TOPIC: Query regarding new PMP Exam Break (10 min) - Regarding

Hello All,

I'm appearing for PMP exam in about 2 weeks. I just noticed some info about new PMP exam break for 10 min half way through completion.

I have few queries on it, can someone help to clarify it. Actually I cannot get much info about it anywhere.

- Is it mandatory or optional ?

- If in case optional, do i still get chance to review all 200 questions if I don't avail it. (Since I tried few exams in PREPCAST simualator, I assume I may not need a break).

- When do I need to indicate I don't need to avail break ?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Nishanth

I just took the exam a few weeks ago. Yes, there is a mandatory break - the exam will go to a "break" screen and there will be a 10:00 minute count down. I took this time to go to the restroom. One note on that, you have to go back through screening like you did when you came in, this took another 2 minutes. I was back in plenty of time.

Once you complete the first section (either the time runs out or you finish the 1st part) you cannot go back and review questions.

The software "break" is mandatory, but once the clock starts counting down, you can just resume, you don't have to take the full 10 minutes. I would suggest at least taking a 5 minute break at the workstation just to reset.

Hope this helps.

Hi Devin,

Thanks for your quick reply.

I'm bit concerned and confused here.

If it's a mandatory break, assume during first half once you start exam does remaining time ( in clock) starts from 4 hours or from the break time (say 2 hours) ?

Do we get time to review questions before break screen appears or any warning before break. My concern is what if I left some questions unanswered marking for later review.

Is it the break based on time (say 2 hours) or on question count ?

Thanks once again.

Regards,
Nishanth

Great question and let me see if I can make it more clear.

You take about 100 questions before the break and you have about 2 hours to completed that bank of questions. You can take the full two hours and mark questions, go back, etc. Once you have reviewed your questions or time runs out you get a 10 minute break before the next bank of questions starts. Once you leave that first bank, you cannot review those questions.

Then the break starts for 10:00 minutes. You then get another 100 questions or so and the appropriate amount of time.

Hope this helps.

I gave the online PMP online proctored test yesterday.

The 10 minute break is not mandatory.
There is a 1-minute window to decide if you want to take the break or directly launch the next set of exam questions.
In case you don't decide within that 1-min window,it will automatically give you 10-min break.
Hope this helps.

Dear Team ,

This is regarding the 10 min break in PMI exam , I am not able to find any proper documentation regarding the same which is making it very confusing.

Appreciate you could help me in this as I have my exam scheduled in coming weeks.


1) Is the exam now divided in 2 parts of 2 hour each with 100 question in each part.

2) Many places it is said first part finish after 89 questions , does it mean first part is for 2 hour and 89 questions.

3) Is this 10 min break mandatory , If I don't use it do I get full 240 mins for 200 questions as before.

4) If you are able to finish the first part before 2 hour do the remaining time can be used in second part.

Thanks and Regards,

Hi,

here you can find official info regarding the 10-min break recently introduced in the PMI exam:
Both the online proctored testing and center-based testing option for the PMP exam will now have a built-in 10-minute break. You do not need to take the entire 10 minutes, but are more than welcome to. The exam is now divided into two parts. You will start the break once you review and submit the first part of the exam. Please note, you will NOT be able to review questions from the first part of the exam after you submit it and start your break.
You will be permitted to leave the room during the break. Once your 10-minute break is over, your proctor will check you back in and you will finish the second and final part of your exam. If you do not return to the room at the conclusion of your 10-minute break, your exam session will be terminated.

Additional details are provided here :
For PMP [and PMI-PBA], there is a built-in 10-minute break that will appear after you complete the first exam section (between 85 – 100 question). Once you finish the section you will be able to review all of your responses prior to entering your break. Please note, once your 10-minute break is over, you will not be able to return to the questions from the first section of the exam. Once your 10-minute break is over, your proctor will check you back in and you will finish the second and final part of your exam. If you do not return to the room at the conclusion of your 10-minute break, your exam session will be terminated. You will not be permitted to take any additional breaks during the exam for any reason and leaving your desk will invalidate your score.

As you can see, PearsonVUE mentions that the break is between question #85 and #100, which may explain the confusion about how many questions are included in the first part. When I took the exam the first part was about 89-90 questions; I was sure it was 90, but based on other comments I thought maybe I remember it wrong and it was 89. Anyway, you will be clearly prompted when the first part is over, and will be asked to confirm twice that you are ready to submit the first part after review.

Please, notice that there is no time limit for each of the two parts. You will be given 4 hours for the whole exam; it will be up to you to manage this time between the two parts. Whatever time is left after you submit the first part, that will be given to complete the second part.

I would say the break is not mandatory (meaning that you can decide to skip it), but this does not mean that if you decide to skip it you will be given 4 h for 200 questions, with the option to review all of them at the end. In fact, the exam is still composed of two parts; once you submit the first part, you can choose whether you want to take the break, or if you prefer to skip it and are ready to move to the second part of the exam.

Hope this helps clarify how the break works,

Gabriella

Hi Gabriella,

Thank you for your post. Can you please clarify whether the 10-minute break, if taken, counts against the total 4-hour exam time? In other words, will I have 4 hours total for the exam PLUS a 10-minute break which I may take or skip, or will I have 4 hours total only, and the clock would continue to count down during my break?

Many thanks.

The 10-minute break is not counting towards a total of 4 hours of the exam. When you take a break, the exam time stops. When you return from the break, the exam time resumes from where you left. So, it is 4 hours PLUS 10 minutes break. You can also return from a 10-minute break sooner than 10 minutes, it's all up to you.

At the same time, I believe it's important to note, when you are being contacted during the exam (a proctor is reaching out to you for any comment/feedback/request), the exam time does NOT stop. The only time exam time is on pause is when you take an official break after the first 90 questions.

Thank you, Elena! Very helpful information. Any insight into how long the check-in process with the proctor takes after the 10-minute break (assuming this interaction counts against the 4-hour exam time)?

Emily, I didn't have check-in after I returned from the exam break. I started the break, left the room for about 5 minutes, returned back, and clicked to end the break and return to the exam. As I recall, I immediately received the next question. So, no second check-in ever happened to me - the only one I had was before the exam started, and the exam time was not started at that time.
For records - I took my PMP exam online on June 12, 2020.

Sorry, Emily, I just saw your other question—to which Elena already replied.
One thing you may want to keep in mind is that, while you are allowed to leave the room during the break, the audio/video recording remains on.

Gabriella

Hi All,
I need few clarifications

Say for example in between 90-100 questions i am being prompted for break? So before that i can still review the questions i marked for review or no?
I agree that after the break, i don't have option to review the questions. But before that can i review right? Please clarify..

and what-if i continue as such without taking break?
Will i be able to review all questions or no? i mean the first half portion ?

and what-if i continue as such without taking break?

Will i be able to review all questions or no? i mean the first half portion ?

Hello — Once prompted for your break, you will be allowed to review your questions. Once the break has passed, that section of the exam can no longer be revisited. You will then only be able to review questions in the second portion after the break. Best of luck!

On top of what Emily said, let me just add that — even if you decide to skip the break — you will be prompted to this option only after the first part of the exam is submitted. As such, it is not accessible anymore, and skipping the break will only lead you to immediately start the second part of the exam.

Gabriella

So, If I do a 10 minute brain dump on the first set up questions, I am already behind. When I am prompted for a break and want to review my marked questions, how do I know how much time to spend on them? I don't want to use up all my time not knowing how long it is going to take to finish the second part of the exam. Because you cannot go back to the first exam seems to be a big disadvantage. I would rather make sure I had time to finish the full test and answer all the questions then take the remaining time to review all the marked questions. When I run out of time then it is over. I had rather run out of time reviewing all the answered questions instead of spending too much time on the first section reviewing. The problem is that it now seems like this has been taken away. I will be nervous about spending too much time reviewing the first section not knowing how long it will take me to finish the second section. Am I correct?

Could you please confirm if following is correct?

1. Break will be after submission of 89 question. It will prompt to review and submit. SO break is governed by submission of question not time you spent? Could you please confirm?
2. Also can we do a brain-dump before exam ?

I left the room during my ten minute break and got disqualified. I appealed and was told to refer to the PMP rules and the FAQs before doing the exam again. It clearly states you can leave the room during you ten minute break on their website. I am so angry. I took a day off work and now have to pay to do the exam again.