When Danalta did speak, its words resembled a lecture rather than a simple reply to her question.

All the information needed would be in those simple replies, and it can be easily checked.

In many circumstances, a simple reply to the originator will suffice.

"A great deal more than you do, sir," was his simple reply.

"I will not desert a companion," was Ghak's simple reply.

"My wife and I cannot buy enough good food to eat" was his simple reply.

Questions: these should be open ended and not answerable with a simple single reply.

"Father would not have wanted me to," was her simple reply.

For now I would like you to give me a very simple reply to a very simple question of principle.

But it was a much too simple and final reply.