What is applause?
Q: What is applause?
A: Applause is the sound made by an audience who are clapping their hands (applauding) to thank someone for a performance.
Q: When do people usually applaud at a concert?
A: People at a concert usually applaud when the performers come onto the stage. This is a way of welcoming them.
Q: Why do people applaud at the end of a performance?
A: At the end of a performance people applaud again to thank the performers.
Q: Where else might people applaud besides a performance or a concert?
A: People may applaud after someone makes a speech or at a sporting match. They will applaud after a play in the theatre or at the end of an opera.
Q: Does the length of applause vary depending on how well the audience liked the performance?
A: Yes, the length of applause (how long they applaud for) may depend on how much they liked the performance.
Q: What do people shout if they liked the performance very much?
A: If they liked it very much they may also shout "BRAVO!".
Q: What is a standing ovation?
A: When an audience applauds with really wild excitement it is called an "ovation". Very occasionally (in English-speaking cultures) an audience might all stand up as well. This is called a "standing ovation".
