ISTQB Testing Certification Sample Question Papers With Answers

The International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) Testing Certification is an internationally recognized qualification that validates expertise in software testing methodologies. In this post, we provide an in-depth look at ISTQB Certification Sample Question Papers with answers for Foundation Level exam to help you prepare more effectively.

I have specifically included 3 series of sample question papers along with detailed answers and explanations for better understanding. These are representative of the actual certification questions and will help reinforce your grasp of key concepts prior to taking the exam.

So let‘s start reviewing these sample papers!

ISTQB Foundation Level Exam Format

But before we get into the past exam questions, it is worthwhile to understand the exam format and structure to set the right context. The key characteristics of the ISTQB Foundation Level Certification Exam are:

  • Duration: 1 hour
  • Number of questions: 40
  • Types of questions: Multiple choice questions with one statement or question and 4 answer options
  • Marking scheme: Each question carries 1 mark. No negative marking for incorrect answers.
  • Pass mark: 65% i.e. minimum 26 out of 40 questions need to be correctly answered

The topics covered in the exam are outlined in the ISTQB Foundation Level Syllabus 2018. It tests your software testing knowledge across the following areas:

Percentage Topic
30% Fundamentals of Testing
20% Testing Throughout the Software Life Cycle
15% Static Techniques
15% Test Design Techniques
15% Test Management
5% Tool Support for Testing

You must be well-versed across all these topics to be able to successfully pass the certification exam. Now let‘s take a look at few sample question papers from past ISTQB exams.

ISTQB Sample Question Paper 1

  1. Deciding How much testing is enough should take into account:

    i. Level of Risk including Technical and Business product and project risk

    ii. Project constraints such as time and budget

iii. Size of Testing Team

iv. Size of the Development Team

a) i,ii,iii

b) i,ii

c) i,iii

d) ii,iii,iv

Answer: a

Explanation: Determining sufficient test coverage is dependent on risk and constraints. The size of teams does not have a direct bearing.

  1. Which of the following is false?

    a) In paired state transition testing, Test Cases are designed to execute the transitions between all the possible valid states of the SUT.

    b) Cyclomatic complexity defines the number of independent paths in the basis set of a program.

    c) The value of cyclomatic complexity can be used as a guide for limiting loop iterations.

    d) The number of tests needed for statement and branch coverage will differ.

Answer: c

Explanation: Cyclomatic complexity calculates functional complexity. But using this to restrict iterations could adversely impact coverage. The number of tests for statement and branch coverage always varies.

  1. Non-functional system testing includes:

    i. Testing of functions that have a specified expected outcome.

    ii. Testing the attributes of the system including performance and usability.

iii. Testing a system feature using only the software required for that feature. 

a) i & ii

b) ii

c) iii

d) i & iii

Answer: b

Explanation: Non-functional testing verifies behavioral attributes like usability, performance efficiency etc. Functional testing is based on comparing expected and actual outcomes for specified functions.

Analysis of Sample Question Paper 1

Some key things to note regarding the first sample question paper:

  • The questions are directly based on concepts in the ISTQB Foundation Level Syllabus
  • Question formats are similar to actual exam questions
  • Answers for all questions have been provided along with detailed explanations
  • Understanding the terminology is very important e.g. knowing exact definitions of functional and non-functional testing
  • Simple memory recall of concepts is not sufficient, you need to correctly interpret and apply the concepts based on the specific question asked

So solving these sample question papers requires not just knowing the concepts but also being able to analyze questions and choose the most appropriate answer. Let‘s continue to the next set of sample questions.

ISTQB Sample Question Paper 2

  1. Which of the following is the MOST important reason to adopt independent testing?

    a) Independent testers are much more effective than the developers at finding defects

    b) Independent testers see other and more diverse business situations than the development team

    c) Independent testers bring a viewpoint that is neither influenced nor biased by prior exposure to the test object

    d) Independent testers can verify interfaces to other systems, configuration items or documentation that the development team ignores

Answer: c

Explanation: The most significant value provided by independent testers is an objective perspective not influenced by involvement in prior development stages. The other options are also valid but not the most important reasons.

  1. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

    a) Static analysis tools produce statistics during program execution

    b) Configuration management systems allow file-based artifacts like incident descriptions to be linked to versions of the software system

    c) Test execution tools capture and automate input data, expected results and scripted sequences of test steps

    d) Tools to support component testing via test drivers and test stubs generate tests automatically

Answer: a

Explanation: Static analysis examines code without requiring execution. So it does not generate statistics at runtime. The other options define capabilities provided by standard test tools.

  1. Which of the following tools would you MOST likely use to detect defects in an application in the first stages of system test?

    a) Reviews and inspections

    b) Static analysis

    c) Unit testing tools

    d) System testing tools

Answer: b

Explanation: Static analysis can uncover defects early even before testing formally starts. The other tools also help detect defects but later in system test or unit test stages.

A summary of some key observations regarding the second set of sample questions:

  • Terminology understanding is tested e.g. being aware of what constitutes static analysis
  • Questions may be framed to evaluate which option does NOT exhibit a stated characteristic
  • The reasons why you choose a particular answer carries more weight vs. simply knowing the concepts
  • Questions test whether you can identify the best / most appropriate response based on context

Now let‘s analyze the third set of sample question papers.

ISTQB Sample Question Paper 3

  1. System integration testing has which of the following major characteristics?

    i. Tests interactions between systems

    ii. Tests interactions between software modules

iii. Testing interfaces between modules is a priority

iv. Existing software problems can be magnified

a) i & ii

b) i & iv

c) iii & iv

d) i, ii & iii

Answer: d

Explanation: System integration testing verifies interactions between systems, software modules and interfaces with special focus on integration aspects. Any existing defects may propagate and lead to issues.

  1. Given the following types of tool, which tools are categorized as Test Execution tools?

    i. Requirements Management tools

    ii. Test Comparison

iii. Test Data Preparation tools

iv. Test Harness

a) ii & iii

b) i, iii & iv  

c) ii & iv

d) ii, iii & iv

Answer: d

Explanation: Test execution tools include test harness, test data tools and test comparison tools while requirements management does not directly concern test execution.

  1. Which of the following is false?

    a) Faults in program specifications may be the most expensive to fix

    b) Configuration management systems allow file-based artifacts like incident descriptions to be linked to versions of the software system

    c) Faults in code are the most expensive to fix

    d) Test execution tools capture and automate input data, expected results and scripted sequences of test steps.

Answer: c

Explanation: Code faults are cheaper to fix earlier during coding or testing. Requirement or design faults detected much later are most expensive. The other options about CM tools and test execution tools are factually correct.

Below are some key pointers concerning the third set of sample questions:

  • They test your understanding of system integration testing scope and objectives
  • You need to carefully analyze distinctions between tool capabilities
  • The questions require being able to identify which statement is false in context of the others
  • Understanding terminology nuances is important for choosing right options

I‘m confident these 3 sets of sample question papers coupled with the answer explanations must have provided significant insight into actual ISTQB exam question style and complexity.

However, to enhance your preparation further, given below are additional references for Books, Practice Tests and Training material:

Recommended ISTQB Study Resources

Books:

  • Foundations of Software Testing, Aditya P Mathur
  • Software Testing Foundations, Andreas Spillner
  • Fundamentals of Software Testing, Rex Black

Practice Tests:

Training

I‘m confident that going through these ISTQB sample papers and leveraging the additional learning sources shared above will enable you to gain mastery of the subject matter. Here is wishing you all the very best for getting ISTQB certified and advancing your software testing expertise.

Feel free to provide any feedback or queries you may have via comments below.

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