Asking for More Information
A 40-minute Grade 2 lesson on asking and answering questions about what a speaker says to clarify or get more detail.
Asking for More Information is a free 40-minute Grade 2 English lesson plan for Common Core standard SL.2.3 — ask a speaker a question that gets you more than a yes or no. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 2
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- SL.2.3
Grade 2 · Speaking & Listening
SL.2.3
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.
Objective
Students will be able to ask a question that gets a speaker to add the detail they left out.
Students are successful when they can
- Identifies the missing detail.
- Asks a question that would supply it.
- Answers such a question about their own account.
What you need
- Short accounts with detail deliberately missing
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — what is missing?
5 min- Give an account missing the where.
- Take the question that would fix it.
Teach — two kinds of question
13 min- Name them: a clearing-up question, and a getting-more question.
- Give an account with a confusing part and model the clearing-up question.
- Give an account that is clear but thin and model the getting-more question.
- Say the difference: one fixes a problem, one adds to something already fine.
- Answer both, and show the speaker's account improving.
“Is it that you did not follow it, or that you want to know more? They are different questions.”
Guided practice — one of each
12 min- Partners give a short account each.
- The listener asks one of each kind of question.
- The speaker answers and retells the improved version.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the questioning page.
- It gives accounts with detail missing.
Close
2 min- Give a thin account. Take the best getting-more question.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Asks a question the speaker already answered.
Why: Listening and preparing a question compete for attention.
Fix: Listen fully, then think. Nobody has to be first.
Asks a yes-or-no question when detail is wanted.
Why: It is the easiest question shape to build.
Fix: Start with what, how or why. Yes-or-no rarely produces the detail.
Treats a question as criticism of the speaker.
Why: Being asked about your account feels like being told it was inadequate.
Fix: Name questions as interest. A boring account gets none.
If they are not there yet
- Give the question word.
- One question type per session.
If they finish early
- Ask a question whose answer changes the whole account.
- Ask a follow-up to your own follow-up.
- Answer a question you cannot fully answer, honestly.
Exit ticket
This account is missing something. Write a question that would get it.
What to look for: An open question. A yes-or-no question means the what-how-why openers need practising.
Printable practice for SL.2.3
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Questions That Deepen ItFinish each sentence.
Questions about Asking for More Information
How long does the Asking for More Information lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Asking for More Information teach?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.3 — SL.2.3, Speaking & Listening for Grade 2: “Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue.” In plain terms, ask a speaker a question that gets you more than a yes or no.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Short accounts with detail deliberately missing and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: asks a question the speaker already answered; asks a yes-or-no question when detail is wanted and treats a question as criticism of the speaker. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “This account is missing something. Write a question that would get it.” An open question. A yes-or-no question means the what-how-why openers need practising. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Asking for More Information?
Yes — 1 printable SL.2.3 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Asking for More Information free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to SL.2.3 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.