Holding(s) in Company

Pearson PLC
4 February 2002


Letter to Company Announcements Office

Notification of change in interest in shares

We write in accordance with rule 9.12, 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, the shareholding of
The Capital Group Companies, Inc., which equals 58,002,505 shares, now
represents 7.24% of the issued ordinary share capital of Pearson plc.

The registered holders of the shares are listed on the schedules below.

From Pearson PLC



As of 31 January 2002

Pearson plc

                                           Number of           Percent of
                                              Shares          Outstanding

The Capital Group Companies, Inc.
('CG') holdings                                58,002,505           7.25%

Holdings by CG Management Companies and
Funds:

•Capital Guardian Trust Company             31,850,030.00           3.98%

•Capital International Limited              11,994,808.00           1.50%

•Capital International S.A.                  2,256,769.00           0.28%

•Capital International, Inc.                 4,283,626.00           0.54%

•Capital Research and Management Company     7,617,272.00           0.95%


                               Schedule A


                      Schedule of holdings in Pearson plc
                             As of 31 January 2002

                        Capital Guardian Trust Company

Registered Name                                             Local Shares

State Street Nominees Limited                                4,582,571

Bank of New York Nominees                                      750,300

Chase Nominees Limited                                      12,620,783

BT Globenet Nominees Ltd                                       230,500

Midland Bank plc                                             6,773,900

Deutsche Bank Mannheim                                           2,300

Bankers Trust                                                1,457,900

Barclays Bank                                                  554,500

Citibank London                                                543,886

Nortrust Nominees                                            3,957,292

Royal Bank of Scotland                                          13,000

MSS Nominees Limited                                            43,000

State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                   22,000

RBSTB Nominees Ltd.                                              3,100

Citibank NA                                                     39,200

HSBC Bank plc                                                    8,100

ROY Nominees Limited                                            55,000

Mellon Nominees (UK) Limited                                   192,698

                                              TOTAL         31,850,030


                          Schedule B



                    Capital International Limited

Registered Name                                             Local Shares

State Street Nominees Limited                                  376,198

Bank of New York Nominees                                      912,546

Chase Nominees Limited                                       2,792,626

Midland Bank plc                                                22,900

Bankers Trust                                                4,321,498

Citibank London                                                 81,327

Morgan Guaranty                                                338,959

Nortrust Nominees                                            1,895,020

Royal Bank of Scotland                                           8,100

MSS Nominees Limited                                            33,600

State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                  222,400

Lloyds Bank                                                     25,300

Citibank                                                        14,800

Deutsche Bank AG                                               567,709

HSBC Bank plc                                                  157,900

KAS UK                                                          13,025

Bank of One London                                             188,000

Clydesdale Bank plc                                             22,900

                                             TOTAL          11,994,808

                               Schedule B



                         Capital International S.A.

Registered Name                                             Local Shares

State Street Nominees Limited                                  107,536

Bank of New York Nominees                                       61,627

Chase Nominees Limited                                         723,453

Credit Suisse London Branch                                     20,000

Midland Bank plc                                               207,100

Barclays Bank                                                  233,718

Royal Bank of Scotland                                         659,718

National Westminster Bank                                       53,300

Lloyds Bank                                                     26,400

Vidacos Nominees Ltd.                                           19,090

RBSTB Nominees Ltd                                              33,327

Citibank NA                                                     12,000

Deutsche Bank AG                                                56,100

HSBC Bank plc                                                   43,400

                                         TOTAL               2,256,769


                           Schedule B


             
                           Capital International, Inc.


Registered Name                                             Local Shares

State Street Nominees Limited                                1,324,679

Bank of New York Nominees                                      203,426

Chase Nominees Limited                                       1,893,521

Midland Bank plc                                                73,500

Deutsche Bank Mannheim                                          25,000

Bankers Trust                                                    8,800

Citibank London                                                 26,400

Nortrust Nominees                                              456,300

State Street Bank & Trust Co.                                  194,500

Citibank NA                                                     14,800

Deutsche Bank AG                                                62,700

                                              TOTAL          4,283,626


                           Schedule B



             Capital Research and Management Company

Registered Name                                             Local Shares

State Street Nominees Limited                                  500,000

Chase Nominees Limited                                       7,117,272

                                             TOTAL           7,617,272




                             Schedule B




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange