- If you've already been using Scrum.org's free Scrum Open Assessment to prepare for the Professional Scrum Master I exam, you're on the right track - but you...
- The PSM I is administered online by Scrum.org with no prerequisites and no mandatory training.
- Answer each question before reading the explanations in the next section.
- Review these carefully.
Why You Need Questions Harder Than the Open Assessment
If you've already been using Scrum.org's free Scrum Open Assessment to prepare for the Professional Scrum Master I exam, you're on the right track - but you may be setting yourself up for a rude awakening on exam day. The Open Assessment is a useful starting point, but it barely scratches the surface of what the real PSM I exam will throw at you.
The actual exam is designed to test not just recall, but your ability to apply Scrum principles in complex, real-world scenarios. Many candidates who score 100% on the Open Assessment still fail the PSM I because they've been memorizing surface-level answers rather than deeply understanding the why behind every Scrum rule. That's a critical distinction. The questions in this article are deliberately calibrated to be harder than what Scrum.org shows you for free - because that's what closing the gap between "I know the Scrum Guide" and "I can pass at 85%" actually requires.
The PSM I passing score of 85% means you can only miss about 12 questions out of 80. Candidates who only practice with the Open Assessment often underestimate how scenario-heavy and nuanced the real PSM 1 exam questions can be. Deliberate practice with harder material is the fastest path to passing on your first attempt.
Before diving into the questions themselves, let's quickly review what you're preparing for so you can frame each question in the right context. If you want an even deeper breakdown of what makes this exam tough, check out our article on Is PSM I Hard? Real Pass Rate and Difficulty Breakdown - it covers exactly how the exam's difficulty is structured and what most candidates get wrong.
PSM I Exam Overview: What You're Up Against
The PSM I is administered online by Scrum.org with no prerequisites and no mandatory training. You pay $200 for one attempt, and the certification never expires - making it one of the best value certifications in the Agile space. Questions are drawn from five domains: the Scrum Framework, Scrum Theory and Principles, Cross-functional Self-organizing Teams, Coaching and Facilitation, and Done and Undone (Scaling Scrum).
The entire exam is based on the Scrum Guide - the free, official reference document published by Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland. If something contradicts the Scrum Guide, even if it sounds like common sense or good practice, it is wrong for the purposes of the PSM I. This is the number one mindset shift candidates need to make.
Many experienced practitioners fail the PSM I because they answer based on how their organization actually works rather than how the Scrum Guide says Scrum should work. Always answer according to the Scrum Guide, not your workplace reality. This is especially true for questions about roles, accountability, and the Definition of Done.
For a full breakdown of how to structure your self-study, our PSM I Study Guide 2026: How to Pass Without Training is the most thorough resource we've published. But right now, let's get to the questions.
30 Hard PSM I Practice Questions
Answer each question before reading the explanations in the next section. These PSM 1 exam questions are designed to reflect the scenario-based difficulty level of the real professional scrum master practice exam. Multiple-choice answers labeled A through D are provided. Some questions may have more than one correct answer - just like the real exam.
Questions 1-10: Scrum Framework
- The Development Team realizes mid-Sprint that they will not be able to complete all Sprint Backlog items. What should they do?
A) Extend the Sprint by a few days
B) Inform the Product Owner and collaborate on which items to complete
C) Drop the lowest-priority items without informing anyone
D) Ask the Scrum Master to remove items from the Sprint Backlog - Who is allowed to cancel a Sprint?
A) The Scrum Master
B) The Development Team
C) The Product Owner
D) Any stakeholder with sufficient authority - What is the maximum length of a Sprint?
A) Two weeks
B) Four weeks
C) One month
D) 30 calendar days - During Sprint Planning, the Development Team realizes the Product Owner has not provided enough detail about the top Product Backlog items. What should happen?
A) The Scrum Master should explain the items on behalf of the Product Owner
B) The Sprint Planning meeting should be cancelled
C) The Development Team should ask the Product Owner for clarification during the meeting
D) The team should select items they understand and skip unclear ones - Who is responsible for the Sprint Backlog?
A) The Product Owner
B) The Scrum Master
C) The Development Team
D) The entire Scrum Team - At the end of a Sprint, the Increment does not meet the Definition of Done. What should happen to it?
A) It should be released with a disclaimer
B) It should be returned to the Product Backlog for a future Sprint
C) It should not be released or presented at the Sprint Review
D) The Scrum Master should decide whether it can be released - The Sprint Backlog can be updated during the Sprint. Who can make changes to it?
A) Only the Product Owner
B) Only the Scrum Master
C) The Development Team
D) Any member of the Scrum Team - Which statement about the Daily Scrum is correct? (Select all that apply)
A) It must be held at the same time and place every day
B) Only Developers are required to attend
C) It is a 15-minute event
D) The Scrum Master must facilitate it
E) It is for the Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal - A new stakeholder requests that a critical feature be added immediately to the current Sprint. What is the correct course of action?
A) The Scrum Master adds it to the Sprint Backlog
B) The Product Owner adds it to the Product Backlog and it may be considered in the next Sprint
C) The Development Team evaluates and adds it if capacity exists
D) The Sprint is cancelled and restarted to include the new feature - What happens during the Sprint Retrospective?
A) The team reviews the Increment with stakeholders
B) The Product Owner reprioritizes the Product Backlog
C) The Scrum Team inspects itself and creates a plan for improvements
D) The Scrum Master assigns tasks for the next Sprint
Questions 11-20: Scrum Theory, Principles, and Team Dynamics
- Which three pillars uphold empirical process control in Scrum?
A) Collaboration, Communication, Commitment
B) Transparency, Inspection, Adaptation
C) Planning, Execution, Review
D) Velocity, Capacity, Throughput - A Development Team member feels that the Sprint Goal is unachievable. What should they do?
A) Wait until the Sprint Review to raise the concern
B) Raise the concern immediately during the Daily Scrum or directly with the Scrum Team
C) Inform their functional manager
D) Continue working and let the Scrum Master handle it - Who determines the size of the Development Team?
A) The organization's HR department
B) The Scrum Master
C) The Development Team itself, in collaboration with the organization
D) The Product Owner - The Scrum Guide recommends that a Development Team should have how many members?
A) 3-9
B) 5-10
C) 3-7
D) Fewer than 10, excluding the Scrum Master and Product Owner - A self-organizing team means:
A) Team members can work on any project they choose
B) The team decides internally how best to accomplish Sprint Backlog items
C) The team does not need a Scrum Master
D) Team members set their own working hours - Which Scrum value is most directly demonstrated when a Developer raises an impediment openly in the Daily Scrum?
A) Commitment
B) Focus
C) Openness
D) Respect - Why does Scrum use time-boxed events?
A) To reduce the amount of documentation required
B) To ensure a regular cadence and limit waste
C) To give the Scrum Master control over the team's schedule
D) To allow the Product Owner to measure velocity - The five Scrum values are:
A) Honesty, Integrity, Teamwork, Innovation, Speed
B) Commitment, Focus, Openness, Respect, Courage
C) Transparency, Inspection, Adaptation, Simplicity, Courage
D) Collaboration, Communication, Delivery, Accountability, Trust - When does a Sprint end?
A) When all Sprint Backlog items are complete
B) When the time-box expires
C) When the Product Owner accepts the Increment
D) When the Scrum Master determines it is done - Technical debt accumulated over several Sprints is best addressed by:
A) Scheduling a dedicated "hardening Sprint"
B) Incorporating quality work into every Sprint through the Definition of Done
C) Assigning a separate team to handle it
D) Documenting it and addressing it after the product is released
Questions 21-30: Coaching, Facilitation, Scaling, and Done
- The Scrum Master notices the Product Owner is constantly interrupting the Development Team with questions and requests. What is the most appropriate response?
A) Block all communication between the Product Owner and Development Team
B) Coach the Product Owner on how to collaborate effectively with the Development Team
C) Escalate the issue to senior management
D) Ask the Development Team to ignore non-Sprint Backlog requests - A stakeholder demands a detailed project plan with milestones for the next 12 months. The Scrum Master should:
A) Create the plan as requested
B) Refuse and explain that Scrum does not use project plans
C) Help the stakeholder understand how Scrum provides transparency through Sprints, Increments, and the Product Backlog
D) Ask the Product Owner to create the plan - Who owns the Definition of Done?
A) The Scrum Master
B) The Product Owner
C) The Development Team
D) The entire Scrum Team, or the organization if one exists at that level - In a scaled Scrum environment with multiple teams working on the same product, how is the Definition of Done handled?
A) Each team creates its own Definition of Done
B) A single Definition of Done applies to all teams working on the product
C) The Scrum Master for each team decides independently
D) The Product Owner creates a separate one for each team - A Scrum Master is asked by the CEO to report on individual developer performance. What should the Scrum Master do?
A) Provide the report as requested
B) Explain that Scrum teams are accountable as a unit and redirect to team-level transparency mechanisms
C) Ask each developer to self-assess
D) Decline and report the CEO's request to HR - The Product Owner is unavailable for the Sprint Review. What should happen?
A) The Sprint Review should be cancelled
B) The Scrum Master takes over the Product Owner's responsibilities
C) The Sprint Review should still occur; the Scrum Master should work to ensure the Product Owner is available in the future
D) The Development Team presents without a Sprint Review structure - "Undone work" at the end of a Sprint refers to:
A) Work that was not started
B) Work completed but not matching the Definition of Done
C) Work that was removed from the Sprint Backlog by the Product Owner
D) Items in the Product Backlog that have not been refined - Which of the following is NOT a Scrum artifact?
A) Product Backlog
B) Sprint Backlog
C) Increment
D) Burndown Chart - A Scrum Master observes that team members are not speaking up during the Sprint Retrospective. What is the best approach?
A) Report the issue to the Product Owner
B) Use facilitation techniques to create a safe environment for open discussion
C) Cancel the Retrospective and replace it with a written survey
D) Assign each person topics to discuss in advance - When can a product be released to end users?
A) Only at the end of a Sprint after a formal release Sprint
B) Whenever the Product Owner decides the Increment has sufficient value
C) Only after the Scrum Master approves it
D) Only once all Product Backlog items are complete
Detailed Answer Explanations
Review these carefully. Understanding why an answer is correct - or why a tempting wrong answer fails - is where real learning happens on a professional scrum master practice exam.
1-B, 2-C, 3-C, 4-C, 5-C, 6-C, 7-C, 8-B/C/E, 9-B, 10-C, 11-B, 12-B, 13-C, 14-A, 15-B, 16-C, 17-B, 18-B, 19-B, 20-B, 21-B, 22-C, 23-D, 24-B, 25-B, 26-C, 27-B, 28-D, 29-B, 30-B
Key Explanations for Commonly Missed Questions
Question 2 (Sprint Cancellation): Only the Product Owner has the authority to cancel a Sprint. This is a frequently tested fact. The Scrum Master cannot cancel it, and neither can the Development Team or stakeholders.
Question 6 (Increment Not Meeting DoD): An Increment that does not meet the Definition of Done must not be released or presented at the Sprint Review as a potentially releasable product. It may be returned to the Product Backlog. This is one of the most misunderstood rules in all PSM 1 exam questions.
Question 8 (Daily Scrum - Multiple Correct): B, C, and E are correct. The Daily Scrum is a 15-minute event for Developers to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal. It does not need to be facilitated by the Scrum Master (though they may facilitate), and it must occur at the same time and place - but that same-location aspect was softened in the 2020 Scrum Guide update.
Question 23 (Definition of Done Ownership): The Scrum Team owns the Definition of Done. However, if the organization has a Definition of Done that applies broadly, teams must at minimum adhere to it and can only expand upon it. This nuance trips up many candidates.
Question 28 (Not a Scrum Artifact): The Burndown Chart is not an official Scrum artifact. The three official artifacts are the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment. Burndown charts are a common tool but are not prescribed by the Scrum Guide.
Questions about "hardening Sprints," "release Sprints," and "stabilization Sprints" almost always have the same answer: these are anti-patterns in Scrum. The Scrum Guide does not recognize them. Every Sprint should produce a potentially releasable Increment from day one.
Which Domains These Questions Target
| Domain | Questions Covered | Key Concepts Tested |
|---|---|---|
| Scrum Framework | 1-10, 26-30 | Events, artifacts, roles, Sprint mechanics |
| Scrum Theory & Principles | 11-20 | Empiricism, time-boxing, Scrum values |
| Self-Organizing Teams | 13-15 | Team size, autonomy, accountability |
| Coaching & Facilitation | 21-22, 25, 29 | Scrum Master stances, stakeholder management |
| Done & Undone / Scaling | 6, 23, 24, 27 | Definition of Done, scaled environments |
Notice that the Scrum Framework domain has the heaviest representation - this reflects the actual PSM I exam weighting. If you're tight on study time, prioritizing your understanding of events, artifacts, and accountabilities will give you the highest return on investment.
How to Use These Questions in Your Study Plan
Getting through 30 hard PSM 1 practice test questions is only useful if you use them strategically. Here's a proven approach that works for self-study candidates - especially those preparing without any formal Scrum training.
The Scrum Guide is only about 13 pages. Read it at least three times before attempting any practice questions. Most wrong answers on the PSM I stem from candidates filling in gaps with assumptions or real-world habits that contradict the guide.
Don't just read the questions and answers passively. Set a timer for 23 minutes (30 questions at the same pace as the real exam) and answer without looking anything up. Simulate exam pressure now so it doesn't hit you on the real day.
For every question you get wrong, return to the specific section of the Scrum Guide that covers that topic. Don't just note the right answer - understand the rule, the accountabilities involved, and why every wrong answer is wrong.
After mastering shorter sets like this one, you need full 80-question runs under 60-minute conditions. Visit our main practice test platform to access full-length PSM I simulated exams with detailed scoring by domain. Understanding your weakest domain before exam day is the difference between passing and failing.
Certain mistakes appear again and again among PSM I candidates - confusing the Scrum Master's role with project management, misunderstanding who "owns" what, and misreading multi-select questions. Our article on PSM I Exam Tips: 12 Mistakes That Cause People to Fail covers all of them in detail.
If you're wondering whether you should pursue the PSM I or the Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) offered by Scrum Alliance, the short answer is that they test fundamentally different things and serve different career contexts. Our thorough comparison at PSM I vs CSM: Which Scrum Certification Is Better? Honest Comparison breaks down exactly which one makes more sense for your situation - including cost, renewal requirements, and industry recognition.
And if you're already planning ahead to the PSM II, know that the jump in difficulty is significant. The PSM II exam uses open-ended, essay-style questions rather than multiple choice, and requires a much deeper understanding of Scrum application at scale. Our guide on PSM I to PSM II: What Changes and How to Prepare for Level 2 gives you a realistic roadmap for that transition, including what a psm 2 practice test looks like compared to what you're doing now.
At 80 questions in 60 minutes, you have exactly 45 seconds per question. The real PSM I exam does not tell you which questions are harder - every question looks the same. Learn to flag and move on rather than spending 3 minutes on one scenario question. Our detailed guide on PSM I Exam Format: 80 Questions in 60 Minutes Time Management Strategy covers the exact approach to use so you never run out of time.
For anyone building a complete study framework, the best companion to this question set is our Complete Scrum Guide Summary for PSM I: Key Concepts You Must Know. It distills every examinable concept from the Scrum Guide into a structured, scannable reference that you can review the night before your exam.
Finally, if you're trying to decide whether the time investment in this certification is worthwhile financially, the data is encouraging. Certified Scrum Masters consistently command higher salaries than non-certified counterparts - and the PSM I specifically carries strong recognition with technology employers. See the numbers in our breakdown at Scrum Master Salary 2026: How PSM I Impacts Your Earnings.
You can also find hundreds of additional practice questions - organized by domain, difficulty level, and question type - directly on our PSM I exam prep platform. The free tier includes full scrum guide quiz sessions with instant answer explanations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scrum.org does not publish an official PSM 1 pass rate, but community reports and training organizations estimate it somewhere between 60-70% for first-time candidates who have not done adequate preparation. The 85% passing threshold is the main challenge - it leaves very little room for error. Candidates who read the Scrum Guide multiple times and complete multiple full-length PSM 1 practice test sessions consistently report higher first-attempt success rates. For a full PSM 1 exam difficulty breakdown, see our dedicated article on the topic.
Yes, these questions are designed to match the style, depth, and domain coverage of the actual professional scrum master practice exam. The real exam includes scenario-based questions that require you to apply Scrum principles rather than simply recall definitions. That's why questions in this set go beyond factual recall and test your judgment in realistic Scrum team situations - which is precisely what the live exam does.
Absolutely. Unlike some certifications, the PSM I has no prerequisites and does not require any formal training. Many candidates pass through entirely self-directed study using the free Scrum Guide, a structured PSM 1 study guide, and a quality scrum master practice test platform. The key is ensuring your study covers all five exam domains and that you practice with exam-difficulty questions rather than just the basic Open Assessment available on Scrum.org.
The PSM I tests foundational Scrum knowledge through multiple-choice questions. The PSM II uses open-ended essay questions and tests your ability to apply Scrum in complex, scaled, and difficult organizational scenarios - it's significantly harder. We do not recommend preparing for both simultaneously. Pass the PSM I first, gain practical experience applying what you've learned, and then begin preparing specifically for PSM II. A psm 2 practice test looks fundamentally different from what you're doing here.
The CSM is offered by the Scrum Alliance and requires attending a 2-day training course - the certification is partially tied to course completion. The PSM I is purely exam-based, making it more rigorous in terms of knowledge testing. The PSM I also never expires and requires no renewal fees, while the CSM requires renewal every two years. In terms of recognition, both are respected, but the PSM I is generally considered the more technically rigorous credential. For a detailed PSM 1 vs CSM comparison, see our full breakdown.
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