ELT365 · Day 172 — Multiple Choice: What Makes a Good Distractor

Idea — In multiple-choice listening, a good distractor is plausible — same topic area — but wrong for a specific, testable reason. Vague or unrelated options do not discriminate.

Example — Q: Why was the meeting cancelled? A) poor attendance B) a scheduling conflict C) lack of preparation. B is the answer; A and C are plausible distractors from the same domain.

Try — Take an existing multiple-choice task. Remove the correct answer. Could learners identify and dismiss each distractor and explain why?

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