CTFL v4.0 Exam Blueprint: Topics, Weighting, and Practice
Map the six ISTQB Foundation Level chapters to the official 40-question distribution and plan targeted testing practice.
Use IT Mastery topic drills to find a gap, then place it in the wider Foundation Level scope. Test design and managing testing deserve sustained attention, while the smaller chapters still need deliberate review.
Official chapter distribution
Checked September 12, 2026. ISTQB’s Exam Structures and Rules Tables v1.19 , CTFL v4.0 tables, assign the following questions. Percentages are calculated from the official 40-question total.
| Syllabus chapter | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals of Testing | 8 | 20% |
| Testing Throughout the Software Development Lifecycle | 6 | 15% |
| Static Testing | 4 | 10% |
| Test Analysis and Design | 11 | 27.5% |
| Managing the Test Activities | 9 | 22.5% |
| Test Tools | 2 | 5% |
| Total | 40 | 100% |
The same tables specify 8 recall questions (K1), 24 understanding questions (K2), and 8 application questions (K3). Give yourself practice explaining a distinction and working an example, as well as recognizing terms.
Build a practical coverage record
The current syllabus is the source for detailed scope. Use the prompts below as personal readiness checks, not a replacement for its learning objectives.
| Area | Our suggested readiness check |
|---|---|
| Fundamentals | Explain why the team’s proposed testing activity is useful in the given situation. |
| Lifecycle | Choose testing work that fits the change and delivery context. |
| Static testing | Turn an unclear requirement or review finding into actionable feedback. |
| Analysis and design | Derive tests from the actual rules and show what they cover. |
| Managing testing | Justify a priority or progress decision using the supplied evidence. |
| Tools | Explain the benefit, limitation, and human work that remains. |
These checks encourage applied practice across the syllabus. They do not mean every question must combine every skill or use the same scenario format.
Act on a weak area
When a technique question is wrong, redraw the table, intervals, or transitions before looking at the options again. When a scenario question is wrong, write the fact that made the preferred action suitable. Then try different facts in a later session.
Use the study plan to organize that review, and official resources for the syllabus, sample exams, and exam-provider path.