the sentence must be completed with a clause, a group of words containing both a subject and a verb. Based on the word list, the clause must follow one of the basic sentence patterns: SV, SVO, or SVC. Among the available words, “rejection” and “it” are the only candidates that can function as the subject, which leaves two possible arrangements:

rejection was justified

or

it was a justified rejection

In the first option, there is no way to incorporate “it.” However, the second option allows all the words in the list to be used. So, the correct sentence is

Do you think it was a justified rejection?

From a grammatical perspective, the embedded clause “it was a justified rejection” follows an SVC (subject-verb-complement) structure.

Hi, I completed a Master’s program at Purdue University, where I specialized in test design and assessment effectiveness. My academic focus was English-language standardized tests, including the TOEFL, IELTS, ACT, SAT, and GRE. I began writing these articles because, when I was preparing for the SAT and GRE myself, I found few resources that explained the tests in a systematic and practical way. My goal is to create materials in which solving questions naturally builds the background knowledge needed for the exams, helping learners manage both content and strategy more effectively.

One Comment

Anonymous February 18, 2026 at 2:31 am - Reply

Excellent resource! thank you!