ISTQB ISTQB-CTFL Practice Exams
Last updated on Oct 21,2026- Exam Code: ISTQB-CTFL
- Exam Name: ISTQB-Foundation Level Exam
- Certification Provider: ISTQB
- Latest update: Oct 21,2026
Which of the following statements is NOT true about Configuration management and software testing?
- A . Configuration management helps maintain consistent versions of software artifacts.
- B . Configuration management supports the build process, which is essential for delivering a test release into the test environment.
- C . When testers report defects, they need to reference version-controlled items.
- D . Version controlled test ware increases the chances of finding defects in the software under test.
D
Explanation:
While configuration management is crucial for maintaining consistent versions of software artifacts and supporting the build process, it does not directly increase the chances of finding defects in the software under test. Version-controlled test ware ensures that the correct versions of test cases and other test artifacts are used, but it is the quality and thoroughness of the tests that determine the effectiveness of defect detection.
Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 5.4
A system has a self-diagnostics module that starts executing after the system is reset. The diagnostics are running 12 different tests on the systems memory hardware.
The following is one of the requirements set for the diagnostics module:
‘The time taking the diagnostics tests to execute shall be less than 2 seconds’
Which of the following is a failure related to the specified requirement?
- A . The diagnostic tests fail to start after a system reset
- B . The diagnostic tests take too much time to execute
- C . The diagnostic tests that measure the speed of the memory, fail
- D . The diagnostic tests fail due to incorrect implementation of the test code
B
Explanation:
A failure is an event in which a component or system does not perform a required function within specified limits1. A requirement is a condition or capability needed by a user to solve a problem or achieve an objective2. In this case, the requirement is that the diagnostics tests should execute in less than 2 seconds. Therefore, any event that violates this requirement is a failure. The only option that clearly violates this requirement is B. The diagnostic tests take too much time to execute. If the diagnostic tests take more than 2 seconds to complete, then they do not meet the specified limit and thus fail. The other options are not necessarily failures related to the specified requirement.
Option A. The diagnostic tests fail to start after a system reset is a failure, but not related to the time limit. It is related to the functionality of the self-diagnostics module.
Option C. The diagnostic tests that measure the speed of the memory, fail is also a failure, but not related to the time limit. It is related to the accuracy of the memory tests.
Option D. The diagnostic tests fail due to incorrect implementation of the test code is also a failure, but not related to the time limit. It is related to the quality of the test code.
Reference = ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Requirements Engineering Fundamentals.
Which two of the following statements describe the advantages provided by good traceability between the test basis and test work products?
I. Analyzing the impact of changes.
ii. A measure of code quality.
iii. Accurate test estimation.
iv. Making testing auditable.
Select the correct answer:
- A . i and ii
- B . i and iv
- C . i and iii
- D . ii and iii
B
Explanation:
Good traceability between the test basis and test work products provides several advantages:
i. Analyzing the impact of changes: Traceability allows for easy identification of which parts of the test work products will be affected by changes in the requirements or design, facilitating impact analysis.
iv. Making testing auditable: Traceability ensures that there is a clear connection between the requirements and the test cases, which makes the testing process auditable and provides evidence that all requirements have been tested.
Given the following User Story: "As an online customer, I would like to be able to cancel the purchase of an individual item from a shopping list so that it only displays the relevant items, in less than 1 second", which of the following can be considered as applicable acceptance test cases?
I. Click on my online shopping list, select the unwanted Item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted Item is deleted from the shopping list in less than 1 second.
ii. Click on my online shopping list, select all the items, delete all the items, the unwanted items are deleted from the shopping list in less than 1 second.
iii. Tab to the online shopping list and press enter, select the unwanted item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted item is deleted from the shopping list In less than 1 second.
Iv. Click on the checkout button, select the payment method, make payment, confirmation received of payment and shipping date.
v. Click on my shopping list, select the unwanted Item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted item is deleted from the shopping list.
Select the correct
answer:
- A . I, ii and v
- B . iv
- C . i and iii
- D . v
C
Explanation:
Applicable acceptance test cases for the given user story should focus on the specific requirement of deleting an individual item from the shopping list and ensuring that it is removed in less than 1 second. Therefore, the valid test cases are:
i. Click on my online shopping list, select the unwanted item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted item is deleted from the shopping list in less than 1 second.
iii. Tab to the online shopping list and press enter, select the unwanted item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted item is deleted from the shopping list in less than 1 second.
Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 5.2.2
Given the following User Story: "As an online customer, I would like to be able to cancel the purchase of an individual item from a shopping list so that it only displays the relevant items, in less than 1 second", which of the following can be considered as applicable acceptance test cases?
I. Click on my online shopping list, select the unwanted Item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted Item is deleted from the shopping list in less than 1 second.
ii. Click on my online shopping list, select all the items, delete all the items, the unwanted items are deleted from the shopping list in less than 1 second.
iii. Tab to the online shopping list and press enter, select the unwanted item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted item is deleted from the shopping list In less than 1 second.
Iv. Click on the checkout button, select the payment method, make payment, confirmation received of payment and shipping date.
v. Click on my shopping list, select the unwanted Item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted item is deleted from the shopping list.
Select the correct
answer:
- A . I, ii and v
- B . iv
- C . i and iii
- D . v
C
Explanation:
Applicable acceptance test cases for the given user story should focus on the specific requirement of deleting an individual item from the shopping list and ensuring that it is removed in less than 1 second. Therefore, the valid test cases are:
i. Click on my online shopping list, select the unwanted item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted item is deleted from the shopping list in less than 1 second.
iii. Tab to the online shopping list and press enter, select the unwanted item, delete the unwanted item, the unwanted item is deleted from the shopping list in less than 1 second.
Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 5.2.2
During which main group of test activity are the following tasks performed?
• Checking test results and logs against specified coverage criteria.
• Assessing the level of component or system quality based on test results and logs.
• Determining whether more tests are needed.
Select the correct answer:
- A . Test planning.
- B . Test analysis.
- C . Test design.
- D . Test monitoring and control.
D
Explanation:
The activities of checking test results and logs against specified coverage criteria, assessing the level of component or system quality based on test results and logs, and determining whether more tests are needed fall under the category of test monitoring and control. This phase involves ongoing assessment and adjustment of the test activities to ensure they meet the test objectives and quality goals.
Consider the following examples of risks identified in different software development projects
[1]. It may not be possible to generate the expected workloads to run performance tests, due to the poor hardware equipment of the machines (load injectors) that should generate these workloads.
[ii]. A user’s session on a web application is not invalidated after a certain period of inactivity (configured by the system administrator) of the user,
[iii]. The test team will not have an adequate requirements specification (since many requirements will still be missing) by the time test design and analysis activities should begin according to the test plan.
[IV]. Following a failure, the system is unable to continue to maintain its pre-failure operation and some data becomes corrupted.
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
- A . [ii] and [IV] are product risks; [i] and [iii] are project risks
- B . [ii]and [iii] are product risks. [I] and [IV] are project risks.
- C . [i], and [iV] are product risks; [ii] and [iii] are project risks
- D . [i], [II] and [iii] are product risks, [IV] is a project risk.
A
Explanation:
In software testing, risks are categorized into product risks and project risks. Product risks are associated with the potential of a product to fail in meeting its quality criteria. Project risks are related to potential issues that could affect the project’s ability to deliver a product.
[i] is a project risk because it concerns the availability and adequacy of hardware resources for performance testing.
[ii] is a product risk because it pertains to a security and functionality issue within the web application.
[iii] is a project risk because it involves the availability of necessary requirements documentation for the testing process.
[iv] is a product risk because it relates to the system’s functionality and data integrity after a failure. Thus, statement A correctly classifies [ii] and [iv] as product risks and [i] and [iii] as project risks.
Consider the following examples of risks identified in different software development projects
[1]. It may not be possible to generate the expected workloads to run performance tests, due to the poor hardware equipment of the machines (load injectors) that should generate these workloads.
[ii]. A user’s session on a web application is not invalidated after a certain period of inactivity (configured by the system administrator) of the user,
[iii]. The test team will not have an adequate requirements specification (since many requirements will still be missing) by the time test design and analysis activities should begin according to the test plan.
[IV]. Following a failure, the system is unable to continue to maintain its pre-failure operation and some data becomes corrupted.
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
- A . [ii] and [IV] are product risks; [i] and [iii] are project risks
- B . [ii]and [iii] are product risks. [I] and [IV] are project risks.
- C . [i], and [iV] are product risks; [ii] and [iii] are project risks
- D . [i], [II] and [iii] are product risks, [IV] is a project risk.
A
Explanation:
In software testing, risks are categorized into product risks and project risks. Product risks are associated with the potential of a product to fail in meeting its quality criteria. Project risks are related to potential issues that could affect the project’s ability to deliver a product.
[i] is a project risk because it concerns the availability and adequacy of hardware resources for performance testing.
[ii] is a product risk because it pertains to a security and functionality issue within the web application.
[iii] is a project risk because it involves the availability of necessary requirements documentation for the testing process.
[iv] is a product risk because it relates to the system’s functionality and data integrity after a failure. Thus, statement A correctly classifies [ii] and [iv] as product risks and [i] and [iii] as project risks.
Which of the following statements regarding inspection is NOT true?
- A . An inspection may be led by a trained moderator who shall not be the author.
- B . The main purpose of an inspection is to find solutions to the problems.
- C . An inspection can be performed by peers.
- D . An inspection shall follow a formal process based on rules and checklists with entry and exit criteria
B
Explanation:
An inspection is a type of review that follows a defined process with formal entry and exit criteria and roles and responsibilities for participants. An inspection can be performed by peers with different roles, such as moderator, author, reviewer and scribe.
The following statement about inspection is not true:
B) The main purpose of an inspection is to find solutions to the problems. This statement is not true, as the main purpose of an inspection is to find defects or issues in a work product, not to find solutions to the problems. Finding solutions to the problems is a debugging or problem-solving activity that is usually performed by the author or developer after receiving the inspection report. The following statements about inspection are true:
A) An inspection may be led by a trained moderator who shall not be the author. This statement is true, as an inspection requires a moderator role who leads the inspection process and ensures that it follows the rules and standards. The moderator should be trained in inspection techniques and should not be the author of the work product under inspection, in order to avoid bias or conflict of interest.
C) An inspection can be performed by peers. This statement is true, as an inspection involves peer review, which means that the work product under inspection is evaluated by people who have similar roles or expertise as the author, but who are not directly involved in creating or modifying the work product.
D) An inspection shall follow a formal process based on rules and checklists with entry and exit criteria. This statement is true, as an inspection follows a formal process that consists of six main steps: planning, kick-off meeting, individual preparation, review meeting, rework and follow-up. Each step has defined rules and checklists to guide the participants and ensure consistency and quality. Each step also has entry and exit criteria to ensure that the prerequisites and objectives are met before moving to the next step.
Verified Reference: A Study Guide to the ISTQB® Foundation Level 2018 Syllabus – Springer, Chapter 3, page 28-29.
Can "cost" be regarded as Exit criteria?
- A . Yes. Spending too much money on test ng will result in an unprofitable product, and having cost as an exit criterion helps avoid this
- B . No. The financial value of product quality cannot be estimated, so it is incorrect to use cost as an exit criterion
- C . Yes. Going by cost as an exit criterion constrains the testing project which will hello achieve the desired quality level defined for the project
- D . No The cost of testing cannot be measured effectively, so it is incorrect to use cost as an exit criterion
A
Explanation:
Cost can be regarded as an exit criterion for testing, because it is a factor that affects the profitability and feasibility of the software product. Testing is an investment that aims to improve the quality and reliability of the software product, but it also consumes resources, such as time, money, and human effort. Therefore, testing should be planned and executed in a way that balances the cost and benefit of testing activities. Having cost as an exit criterion helps to avoid spending too much money on testing, which may result in an unprofitable product or a loss of competitive advantage. Cost can also help to prioritize and focus the testing efforts on the most critical and valuable features and functions of the software product. However, cost should not be the only exit criterion for testing, as it may not reflect the true quality and risk level of the software product. Other exit criteria, such as defect rate, test coverage, user satisfaction, etc., should also be considered and defined in the test plan.
The other options are incorrect, because they either deny the importance of cost as an exit criterion, or they make false or unrealistic assumptions about the cost of testing. Option B is incorrect, because the financial value of product quality can be estimated, for example, by using cost-benefit analysis, return on investment, or cost of quality models. Option C is incorrect, because going by cost as an exit criterion does not necessarily constrain the testing project or help achieve the desired quality level. Cost is a relative and variable factor that depends on the scope, complexity, and context of the software product and the testing project. Option D is incorrect, because the cost of testing can be measured effectively, for example, by using metrics, such as test effort, test resources, test tools, test environment, etc.