FC0-U71 Applications and Software Practice Question
A user wants to remove a record from a database table. Which SQL command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
FC0-U71 often tests the distinction between DELETE (removes rows, DML) and TRUNCATE (removes all rows, DDL) — candidates sometimes confuse DELETE with UPDATE or forget that DELETE requires a WHERE clause for targeted removal.
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
✓
DELETE
The SQL DELETE statement is used to remove one or more rows from a table, optionally filtered by a WHERE clause. It is a DML (Data Manipulation Language) command that removes data while leaving the table structure intact. SELECT retrieves data, INSERT adds new rows, and UPDATE modifies existing rows, so none of those remove records.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
SELECT
Why it's wrong here
SELECT retrieves rows from a table and leaves the underlying data unchanged, so it cannot remove the record. It is tempting because it is the most frequently used SQL statement; it would be correct when the user needs to read or filter existing records rather than delete them.
- ✗
INSERT
Why it's wrong here
INSERT adds new rows to a table, so it increases rather than removes stored records. It is tempting because it is a core data-manipulation statement alongside DELETE; it would be correct when the user needs to add a new record to the table.
- ✗
UPDATE
Why it's wrong here
UPDATE modifies existing column values in rows matching a WHERE clause; it cannot remove rows, so the record would remain. It is tempting because UPDATE is the standard statement for changing table data, and would be correct when amending a customer's address or correcting a stored value rather than deleting the row.
- ✓
DELETE
Why this is correct
DELETE removes rows from a table while preserving the table structure, satisfying the requirement to remove a record without dropping the table itself. Unlike TRUNCATE, which clears all rows, DELETE supports a WHERE clause to target the specific record, and it is a DML operation rather than DDL.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every FC0-U71 question from scratch — 988 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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 CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 FC0-U71 exam.