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346 1x Shots So The Written Question block allows learners to type their own responses. Use it for short answers, longer explanations, or any activity where learners express understanding in their own words. Written questions are flexible. you can configure them for single-word answers, sentences, or extended responses.
Written Question blocks can be automatically marked using flexible matching, exact matching, or AI-powered criteria marking.

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When to use Written Questions

Written questions work well for:
  • Short answer responses (names, dates, single words)
  • Sentence-level answers requiring specific phrasing
  • Open-ended explanations assessed against criteria
  • Fill-in-the-blank style questions using prefix and suffix

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Settings

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Input settings

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Placeholder
text
default:"Write your answer here"
The text displayed in the input before the learner writes their response.
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Text align
select
default:"left"
The alignment of the input text: left, center, or right.
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Prefix
text
default:""
Text displayed before the input field. Useful for sentence starters like “The answer is” or currency ”$”.
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Suffix
text
default:""
Text displayed after the input field. Useful for units like “cm” or “kg”.
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Spellcheck
switch
default:"false"
When enabled, the browser’s spellcheck feature is active in the input field.
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Show character count
switch
default:"false"
When enabled, learners can see how many characters they’ve typed.
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Max characters
slider
default:"50"
The maximum number of characters learners can type (0–5000). Lower values create short-answer inputs; higher values create larger text areas.

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Answer and Marking

Written questions support three marking modes. Choose the one that best fits your question.

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Marking types

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Marking type
select
default:"Flexible Match"
How the learner’s response is compared to the accepted answers.
Marking typeDescription
Flexible MatchHandles variations in capitalisation, spacing, punctuation, accents, and number formats. Best for most short-answer questions.
Exact MatchThe learner’s response must match an accepted answer character-by-character. Use for case-sensitive or format-sensitive answers.
AI CriteriaUses AI to assess the response against your marking criteria. Each criterion is worth 1 mark. Best for open-ended or explanation questions.
For Flexible Match and Exact Match, add one or more accepted answers. The response is correct if it matches any of them.For AI Criteria, add the criteria the learner’s response must satisfy. The AI provides feedback without revealing the criteria to the learner.

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Accepted answers and criteria

Depending on the marking type:
  • Flexible/Exact Match: Add one or more accepted answers. If the learner’s response matches any answer, it is marked correct.
  • AI Criteria: Add one or more marking criteria. The AI evaluates how well the response meets each criterion and awards marks accordingly.

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Response settings

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Response requirement
select
default:"Correct"
Determines when the question is considered complete:
  • Correct: The learner must answer correctly to proceed.
  • Answered: Any response is accepted; correctness isn’t required.
  • Optional: The learner can skip the question entirely.
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Max responses
slider
default:"0"
The number of attempts the learner can make before the question is locked (0–3). Set to 0 for unlimited attempts.
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XP points
slider
default:"5"
The experience points awarded for answering the question correctly (0–10).

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Tips for teachers and parents

Best practices:
  • Use Flexible Match for most short-answer questions since it’s forgiving of minor typos and formatting.
  • Use Exact Match only when precision matters (e.g., spelling, passwords, codes, or scientific notation).
  • Use AI Criteria for open-ended questions where there’s no single correct answer.
  • Add multiple accepted answers to account for valid variations (e.g., “6”, “six”, “6.0”).
  • Use Prefix and Suffix to provide context without cluttering the question stimulus.