What is the term for a pattern in conversation where an utterance is followed by a linked response, such as a question followed by an answer?

• A. Adjacency Pairs
• B. Turn-taking
• C. Minimal pairs
• D. Echoic pairs

Answer: (A)

Adjacency pairs structure conversation as linked turns where one utterance invites a conventional response in the next turn. In this pattern, a question naturally triggers an answer, so the two moves belong together as a unit of interaction. This immediate, functional connection is what makes adjacency pairs the best label for a question followed by an answer. Turn-taking is about who speaks when and how turns are allocated rather than the specific linked response, while minimal pairs refer to contrasts in sounds or words, and echoic pairs isn’t the standard term for this linked-response pattern.