According to the PMBOK style project management framework, which of the following correctly lists the five Project Management Process Groups in their usual order?

Introduction / Context:
The PMBOK Guide organizes project management work into five high level process groups. These groups describe how processes are logically clustered over the project life cycle. Knowing their names and typical order is fundamental for any PMP or CAPM candidate because many exam questions reference them directly. This question checks your ability to recall and correctly sequence the five standard process groups.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• There are five recognized Project Management Process Groups.
• They represent a logical flow from starting the project through closing it.
• You need to select the answer that uses the correct names and order, not just similar sounding phrases.
• The question is based on the PMBOK style terminology rather than informal labels.

Concept / Approach:
The five Project Management Process Groups are Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, and Closing. Initiating starts the project or phase, Planning defines and refines objectives and plans, Executing carries out the work, Monitoring and Controlling tracks progress and manages changes, and Closing finalizes all activities. The order reflects the natural progression of a project, although in practice some groups overlap. When evaluating the options, look for the exact names and sequence; any deviation, reordering or use of informal words should be considered incorrect for exam purposes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the official names: Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing.Step 2: Compare this list with option A. It matches the names and order exactly, so it is a strong candidate.Step 3: Review option B. It starts with Planning, then Initiating, which is out of logical order, and misplaces Closing and Monitoring and Controlling.Step 4: Examine option C, which uses the right names but scrambles the sequence and omits the full phrase Monitoring and Controlling.Step 5: Look at option D, which uses informal phrases like Start up and Finish instead of the official terms, and mirrors the Plan Do Check Act cycle rather than the PMBOK groups.Step 6: Conclude that only option A is fully correct.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you review any PMBOK Guide process group diagram, you will see these five group names repeated for each knowledge area. Many training materials also use the acronym IPEMC (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing) to help candidates remember the order. This independent recall confirms that option A aligns with the standard.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B rearranges groups into a sequence that does not match the life cycle and is not recognized as standard. Option C mixes the order and omits the full name of the Monitoring and Controlling group, making it incomplete. Option D uses generic Plan Do Check Finish terminology common in quality management but not in PMP exam process group questions.

Common Pitfalls:
One pitfall is to confuse knowledge areas (such as Scope Management) with process groups. Another is to mix up Monitoring and Controlling with Executing or to assume that Closing is optional. Exam authors sometimes hide errors by slightly renaming groups or changing their position in a list. Always double check both the wording and the order and memorize them as a fixed sequence to avoid these traps.

Final Answer:
The correct list is Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling, Closing.