Could You Pass 1913 English Exam?

Test your skills with questions from Cambridge’s first English exam.

Have you ever experienced the feeling of sitting for an exam? The crowded halls, rows of desks, and the relentless ticking of the clock. Cambridge University Press and Assessment (CUP&A), one of the UK’s leading exam providers, has been creating exam papers since the 1850s. Over 100 million people worldwide have taken its English exams. However, today’s exams are a far cry from the very first one.

In 1913, three candidates—all teachers—took the first Cambridge English exam, and surprisingly, all of them failed. But would you pass? Here’s a glimpse of one of the questions from that early test (answers provided below):

Correct or justify four of the following sentences, giving your reasons:
(a) I hope you are determined to seriously improve.
(b) Comparing Shakespeare with Aeschylus, the former is by no means inferior to the latter.
(c) I admit that I was willing to have made peace with you.
(d) The statement was incorrect, as anyone familiar with the spot, and who was acquainted with the facts, will admit.
(e) It has the largest circulation of any paper in England.
(f) The lyrical gifts of Shakespeare are woven into the actual language of the characters.

The 1913 exam consisted of phonetics, grammar, and translation papers and took 12 hours to complete.

“At first, the exam targeted a small elite who studied English as an academic subject, like Latin or Ancient Greek,” explains Dr. Evelina Galaczi, director of research at CUP&A.

Back then, grammar and translation were emphasized. However, this shifted during World War II when English emerged as a global language, making communication skills—speaking and pronunciation—more important. “This was a turning point,” says Dr. Galaczi. “Learning English opens doors.”

By the 1950s, there was demand to include translation questions for dozens of languages, from Arabic to Vietnamese. According to Gillian Cooke, CUP&A’s group archivist, “The demand for each language was likely too small to be cost-effective, leading to the translation paper being dropped in the 1970s.”

Since then, the Cambridge English exam has evolved. Today, it offers tailored versions for schools, universities, and businesses. “More than 100 million people in 130 countries have taken our exams,” says Ian Cook, CUP&A’s marketing director for higher education. These exams are recognized by over 25,000 organizations, including governments for immigration purposes, employers, and universities worldwide.

Modern versions are also available digitally, using AI to create adaptive tests. “The next question depends on how well you answered the previous one,” Cook explains. “Adaptive testing personalizes the experience, helping students build confidence and showcase their abilities.”

Despite these advancements, CUP&A remains committed to combining tradition with innovation. “Examiners and AI collaborate in marking and setting exam content,” says Dr. Galaczi, emphasizing the balance of human expertise and technology.

How did you do?
Here are the answers as they would have been expected in 1913:
(a) Incorrect: Avoid the split infinitive. Use “to improve seriously.”
(b) Incorrect: Fix the hanging participle. It should say, “Shakespeare is by no means inferior to Aeschylus.” Today, “Shakespeare is just as good as” is more common.
(c) Incorrect: The tense is wrong. It should be “to make peace.”
(d) Incorrect: Use “would admit” instead of “will admit.”
(e) Correct.
(f) Correct.