Multiple choice items are questions that require learners to choose the best response from a group of answers.

Woman taking a test

Multiple choice items can be compared with open questions, which do not have options for answers.

Example
Complete the sentence with the best answer:
My car broke ____
- down
- away
- off
- up

In the classroom
One way to make multiple choice items more productive is to prepare the question so that learners have to choose the best answer rather than the only correct one. This is a way to include issues such as collocation, connotation and formality.

Further links:

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/test-question-types

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/listening-activities-songs

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight