IstbanHow to turn a PDF into a quiz with AI
Last updated 6 min read
To turn a PDF into a quiz: upload the file, tell the assistant how many questions you want, review the drafted questions and answer keys, then publish the link. The work that used to take an evening of typing takes about two minutes — and the part that still needs you is reviewing the answer key, not writing it.
The five steps
- 1
Upload the file
PDF, Word or photos of scanned pages. Text is read straight from the file; images and scans are read visually, so a clean scan gives better questions than a crooked phone photo.
- 2
Say what you need
“12 multiple-choice questions on chapters 3 and 4, medium difficulty.” Plain language works — you are not filling a form to describe a form.
- 3
Review the answer key first
Read the correct answers before the questions. A wrong key is the one mistake students notice and never forget, and it is the one thing AI gets wrong quietly.
- 4
Refine by chatting
“Make question 4 harder”, “swap the true/false ones for multiple choice”, “add two questions on the diagram on page 7”. Only what you ask for changes.
- 5
Publish and share
You get a link and a QR code. Set a pass mark, a timer and one attempt per browser if it is a real test rather than practice.
What makes the questions good or useless
- Source material beats prompts: a 20-page chapter produces sharper questions than “write a quiz about photosynthesis”, because every question is tied to a line in your file.
- Ask for comprehension, not recall: questions that ask why something happens separate the students who understood from the ones who memorised.
- Distractors matter more than the right answer. Wrong options should be plausible and similar in length — a long option among short ones gives itself away.
- Keep one idea per question. A double-barrelled question hides which half the student missed.
- Scanned pages: anything that is not clearly legible should not become a question. Check those first.
Grading, timing and certificates
Multiple choice, checkboxes, dropdowns, yes/no and short text are graded automatically. For short text, list every acceptable spelling — otherwise a correct answer is marked wrong because of a missing article.
A timer starts on the server, not in the browser, so changing the device clock does not extend it. Set a pass mark and everyone who clears it receives a certificate with their name and a verification link — which, for training centres, is usually the reason people finish the course at all.
What this does not do
- It does not invent material. Ask for questions on something that is not in the file and it will tell you instead of making them up.
- It does not grade essays. Long-form answers still need you.
- It does not replace your judgement on difficulty: the model has no idea what your class covered last week.
- Handwritten scans are hit and miss — typed or printed pages are far more reliable.
FAQ
Can I turn a PDF into a quiz for free?
Yes. The free plan includes the assistant and publishing, with no credit card. Paid plans mainly raise how many assistant requests and responses you get each month.
Does it work with scanned pages or photos?
Yes — images and scanned pages are read visually. Typed or printed pages give noticeably better questions than handwriting.
Can I edit the generated questions?
All of them, either by chatting (“make question 4 harder”) or by hand in the editor, exactly like a quiz you wrote yourself.
How long does it take?
About two minutes for a 10–15 question quiz from a chapter-length file, most of which is you reviewing the answer key.
Can students see their score right away?
Yes, and you choose whether they also see which questions they missed, and whether a certificate is issued above your pass mark.