CCAO-F Using the Claude API Practice Question
A developer needs to stop Claude from generating text as soon as it produces a double newline sequence ('\n\n'). Which API parameter should be used to implement this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse the 'stop_sequences' parameter with model instructions or system prompts, incorrectly assuming the model will stop on its own if told to do so in the prompt text.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
stop_sequences
The 'stop_sequences' parameter allows developers to define a list of strings that, if generated by the model, will cause it to immediately cease production of further tokens. This is particularly useful for controlling output format, preventing the model from rambling, or ensuring that the assistant does not simulate a user response in a few-shot prompting scenario.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
max_tokens
Why it's wrong here
The max_tokens parameter limits the total number of tokens generated based on a hard count, not based on the content of the text. It cannot be used to trigger a stop based on a specific character sequence like a double newline, as it is strictly a numeric limit on output length.
- ✓
stop_sequences
Why this is correct
The stop_sequences parameter is an array of strings that act as 'cut-off' triggers. When Claude generates any of the specified sequences, it stops exactly at that point. This is the correct tool for ensuring the model stops after a double newline, providing precise control over the completion boundaries.
- ✗
system_prompt
Why it's wrong here
While you can instruct the model in the system prompt to stop after a double newline, the model may not always follow this instruction perfectly. The stop_sequences parameter is a programmatic guarantee enforced by the API itself, whereas a system prompt instruction is merely a suggestion that the model might ignore.
- ✗
top_p
Why it's wrong here
Top_p, or nucleus sampling, is a parameter that controls the diversity of the generated text by sampling from a subset of the most likely tokens. It has no mechanism for identifying specific character sequences or terminating the generation process based on the content of the generated strings.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Anthropic exam blueprint
This CCAO-F practice question is part of Courseiva's free Anthropic certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CCAO-F exam.