Moodle Aiken Format: Import Multiple-Choice Questions Without Rewriting Them
If you only need multiple-choice questions in Moodle, the Aiken format is the simplest path: a plain-text file Moodle imports directly, no XML, no markup to learn. This guide covers the syntax, the import steps, and how ExamParser turns your existing question files into valid Aiken — deterministically, with no AI rewriting your answers.
The Aiken syntax, line by line
Each question is a small block of plain text:
What is the capital of France?
A. London
B. Paris
C. Berlin
D. Madrid
ANSWER: B- Question line — the prompt on its own line.
- Answer options — each on its own line, prefixed with a letter and a period (
A.,B.,C.…). - Correct answer — a final line
ANSWER: Bnaming the right letter.
What Aiken does and does not do
- Does: multiple-choice questions with a single correct answer. That is it — and that is the point. It is the quickest way to bulk-import a large MC bank.
- Does not: true/false, short answer, matching, essay, feedback, or partial credit. One correct option per question.
If you later need richer items, convert the same source to GIFT instead — you keep the questions and gain the extra types.
Step 1: prepare your question source
- Excel / CSV — a fixed column layout: question text, each option in its own column, the correct answer, and an optional image column.
- Word / DOCX — a table of questions or questions written as headings with options beneath.
- PDF — text-based or scanned (via OCR).
One rule applies to every format: each question may have at most one image, and it must be supplied as a URL.
Step 2: convert to Aiken
Upload your file
Drop in the Excel, Word, or PDF that holds your questions.
Map to fixed columns
ExamParser lines up your data with the required columns. Nothing is rewritten.
Generate the Aiken .txt
ExamParser writes each question as a question line, lettered options, and an ANSWER: line — valid Aiken, ready for Moodle.
Step 3: import into Moodle
Open Import
In your course, go to Question bank › Import.
Choose Aiken
Select Aiken as the format and upload the .txt file.
Confirm and import
Pick the question category and click Import. The MC questions land in your bank.
Why convert instead of retype
Manually rewriting a 200-item bank into Aiken is where errors creep in — a misplaced ANSWER: line silently marks the wrong option correct. Because ExamParser only reorganizes questions you authored into the Aiken structure, the correct answers stay exactly where you put them. The same source can also feed GIFT, QTI, Canvas, and Brightspace, so you convert once and deploy everywhere.
Browse more import guides at examparser.com/blog/en.
Frequently asked questions
What question types does the Aiken format support?
Aiken supports multiple-choice questions only, with a single correct answer. It does not handle true/false, short answer, matching, or essay questions, and it carries no feedback. For those, use GIFT instead. Aiken's strength is simplicity: a fast way to bulk-import a large MC bank.
How do I import an Aiken file into Moodle?
In your course, open Question bank > Import, choose Aiken as the format, upload the .txt file, and click Import. The multiple-choice questions land in the selected question category, ready to attach to a quiz.
Does ExamParser rewrite my questions into Aiken?
No. ExamParser is a deterministic converter, not an AI writer. It reads your questions from Excel/CSV, Word/DOCX, or PDF and converts them into valid Aiken text without changing the wording or the correct answers. What you wrote is what lands in Moodle.
What source files can I use to create an Aiken file?
Excel/CSV (with fixed columns), Word/DOCX, or PDF. For spreadsheets, ExamParser expects a fixed column layout (question, each option, correct answer, optional image URL). Each question may have at most one image, supplied as a URL.
Ready to convert your questions to Aiken?
Skip the manual retyping. Upload the multiple-choice bank you already trust and generate a Moodle-ready Aiken file in minutes.
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