A computer method and system generates inquires. The method and system provide a plurality of templates. Each template outlines a respective inquiry and is associated with one or more semantic types or contexts. Each template has one or more parameters for defining a query instance of the respective inquiry. User input selects a template from the plurality and specifies values for the parameters of the user selected template. Using the user selected template and the user-specified parameter values, an instance of a query is produced. Each template, is associated with semantic types during template construction. The semantic types may be based on classes in an ontology. Template construction may include templatizing prior existing or other queries to create respective templates. In application or use of a template, query generation may be during modeling of a certain domain, and the produced query is for information about the certain domain. Parameter value selection may be automated or assisted by the system based on the model context where the template is instantiated.