Cambridge students struggled to find words to express their outrage at being given this poem to analyse in an exam.

Students sitting their final English exams were faced with the work Tipp-ex Sonate by South African singer and writer André Letoit, who also performs under the name Koos Kombuis.

Some thought a printing error had been made with the paper but were fortunately given the option of other extracts to discuss.

Download the new Independent Premium app Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

One finalist, who wanted to remain anonymous, told university newspaper The Tab she had felt confident before being caught off-guard by the bizarre question.

“I was taken aback by this question and hadn’t seen anything like it in past papers,” she said.

“I actually felt quite flustered and panicked a little when seeing it.

“Admittedly the question wasn’t impossible and I think a lot of finalists probably had the ability to interpret meaning from punctuation.”

The University of Cambridge previously came under fire for a law exam question that contained graphic descriptions of rape and torture last year.

A spokesman for the university’s English department declined to comment on students’ criticisms.

“We are in the exam period at the moment and the academics are all tied up,” she added.

Let’s hope that was a metaphor.