Techniques for generating a natural language question template for an artificial intelligence question and answer (QA) system are disclosed. A graph database query relating to a QA system is parsed using a predefined schema. The parsing includes extracting a first plurality of values from the graph database query relating to a where clause in the graph database query, extracting a second plurality of values from the graph database query relating to a return clause in the graph database query, identifying a QA template rule relating to the graph database query, based on a match clause in the graph database query. A natural language question template is generated based on the first plurality of values, the second plurality of values, and the identified QA template rule. The natural language question template is suitable for use by the QA system as part of generating a response to a natural language question.