INSERT INTO table_name (column 1, column 2 …) VALUES (value 1, value 2 …)

The idea

This is the template for adding a record to a table. INSERT INTO is followed by the table name, then a bracketed list of the columns you are filling, then the keyword VALUES, then a bracketed list of the values. The first value fills the first listed column, the second value fills the second column, and so on, so the two lists must be the same length and in matching order. Text values are wrapped in single quotes; numeric values are written plainly. For instance, INSERT INTO Book (BookID, Title, Price) VALUES (7, 'Dune', 9.99) adds one row. Omitting a column leaves it at its default or empty, and any value must suit that column's data type.

What earns the marks

• Places the table name immediately after INSERT INTO.
• Puts the column list in brackets before the VALUES keyword.
• Puts the value list in brackets after VALUES, matching the column order.
• Keeps the number of values equal to the number of listed columns.
• Quotes text values in single quotes and leaves numeric values unquoted.
• Ensures each value matches the data type of its column.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Swapping the column list and value list positions.

  Put it right: Columns come before VALUES, values after it.

• Leaving out brackets around the lists.

  Put it right: Both the column list and the value list need brackets.

• Giving more values than columns (or fewer).

  Put it right: The two lists must correspond one-to-one.

• Quoting numbers or failing to quote text.

  Put it right: Apply single quotes only to text and dates.

Exam tips

• Trace the template left to right: table, columns, VALUES, values.
• Check that each value's type matches the column it fills before selecting an answer.
• Watch for a missing VALUES keyword or missing brackets, which are common distractor errors.