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.
Which TWO commands can list all groups a user belongs to? (Choose exactly 2)
Option A is correct; id -nG prints the group names of the current user.
B
cat /etc/group | grep user
Why wrong: Option C is incorrect; while it can show groups where the user appears in the member list, it may miss groups where membership is implicit (e.g., primary group not listed).
C
usermod -g user
Why wrong: Option E is incorrect; usermod is for modifying accounts, not listing groups.
D
getent group user
Why wrong: Option D is incorrect; getent group user does not list user's groups; it looks up group information by name.
E
groups
Option B is correct; groups prints the group memberships of the current user.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
id -nG
Option A is correct because `id -nG` displays the group names (`-n`) and all group IDs (`-G`) for the current user or a specified user. This command reads the user's group memberships from the system databases (e.g., `/etc/group` and `/etc/passwd`) and outputs the supplementary and primary group names, making it a reliable way to list all groups a user belongs to.
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.
✓
id -nG
Why this is correct
Option A is correct; id -nG prints the group names of the current user.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
cat /etc/group | grep user
Why it's wrong here
Option C is incorrect; while it can show groups where the user appears in the member list, it may miss groups where membership is implicit (e.g., primary group not listed).
✗
usermod -g user
Why it's wrong here
Option E is incorrect; usermod is for modifying accounts, not listing groups.
✗
getent group user
Why it's wrong here
Option D is incorrect; getent group user does not list user's groups; it looks up group information by name.
✓
groups
Why this is correct
Option B is correct; groups prints the group memberships of the current user.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think `cat /etc/group | grep user` or `getent group user` will list all groups for a user, but these commands only search for a group named 'user' or lines containing the string, not the user's actual group memberships, which is a common misconception tested on the EX200 exam.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Option C is incorrect; while it can show groups where the user appears in the member list, it may miss groups where membership is implicit (e.g., primary group not listed).
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `id` command reads user and group information from the Name Service Switch (NSS) configured databases (e.g., files, LDAP, SSSD), making it portable across different authentication backends. The `groups` command (option E) is a simpler wrapper that calls `id -Gn` internally, but both ultimately rely on the `getgrouplist()` system call or equivalent to retrieve all group memberships, including those from nested groups (e.g., via `groupmems` or `gpasswd`). In real-world scenarios, using `id` or `groups` is essential when users are managed via centralized identity systems like FreeIPA or Active Directory, where `/etc/group` may not contain all memberships.
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: id -nG — Option A is correct because `id -nG` displays the group names (`-n`) and all group IDs (`-G`) for the current user or a specified user. This command reads the user's group memberships from the system databases (e.g., `/etc/group` and `/etc/passwd`) and outputs the supplementary and primary group names, making it a reliable way to list all groups a user belongs to.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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