English Language & Usage Asked by Thale on February 23, 2021
Amongst North Indian Students, the phrase “give an exam” is very popular. These students use the phrase to describe the act of writing the answers to examination questions.
The reason being, in Hindi, it’s known as “exam dhena” which translates literally to “to give an exam”.
In South India, however, a majority of people use the phrase “to take up an exam”.
Which of these usages is more common/appropriate/grammatical? (As a prof I have developed a strange aversion toward the “give an exam” phrase; I find it wrong and ugly.)
It depends on what it means. In American English, students take an exam, while professors give an exam. This is very normal usage.
The metaphor is that the professor provides something, and the students accept it, which is straightforward in any educational context.
On the other hand, you didn't provide any examples, so I suppose it's possible that your students might use the phrase give an exam to refer to what the student does, rather than what the professor does (i.e. setting, composing, or presenting an exam). This usage would be decidedly odd in American English, and potentially confusing.
"Ugly", on the other hand, is a personal esthetic judgement; my experience is that personal judgements of beauty and its opposite vary enormously, and have nothing to do with language per se.
Correct answer by John Lawler on February 23, 2021
No I guess ,it should be "take an exam". Students "take a test/exam", whereas a teacher/examiner gives an exam . This is quite common in India,and this is what would usually be used in India,but what we always say doesn't always mean that's the way they are spoken by the natives. Even my teacher says: You're going to give an test tomorrow.(though we as students are supposed to take the test and not give one;))
Answered by It's about English on February 23, 2021
it is generally said that there is nothing wrong or right in language. But we have to somewhere follow the standard of that particular language. so taking exam is the job of a student and giving exam is the job of a teacher......
Answered by sanjay salve on February 23, 2021
When you say that you are "taking" an exam, it means that you are going to be writing one. In other words, you are going to be a candidate, an examinee. When you say that you are going to be "giving" an exam, it means that you are going to give someone else an exam; you are the examiner. You are probably a teacher and you are going to give your students an exam. In India, this distinction is not always maintained.
Answered by Dr Maraneh on February 23, 2021
I think you neither give nor take an exam, you write an exam.
Answered by Lalita on February 23, 2021
We all have our likes and dislikes about language, Pandey. We’re entitled to them and we’re entitled to express them. What we’re not entitled to do is to claim that our preferences represent the only acceptable forms of the language. English comes in many, many varieties. Indian English is one them and your experience suggests there are varieties within Indian English itself. I have not heard either of the terms you mention, but then I live in the UK where the normal British English expression is take an exam or sit an exam. There is nothing intrinsically ‘ugly’ about give an exam and I suspect your aversion to it is based on nothing more than the fact that it is not used in the part of India where, I assume, you live.
Answered by Barrie England on February 23, 2021
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