FC0-U71 Data and Database Fundamentals Practice Question
A SELECT statement combines rows from two tables based on a related column. Which SQL clause is used to accomplish this?
⚠ Common exam trap
FC0-U71 often tests confusion between filtering (WHERE), grouping (GROUP BY), and combining (JOIN); candidates may pick WHERE because it references related columns.
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
✓
JOIN
The JOIN clause combines rows from two or more tables based on a related column, such as a primary key to foreign key relationship. INNER JOIN returns matching rows, while LEFT/RIGHT/FULL OUTER JOINs include unmatched rows. This is the standard SQL mechanism for relational row combination.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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GROUP BY
Why it's wrong here
GROUP BY aggregates rows sharing values into summary groups; it does not match rows across tables on a related column. It is tempting because it also operates across multiple rows and often accompanies joins, and would be correct when the requirement is per-category totals such as COUNT or SUM.
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ORDER BY
Why it's wrong here
ORDER BY sorts the result set; it performs no row matching between tables. It is tempting because it commonly appears in the same SELECT statement as a join, and would be correct when the requirement is to present combined rows in a specified sequence, for example by last_name ascending.
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JOIN
Why this is correct
JOIN is the clause that merges rows from two tables by matching values in a related column, directly satisfying the stem's requirement to combine rows. WHERE filters rows and UNION stacks result sets vertically, so neither correlates columns across tables.
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WHERE
Why it's wrong here
WHERE filters rows after the join is formed, so it cannot itself combine rows from two tables on a related column. It is tempting because it frequently appears alongside joins to restrict results, and would be correct when the requirement is to filter which combined rows are returned.
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Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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