<Page> EXHIBIT 8.1 LIST OF SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARIES <Table> <Caption> PERCENTAGE INTEREST/ NAME COUNTRY OF INCORPORATION VOTING POWER - ------------------------------ ------------------------- ------------ Pearson Education Inc. United States 100% PN Holdings Inc. United States 100% FT Limited England and Wales 100% Les Echos SA France 100% Interactive Data Corp. Inc. United States 60% Exshare Financial Ltd. England and Wales 60% Data Broadcasting Inc. United States 60% Financial Times Business Ltd. England and Wales 100% Penguin Putnam Inc. United States 100% Penguin Books Ltd. England and Wales 100% Recoletos Compania Editorial SA Spain 79% Pearson AG Switzerland 100% Pearson Inc. United States 100% Pearson Langman Inc. United States 100% Pearson Overseas Holdings Ltd. England and Wales 100% Pearson Capital Company LLC United States 100% Pearson Finance Partnership (Bermuda) Bermuda 100% Spinmerit Ltd. England and Wales 100% Testchange Ltd. England and Wales 100% </Table>