- A
The remote path does not exist. Use 'remote_src: yes' to copy from remote.
Why wrong: The copy module creates intermediate directories if needed; remote_src is for copying from remote to remote.
- B
The local source file is not readable by the user running ansible-playbook. Change permissions on the source file.
Why wrong: Permission denied is on the remote host, not local.
- C
The task lacks 'become: yes' but has 'become_user: root'. Add 'become: yes' to the task.
Without 'become: yes', become_user is ignored; adding 'become: yes' enables privilege escalation.
- D
The remote file is owned by root and the destination directory is not writable by ansible. Use 'become: yes' and set 'owner: ansible'.
Why wrong: Setting owner is not needed if become is used; the task should write as root.
EX294 Manage task execution and roles Practice Question
This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of manage task execution and roles. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
During a playbook execution, a task that uses the 'ansible.builtin.copy' module fails with 'Permission denied' on a remote host. The playbook runs as user 'ansible' which is a sudoer without password. Which of the following is the most likely cause and solution?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
The task lacks 'become: yes' but has 'become_user: root'. Add 'become: yes' to the task.
The 'Permission denied' error occurs because the task attempts to copy a file to a location that requires root privileges, but the playbook does not use privilege escalation. The user 'ansible' is a passwordless sudoer, so adding 'become: yes' to the task enables sudo, granting the necessary permissions to write to the destination. Option C correctly identifies this missing directive.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The remote path does not exist. Use 'remote_src: yes' to copy from remote.
Why it's wrong here
The copy module creates intermediate directories if needed; remote_src is for copying from remote to remote.
- ✗
The local source file is not readable by the user running ansible-playbook. Change permissions on the source file.
Why it's wrong here
Permission denied is on the remote host, not local.
- ✓
The task lacks 'become: yes' but has 'become_user: root'. Add 'become: yes' to the task.
Why this is correct
Without 'become: yes', become_user is ignored; adding 'become: yes' enables privilege escalation.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The remote file is owned by root and the destination directory is not writable by ansible. Use 'become: yes' and set 'owner: ansible'.
Why it's wrong here
Setting owner is not needed if become is used; the task should write as root.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume 'become_user: root' alone is sufficient for privilege escalation, but Ansible requires the explicit 'become: yes' flag to activate any become method, including sudo.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the 'ansible.builtin.copy' module uses SSH to transfer the file and then applies file operations on the remote host. Without 'become: yes', the module runs as the 'ansible' user, which lacks write access to system directories like '/etc' or '/root'. Adding 'become: yes' triggers a sudo elevation (defaulting to root), allowing the write. A subtle behavior: if 'become_user' is set without 'become: yes', Ansible ignores the become_user directive entirely, leading to the same permission error.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this EX294 question test?
Manage task execution and roles — This question tests Manage task execution and roles — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The task lacks 'become: yes' but has 'become_user: root'. Add 'become: yes' to the task. — The 'Permission denied' error occurs because the task attempts to copy a file to a location that requires root privileges, but the playbook does not use privilege escalation. The user 'ansible' is a passwordless sudoer, so adding 'become: yes' to the task enables sudo, granting the necessary permissions to write to the destination. Option C correctly identifies this missing directive.
What should I do if I get this EX294 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This EX294 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Red Hat 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 EX294 exam.
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