Using the fill shape Question type, the learner can drag and drop different sized shape parts into a circle, grid, or rectangle, as a response to a Question.

Figure 1: How the fill shape Question (circle option) will look to the learner.

To author a Fill Shape Question, follow the guidelines below:

• Fill in the Compose question area with your desired Question or instructions to the learner.
• Underneath, you have the option to change the shape type to either a circle, rectangle, or grid. You can also change the data format - this is the data type that is represented by each response option shape - you can select from degree, fraction, or percent with fill shape - circle, or fraction and percent with fill shape - rectangle and fill shape - grid.

Figure 2: Shape type and data format options.

• In the shape parts section, you can define the value and number of segments in the circle, grid, or rectangle. This will be the area or areas that the learner can drag the response shapes into. See Figure 3 and Figure 4 for examples.

Figure 3: Set number and size of shape parts.

Figure 4: How the circle will look with our defined shape parts values.

• Next, you can define the various possible responses that the learner can select their answers from. As with the shape parts option, enter the value in the text box. You can also select a colour for the possible responses - these can all be the same colour, or different colors. Click on the +ADD button to add more possible responses, and click on the trash can icon to delete a possible response.

Figure 5: Configuring the number and size of each possible response option available to the learner.

• Underneath the “Set correct answer(s)” heading is where the validation area is located. Enter the score for the Question in the Point(s) box, and set Alternate responses with the blue and white + button - this is useful if you are willing to give different scores for different answers, or to accept more than one answer as correct.

There are two scoring methods available in this Question type; count by value and count by response:

• Count by value - with this method, the value of each part that the learner drops inside the shape is added together, and if it equals the value entered in validation by the author, it is correct.

Figure 6: Count by value.

• Count by response - use this method if you want to configure that only specific shape parts in specific locations on the shape will be accepted as the correct answer.

Figure 7: Count by response.

• The show labels option defines whether the label indicating the value of each shape part will be visible to the learner or not - it is enabled by default. Duplicate responses, which is enabled by default also, will allow the learner to drag and drop the same response multiple times inside the shape.

More options

• Unscored/Practice usage: Enable this option to remove all scoring from the Question; this is useful for practice tests or informal assessment.
• Scoring type: The only scoring type available for this Question is exact match.
• Penalty point(s): The value entered here indicates the number of points that will be taken from the learner score, for an incorrect response.
• Minimum points if attempted¹ - Points awarded to the learner for attempting the Question, regardless of a correct or incorrect response.
• Check answer button: Enabling this will display a check answer button at bottom-right of the Question, that the learner can use to check if their answer is correct or incorrect.
• Check answer attempts: The value entered here indicates the number of times that the learner can use the check answer button before it becomes disabled. 0 means there is an unlimited number of times.
• Possible response settings: this section only applies to the rectangle and grid fill shape Question types. In this section, you can make each possible response option an image, click +ADD to upload an image and then ensure you have the correct shape type selected from the drop down - use rectangle if you are using the fill shape - rectangle Question, and use the circle if you are using the fill shape - grid option.

'Extra' options

The extras section in the authoring interface allows you to add more information about the Question, information that we refer to as metadata.

There are a number of fields available: acknowledgements, contains math, distractor rationale, distractors, instructor stimulus, rubric reference, sample answer, and stimulus (review only).

To learn more about the options shown in the Extras section, see Understanding the Extras Section of the Question Editor.

1. Note: “Minimum points if attempted” replaces the earlier label “Minimum score if attempted”. Version added: v2026.1.LTS