Are you ready to test your common sense knowledge? As adults, we’re expected to know everything, right?
Well in this post, we’ve compiled our favorite common sense trivia questions and answers that should be known by the average adult. From history and geography to sports and technology, these questions cover a wide range of topics that everyone should be familiar with.
But are you sure you know everything you’re supposed to know?
So, if you think you have what it takes to get them all right, read on and see how many you can answer correctly!
* This post may contain affiliate links. You won’t be paying a cent more, but in the event of a sale, the small affiliate commission I receive will help keep this blog running/pumping out useful content. Thanks!
85 Fun Common Sense Trivia Questions And Answers
What is the name of the famous waterfall located on the border of Canada and the United States?
Answer: Niagara Falls.
Who was the first female vice president of the US?
Answer: Kamala Harris.
How many units of something are in a “baker’s dozen”?
Answer: 13.
Which occurs first — thunder or lightning?
Answer: Lightning and thunder happen at roughly the same time, but you don’t hear thunder until much later than you’ve seen the lightning as light travels faster than sound.
What is the term used for a number that is multiplied by itself?
Answer: A square number.
What is the term used for a number that is divided by itself?
Answer: One.
Who is the author of the “Lord of the Rings” series of books?
Answer: J.R.R. Tolkien.
What is the name of the currency used in the European Union?
Answer: The euro.
What holiday is celebrated on the first Monday in September?
Answer: Labor Day.
What holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November?
Answer: Thanksgiving.
What does CPR stand for?
Answer: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.
Who was the first President of the United States?
Answer: George Washington.
Who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize?
Answer: Marie Curie.
Who was the first person to circumnavigate the globe?
Answer: Ferdinand Magellan.
What is the maximum number of players allowed on an ice hockey team at one time?
Answer: Six.
In what sport is the term “hole in one” used?
Answer: Golf.
How many days are in a leap year?
Answer: 366.
Who wrote the famous novel “The Catcher in the Rye”?
Answer: J.D. Salinger.
What is the name of the famous ship that sank on its maiden voyage in 1912?
Answer: The Titanic.
Who was the first person to receive a heart transplant?
Answer: Louis Washkansky.
What is the name of the famous Roman arena where gladiator contests were held?
Answer: The Colosseum.
What is the traditional meat used in a BLT sandwich?
Answer: Bacon.
How long is a fortnight?
Answer: 2 weeks.
What is the term used for the seed-bearing part of a cereal plant?
Answer: Grain.
What is the capital city of the United States?
Answer: Washington, D.C.
What is the name of the popular Italian cured meat made from pork belly?
Answer: Pancetta.
What type of cuisine is the dish sushi traditionally associated with?
Answer: Japanese.
Who was the first person to step on the moon?
Answer: Neil Armstrong.
Who painted the Mona Lisa?
Answer: Leonardo da Vinci.
What is the largest continent in the world?
Answer: Asia.
What is the term used for a group of words that contains a subject and a verb?
Answer: Sentence.
What is the term used for a word that describes a noun?
Answer: Adjective.
What is the name of the longest river in the world?
Answer: The Nile River.
What is the name of the largest ocean in the world?
Answer: The Pacific Ocean.
What is the name of the highest mountain in the world?
Answer: Mount Everest.
A task that has zero chance of success is known as what?
Answer: A fool’s errand.
What is the smallest country in the world?
Answer: Vatican City.
What is the name of the founder of Facebook?
Answer: Mark Zuckerberg.
Who is the current President of the United States?
Answer: Joe Biden.
What is the name of the currency used in Japan?
Answer: The yen.
What is the name of the currency used in the United Kingdom?
Answer: The pound sterling.
What is the term for a large tropical storm with winds exceeding 74 miles per hour?
Answer: Hurricane.
What is the term for the sound that accompanies a lightning strike?
Answer: Thunder.
What does an Allen wrench look like?
Answer: The Allen wrench itself is a small L-shaped wrench with six sides. If you look at a cross-section of the Allen wrench, it looks like a hexagon.
What is the measurement used to describe the intensity of earthquakes?
Answer: The Richter scale.
What is the term used for the number that is left over after a division problem?
Answer: The remainder.
What is the name of the currency used in Australia?
Answer: The Australian dollar.
What is the name of the currency used in Canada?
Answer: The Canadian dollar.
Who wrote the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
Answer: Harper Lee.
What is the name of the largest desert in the world?
Answer: The Sahara Desert.
What is the name of the largest animal in the world?
Answer: The blue whale.
Who was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom?
Answer: Margaret Thatcher.
What is the name of the largest bird in the world?
Answer: The ostrich.
Who painted the famous painting “Starry Night”?
Answer: Vincent van Gogh.
What is the fruit used to make guacamole?
Answer: Avocado.
What is the spice that gives curry its yellow color?
Answer: Turmeric.
What type of cheese is commonly used on pizza?
Answer: Mozzarella.
What is the name of the longest highway in the world?
Answer: The Pan-American Highway.
Who wrote the famous novel “1984”?
Answer: George Orwell.
What is the name of the instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure?
Answer: A barometer.
What is the name of the instrument used to measure temperature?
Answer: A thermometer.
What is the name of the unit used to measure sound intensity?
Answer: Decibels (dB).
Who invented the telephone?
Answer: Alexander Graham Bell.
Who is the author of the “Harry Potter” series of books?
Answer: J.K. Rowling.
What is the name of the smallest planet in our solar system?
Answer: Mercury.
What is the name of the largest planet in our solar system?
Answer: Jupiter.
What is the name of the planet closest to the sun?
Answer: Mercury
Who painted the famous painting “The Scream”?
Answer: Edvard Munch.
What is the name of the famous prehistoric monument located in England?
Answer: Stonehenge.
What tool is used to tighten or loosen bolts and nuts?
Answer: Wrench.
What tool is used to measure angles?
Answer: Protractor.
“Kiwi” is another term for people who reside in which country?
Answer: New Zealand.
What was the latest Queen of England’s first name?
Answer: Elizabeth.
What does the “www” before a website stand for?
Answer: World Wide Web.
Who wrote the famous novel “Pride and Prejudice”?
Answer: Jane Austen.
Which founding father is known for his large signature on the United States Declaration of Independence?
Answer: John Hancock.
What is the name of the famous avenue in New York City that is known for its theaters?
Answer: Broadway.
Who wrote the famous novel “The Great Gatsby”?
Answer: F. Scott Fitzgerald.
What is the name of the largest island in the world?
Answer: Greenland.
Who painted the famous painting “The Last Supper”?
Answer: Leonardo da Vinci.
Who was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean?
Answer: Amelia Earhart.
What is the name of the largest animal on land?
Answer: The African elephant.
What is the name of the famous ancient city in Italy that was destroyed by a volcanic eruption?
Answer: Pompeii.
What is the name of the famous ancient city in Jordan that is carved into a red sandstone cliff?
Answer: Petra.
BONUS: Why did the scarecrow win an award?
Answer: Because he was outstanding in his field.
BONUS: What do you call a fake noodle?
Answer: An impasta.
BONUS: Why did the coffee file a police report?
Answer: Because it got mugged.
Best Trivia Games of 2024
Can’t get enough of the trivia goodness? Neither can we. If you’re looking for trivia games to play with friends/family, here are our favorite trivia board games on the market this year!
GENSMAK! Fun for All Generations – Trivia Game
Choose to answer questions from categories like Gen Z, Millenial, Gen X, Boomer, and more!
Dynamic gameplay with questions that vary by generation, category, and difficulty level.
2 to 12 players | Includes 500 trivia questions
Ultimate Pub Trivia
1,100 questions covering 6 different categories
Host your own pub-style trivia nights
4 or more players | Ages 12 and up
Anomia Party Edition
A very popular card game for families, teens and adults!
Fast-paced friendly competition and laugh-til-you cry kind of fun
3-6 players | Ages 10+
…I should have known that! Trivia Game
110 cards with 400+ questions
Instead of points for answering questions right, points are subtracted for every wrong answer
Players 2+ | Ages 14+
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