I think programming is an basically an exercise in effective communication. Edsger Dijkstra said that

"Besides a mathematical inclination, an exceptionally good mastery of one's native tongue is the most vital asset of a competent programmer."

This means being able to write down a description of a problem or a solution in a clear and concise way. This is the test I would use if I hired people (not only programmers). At my job I have noticed that quite a few people cannot write proper sentences or are way too verbose in their writing.