Although recent classroom research on second language acquisition has begun to focus on student discourse, there are still few studies which examine student questions and their influence in the classroom. Based on multiple observations of four classrooms in an intensive English program, the researchers investigate the factors that work together to shape question/response behavior among adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners. The coding and analysis of question types shows that in addition to sex, nationality, and proficiency, participation structures and task types greatly influence the quantity and range of communication in the classroom. (Author)