Learn English – Phrase for asking the obvious

phrase-requestsphrasesrhetoric

In my language when a question is asking something really obvious we are using a phrase that if translated means:

What is making a "meow meow" sound on the roof/rooftop?

Is there an equivalent phrase to that in English? Kind of slang but with nothing that can be considered rude in the sense of "Do bears shit in the woods?"

Best Answer

You're looking for rhetorical affirmations.

In addition to the examples given in other answers,

Examples:

  • Is the sky blue?
  • Is the ocean salty?
  • Is the sun hot?
  • Is the atomic weight of Cobalt 58.9? (from Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters II)