Holding in Company

Pearson PLC
10 April 2001

Letter to Company Announcements Office 
 
NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES 
 
We write in accordance with rule 9.11, under the continuing obligations
section of the Listing Rules, to notify you that we have today received
information that, pursuant to section 198 of the Companies Act 1985,
shareholding of The Capital Group Companies, Inc, which equals 24,192,406
shares, now represents 3% of the issued ordinary share capital of Pearson
plc. 
 
The registered holders of the shares are listed in the schedules below. 
 
Letter from Pearson Plc 
 
                                 AS OF 6 APRIL 2001
 
                                    PEARSON PLC
 

                                                                              
                                   Number of Shares    Percent of Outstanding 
  The Capital Group Companies,           24,192,406                     3.04% 
  Inc ('CG') holdings                                                         
  Holdings by CG Management                                                   
  Companies and Funds:  
                                                      
  Capital Guardian Trust                  9,956,330                     1.25% 
  Company                                                                     
  Capital International Limited           8,123,086                     1.02% 
  Capital International S.A.                277,219                     0.03% 
  Capital International, Inc.               407,590                     0.05% 
  Capital Research and                    5,428,181                     0.68% 
  Management Company                                                          
 
 
                                      Schedule A 
 
 
                           SCHEDULE OF HOLDINGS IN PEARSON PLC 
                                    AS OF 6 APRIL 2001 
 
                            CAPITAL GUARDIAN TRUST COMPANY 
 
                                                              
                Registered Name                   Local Shares 

                State Street Nominees Limited        1,261,218 
                Bank of New York Nominees              128,800 
                Chase Nominees Limited               3,292,665 
                BT Globenet Nominees Ltd.               32,500 
                Midland Bank plc                     2,555,700 
                Cede & Co.                              13,495 
                Deutsche Bank Mannhelm                   1,200 
                Bankers Trust                          437,400 
                Barclays Bank                          172,300 
                Citibank London                        459,186 
                Nortrust Nominees                    1,433,331 
                Royal Bank of Scotland                   4,000 
                MSS Nominees Limited                    17,900 
                National Westminster Bank                2,900 
                Lloyds Bank                              1,000 
                RBSTB Nominees Ltd.                      3,100 
                * New Account *                        115,035 
                Nominee information not available
                Citibank NA                             12,500 
                HSBC Bank plc                              700 
                ROY Nominees Limited                    11,400 
                   TOTAL                             9,956,330 
 
 
                                      Schedule B 
 
                                                             
                           CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED                  

                Registered Name                   Local Shares 

                State Street Nominees Limited          104,371 
                Bank of New York Nominees              518,761 
                Chase Nominees Limited               2,562,606 
                Midland Bank plc                        10,000 
                Bankers Trust                        3,456,598 
                Citibank London                         72,000 
                Morgan Guaranty                         12,109 
                Nortrust Nominees                    1,031,427 
                Royal Bank of Scotland                   5,600 
                MSS Nominees Limited                    27,600 
                Lloyds Bank                              8,300 
                Vidacos Nominees Ltd.                    9,327 
                Citibank                                 4,000 
                * New Account *                        108,459 
                Nominee information not available
                Deutsche Bank AG                       156,909 
                HSBC Bank plc                           22,000 
                KAS UK                                  13,025 
 
                   TOTAL                             8,123,086 
 
                                      Schedule B 
 
                                                              
                             CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL S.A.           

                Registered Name                   Local Shares 

                State Street Nominees Limited            4,836 
                Bank of New York Nominees               25,827 
                Chase Nominees Limited                 110,103 
                Midland Bank plc                        36,400 
                Barclays Bank                            5,618 
                Royal Bank of Scotland                  52,018 
                National Westminster Bank               10,500 
                Lloyds Bank                              7,700 
                Vidacos Nominees Ltd.                   19,090 
                RBSTB Nominees Ltd.                      5,127 
                   TOTAL                               277,219 
 
                                      Schedule B 
 
                                                              
                            CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL INC.                     

                Registered Name                   Local Shares 

                State Street Nominees Limited          127,000 
                Bank of New York Nominees               22,090 
                Chase Nominees Limited                 233,200 
                Deutsche Bank Mannhelm                   3,600 
                Nortrust Nominees                       19,000 
                Citibank NA                              2,700 
                   TOTAL                               407,590 
 
                                      Schedule B 
 
                                                                     
                     CAPITAL RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY                  

            Registered Name                             Local Shares 

            Chase Nominees Limited                         5,428,181 
               TOTAL                                       5,428,181 
 
                                      Schedule B