PBQs are the single biggest gap in Professor Messer's otherwise excellent CompTIA prep. They're also the single biggest reason candidates who watched every video still fail on the first try. CompTIA puts PBQs at the start of the exam — they're anxiety-inducing, time-consuming, and weighted heavily. You can't skip them and you can't guess your way through them. This page is the PBQ prep plan that bolts onto a Messer-based study cycle.
Professor Messer's free videos and paid practice exams do not include performance-based questions (PBQs) — the drag-and-drop, simulation, and command-line tasks that open every CompTIA exam. PBQs are typically worth 25–35% of your score. Fill the gap with CompTIA's free PBQ samples, Jason Dion's Udemy practice exams (PBQs included), or TryHackMe rooms targeted at your cert.
What PBQs Actually Look Like
PBQs simulate real tasks. Examples by cert:
- Security+ — configure a firewall ruleset by dragging rules into priority order; match attack indicators to attack types; complete a command-line task in a simulated terminal. - Network+ — assign subnets to network segments; configure router interfaces; troubleshoot a network diagram by selecting the failed component. - A+ — diagnose a printer issue from a simulated control panel; configure mobile device settings from a tablet UI mockup.
They're open-ended, partially graded, and time-consuming. Most candidates spend 4–6 minutes per PBQ — meaning 30–60 minutes of your 90-minute exam can disappear on the first 5–10 questions.
The PBQ Prep Stack That Works
Layered from free to paid:
1. CompTIA's free PBQ samples (free) — the official sample PBQs published with each exam objectives release. Take these first.
2. Jason Dion's Udemy practice exam pack ($15–20 on sale) — his practice exams include PBQs at near-real difficulty. The single best paid PBQ resource.
3. TryHackMe (free + $10/mo Pro) — for Security+ and Network+, the hands-on rooms simulate real PBQ-style tasks. Pick rooms tagged with your cert.
4. Quick free option: PrepForCerts PBQ practice — adaptive PBQ-style questions tied to specific exam objectives, free.
5. A practice virtual machine — for Network+ and A+, spinning up a free Linux VM and practicing real commands is the highest-realism prep.
Budget 5–10 hours total across the stack. That's usually enough to move from "PBQ panic" to "manageable."
Exam Day PBQ Strategy
On the real exam:
1. Don't solve PBQs first. They're at the start of the exam but you can flag them and return. Burn the easy 60 multiple-choice questions first — they bank guaranteed points and warm you up.
2. Time-box each PBQ at 4 minutes. If you're stuck, do your best partial answer and move on. Partial credit is real.
3. Don't leave any PBQ blank. Even an incomplete attempt scores higher than a blank.
4. Come back to PBQs at the end. If you have 10 minutes left after the MC questions, use them on the PBQs you flagged.
This single strategy change — MC first, PBQs second — moves more candidates over the pass line than any other exam-day adjustment.
Pro Tips
Flag every PBQ on first contact and move on — your confidence on the MC questions makes returning to PBQs much easier.
Practice on a touchscreen if you're taking the exam at a test center — most testing terminals support touch and it's faster for drag-and-drop.
CompTIA's sample PBQs are easier than the real exam — use Dion's for accurate calibration.
For command-line PBQs, practice on a real terminal (Linux VM or WSL) — UI-only practice doesn't build muscle memory.
Don't panic if PBQs feel unfamiliar — partial credit is generous and you can pass with imperfect PBQ scores.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Spending 15 minutes on the first PBQ and running out of time for the MC section.
Leaving PBQs blank because you're unsure — always submit a best-attempt.
Practicing PBQs only on paper — the interface matters; you need clickable practice.
Trusting Messer's practice exams as your only readiness check — they skip PBQs entirely.
Waiting until exam week to start PBQ prep — 5–10 hours spread across 2 weeks is far more effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
No — they're multiple-choice only. PBQ prep needs to come from another source.
Typically 5–10, placed at the start of the exam.
Yes — never leave a PBQ blank. Partial attempts score better than no attempt.
Jason Dion's Udemy practice exam pack ($15–20 on sale). His PBQs match the real exam difficulty closely.
No — flag them and do multiple-choice first. PBQs take 4+ minutes each and can wreck your timing if attempted first.
5–10 focused hours across the 2 weeks before exam day is typical for a confident PBQ section.
Related Resources
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