Free ISTQB CTAL-TAE practice questions

10 free ISTQB CTAL-TAE practice questions with the correct answer and a full explanation for each, taken from the CertStash pack of 120 questions. Work through them, then open each answer to check your reasoning.

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Question 1

Which of the following is considered a disadvantage of test automation?

  1. Automated exploratory testing is difficult to implement.
  2. Test automation can be a distraction from the objective of finding bugs.
  3. Tests are more likely to have operator errors.
  4. Slower feedback on the quality of the system.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. Automated exploratory testing is difficult to implement.

Automated exploratory testing is difficult to implement because exploration requires human judgment, creativity, and adaptability, qualities that are challenging to codify into automated scripts. Exploratory testing relies on the tester's intuition and domain knowledge to discover unexpected issues, which automation tools struggle to replicate. Options B and C are incorrect because test automation actually reduces operator errors through consistency and repeatability, and provides faster feedback rather than slower feedback on system quality.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. Test automation is designed to find bugs systematically; it is not a distraction from this objective.
  • C. Automated tests eliminate operator errors since the same script executes identically each time without human intervention.
  • D. Test automation provides faster feedback on system quality, not slower feedback.

Question 2

Which of the following is an important success factor for any significant automation project?

  1. The TAA must be designed for testability.
  2. The TAA is self-documenting.
  3. The SUT must be designed for testability.
  4. The SUT is self-documenting.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. The SUT must be designed for testability.

The System Under Test (SUT) must be designed for testability to enable effective test automation. This means the application architecture should provide interfaces, logging, hooks, and observable states that testers can interact with and verify. When the SUT is testable, automation becomes feasible and maintainable. The Test Automation Architecture (TAA) is designed by the automation team based on the characteristics of the SUT, but the SUT's inherent design is the critical success factor that enables automation.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. While the TAA should be well-designed, the SUT's testability is the foundational success factor.
  • B. Self-documentation alone does not determine automation success; the SUT's testability does.
  • D. The SUT's self-documentation is helpful but secondary to its testability for automation projects.

Question 3

You are working as a TAE for a company who are re-designing their website. The new website provides information for customers and there are two minor features being developed:

Request a newsletter -Ability to contact the organisation with a question or comment The website must be “mobile friendly” and available on all major web browsers.

You have been tasked to provide an automated solution for web browsers only and to concentrate on the two minor features.

What would be a KEY challenge with automation in this context?

  1. A low level of intrusion is likely from use of existing UI elements, but depending on the solution this might be more complex than a higher level of intrusion.
  2. Because there is a high level of intrusion there may be many false alarms.
  3. Automation might not be possible on the mobile devices.
  4. The benefits of automation might not be achieved for many years due to the complexities of the SUT and automation solution.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. A low level of intrusion is likely from use of existing UI elements, but depending on the solution this might be more complex than a higher level of intrusion.

UI elements, but depending on the solution this might be more complex than a higher level of intrusion. The key challenge is that web UI automation using existing UI elements typically involves low-level intrusion (working with the UI as designed), but depending on the technical approach chosen, the solution could become more complex than using higher-level intrusion methods would be. Since the website uses standard web elements for the two minor features, the automation should be straightforward at the UI level, but technical complexities may emerge depending on the implementation approach. Options B, C, and D describe consequences or scenarios that are not the primary challenge in this context.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. There is no indication of high intrusion levels that would generate false alarms in this scenario.
  • C. The task specifically asks for web browser automation only, so mobile device limitations are out of scope.
  • D. Two minor features on a standard website are not complex enough to delay benefits for many years.

Question 4

You are working as a TAE for a company who have been using a web test execution tool for a number of years. The tool has been used successfully on ten web applications in the past.

The company are developing a new web application which has a friendly User Interface, but the developers have used an object throughout the application which the tool is unable to recognise. As a result, you have no way of capturing the object or verifying the contents using the automation tool.

What is the first thing you should do about this problem?

  1. See if the application can be run on a desktop and if the object can be recognised on the desktop by the tool.
  2. Investigate whether the object can be recognised by other test execution tools in the market.
  3. Ask the developers to remove the object and replace it with some text fields.
  4. Ask the developers if they can change the object to something that can be recognised by the tool.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. Ask the developers if they can change the object to something that can be recognised by the tool.

When a test execution tool cannot recognize an object in the SUT, the first and most practical step is to engage with the development team to request they modify the object to use a format the tool can recognize. This addresses the root cause by making the SUT more testable and is typically faster and more cost-effective than alternative approaches. This is a collaborative approach that leverages the developers' ability to change the application design. The other options involve workarounds (testing on desktop, switching tools, or manual processes) that are less efficient than resolving the core compatibility issue.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Running the application on a desktop is a workaround that does not solve the underlying recognition problem.
  • B. Investigating other tools is premature when the current tool can be made compatible by modifying the SUT.
  • C. Asking developers to remove the object entirely is more disruptive than asking them to change it to a recognizable format.

Question 5

You are evaluating several test modelling tools and are wanting to automatically generate test cases within the tool where many different combinations of input data are created.

You are then wanting to export the test cases into a .csv file which can then be read by a functional test execution tool using a data-driven or keyword-driven scripting method.

You have investigated several tools and there is only one tool that provides all the necessary features defined by your team with the exception of the export facility. It does not provide an export into either .xls or .csv formats.

What would be the BEST next step regarding the selection of this tool?

  1. Consider another tool that is more “fit for purpose” and has all the features required.
  2. Explore the possibility of creating your own export facility.
  3. Ask the vendor and use forums to see if a solution is available or going to be available in the future.
  4. Purchase this tool and generate the .csv file manually.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. Ask the vendor and use forums to see if a solution is available or going to be available in the future.

The best next step is to consult with the tool vendor and user communities to determine whether an export facility solution already exists, is planned for future release, or could be custom-developed. This approach respects the vendor relationship, leverages community knowledge, and may reveal that the missing feature is being addressed. Before rejecting an otherwise suitable tool or committing to manual workarounds, checking with the vendor and forums is the most pragmatic course of action. This allows for informed decisio-aking based on vendor roadmap and support availability.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Switching tools prematurely without exploring solutions for the current tool wastes the evaluation effort already invested.
  • B. Creating a custom export facility adds development overhead when the vendor may provide a solution.
  • D. Purchasing the tool and manually generating CSV files defeats the purpose of tool automation and is inefficient.

Question 6

When the SUT provides insight into the behaviour of the system, providing the users the with the status of the various actions performed so that they can check that expected behaviour equals actual behaviour, what is this called?

  1. Portability.
  2. Maintainability.
  3. Observability.
  4. Controllability.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. Observability.

Observability is the quality of a system that provides insight into its behavior and internal state. When the SUT offers status information, feedback, logs, and visible outputs that allow users and testers to verify that expected behavior matches actual behavior, this demonstrates observability. The system is transparent in revealing what it is doing, enabling users to monitor and verify its actions.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Portability refers to the ability of software to run across different platforms and environments.
  • B. Maintainability refers to how easily a system can be modified, updated, and repaired.
  • D. Controllability refers to the ability to control the system's inputs and actions through available interfaces.

Question 7

When the SUT provides interfaces that can then be used to perform actions on the SUT, what is this called?

  1. Portability.
  2. Maintainability.
  3. Observability.
  4. Controllability.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. Controllability.

Controllability is the quality that allows users and testers to control and manipulate the SUT through available interfaces and inputs. When the system provides interfaces, such as APIs, UI elements, or entry points, that can be used to perform actions and set the system state, this demonstrates controllability. A system with good controllability can be easily driven into different states for testing purposes.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Portability refers to the ability of software to run across different platforms and environments.
  • B. Maintainability refers to how easily a system can be modified, updated, and repaired.
  • C. Observability refers to the ability to see and understand the system's behavior and state through its outputs.

Question 8

What are the four horizontal layers of the gTAA?

  1. Test adaptation, test execution, test design, test definition.
  2. Test generation, test execution, test definition, test APIs.
  3. Test generation, test definition, test execution, test adaptation
  4. Test definition, test execution, test reporting, test adaptation
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. Test generation, test definition, test execution, test adaptation

The Generic Test Automation Architecture (gTAA) defines four horizontal layers that represent the progression from high-level test concepts to low-level execution: Test Definition (what tests are needed), Test Generation (creating executable test artifacts), Test Execution (running the tests), and Test Adaptation (adjusting tests for different environments and contexts). These layers follow a logical flow from planning through execution and adaptation.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. This sequence does not represent the correct gTAA layers in proper order.
  • B. Test APIs is not a horizontal layer of the gTAA; these are four of the five layers.
  • D. Test Reporting is not a primary horizontal layer of the gTAA; the correct sequence includes Test Generation.

Question 9

You have been asked to develop test automation for a legacy system that is going to go through a series of infrastructure migrations. The scripts will be used to verify basic functionality during these infrastructure changes. Your Test Analysts have some programming skills and need a solution that is simple and fast.

Maintainability of the scripts is not a consideration because no changes to the software are anticipated.

Which of the following is the BEST scripting approach in this situation?

  1. Structured scripting.
  2. Capture-replay scripting.
  3. Model-Based scripting.
  4. Linear scripting.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D. Linear scripting.

Linear scripting is the simplest and fastest scripting approach, requiring minimal programming expertise. It involves writing test scripts in a straightforward, sequential manner without complex structures or reusable components. Given that maintainability is explicitly not a consideration, the code will not be modified, and Test Analysts need a quick solution for temporary infrastructure verification, linear scripting provides the optimal balance of simplicity and speed to deliver results immediately.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Structured scripting adds unnecessary complexity with modular design when quick temporary scripts are needed.
  • B. Capture-replay is tool-dependent and brittle for infrastructure changes that may affect UI elements.
  • C. Model-based scripting requires significant upfront effort in modeling and is overkill for temporary verification scripts.

Question 10

If model-based testing has been selected for the overall test automation approach for a project, how does that influence the layers of the TAA?

  1. All layers are used, but the test generation layer will be automated based on the defined model.
  2. There will be no need for the execution layer.
  3. No adaptation will be needed because the interfaces will be defined by the model.
  4. There will be no need to design the tests for the API because those will be covered by the model.
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. All layers are used, but the test generation layer will be automated based on the defined model.

When model-based testing is selected, all layers of the Test Automation Architecture remain relevant and necessary. However, the key difference is that the test generation layer becomes automated based on the defined model rather than being manually designed. The model drives the generation of test cases, but the other layers, including execution, reporting, and object repositories, continue to function as in other approaches.

Why the other options are wrong

  • B. The execution layer remains essential for running generated tests against the SUT.
  • C. Model definition does not eliminate the need for interface adaptation and maintenance.
  • D. Tests still require design consideration; the model automates test generation but not the need for test design thinking.

That was 10 of 120.

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