Principles of designing multiple-choice questions

The following questions contain examples of errors in designing multiple-choice questions. Identify the
weakness in each item; then make it better.
1. Titanic is one of the greatest ___ of all times.
A. songs B. films C. games D. programmes
Background knowledge rather than language is tested.
(Better) Titanic is one of the greatest ___ of all times. Jack and Rose are the main characters of it/ Many
famous actors and actresses played in it.
2. Fast food is ____.
A. unhealthy B. expensive C. cheap D. terrible
Vague stem/ No context
(Better) Fast food is ____ and it is one of the reasons for obe sity among teenagers.
3. He had to help the ____ old man up the stairs.
A. weak B. slowly C. try D. neighbour
Distractors are not the same form as the correct ans wer.
(better) A. weak B. strong C. energetic D. athletic
A. weak B. weakness C. weakly D. weaken
4. She needs to get up early so she will buy an ____ clock.
A. time B. alarm C. watch D. bell
Ss can choose the correct answer through gramma tical rules
(better) She needs to get up early so she will buy a/an ____ clock. or She needs to get up early so she will buy
____ clock.
A. a time B. an alarm C. a watch D. a bell
5. He wrote an _________ in his laptop.
A. Letter B. Post card C. E-mail D. Memo
more than 1 correct answers
(Better) She mailed a _____ yesterday.
6. He is very ____. He always believes that something good will happen.
A. lazy B. friendly C. optimistic D. kind
Ss can choose the correct answer simply by eliminating the 3 easy choices
(better) A. dependent B. reserved C. optimistic. D. stubborn
7. She wrote a ____ yesterday.
A. letter B. gift C. friend D. book
more than 1 correct answers
( better) A. letter B. gift C. friend D. picture
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8. Katherine is a very _________ student. She gets nothing but straight A’s.
A. Smartly B. Intelligent C. Preoccupied D. Considerate
The options should be all grammatically possible.
(Better) A. thoughtful B. intelligent C. preoccupied D. considerate
9. I am very cold. I need another _____
A. blanket B. pen C. cake D. pillow
Distractors are not related to the subject cover ed in the sentence/ punctuation
I am very cold. I need another _____.
A. blanket B. mat C. sheet D. pillow
10. I would like ___ you to my party.
A. invite B. to invite C. go D. to go
Test both grammar and vocabulary
( better)
11. The film was so ____ that we fell asleep.
A. interested B. interesting C. bored D. boring
Test both grammar and vocabulary
( better)
12. Tom enjoys ___ with his mobile phone.
A. Playing sports B. Taking photographs C. Watching TV D. Going out
Capital letters/ all are correct
(better) A. playing sports B. to play sports C. play sports D. played sports.
13. When I came in, she ____ by the window.
A. was siting B. was sitting C. is sitting D. are sitting
grammatical rule/ spelling mistake
( better) A. will sit B. was sitting C. is sitting D. sits
14. Why is Daniel’s father upset at the beginning of the story?  (reading)
A. Daniel and his sister got into a fight and then they cries noisily.
B. The kitchen was messy
C. Daniel was late for school.
D. Daniel’s father got up late.
Correct answer is long/ easily guess
( better)
A. Daniel and Miranda had gotten into a fight.
B. There was a bad mess in the kitchen.
C. Daniel and Miranda were running late for school

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 D. Daniel’s father was out of clean shirts
15. What is another name for the Old Man of the Mountain? 
A. White Mountain Face. B. Great Mountain Man. C. Great Stone Face. D. All are correct.
All are correct/ none is correct should be avoided/ Punctuation
( better)
A. White Moutain Face
B. Great Moutain Man
C. Great Stone Face
D. Amazing Stone Face
16. Hayley is a very ____________ girl. She is willing to help everyone.
A. helpful B. ambitious C. arrogant D. rich
guess from stem/ distractors are difficult/ options of different levels of difficulty/double key (rich)
( better) Hayley is a very ____________ girl. She knows where she wants to be in five years' time and how
she is going to get there.
A. arrogant B. ambitious C. snobby D. wealthy
17. Hoa’s hobbies are _____. (reading)
A. music and sports B. watching TV and playing chess C. cooking and chatting D. B&C
Distractors are not parallel/ B&C should be avoi ded/ uneven options
( better)
A. to watch TV and to play chess
B. watching TV and playing chess
C. watch TV and play chess
D. watched TV and played chess
18. It ____ in this region for several months.
A. hasn’t rained B. is raining C. rains D. is going to rain
Double keys/ not consistent options/ n egative washback
(better) A. hasn’t rained B. is raining C. rains D. is going to rain
19. She is a person of good judgement and courage.
A. scents B. since C. cents D. sense
spelling trap/ unparallel options
(better)A. sense B. sent C. scents cents
20. Do you need some ____ to write on?
A. paper B. pen C. table D. material
more than 1 correct answers
(better) A. book B. pen C. table C. material

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21. The mouse ____ quickly away.
A. very B. little C. baby D. ran
Distractors are not parallel/ uneven options
( better) A. danced B. jumped C. did D. ran
22. I think he’ll be here in an ____
A. hour B. soon C. weekend D. day after
Vague stem/ No context
( better) I think he’ll be here in an ____therefore I have to complete this work quickly
23. They ____ me to get up right away.
A. asked B. needed C. told D. wanted
more than 1 correct answers
( better) A. asked B. helped C. warned D. invited
24. They told us about the savory meal that they had just eaten.
A. broken B. tasty C. unhappy D. helpless
Distractors are not related to the subject covered in the sentence
( better) A. spicy B. tasty C. sour D. sweet
25. What would be the most convenient time to come?
A. easy to do or a comfortable plan for someone C. happy and beautiful
B. close to now D. first in the day
26. ‘Eva nearly won that race.’
‘Yes, ____’
A. She ran well, did she? B. She ran well, wasn’t she?
C. She ran well, was she? D. She ran well, didn’t she?
27. John _________ flowers to the party last night.
A. Carries B. Carried C. Lifts D. Lifted

Read the text below and decide which answer A, B, C or D best fits each gap.

Assessment for learning (AfL) extends the potential of ongoing assessment. It emphasizes the child’s active

role (28) ______ his/her own learning, in that the teacher and child agree on the outcomes (29) ______ the
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learning and the criteria for judging his/her achievements. AfL helps teachers and children to focus (30)

______ three key questions: (i) where are children now in their learning? (ii) where are children going in

their learning? (iii) how will children get to the next point in their learning?

In contrast, assessment of learning (AoL) focuses more on medium and long-term assessment. AoL generally

involves assessing a child’s learning at the end of a given period, such as the end of a unit of work, a week, a

term, or a year. A grade or a score is often the only feedback (31) ______ a child receives. (32) ______

these results are (33) ______ to the teacher, they can be of limited value to the child.

28. A. on B. of C. in D. which
29. A. in B. of C. that D. with
30. A. about B. all C. on D. with
31. A. which B. who C. whose D. where
32. A. While B. because C. But D. If
33. A. good B. necessary C. bad D. useful