The short answer
In standard English, the student takes or sits the exam — the institution gives it. “Gave exam” reverses the roles. It is a word-for-word translation of the Hindi imtehaan dena (to give an exam), which does not carry over into English.
Wrong vs. Right
Wrong
I gave my board exam yesterday.
Right
I took / sat my board exam yesterday.
Wrong
She gave three exams this week.
Right
She took three exams this week.
Wrong
When will you give your IELTS?
Right
When will you take your IELTS?
Wrong
He gave the entrance exam twice.
Right
He took the entrance exam twice.
Who ‘gives’ and who ‘takes’?
The direction of the verb “give” in English is from the institution to the student — not the other way around.
Institution / Examiner
“The university gave a surprise test.”
“The teacher gave the exam on Friday.”
Student
“The students took the test.” (US)
“The students sat the exam.” (UK)
US English vs UK English — Both Are Correct
| Variety | Verb used | Example |
|---|---|---|
| American English | take | I took the SAT last Saturday. |
| British English | sit | She sat her A-levels in June. |
| Indian English (wrong) | give | I gave my exam yesterday. ✗ |
Why Does This Happen in Indian English?
In Hindi, the phrase for appearing in an exam is imtehaan dena — where dena means “to give”. This phrase is used from the student’s perspective in Hindi. When translated directly into English word-for-word, it becomes “give the exam” — which is grammatically wrong in English because the verb direction is reversed. The fix is simply to replace “give” with take (US) or sit (UK).
IELTS Speaking tip
In IELTS Speaking Part 1, examiners often ask about your education. If you say “I gave my 12th board exam”, the examiner will mark it as a lexical error. Say “I took my 12th board exams” or “I appeared for my 12th board exams”— “appear for” is also widely accepted and natural.
Frequently Asked Questions
'Gave exam' or 'took exam' — which is correct?+
'Took exam' is correct in American English and 'sat the exam' is correct in British English. 'Gave exam' is wrong because the verb 'give' belongs to the examiner or institution — it is the institution that gives the exam, not the student. Say 'I took my board exam' or 'I sat my board exam'.
Why do Indians say 'gave exam'?+
In Hindi, the phrase for taking an exam is 'imtehaan dena' — where 'dena' means 'to give'. When this is translated word-for-word into English, it becomes 'give the exam' or 'gave the exam'. This is a direct translation error. In standard English, the student takes or sits the exam; only the institution gives it.
What is the British English equivalent of 'take an exam'?+
In British English, students 'sit' an exam — 'She sat her final exams in May.' In American English, students 'take' an exam — 'She took her final exams in May.' Both are correct in standard English. The word 'give' is never used for the student's action.
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