What type of questions cannot be answered with a single word?

Open-ended questions are designed to elicit more in-depth responses, allowing the respondent to provide detailed answers that reflect their thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Unlike closed questions, which typically require a simple "yes" or "no" answer or a selection from limited options, open-ended questions encourage individuals to explore a topic and express their views in a more comprehensive manner. This fosters richer dialogue and insights, making it clear why open-ended questions cannot be effectively answered with just a single word.

Closed questions, multiple-choice questions, and follow-up questions all generally seek specific responses, whether through limited options or direct inquiries, which facilitates answering with short phrases or single words. Hence, the nature of open-ended questions stands out for its requirement of elaboration and complexity in the responses.