该短语后面回答的方法是直接回答、详细描述。 1、直接回答：问题明确，可以直接给出答案。例如，问题是“What was it you ate for breakfast this morning?”，可以回答“I ate oatmeal.”。 2、详细描述：问题涉及到某个复杂的话题或事件，需要提供更多的细节。例如，问题是“What was it that made you late for work today?”，可以回答“There was a traffic accident on the highway that delayed my commute.”。