I failed my life in Britain mock test

[Britishfailure]

So I am a European citizen who has lived in London for 3 decades married to a Brit and raised 2 children. I have been toying with the idea of citizenship I light
of the Reform “we want to deport you all” rhetoric.

I took the mock citizenship test tonight and scored 71% which was not enough to pass. However, I made my British DH and children take it too and I actually scored way higher than they did.

The test is honestly crazy. Questions about roast beef. Honestly so weird. I think I won’t bother becoming a British citizen as I really don’t like roast beef 😂

Absolutely! I have (just out of curiosity) done several of these tests online. In theory, being British born to Briitish parents, I ought to be able to answer all the questions. There are always several that I have to guess at - and generally get wrong. Maybe I should confess to this, in case they want to revoke my citizenship?

71% and most of my answers were total guesses. Some lucky, some not. Some right answers were a case of "it's not that, that, or that, so it must be that". If the options for "when was brexit" had been 2019, 2020,2021, 2022 I might have guessed wrong. If the options for "when was that guy prime minister" had all been a different century, I would have still picked one at random. If the whole thing had not been mutiple choice, I don't know if I would have known a single answer 😬

I grew up and went to school in another country, does that excuse it?

Tbh I bet most English people would have trouble passing it anyway. Ive helped a Hungarian friend and a Colombian friend years ago, by giving them references and they showed me some of the practice questions, I had absolutely no clue. Neither did some of the other English people we worked with.

I passed mine a few years ago.

You can practice online and there is also study guides that you can buy.

The actual test was not that hard in the end :).

Looks like knowing these things is not genetic, nor is it particularly useful in everyday life.

Any suggestion for better questions? Here's my suggestion:

In the 1991 court case between McVities and HMRC, were Jaff Cakes ruled to be
a) awful
b) biscuits
c) cakes
d) delicious

edited twice because typo goblins keep eating random letters. And adding words.

92%. French father, Australian mother, my mother became a British citizen in the 70s because my parents were good friends with the British High Commissioner when we were living in what was then called a third world country.

There was some pathetic little ceremony where she had to pledge allegiance to the Queen and then her mate said 'You are a bloody Pom now' and laughed. It was back when children were still on their mother's passports so it was automatically extended to me.

Just as fucking well, the devil would be going to work in a snowplough before I pledged allegiance to fucking Charles.

I just passed a mock test, some questions are a little obscure. Most are basic knowledge that are all either covered in history curriculum at secondary or stuff you'd know ambiently from living in the UK. Given that you're given a booklet to study, it's not completely random. Presumably if you want to become a UK citizen you realise some effort is involved if you haven't won the birth lottery.*

Out of interest what other countries have really easy routes to citizenship that don't require demonstrating knowledge of the local language, history or customs? The UK is hardly unique.

*Cecil Rhodes reference there.

I just took the one someone linked above and got a 79%. I went to school entirely abroad and I think I got all of the specific date ones wrong (except who Germany invaded in 1939).

I found this an odd question, even though I got it correct: T/F: Peers nominated by the Prime Minister can only serve for their lifetime.

Of course it's true, but hereditary peers can't serve beyond the limits of their own lifetime either; the difference is that their heirs can serve representing the same peerage while a life peerage ends with the death of the original holder. Surely there's a better way to phrase this, unless it's a trick question meant to trip up speakers of non-fluent English.

I just had a quick go. Never looked at one of these tests before.
Passed with 84%.
Love a quiz!

Of course it's true, but hereditary peers can't serve beyond the limits of their own lifetime either

Would give a whole new meaning to the term “Shadow Cabinet” if they could, though

I just did one and scored 88%. More than I've done in the past. They've usually been on the edge. Actually most of the questions were quite sensible. People should know about the small claims court for example! I'm not sure why we need to know the exact year habeas corpus came into law but it is actually an important principle. I would hope that the questions would prompt people to go and look stuff up, and I think that's a good thing.

If you really want to be a citizen it's reasonable to put in a bit of effort (and you'll probably put in far more effort to earn the money to pay the fees).

It's become a bit of a British cliché to mock the test. Maybe the pass time should feature on the test.

YANBU. The test is preposterous.

My friend failed 3 times having lived in UK 30 years since age 14 years. Stuff like the names of minor Royals.

If everyone, including lifelong British nationals need to 'study' the special guidance booklet in order to pass the test it's really testing your determination to do the preparation to jump through an arbitrary hoop. Perhaps it helps to think of it a bit like like those 'compliance' or 'health and safety' mandatory training you may need to do annually at work, but ... you only need to do it once. A necessary evil to get done and forgotten. I got 64%, but a bit of reading, practice and revision I reckon I could do better...but that will never truly reflect how British I am or what I contribute to society.

I am not sure why Hitler invading Poland in 1939 is on a British citizenship test...

Because that is the reason Britain declared war on Germany hence the start of the Second World War.

I’ve taken the Canadian one. And similarly it isn’t really strong on being Canadian and is also failed by the vast majority of Canadians who attempt it.

When I lived there, years ago, I wrote a Real Canadian Test. See if any Brits on here (or Canadians) can pass mine:

1. What’s a double double?
2. Where would you get one from?
3. What’s a toque?
4. Someone steps on your foot, what do you say?
5. It’s cold outside, everyone has their windscreen wipers up. Why?
6. It’s Monday night, it’s _____ night in Canada
7. “Elbows up”, what does that mean?
8. If I am wearing skates and ‘drop my gloves’, what’s about to happen?
9. Milk can come in cartons or_____
10. Who is Callilou and exactly how annoying is he on a scale of 1-10?

Much more useful than the one they give you now.

The answer to #4 has to be “sorry”, doesn’t it?

My South American Dil (who passed the test) is too 😊

3 is a beanie right? I only know that from the not a beanie song though

The answer to 1 must be Margaret Atwood's ego.

Both @Algenand @Chiloopget honorary Canadian citizenship! 🇨🇦

LOL

What’s the name of the polar research vessel, chosen in 2016 via a public poll:

(a) Sir David Attenborough
(b) The Black Pig
(c) HMS Enterprise
(d) Boaty McBoatface

Don't mention the war!

Not being sure why Hitler's invasion of Poland is relevant to Britain must be an instant disqualification surely?

LOL at test 4-

Which TWO are police duties?

Misuse their authority
Protect life and property
Detect and prevent crime
Be corrupt

You'd have trouble with that question these days.

Also the one about what age can someone have an alcoholic drink with a meal if they are accompanied by an adult I only know because of the Inbetweeners 😆