Excel in English Literature with CLEP Practice Exam! Assess your knowledge, analyze literary works, and master key concepts with our comprehensive practice exam. From Shakespeare to Austen, enhance your understanding of major authors and literary movements. Realistic simulations, detailed explanations, and performance tracking will boost your confidence for the CLEP English Literature exam. Maximize your potential, save time, and earn college credits. Start your literary journey today!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


In what language was the epic poem, Beowulf, written?

  1. English

  2. French

  3. Irish Gaelic

  4. Old English

The correct answer is: Old English

Beowulf is considered to be one of the oldest extant works of literature in the English language. It is an Old English epic poem that dates back to the 8th or 9th century. Option A English is incorrect because the poem predates the standardization of the English language. Option B: French is incorrect because this poem is believed to have been composed in England, not France. Option C: Irish Gaelic is incorrect because while Ireland's Ancient Gaelic literature is rich, Beowulf is not part of that tradition. It is a Scandinavian style epic.