This LPIC-1 practice question tests your understanding of shells, scripting and data management. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Given a file with lines like 'John:23:Engineer', which awk command prints only the name and department (first and third fields) separated by a space?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
awk -F: '{print $1,$3}' file
Comma in print outputs space separator.
awk -F: '{print $1,$2}' file
Why wrong: Prints name and age (second field).
awk -F: '{print $1 $3}' file
Why wrong: Concatenates fields without space.
awk -F: '{print $1 $2}' file
Why wrong: Concatenates name and age.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
awk -F: '{print $1,$3}' file
Option A is correct because the `-F:` flag sets the field separator to colon, and `{print $1,$3}` prints the first and third fields separated by the default output field separator (a space). This matches the requirement to output the name and department from lines like 'John:23:Engineer'.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
awk -F: '{print $1,$3}' file
Why this is correct
Comma in print outputs space separator.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
awk -F: '{print $1,$2}' file
Why it's wrong here
Prints name and age (second field).
awk -F: '{print $1 $3}' file
Why it's wrong here
Concatenates fields without space.
awk -F: '{print $1 $2}' file
Why it's wrong here
Concatenates name and age.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the comma (which inserts the OFS) with concatenation (no comma), leading them to pick options like C or D that produce no space between fields, or they misidentify the field numbers and select B instead of A.
Detailed technical explanation
In awk, the comma in a print statement inserts the Output Field Separator (OFS), which defaults to a space, while omitting the comma concatenates the fields without any separator. The `-F` option sets the Input Field Separator (FS) to a colon, which is critical for parsing colon-delimited data like /etc/passwd files. Understanding the distinction between FS and OFS is key to controlling awk's output formatting.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LPIC-1 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Shells, Scripting and Data Management — This question tests Shells, Scripting and Data Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: awk -F: '{print $1,$3}' file — Option A is correct because the `-F:` flag sets the field separator to colon, and `{print $1,$3}` prints the first and third fields separated by the default output field separator (a space). This matches the requirement to output the name and department from lines like 'John:23:Engineer'.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-1 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI 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 LPIC-1 exam.
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