Free tool
Leading question checker
Paste your questions, one per line. The checker flags wording that tends to push people towards an answer or confuse them, explains why, and gives you a neutral pattern to rewrite it.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Runs in your browser
One question per line, in English. Add answer options in brackets to check the scale, for example "(Poor, Fair, Good)".
This checks wording for bias and clarity only. To see whether a question could identify the people answering, use the anonymous survey checker. For reading level, use the readability checker.
Result
5 of 6 questions to look at
These are wording patterns that often push answers one way or confuse people. It's a checklist, not a verdict: read each flag and decide whether it applies to your question.
6 questions checked: 3 may lead, 2 unclear, 1 with nothing flagged.
Don't you agree the new guide is easier to follow?
May leadSuggests the answer (Don't you)
Questions such as "Don't you agree...?", "..., isn't it?" or "Do you agree that...?" tell people which answer you expect, and many will give it to be polite.
Try instead:Ask about the thing itself and let a balanced scale carry both sides. Pattern: "How [clear / useful] was [the thing]?" from "Not at all" to "Very".
How great was your experience today?
May leadUses loaded words (How great)
Strong positive or negative words tell people how they should feel before they answer, so the results lean the same way.
Try instead:Swap the emotional word for a neutral one. Pattern: "How would you rate [the thing]?" or "How [clear / easy] was [the thing]?", with a balanced scale.
How clear and useful was this article?
UnclearAsks two things at once (and)
Someone who feels differently about the two parts can't answer honestly, and you can't tell which part an answer is about.
Try instead:Split it into two questions, or keep only the one you will act on. Pattern: "How clear was the page?" and, separately, "How useful was it?"
Do you always read to the end?
UnclearUses an absolute word (always)
Words such as "always" and "never" force a yes or no on something that is usually "sometimes", so most honest answers don't fit.
Try instead:Ask how often instead. Pattern: "How often do you [do the thing]?" with Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often and Always as the answers.
How would you rate this page? (Excellent, Very good, Good, Fair, Poor)
May leadAnswer options lean one way (3 positive, 1 negative options)
More positive than negative options (or the other way round) pulls answers towards that side and makes the average look better or worse than it is.
Try instead:Use the same number of options on each side of a neutral middle. Pattern: Very poor, Poor, Fair, Good, Very good.
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How to use the leading question checker
- 01
Paste your questions
One per line, in English. Numbers and bullets at the start of a line are ignored.
- 02
Add the answer options
Put them in brackets after the question, such as "(Poor, Fair, Good)", to check whether the scale leans one way.
- 03
Read the flags
Each flag shows what it found, why it can bias the answers and a neutral way to rewrite it. You decide whether it applies.
What makes a survey question leading?
A leading question tells people which answer you expect. "Don't you agree the new design is better?" makes disagreeing feel rude, so some people go along with it and your results look better than they are.
Bias also gets in more quietly:
- Loaded words that set the mood, such as "amazing" or "frustrating"
- Assumptions, such as "How much did you enjoy..." when they may not have
- Answer scales with more positive options than negative ones
- Telling people what most others think before asking what they think
Questions that are hard to answer honestly
Some questions don't push an answer, but people can read them more than one way, so you can't trust what comes back:
- Double-barrelled questions that ask two things, such as "How clear and useful was this page?"
- Absolutes such as "always" and "never", when the honest answer is "sometimes"
- Negatives and double negatives, where "No" could mean either thing
- Long questions and jargon, which people skim or read differently
Treat the flags as a checklist
The checker looks for common English wording patterns. It will miss some biased questions, and it will flag some wording that is fine where you use it, such as "and" inside a product name.
Use the flags as prompts to read each question again, ideally aloud. Ask whether someone who disagrees could answer it as easily as someone who agrees.
Common questions
What is a leading question in a survey?
A question worded so that one answer seems expected or more acceptable, such as "Don't you agree the update was an improvement?". It nudges people towards that answer, so the results tell you more about the wording than about what people think.
What is the difference between a leading and a loaded question?
A leading question points to the answer you want. A loaded question carries an assumption or an emotional word, such as "How much did you enjoy..." or "What did you think of our amazing new design?". Both bias the answers, and the checker flags both.
What is a double-barrelled question?
One question that asks about two things, usually joined by "and": "How clear and useful was this page?". A page can be clear but not useful, so people can't answer honestly and you can't tell which part they meant. Split it in two.
How do I write neutral survey questions?
Ask about one thing, in plain words, without saying which answer you expect. Use a balanced scale with the same number of options on each side, and add "Not sure" when people may not know. Read the question aloud: if it sounds like you want a yes, rewrite it.
Can the checker catch every biased question?
No. It looks for common English wording patterns, so it misses bias that comes from context, question order or who you ask, and it can flag wording that is fine where you use it. Treat it as a checklist and read each flag yourself.
Does it check anonymity or readability?
No. To see whether a question could identify the people answering, use the anonymous survey checker. To see how hard your text is to read, use the readability checker.
Do you store my questions?
No. The checker runs in your browser. Nothing you paste is sent to us or saved.