SQL Keywords – Complete Exam-Oriented
Reference with Examples
This document compiles commonly used and exam-relevant SQL keywords, grouped by category,
with simple examples demonstrating their usage. This is suitable for academic exams, MCQs, and
interview preparation.
1. Data Query Language (DQL)
Keyword Example Usage
SELECT <font size=9><i>SELECT name FROM Employees;</i></font>
DISTINCT <font size=9><i>SELECT DISTINCT department FROM Employees;</i></font>
FROM <font size=9><i>SELECT * FROM Employees FROM dual;</i></font>
2. Data Manipulation Language (DML)
Keyword Example Usage
INSERT <font size=9><i>INSERT INTO Employees VALUES (1, 'Asha', 50000);</i></font>
UPDATE <font size=9><i>UPDATE Employees SET salary = 60000 WHERE id = 1;</i></font>
DELETE <font size=9><i>DELETE FROM Employees WHERE id = 1;</i></font>
3. Data Definition Language (DDL)
Keyword Example Usage
CREATE <font size=9><i>CREATE TABLE Emp(id INT, name VARCHAR(50));</i></font>
ALTER <font size=9><i>ALTER TABLE Emp ADD salary INT;</i></font>
DROP <font size=9><i>DROP TABLE Emp;</i></font>
TRUNCATE <font size=9><i>TRUNCATE TABLE Emp;</i></font>
RENAME <font size=9><i>RENAME Emp TO Employees;</i></font>
4. Constraints
Keyword Example Usage
PRIMARY KEY <font size=9><i>id INT PRIMARY KEY</i></font>
FOREIGN KEY <font size=9><i>FOREIGN KEY (dept_id) REFERENCES Dept(id)</i></font>
UNIQUE <font size=9><i>email VARCHAR(50) UNIQUE</i></font>
CHECK <font size=9><i>age INT CHECK (age >= 18)</i></font>
DEFAULT <font size=9><i>status VARCHAR(10) DEFAULT 'ACTIVE'</i></font>
5. Filtering & Conditions
Keyword Example Usage
WHERE <font size=9><i>SELECT * FROM Emp WHERE salary > 40000;</i></font>
AND <font size=9><i>WHERE salary > 40000 AND dept = 'IT'</i></font>
OR <font size=9><i>WHERE dept = 'IT' OR dept = 'HR'</i></font>
NOT <font size=9><i>WHERE NOT dept = 'IT'</i></font>
IN <font size=9><i>WHERE dept IN ('IT','HR')</i></font>
BETWEEN <font size=9><i>WHERE salary BETWEEN 30000 AND 60000</i></font>
LIKE <font size=9><i>WHERE name LIKE 'A%'</i></font>
IS NULL <font size=9><i>WHERE manager_id IS NULL</i></font>
6. Aggregation & Grouping
Keyword Example Usage
GROUP BY <font size=9><i>GROUP BY department</i></font>
HAVING <font size=9><i>HAVING COUNT(*) > 5</i></font>
COUNT <font size=9><i>SELECT COUNT(*) FROM Emp;</i></font>
SUM <font size=9><i>SELECT SUM(salary) FROM Emp;</i></font>
AVG <font size=9><i>SELECT AVG(salary) FROM Emp;</i></font>
MIN <font size=9><i>SELECT MIN(salary) FROM Emp;</i></font>
MAX <font size=9><i>SELECT MAX(salary) FROM Emp;</i></font>
7. Joins
Keyword Example Usage
INNER JOIN <font size=9><i>SELECT * FROM A INNER JOIN B ON [Link]=[Link];</i></font>
LEFT JOIN <font size=9><i>SELECT * FROM A LEFT JOIN B ON [Link]=[Link];</i></font>
RIGHT JOIN <font size=9><i>SELECT * FROM A RIGHT JOIN B ON [Link]=[Link];</i></font>
FULL JOIN <font size=9><i>SELECT * FROM A FULL JOIN B ON [Link]=[Link];</i></font>
ON <font size=9><i>JOIN Dept ON Emp.dept_id = [Link]</i></font>
8. Subqueries & Set Operators
Keyword Example Usage
EXISTS <font size=9><i>WHERE EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM Dept)</i></font>
ANY <font size=9><i>WHERE salary > ANY (SELECT salary FROM Emp)</i></font>
ALL <font size=9><i>WHERE salary > ALL (SELECT salary FROM Emp)</i></font>
UNION <font size=9><i>SELECT id FROM A UNION SELECT id FROM B</i></font>
UNION ALL <font size=9><i>SELECT id FROM A UNION ALL SELECT id FROM B</i></font>
INTERSECT <font size=9><i>SELECT id FROM A INTERSECT SELECT id FROM B</i></font>
EXCEPT <font size=9><i>SELECT id FROM A EXCEPT SELECT id FROM B</i></font>
9. Transaction Control Language (TCL)
Keyword Example Usage
COMMIT <font size=9><i>COMMIT;</i></font>
ROLLBACK <font size=9><i>ROLLBACK;</i></font>
SAVEPOINT <font size=9><i>SAVEPOINT sp1;</i></font>
10. Views & Indexes
Keyword Example Usage
CREATE VIEW <font size=9><i>CREATE VIEW v_emp AS SELECT * FROM Emp;</i></font>
DROP VIEW <font size=9><i>DROP VIEW v_emp;</i></font>
CREATE INDEX <font size=9><i>CREATE INDEX idx_emp ON Emp(id);</i></font>
DROP INDEX <font size=9><i>DROP INDEX idx_emp;</i></font>
11. Miscellaneous / Utility Keywords
Keyword Example Usage
AS <font size=9><i>SELECT salary AS income FROM Emp;</i></font>
CASE <font size=9><i>CASE WHEN salary>50000 THEN 'High' END</i></font>
WHEN <font size=9><i>WHEN salary>50000 THEN 'High'</i></font>
THEN <font size=9><i>THEN 'High'</i></font>
ELSE <font size=9><i>ELSE 'Low'</i></font>
END <font size=9><i>END AS salary_level</i></font>
ORDER BY <font size=9><i>ORDER BY salary DESC</i></font>
ASC <font size=9><i>ORDER BY salary ASC</i></font>
DESC <font size=9><i>ORDER BY salary DESC</i></font>
LIMIT <font size=9><i>SELECT * FROM Emp LIMIT 5;</i></font>