The I Ching, (also known as the Yi Jing) is an ancient Chinese oracle. It is based on a 3000 year old manuscript of Chinese wisdom called "The Book of Changes".
Throughout history, the Book of Changes has been used principally as a divinatory text. It provides deeply insightful spiritual guidance and accurately answers questions about life, love, business, health, self realization and personal issues. The I Ching, or the ancient Chinese Book of Changes is the oldest divination manual still in use today.
The core of the I Ching are its 64 hexagrams, each composed of six lines. Each horizontal line has either a broken and unbroken state, allowing for a total of 64 possible combinations.
These hexagrams which reflect both ancient Confucianist and Taoist philosophy each carry a primary divinatory meaning which serves as the "answer" to a querent's question. Many students of Western divination systems from tarot cards to astrology enjoy the I Ching's unique Oriental philosophical perspective.
In addition to the primary meaning of each hexagram, each I Ching reading also provides more subtle secondary reading pertaining to "changing lines".
Think in terms of the greater philosophical or spiritual backdrop to a situation, and your readings will be much more effective. While the I-Ching may respond with very direct answers when the future is clear, more often than not, the I-Ching will provide a philosophical framework for you to better understand the situation and predict its outcome.
No one can tell you exactly how to phrase your question. The best approach is to try several kinds of questions and see which I Ching readings yield the best results for you.