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
2. Fast food is ____.
A. unhealthy B. expensive C. cheap D. terrible
3. He had to help the ____ old man up the stairs.
A. weak B. slowly C. try D. neighbour
4. She needs to get up early so she will buy an ____ clock.
A. time B. alarm C. watch D. bell
5. He wrote an _________ in his laptop.
A. Letter B. Post card C. E-mail D. Memo
6. He is very ____. He always believes that something good will happen.
A. lazy B. friendly C. optimistic D. kind
7. She wrote a ____ yesterday.
A. letter B. gift C. friend D. book
8. Katherine is a very _________ student. She gets nothing but straight A’s.
A. Smartly B. Intelligent C. Preoccupied D. Considerate
9. I am very cold. I need another _____
A. blanket B. pen C. cake D. pillow
10. I would like ___ you to my party.
A. invite B. to invite C. go D. to go
11. The film was so ____ that we fell asleep.
A. interested B. interesting C. bored D. boring
12. Tom enjoys ___ with his mobile phone.
A. Playing sports B. Taking photographs C. Watching TV D. Going out
13. When I came in, she ____ by the window.
A. was siting B. was sitting C. is sitting D. are sitting
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.
15. What is another name for the Old Man of the Mountain? 
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 A. White Mountain Face. B. Great Mountain Man. C. Great Stone Face. D. All are correct.
16. Hayley is a very ____________ girl. She is willing to help everyone.
A. helpful B. ambitious C. arrogant D. rich
17. Hoa’s hobbies are _____. (reading)
A. music and sports B. watching TV and playing chess C. cooking and chatting D. B&C
18. It ____ in this region for several months.
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
20. Do you need some ____ to write on?
A. paper B. pen C. table D. material
21. The mouse ____ quickly away.
A. very B. little C. baby D. ran
22. I think he’ll be here in an ____
A. hour B. soon C. weekend D. day after
23. They ____ me to get up right away.
A. asked B. needed C. told D. wanted
24. They told us about the savory meal that they had just eaten.
A. broken B. tasty C. unhappy D. helpless
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

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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

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