Guardian readers have responded to a recent letters section about memory tests, sharing their own experiences of unexpected answers and humor during cognitive assessments.
Patient responses to memory tests
Ross Bradshaw from Nottingham recalls his mother being taken to hospital after an infection. A doctor asked her to write a sentence with a subject, object, and verb. Despite her confusion, she wrote: 'I will not do this,' giving a withering look.
Tim Scott from London shares that his brother, on frequent hospital visits, would respond to requests to count backwards from 20 to zero by asking: 'Shall I do that in English, French, German, Welsh, Norwegian or Latin?'
Unexpected answers about the Queen
Jason Hill from Stoke-on-Trent recounts being asked by a practice nurse: 'How many children does the queen have?' during Elizabeth II's reign. He replied: 'Too many!' and the nurse was not amused.
The letters highlight the challenges and humor that can arise during memory tests, often in stressful medical situations. Readers are invited to share their own opinions by emailing the Guardian's letters section.
