---
title: "Choose an assignment type"
description: "Pick the template that matches what you want students to do."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/help/teachers/assignments/choose-assignment-type"
type: "teacher-help"
lastUpdated: "2026-09-03"
---

# Choose an assignment type

## Quick answer

Select Create assignment to open Choose an assignment type. Start with the student task: questions only, free response, reading, guided notes, a diagnostic, or an exam. You can adjust the generated draft before you publish it.

## What to do

1. **Open Choose an assignment type**: [Open Assignments](/assignments/new), select Create assignment, and choose the card that matches the work students should complete.

   ![Choose an assignment type page with MCQ, FRQ, study guide, AMSCO, diagnostic, exam, grading, and build-from-scratch options.](/img/teachers/assignment-types.jpg)

   *Start with the student task. You can adjust the generated assignment before publishing.*

2. **Use MCQ set**: Choose exam-style multiple-choice questions from one or more units.

3. **Use FRQ / SAQ**: Choose a free-response or short-answer prompt with AI grading built in. You remain responsible for the final score before results are released.

4. **Use Guide + questions or AMSCO guided notes**: Choose Guide + questions for a Fiveable reading followed by checks for understanding. Choose AMSCO guided notes when your subject and chapter are supported.

   ![MCQ set, FRQ or SAQ, Study guide plus questions, and AMSCO guided notes assignment cards.](/img/teachers/assignment-type-learning-cards.jpg)

   *The first row contains question, free-response, reading, and guided-notes templates.*

5. **Use Diagnostic, Unit exam, or AP exam**: Diagnostic adapts by unit to find gaps. Unit exam combines MCQs and an FRQ with exam-style weighting. AP exam builds a full-length assignment with the real exam's question count and timing where available.

   ![Diagnostic, Unit exam, AP exam, and Grade finished work cards.](/img/teachers/assignment-type-assessment-cards.jpg)

   *Use the assessment row for an adaptive check-in, unit assessment, full AP exam, or already-completed work.*

6. **Use Grade finished work for existing responses**: This option leaves the assignment builder and opens Grade work. Use it when students already answered elsewhere and you need to import, review, and export grades.

## If something is not working

### I do not see the exact type I need.

Select Request new type on the template page. You can also start from the closest supported template and adjust its sections before publishing.

### A template is missing for my subject.

Template availability follows the content available for that subject. Try another template or use Import and grade for responses students already completed.

## Related guides

- [Build an MCQ assignment](/help/teachers/assignments/build-mcq-assignment): Choose a subject, units, question count, and question mix, then review the generated MCQs.
- [Add an FRQ, reading, or guided notes](/help/teachers/assignments/add-frq-reading-notes): Build an assignment from an AP® prompt, Fiveable guide, or supported AMSCO chapter.

## About This Document

Canonical Fiveable pages are available as Markdown at the same path plus `.md`.

- [llms.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms.txt): index of Fiveable's sections and URL patterns
- [llms-full.txt](https://fiveable.me/llms-full.txt): complete subject and unit listing
- [MCP server](https://fiveable.me/mcp): call Fiveable as tools instead of fetching pages (`https://fiveable.me/api/mcp`)