Answer: false. The FAQ says a candidate who fails the written test can still take the performance exam that day. A failed paper does not close the rest of the day.

The two results are still linked. If you fail the written test and pass the performance exam, you must retake the written test on another date within one year. The performance pass stands, but certification needs both, so the written paper is deferred rather than cancelled.

The reverse rule is worth knowing at the same time. Pass the written and fail the performance, and you do not need to repeat the written if you retake the performance within one year. Leave the retake longer than a year and the written test must be repeated as well. In both directions the one-year limit decides how much you repeat.

Learn both rules before test day. A candidate who knows them can plan a retake calmly instead of assuming that one bad paper ends the attempt.

Source

From the CI preparation and examination FAQ; see also the paper exam page; study material is the CI Study Guide (2025).