The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

There’s nothing wrong with questions. They’re valuable in many ways. However, if you resort to questions because it’s hard to make statements, that’s a problem. You need the ability to make offers as statements because it’s a clear way to establish context. Here are some ways to turn questions into statements before you speak.

Assume the answer is “yes.”

“Are you my blind date?” becomes “So you’re my blind date.”

Assume you know the answer.

“What have you been up to since college?” becomes “I understand that you’re a big shot lawyer now. Impressive.”

Make it physically present.

“Would you like some wine?” becomes ““Here’s some wine.”

Add the next step.

“Is your mother coming to visit?” becomes “Your mother is coming to visit. We’d better clean the house.”

Add how you feel.

“Are you leaving town?” becomes “You’re leaving town. It’s about time you got out of this god-forsaken place.”

When you make offers as statements, it clearly and concisely establishes the context of a scene.