What best defines an explicit location query?

• A. A query that includes a specific place such as a city or venue
• B. A query that does not include any location terms
• C. A query written in all caps
• D. A query that uses numbers only

Answer: (A)

Explicit location queries are ones that include a named place in the search text. By writing a city, venue, or other specific place, the user directly identifies where to look, making the location explicit rather than something the system has to infer. For example, a query like “pizza in Boston” or “concert at Madison Square Garden” embeds a location term right in the request. When a location name is included, the search can tailor results to that place immediately and with higher precision.

If a query lacks any place name—just “pizza” or “concerts” without a location term—the location isn’t explicit, so the system may rely on other signals like your history or general results for the query. Formatting or capitalization or using numbers alone doesn’t change whether a place name is present, so those don’t create an explicit location query.