About the IT & Technology tests
~8 min read · Updated April 2026
Entry-level IT certifications are the cheapest career insurance you can buy. CompTIA A+ proves you can support hardware, networking and operating systems; ITIL 4 Foundation proves you understand modern service management; Microsoft Fundamentals (MS-900 for Microsoft 365, AZ-900 for Azure) opens the door to cloud roles; and Cyber Security Awareness is the baseline that almost every UK employer now requires before granting a network login.
Our free IT and tech mocks mirror the official Pearson VUE and PSI exam formats — multiple-choice, drag-and-drop and short performance-based items — using current UK and global syllabuses. Question banks are refreshed when the official objectives change, so the wording and topic mix match what you'll actually face.
What the tests actually involve
CompTIA A+ is delivered as two exams (Core 1 — 220-1201 and Core 2 — 220-1202, the current V15 series). Each runs 90 minutes with up to 90 questions, including performance-based items, and a scaled pass mark of 675–700 out of 900.
ITIL 4 Foundation is a 60-minute, 40-question multiple-choice exam with a 65% pass mark (26 of 40). It can be taken online with proctoring or at a Pearson VUE centre.
Microsoft MS-900 and AZ-900 are 45–60 minute exams with around 40–60 multiple-choice and case-study questions and a scaled pass mark of 700 out of 1000.
Cyber Security Awareness mocks follow the format used by major UK employers' annual training tools — short multi-choice items with immediate feedback.
What's covered
CompTIA A+ Core 1 covers mobile devices, networking, hardware, virtualisation and cloud, and hardware/network troubleshooting. Core 2 covers operating systems, security, software troubleshooting and operational procedures.
ITIL 4 Foundation covers the service value system, the four dimensions of service management, the seven guiding principles and the 34 ITIL practices (with seven of them tested in detail).
MS-900 covers Microsoft 365 services, security, compliance and pricing. AZ-900 covers Azure cloud concepts, core services, governance, privacy and pricing.
Cyber Security Awareness covers phishing, password hygiene, MFA, social engineering, the basics of GDPR and what to do when you click on something you shouldn't have.
How to study and pass first time
For CompTIA A+, treat the official objectives PDF as your checklist. Anything not on the list is unlikely to be tested; anything on the list almost certainly will be.
For ITIL 4, memorise the seven guiding principles in order and the four dimensions — these dominate the exam.
For MS-900 and AZ-900, focus on understanding the service categories rather than memorising prices; pricing tiers change but the structural map of Microsoft 365 / Azure is stable.
Sit at least one full mock the night before your real exam under timed conditions — the pacing test is more important than the marginal study you'd do otherwise.
Common mistakes to avoid
Skipping performance-based items on CompTIA A+ to save time. They carry more marks per minute than multiple-choice and are easy to miss in the back-half of the paper.
Confusing ITIL 4's 'four dimensions' (organisations & people, information & technology, partners & suppliers, value streams & processes) with the 'seven guiding principles'.
On MS-900 and AZ-900, conflating Microsoft 365 services with the underlying Azure services — they overlap but the certifications test them separately.
Why active practice testing works
IT certifications are dense, factual and time-pressured. Mocks build the pace and pattern recognition that re-reading study guides cannot.
Each re-sit costs $246 for CompTIA A+, around £170 for ITIL 4 Foundation and around £69 for MS-900 / AZ-900. A week of free practice protects a meaningful exam fee.
Booking and what to expect
Book all four exam families through Pearson VUE — either at a physical test centre or, increasingly, online with OnVUE proctoring from home. ITIL 4 can also be booked through PeopleCert.
For online proctored exams, you'll need a quiet room, a webcam, a clear desk and a tidy ID document. Any phone in the room or anyone walking in mid-exam can void the session with no refund.
Ready to start?
Take the CompTIA A+ Practice, Take the ITIL 4 Foundation Practice.