This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of manage users and groups. 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.
A system administrator needs to change the primary group of an existing user to a group that already exists. Which command should be used?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
usermod -g existinggroup username
Option B is correct because the `usermod -g` command changes the primary group of an existing user to a specified group that already exists on the system. The `-g` option sets the initial login group (GID) for the user, which must be a valid group name or GID from `/etc/group`.
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.
✗
groupmod -g existinggroup username
Why it's wrong here
Option C is incorrect; groupmod modifies group properties, not user membership.
✓
usermod -g existinggroup username
Why this is correct
Option A is correct: -g changes the user's primary group to the specified group.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "primary", "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
usermod -p existinggroup username
Why it's wrong here
Option D is incorrect; -p changes the user's password, not group.
✗
usermod -G existinggroup username
Why it's wrong here
Option B is incorrect; -G modifies supplementary group membership, not primary group.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing the `-g` (primary group) and `-G` (supplementary groups) options of `usermod`, leading candidates to pick option D when they need to change the primary group.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The primary group determines the default group ownership of files created by the user and is stored in the GID field of the user's entry in `/etc/passwd`. Changing the primary group with `usermod -g` updates this field, and the new group must already exist in `/etc/group`; otherwise, the command fails. A real-world scenario is when a user moves to a new department and needs their default group changed to the department's group for proper file access control.
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 practitioner preparing for the EX200 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
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.
Manage users and groups — This question tests Manage users and groups — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: usermod -g existinggroup username — Option B is correct because the `usermod -g` command changes the primary group of an existing user to a specified group that already exists on the system. The `-g` option sets the initial login group (GID) for the user, which must be a valid group name or GID from `/etc/group`.
What should I do if I get this EX200 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: "primary", "which command". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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