We might not always get the time to answer, when asked a question. That’s sometimes because we are not sure what to answer and start to ponder. For the same thing, sometimes we might ask someone a question without letting them much time to respond.
It might not sound as cruel as that. For a whole range of reasons, the one who is asked might not necessarily have the time to respond. Some of the questions are rhetorical, a statement posed as a question etc.
I often find if I waited, I often get interesting answers. In teaching situation, asking the questions several time, allowing some silent thinking time, and maybe ask the questions by rephrasing it, often draws more participation from students. They feel more involved.
Next time, ask, wait.
