How to Use ChatGPT/AI to Create Practice Questions
Ever finished reading a whole textbook chapter, closed the book, and realized you can’t remember a single thing? It’s painful. We’ve all been there. You stare at the ceiling, hoping the definitions of “Osmosis” or “Elasticity” will magically appear.
Most Nigerian students rely heavily on “Past Questions” (PQ). And don’t get me wrong, PQs are legendary. But what happens when you’ve solved every JAMB question from 1999 to 2024? Or what if your lecturer is the type who loves to twist questions in a way that makes you question your own name?
This is where technology saves the day. Learning how to use ChatGPT/AI to create practice questions for yourself is probably the biggest study hack right now. It is literally like having a private tutor in your pocket who doesn’t charge you per hour, doesn’t get tired, and is available at 2 AM when the hostel is finally quiet.
Here is how you can turn that AI chatbot into your personal exam prep machine.
Why “Testing Yourself” Beats “Reading”
Let’s be honest. Most of us study by opening our notes and reading them over and over again until we fall asleep. We call it “cramming,” others call it “revision.” But science calls it “passive learning,” and it’s not very effective.
The best way to stick information in your brain is through Active Recall—forcing your brain to retrieve information without looking at the answer. This is why mock exams are so powerful.
By using AI to generate questions, you are essentially creating unlimited mock exams for yourself. This fits perfectly into the strategy of how to prepare for an exam in a short time, because it exposes your weak points before you even step into the exam hall.
Step 1: The Copy-Paste Method (For Your Notes)
This is the easiest method if you have your notes in soft copy (PDF or Word) or if you find a good article online covering your topic.
You don’t need to learn coding to do this. You just need to talk to the AI like a human.
Here is the prompt to use:
“I am a student preparing for my WAEC biology exam. I am going to paste my notes on ‘Photosynthesis’ below. Please generate 10 multiple-choice questions and 3 short theory questions based on these notes. Don’t give me the answers yet.”
Once you paste your notes, the AI acts immediately. It reads what you provided and spins out questions. This ensures the questions are exactly from what you studied, not some random university syllabus from America.
Step 2: The “Strict Teacher” Persona
Sometimes, you don’t have notes to paste. Maybe you are studying from a hardcopy textbook like New School Physics or Essential Biology. You can still use AI.
You need to tell the AI who it should be. If you just say “ask me questions,” it might give you questions that are too easy. You need to give it a role.
Try this prompt:
“Act as a strict JAMB Literature examiner. I want you to test me on the book ‘The Life Changer’. Ask me 5 tough questions that require deep understanding of the characters. Wait for my answer after each question before grading me.”
This is a game-changer. It forces you to think. Plus, getting immediate feedback is one of the 10 effective study habits every student should develop. You instantly know if you are right or wrong, rather than waiting weeks for a test result.
Step 3: Targeting Your Weak Areas
We all have that one topic we hate. Maybe it’s “Organic Chemistry” or “Calculus.”
Instead of avoiding it, use AI to drill you on it. You can ask the AI to explain it simply first, then test you.
The Prompt:
“I am struggling to understand ‘Demand and Supply’ in Economics. First, explain it to me like I am 12 years old. Then, give me 3 practice scenarios to see if I understand.”
This works for everything, from university courses down to primary six common entrance preparation. If you have a younger sibling preparing for common entrance, you can use this to generate endless questions for them too.
Step 4: Handling the “Correction” Phase
This is where the magic happens. When you miss a question in a normal past question booklet, you might check the answer key and see “Option A is correct.” But why is it correct? The book won’t tell you.
AI will.
If you get a question wrong, type:
“Why is my answer wrong? Please explain the logic behind the correct answer.”
This helps you understand the concept, not just memorize the answer key. This depth of understanding is what separates students who just pass from those who smash the exam.
Important Warnings (Don’t fall for these)
As amazing as AI is, it is not perfect. You need to be “street smart” when using it.
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It Can “Hallucinate”: Sometimes AI just makes things up. Especially with quotes from literature texts or very specific historical dates in Nigeria. Always cross-check with your textbooks or the official JAMB syllabus.
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Maths Can Be Tricky: AI models (especially the free ones) are not always great at solving complex calculation steps in Physics or Further Maths. For heavy calculations, I recommend using dedicated platforms like Khan Academy or WolframAlpha alongside your AI tool.
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Don’t Cheat: Use this for practice, not to do your assignment for you. If you use it to write your essays, you aren’t learning anything, and you will struggle in the exam hall when the AI isn’t there.
Final Thoughts
The difference between a student who fears exams and one who is confident is often preparation.
When you know how to use ChatGPT/AI to create practice questions for yourself, you are no longer at the mercy of your lecturer or the exam body. You become the master of your own study routine.
So, tonight, instead of just scrolling through TikTok during your study break, try generating a quick 5-question quiz for yourself. You might be surprised at how much it helps.
Which topic are you finding difficult right now? Try asking AI to quiz you on it and see the difference.
