How to Grade a Quiz in Google Forms (Auto-Grade + Answer Key)
Google Forms can score a quiz for you — no grading by hand, no add-ons required for the basics. Turn on quiz mode, mark the correct answers and point values, and every multiple-choice submission is graded the moment it arrives. This guide covers the full grading loop: setting the key, releasing scores, reviewing results, and exporting grades to a spreadsheet. If your questions already exist in a file, you can import them with the answer key included instead of re-typing and re-marking.
Step 1 — Turn on quiz mode
Open the form and click the Settings gear. Go to the Quizzes tab and turn on Make this a quiz. This unlocks the Answer Key and point fields on every question. If you have not built the questions yet, add them first — grading only works on questions that already exist.
Step 2 — Add the answer key and points
On each question, click Answer Key, select the correct option(s), and enter a point value. The form totals the points automatically. For wrong answers you can add feedback text that appears after submission.
| Question type | Graded automatically? |
|---|---|
| Multiple choice | Yes |
| Checkboxes (select all) | Yes |
| Dropdown | Yes |
| Short answer / Paragraph | No — manual review |
| Linear scale / Grid | Only if the key is exact |
Step 3 — Decide how grades are released
Still under Settings > Quizzes, choose what respondents see: their score, correct answers, and point values — either immediately after submit, or later. For practice, instant feedback helps; for scored exams, release grades after the window closes.
Step 4 — Collect and review
Open the Responses tab for a grade summary, average, and per-question breakdown. Click the green Sheet icon to open a linked Google Sheet where every row is one submission and the score is a column you can sort or filter.
Step 5 — Export grades
From the linked Sheet, choose File > Download to get CSV or Excel for your gradebook. You can also copy the score column into your SIS. Grades export exactly as scored — no rounding surprises.
Import questions with the answer key
If your quiz already exists as a file, the slow part is re-entering every item and re-marking the key. Reshape the document, spreadsheet, or PDF into the fixed columns Forms reads — question, options, correct answer, points — and each row becomes a graded Form question with your original wording and key intact. No AI rewrites the items.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn on grading in Google Forms?
Open the form, click Settings, go to the Quizzes tab, and turn on 'Make this a quiz'. This reveals the Answer Key and point fields on every question so responses can be scored automatically.
How does auto-grading work?
Multiple choice, checkboxes (with 'select all that apply'), and dropdown questions are scored against the answer key you set. Each correct answer earns the point value you assigned, and the total is summed with no manual work.
Can Google Forms grade short-answer questions?
No. Short answer and paragraph questions need manual review because there is no single correct string. Linear scale and grid items also need manual scoring unless the key is exact.
How do I see and export the scores?
Open the Responses tab for a grade summary and per-question breakdown, or open the linked Google Sheet. From the Sheet you can export to CSV or Excel for your gradebook.
Can I import a quiz that already has an answer key?
Yes. If your quiz lives in Word, Excel, a PDF, or a list, reshape it into the fixed columns Forms reads - question, options, correct answer, points - and each row becomes a graded Form question with your original key intact. No AI rewrites the items.
Grade in minutes
Turn on quiz mode, mark the key, and let Google Forms do the scoring. Or, if your questions already exist somewhere, carry them in as-is — key and points included — instead of retyping. Either way you get a free, auto-graded quiz without the manual grading pile.
Import your questions →