119 JAMB English Language 2023 questions with verified answers and worked explanations. Here are the first 25 — sign up free to practise the full paper.
Choose the word that has the same rhyme scheme as the following word: battle
This question tests your ability to identify rhyming words, which are words that have similar ending sounds. The word 'battle' ends with an '-attle' sound. When you pronounce the options, 'kettle' is the only word that shares this same ending sound pattern, making them rhyme.
Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'latter' because it has a similar vowel sound and 'tt' spelling, but the question is about the final sound of the word, which is different.
The words in capital letter have the emphatic stress. Choose the options to which the given sentences relate. I bought my WIFE a red dress
This question tests your understanding of emphatic stress. When 'WIFE' is stressed, it means the focus is on the recipient of the dress, implying it was for the wife and not someone else. Option A, 'Did I buy my husband a red dress?', directly questions the recipient, which is what the emphatic stress on 'WIFE' highlights. The other options challenge different parts of the sentence not indicated by the stress.
Common mistake: Students often get confused by the other details in the options (like the item or colour) and fail to identify that emphatic stress specifically targets the word being emphasized, leading them to choose options that challenge other parts of the sentence.
This question is based on "The Life Changer" novel. Dr. Samuel Johnson is also known as_____
This question tests your detailed reading and recall of the recommended JAMB novel, 'The Life Changer'. In the book, the students gave their Head of Department, Dr. Samuel Johnson, the nickname 'Samjohn'. This was a simple combination of his first name 'Sam' and his last name 'John'.
Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'SamJson' because it looks like a modern username or handle, but the novel specifically spells the nickname as 'Samjohn'.
Choose the word that has the same CONSONANT SOUND as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined. wa sh
The 'sh' in 'wash' produces the /ʃ/ sound, which is a voiceless palato-alveolar sibilant. Among the given options, the word 'nation' also contains this exact /ʃ/ sound, specifically in the 'tion' part. Therefore, 'nation' shares the same consonant sound as 'wash'.
Common mistake: Students often confuse the /ʃ/ sound with the /ʒ/ sound (as in 'treasure' or 'occasion') because they are similar and can be represented by similar spellings like '-sion' or '-tion'.
In each of the following sentences, the word that resolves the emphatic stress is written in capital letters. From the options letters A to D, choose the one to which the given sentence is the appropriate answer. Daddy plays TENNIS on Saturday afternoons
The question tests your understanding of emphatic stress. When a word is emphatically stressed (like 'TENNIS' here), it means that word is the specific information being corrected or highlighted in response to a question. Option D, 'Does daddy play cricket on Saturday afternoon?', directly questions the sport, making 'TENNIS' the emphatic answer.
Common mistake: Students might choose options that question other parts of the sentence, like the subject (A), the day (B), or the time (C), instead of the specific word that is emphatically stressed.
In this question, select the option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence. If he were here, it could be more fun.
The sentence 'If he were here...' uses a conditional structure to talk about an unreal situation, which means he is actually not here. The phrase '...it could be more fun' suggests that while there might be some fun, his presence would increase it, meaning the occasion is less fun without him. Option A correctly combines these two points: he is absent, and because of that, the event lacked a significant amount of fun.
Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose option C, but the phrase 'more fun' implies some fun already exists, making the claim of 'no fun' an incorrect exaggeration.
In this question, select the option that best explains the information conveyed in the sentence. Though he is our elected representative, he often takes a rather jaundiced view of our problems.
The phrase 'a jaundiced view' is an idiom which means to have a negative, biased, or prejudiced opinion about something. In the sentence, it shows that the representative sees the people's problems in a bad light. Therefore, taking an 'unfavourable position' is the correct explanation of this negative and biased perspective.
Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose option D because 'jaundice' is a sickness, but in this context, 'jaundiced view' is an idiom and does not refer to a literal illness.
From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that has the same consonant sound(s) as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined below. P in
The question asks for the word that has the same consonant sound as the underlined 'p' in 'pin', which is the /p/ sound. In options A, B, and C ('psychology', 'pneumonia', 'pseudonym'), the initial letter 'p' is silent and not pronounced. The correct option is 'pragmatic' because its initial 'p' is pronounced with the same /p/ sound as in 'pin'.
Common mistake: Students often make the mistake of matching the letter 'p' visually, without realizing that in words like 'psychology' and 'pneumonia', the 'p' is silent.
Choose the appropriate stress pattern from the options.The stressed words are in capital letter(s) Fluency
This question tests your knowledge of word stress, which is a key aspect of Oral English. The word 'fluency' is a three-syllable word, and the primary stress falls on the first syllable, 'FLU'. Therefore, 'FLU-en-cy' is the correct stress pattern, indicating that the first syllable is pronounced with more emphasis.
Common mistake: Many students might incorrectly stress the second or third syllable, like 'flu-EN-cy' or 'flu-en-CY', if they are not familiar with the standard pronunciation and stress rules for multi-syllabic words.
Choose the word that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word(s) Victor played the role of a haughty prince.
The question asks for the word that is opposite in meaning to 'haughty'. 'Haughty' means being arrogant, proud, and looking down on others. The correct option, 'modest', means being humble and not overly proud of oneself, which is the direct opposite of being haughty.
Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'angry' because a haughty person can also be angry, but being angry is an emotion and not the direct opposite of being proud.
Choose the word or group of words that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined words The gradual process of transition to civilian rule came to an _____ end.
The question asks for the word that is opposite in meaning to 'gradual'. 'Gradual' means something that happens slowly and in stages over a long period. The correct option, 'abrupt', means something that is sudden and unexpected, which is the direct opposite of happening slowly. Therefore, an abrupt end is the opposite of a gradual process.
Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'anticipated' because a long, gradual process is often expected, but 'anticipated' is the opposite of 'unexpected', not the opposite of 'gradual'.
Fill in the gap in the sentence below with the appropriate option: Peter and Jane love each other ...... the difficulties they face.
The sentence requires a word that expresses a contrast or concession between 'loving each other' and 'the difficulties they face'. 'Despite' is the correct option because it means 'in spite of' or 'notwithstanding', perfectly conveying that their love exists even with the difficulties. The other options do not fit the intended meaning or grammatical structure.
Common mistake: Students might incorrectly choose 'however' if they understand the contrast but fail to recognize that 'however' typically connects two independent clauses or acts as an adverb, rather than directly preceding a noun phrase like 'the difficulties' in this context.
Choose the option that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word I was skeptical about the story she told me.
The word 'skeptical' means having doubts or reservations about something. In the given sentence, being 'skeptical about the story' means one is not fully convinced or believes the story. Therefore, 'doubtful' is the option that is closest in meaning to 'skeptical'.
Common mistake: Students might choose 'confused' if they misunderstand 'skeptical' as being bewildered rather than simply disbelieving or questioning.
This question is based on "The Life Changer" novel. _________ is the euphemism use for Cheat notes.
The question asks for the euphemism, which is a mild or indirect term for something unpleasant, used for 'cheat notes' in the novel 'The Life Changer'. In the story, the students who used these illegal notes referred to them as 'Notes of salvation'. They called them this because they believed the notes would 'save' them from failing their examinations.
Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose other options like 'Salvation note of rescue' because they sound similar, but the exact phrase used in the novel 'The Life Changer' is 'Notes of salvation'.
This question is based on "The Life Changer" novel. why did Omar say he passed his SSCE by no means a small feat?
This question tests your detailed understanding of the recommended literature text, 'The Life Changer'. In the novel, Omar is presented as a very serious and intelligent student who studied diligently. He passed his SSCE examinations with excellent grades at his first attempt, which is a difficult achievement, hence the expression 'no small feat'.
Common mistake: Students might wrongly choose option C because the topic of 'miracle centers' is a major theme in the book, but they must remember that Omar was against such malpractice.
Choose the option that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letter[s] underlined. nak e d
The underlined letter 'e' in 'naked' is pronounced with a short /ɪ/ vowel sound, similar to the 'i' in 'sit' or 'kit'. Among the given options, the word 'bid' also contains this exact short /ɪ/ vowel sound. Therefore, 'bid' is the correct match.
Common mistake: Students often confuse the short /ɪ/ sound with the short /ɛ/ sound (as in 'fed' or 'friend') or the long /iː/ sound (as in 'bead'), leading them to choose options A, B, or C.
From the list of words in A to D, choose one that best describes the sentence. James and Henry were at daggers drawn when I knew them. This means that they
The phrase 'at daggers drawn' is an idiom, which means it has a figurative meaning that is different from the literal meaning of the words. This particular idiom means to be in a state of open hostility or on very bad terms with someone. Therefore, if James and Henry were at daggers drawn, it means they were always angry with each other.
Common mistake: Students often make the mistake of choosing options B or C because they interpret the words 'daggers' and 'drawn' literally, not knowing it is an idiomatic expression.
This question is based on "The Life Changer" novel. Who among Salma's roommate was reserved and withdrawn yet generous to a fault?
This question tests the student's understanding and recall of character descriptions from the prescribed novel, 'The Life Changer'. Identifying Ngozi based on her traits of being reserved, withdrawn, and generous requires comprehension of the text's content. Therefore, it falls under the broad category of comprehension of passages, even though the 'passage' is an entire novel.
Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose Ada, who is also quiet, but Ngozi's specific combination of being reserved, withdrawn, and notably generous is distinct and a key character trait.
Choose the word that has the same rhyme scheme as the word below: Day
The question asks for a word that shares the same ending sound, or 'rhyme scheme,' as 'Day.' The word 'Day' ends with the /eɪ/ vowel sound. Among the options, 'Anime' (specifically the 'me' part, /meɪ/) contains the identical /eɪ/ sound, making it the rhyming word. Rhyming is determined by the similarity of the final stressed vowel and any subsequent sounds.
Common mistake: Students might choose words that look similar or have similar starting sounds, rather than focusing on the actual ending vowel and consonant sounds that define a rhyme.
In this question, fill each gap with the most appropriate option from the list provided. Without our relentless campaigns, we might ...... sure of victory in the race for the National Assembly.
The sentence expresses a past possibility that did not happen, indicated by 'Without our relentless campaigns'. To form this, we use a modal verb ('might') followed by the perfect infinitive ('have been'). The adverb 'never' is correctly placed between the modal and 'have'. Therefore, 'might never have been' correctly conveys the intended meaning of a past unfulfilled possibility.
Common mistake: Students often choose option D, 'have never be', because they forget that after 'have' in a perfect construction, the past participle form ('been') is required, not the base form ('be').
In this question, fill each gap with the most appropriate option from the list provided. We are all hungry; we ...... anything to eat since morning.
The phrase 'since morning' indicates an action that started in the past and continues up to the present moment, or has a direct effect on the present. The present perfect tense, 'haven't had', is the correct choice as it appropriately links the past event of not eating to the current state of being hungry. This tense is used for actions that began in the past and are still relevant now.
Common mistake: Students might incorrectly choose 'didn't have' (simple past) if they fail to recognize that 'since morning' requires a tense that connects the past action to the present.
In this question, fill each gap with the most appropriate option from the list provided. To check desertification in the arid zones, ...... trees should be planted
The question requires the most appropriate adjective to describe trees that can survive in dry conditions. The suffix '-resistant' means 'able to withstand or oppose something'. Therefore, 'drought-resistant' is the standard and correct English term for trees that can survive a drought. The other options are not the correct collocations or standard terms used in this context.
Common mistake: Students may mistakenly choose 'drought-resisting' (A), but '-resistant' is the correct adjectival form to describe an inherent quality, while '-resisting' suggests a temporary action.
From the options lettered A-D, choose the option that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word. My father is parsimonious .
The word 'parsimonious' means being extremely unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy. The question asks for the word most nearly opposite in meaning. 'Generous' means showing a readiness to give more of something, especially money, than is expected or needed, making it the direct opposite of parsimonious.
Common mistake: Students might confuse 'parsimonious' with 'thrifty' or 'frugal' which are similar but imply careful spending, not extreme unwillingness. Some might also choose 'ungenerous' (D), which is an opposite, but 'generous' (C) is the more direct and stronger antonym.
Pick out the option with a different rhyme
The question asks you to find the word that does not rhyme with the others. The words 'roar', 'four', and 'bore' all rhyme because they share the same vowel sound, which is /ɔː/. However, the word 'growl' has a different vowel sound, /aʊ/, which is the same sound you hear in 'how' or 'now'. Therefore, 'growl' is the correct option because it does not sound like the other words.
Common mistake: Students might mistakenly focus on the different spellings of the words, like 'oa' in 'roar' and 'ou' in 'four', instead of listening to their actual pronunciation which shows they rhyme.
The primary stress is indicated by writing the syllable on which it occurs in capital letters. From the words lettered A to D choose the one that has the correct stress. category
The question tests the student's knowledge of word stress, which is a key component of Oral English. In the word 'category', the primary stress falls on the first syllable, 'CAT'. Therefore, 'CAT-e-go-ry' is the correct pronunciation, making option B the right answer.
Common mistake: Many students might incorrectly place the stress on the third syllable, 'GO', leading them to choose option A (cat-e-GO-ry) due to common mispronunciations.
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