Test your Excel basics with these 15 questions covering cells and references, everyday formulas, VLOOKUP, pivot tables and shortcuts. Answer each one, then check the answer key at the end to see how you did and which topics need a quick revision. This is a good self-check before an interview or a practical test.
If your learn app renders quizzes interactively, load these as quiz questions with the correct option marked. The plain version below works as a self-check article too.
Questions
1. What does a cell reference like A1 point to? a) A whole row b) The cell where column A meets row 1 c) A formula d) A file
2. Which symbol starts every Excel formula? a) # b) @ c) = d) $
3. What does =SUM(B2:B10) do? a) Counts cells b) Adds B2 to B10 c) Finds the average d) Sorts the range
4. $A$1 is an example of a… a) Relative reference b) Absolute reference c) Mixed reference d) Named range
5. Which key adds the dollar signs to lock a reference? a) F2 b) F4 c) F9 d) F12
6. What does the IF function return? a) Always TRUE b) One value if true, another if false c) A chart d) The sum
7. VLOOKUP searches which column of the table? a) Any column b) The last column c) The first (leftmost) column d) The header row
8. Which function counts only cells that meet a condition? a) COUNT b) COUNTA c) COUNTIF d) SUM
9. A pivot table is used to… a) Draw pictures b) Summarise data into a report c) Print a sheet d) Lock cells
10. Which shortcut saves a workbook? a) Ctrl+P b) Ctrl+S c) Ctrl+Z d) Ctrl+A
11. What does Alt + = do? a) Opens a file b) Inserts AutoSum c) Deletes a row d) Adds a border
12. To keep the header row visible while scrolling, you use… a) Merge cells b) Freeze Panes c) Wrap text d) Hide rows
13. Which function joins text from two cells with a space? a) =A2+B2 b) =A2&" "&B2 c) =SUM(A2,B2) d) =JOIN(A2,B2)
14. Conditional formatting is used to… a) Change cell colour based on value b) Sort data c) Save the file d) Print in colour
15. XLOOKUP is available in which Excel version? a) All versions b) Excel 2007 c) Excel 2021 and Microsoft 365 d) None
Answer key
| Q | Answer | Q | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | b | 9 | b |
| 2 | c | 10 | b |
| 3 | b | 11 | b |
| 4 | b | 12 | b |
| 5 | b | 13 | b |
| 6 | b | 14 | a |
| 7 | c | 15 | c |
| 8 | c |
How did you score
- 13–15: Strong basics. You're ready to practise pivot tables and lookups on real data.
- 9–12: Good, but revise the ones you missed, especially references and lookups.
- Below 9: Go back through the Excel basics and formulas lessons, then retake this quiz.
What to revise next
- References wrong? Revisit relative vs absolute references.
- Lookups wrong? Revisit VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP.
- Summaries wrong? Revisit pivot tables.
Key takeaways
- Every formula starts with
=. $A$1is absolute;F4adds the dollar signs.- VLOOKUP searches the first column; XLOOKUP (2021/365) searches any.
- Pivot tables summarise; conditional formatting colours by value.
Practice task
Retake this quiz after revising the topics you missed. Aim for 13+ before your next interview or practical test.
Want to master everything in this quiz with a trainer? Join the ADCA program at HCI.
Frequently Asked Questions
What topics does an Excel basics quiz cover?
Cells and references, everyday formulas like SUM and IF, VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and common shortcuts.
What is a good score on an Excel basics quiz?
13 out of 15 or higher shows solid basics. Below 9 means it's worth revising references, formulas and lookups before retaking it.
Which symbol starts a formula in Excel?
Every formula starts with an equals sign (`=`), such as `=SUM(A1:A10)`.
What is the difference between COUNT and COUNTIF?
COUNT counts all cells with numbers, while COUNTIF counts only the cells that meet a condition you set.
In which version is XLOOKUP available?
XLOOKUP is available in Excel 2021 and Microsoft 365. Older versions use VLOOKUP or INDEX-MATCH instead.