How many options should a question have?

Four is common. Three good options are better than four with a weak one.

How many questions in a quiz?

Ten for a short check, twenty for revision. Long quizzes lose attention.

Can an AI write these for me?

It can draft them from your material. You still need to check that each has one right answer and believable wrong ones.

How to write good multiple-choice questions

Last updated 7 November 2026

A multiple-choice question is quick to mark and easy to run in a class, but it is hard to write well. Weak questions test reading skill, guessing or trivia. Good ones show whether students understood an idea. Whether you write the questions yourself or edit a draft from an AI tool, the same rules apply.

1. Put the question in the stem

The stem should be a complete question or sentence that a student could answer without seeing the options. "What does range(5) produce in Python?" is better than "range(5) is: ".

2. Make exactly one answer right

If two options could be defended, the question is unfair. Ask a colleague to answer it without seeing the key. If they hesitate, rewrite it.

3. Write believable wrong answers

Good wrong answers are based on real mistakes: the answer you get if you forget the rule, mix up two terms or use the wrong step. Avoid silly options, which let students guess.

Weak

Which loop repeats code? A) for loop B) a banana C) a cat D) none. Three options are not credible, so students guess.

Better

What does range(2, 10, 3) produce? A) 2, 5, 8 B) 2, 5, 8, 10 C) 3, 6, 9 D) 2, 4, 6, 8. Each wrong answer comes from a common mistake about the end value or the step.

4. Keep options similar in length and style

The longest option is often the right one in weak tests, and students notice. Make options about the same length and parallel in form. Avoid "all of the above" and "none of the above".

5. Avoid negatives and tricks

"Which of these is NOT..." confuses students and tests reading. If you must use a negative, put it in capitals. Do not test with trick wording; test the idea.

6. Test understanding, not recall only

Ask students to apply an idea to a short example, interpret a result or find the error. A question that needs a small calculation or reading of code shows more than a definition.

7. Add a reason to every answer

Write one sentence explaining why the right answer is right. When a student sees it straight after answering, the quiz teaches instead of just marking.

8. Check with the results

After the quiz, look at questions almost everyone got wrong or right. A question everyone gets wrong may be unclear; one everyone gets right may be too easy. Improve it for next time.

A quick review checklist

Before you publish a quiz, read each question once more with this list.

Can a student answer it without seeing the options?
Is exactly one option right, and is it right for the reason you gave?
Do the wrong options come from real mistakes?
Are the options about the same length?
Does it test something you taught, not trivia?
Is there a one-sentence reason for the answer?

Turn your own slides into a quiz

Upload your slides, book pages or notes and the AI writes multiple-choice questions from them. You edit, set the marks and time, and share one link. No student accounts.

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Frequently asked questions

How many options should a question have?: Four is common. Three good options are better than four with a weak one.
How many questions in a quiz?: Ten for a short check, twenty for revision. Long quizzes lose attention.
Can an AI write these for me?: It can draft them from your material. You still need to check that each has one right answer and believable wrong ones.