This or that questions are a fun and engaging way to spark conversations, learn more about others, or simply entertain yourself and friends. Crafting your own questions allows you to tailor the choices to your audience, interests, or context, making interactions more personalized and enjoyable. Whether you want to use these questions in games, icebreakers, social media posts, or casual chats, creating your own is straightforward and requires little to no special tools.
What You’ll Need
- A clear idea of your audience or purpose (friends, coworkers, social media followers, etc.)
- Creativity and a sense of humor or curiosity
- Optional: pen and paper or a digital note-taking app to jot down ideas
Step-by-Step
- Understand the format: This or that questions always present two contrasting options, prompting the respondent to choose one. For example, “Coffee or tea?” or “Beach vacation or mountain getaway?” Knowing this format is essential before you start creating.
- Define your goal and audience: Are you making questions for a casual party, a professional setting, or a social media challenge? Your audience influences the tone and complexity of your questions. For example, questions for teenagers may differ from those for coworkers.
- Brainstorm broad categories: Start by listing general themes like food, travel, entertainment, lifestyle, work, or hobbies. This helps organize your ideas and ensures variety.
- Generate contrasting pairs: Within each category, think of two distinct but relatable choices. The options should be clear enough to avoid confusion but open enough to invite interesting answers. For example, under food: “Sweet or savory?” or “Pizza or burger?”
- Keep it simple and concise: The best this or that questions are short and easy to understand. Avoid complicated phrasing or too many words. Aim for under 10 words if possible.
- Make choices mutually exclusive but relatable: Each pair should represent two different options that cannot be chosen simultaneously. However, they should both be plausible and familiar to your audience.
- Add personality or humor: To make your questions more engaging, consider adding playful or unexpected options. For example, “Cats or dogs?” is common, but “Cats or dragons?” adds a fun twist.
- Test your questions: Try them out on yourself or friends to see if they prompt interesting responses or conversations. Revise any that seem confusing or dull.
- Organize your list: Once you have a good number of questions, arrange them by category or difficulty if desired. This helps when using them for different occasions.
- Update regularly: Keep adding new questions over time to maintain freshness and relevance, especially if you plan to reuse them frequently.
Common Mistakes
- Too similar choices: Offering two options that are nearly identical can confuse or bore respondents (e.g., “Tea or herbal tea?”).
- Unclear phrasing: Complex or ambiguous wording makes it hard to choose and detracts from the fun.
- Overly niche or obscure options: If the audience doesn’t understand one or both choices, they can’t answer confidently.
- Imbalanced options: When one choice is obviously better or more popular, it removes the challenge and engagement.
- Too many words: Long questions lose the quick, punchy feel that makes this or that questions effective.
- Ignoring audience preferences: Questions irrelevant or inappropriate for your group can cause awkwardness or disinterest.
Tips
- Use contrasting pairs that reflect different personalities or preferences: This encourages sharing and sparks conversation.
- Mix lighthearted and thought-provoking questions: Balance fun with depth to keep engagement varied.
- Incorporate current trends or popular culture: This makes questions feel timely and relatable.
- Use questions to reveal preferences that lead to further discussion: For example, “Morning person or night owl?” can open up talks about routines.
- Adapt questions for different platforms: Shorter for social media, more detailed for face-to-face games.
- Consider including options that challenge stereotypes or expectations: This can stimulate more interesting answers.
- Keep a running list handy: Use a notebook or app to add new ideas whenever inspiration strikes.
Troubleshooting
If your this or that questions aren’t generating the engagement you hoped for, consider these solutions:
- Low participation: Simplify your questions or make choices more relatable. Sometimes questions are too complex or unfamiliar.
- Answers are all the same: Re-examine your options for balance. If one choice is overwhelmingly preferred, try more neutral or equally appealing pairs.
- Confusion about choices: Rewrite questions for clarity. Avoid jargon or ambiguous terms.
- Audience disinterest: Tailor questions better to your group’s interests and age. Ask yourself what topics they care about.
- Technical issues (if using online tools): Ensure your platform supports interactive questions or polls and test before use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create this or that questions for any age group?
Yes, but tailor the content and language to suit the age and maturity level of your audience. Younger children need simpler and more familiar options.
How many questions should I prepare?
It depends on your use case. For a quick icebreaker, 5–10 questions are enough. For longer games or social media series, prepare 20 or more.
Can this or that questions be used in professional settings?
Absolutely. Choose appropriate, work-related or neutral topics to encourage team bonding and lighten the mood.
What if my audience finds some options offensive or uncomfortable?
Always avoid sensitive or controversial topics unless you know your audience well. Stick to safe, inclusive choices.
How do I make my questions more creative?
Use unexpected or humorous options, mix categories, and play with language to surprise and delight respondents.
Is it better to have balanced or extreme options?
Balanced options encourage honest choices, but occasionally including an extreme option can spark fun debates. Use both thoughtfully.
Creating your own this or that questions is a simple but effective way to engage people and learn more about their preferences. With practice and attention to your audience, you can craft questions that entertain, provoke thought, and foster connection in any setting.
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