JAMB English Language 2025 Past Questions & Answers

This question tests your ability to recall specific details from the recommended reading text, 'The Life Changer'. The book explicitly states that the common ritual during the morning assembly at Stardom on Tuesdays and Thursdays was the singing of the second stanza of the national anthem. Therefore, option C is the only correct answer as it directly reflects the information given in the story.

Common mistake: Students who have not read the book carefully might choose option D, 'The principal’s address', because this is a very common activity in school assemblies, but the text specifies a unique ritual for those particular days.

This question tests your ability to read and understand a given text, then recall specific details from it. To answer correctly, you would need to locate the information about the boarding house fee at Stardom before it was reduced within the provided comprehension passage. The correct option is the exact figure stated in the passage.

Common mistake: Students often pick incorrect figures because they either misread the passage, confuse different numerical details, or fail to identify the specific information requested (e.g., before reduction vs. after reduction).

This question tests your ability to understand and recall specific details from a given passage. To answer correctly, you would need to have read the passage and identified the character who gave the instruction to the Chemistry teacher. The correct option, 'C. The Vice Principal', indicates that the passage explicitly stated this individual's role in the event.

Common mistake: Students might incorrectly choose 'A. The principal' if they assume the principal is always the highest authority, without carefully checking the passage for the specific person mentioned.

This question assesses your ability to understand and recall specific details from a given text. To answer correctly, you would need to identify the precise reason provided in the comprehension passage for the Vice Principal's action after Mr Bepo's incident. Option B directly states the cause, indicating a clear understanding of the passage's content.

Common mistake: Students often choose options that are plausible but not the exact reason stated in the passage, like option A, which might be a consequence rather than the direct cause for contacting the MD.

This question tests your ability to understand a figurative expression. The nickname 'The Lekki Headmaster' is a playful allusion to the famous Nigerian TV show, 'The Village Headmaster'. The correct option, B, explains that the principal received this nickname because he humorously imitated characters from that show, not because of any literal connection to Lekki.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose option A because they interpret the nickname literally, focusing on the word 'Lekki' without considering the cultural reference to 'The Village Headmaster'.

This question tests the ability to read a given passage and extract specific details. To answer correctly, a student must locate the part of the passage that discusses teachers being reprimanded and identify the specific teachers linked to candidates with 'D' grades. This is a direct recall of information from a comprehension text.

Common mistake: Students often choose the wrong option because they misread the passage or confuse the conditions for reprimand with other events or characters mentioned in the text.

This question requires the student to read and understand a given passage to extract a specific piece of information. To answer correctly, one must locate the name of the staff member who is also identified as a pastor within the text. This directly tests the ability to comprehend details from a reading passage.

Common mistake: Students might choose another staff member mentioned in the passage who is not the pastor, due to misreading or misunderstanding the specific detail provided in the text.

This question tests your ability to extract specific details from a given comprehension passage. To answer correctly, you must carefully read the passage and locate the exact information regarding the reward for teachers whose students scored distinctions. Option A, ₦30,000 each, is the correct detail as explicitly stated in the passage.

Common mistake: A common mistake is selecting another option due to misreading the passage or confusing the reward with other incentives mentioned for different achievements or groups.

This question requires you to understand the motive behind a character's action, which is a key skill in reading comprehension. To answer it, you must have read a passage describing the incident. The correct answer, A, is based on the inference that the Managing Director's main priority would be to protect the institution's image from any potential scandal or negative perception arising from the principal's behaviour.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option B, 'To avoid disturbing the students further,' because it is a plausible and immediate reason, but it is likely a secondary concern compared to the long-term strategic issue of the school's reputation.

This question tests your ability to recall a specific detail from the comprehension passage you have read. To answer correctly, you must find the part of the story that describes what happened after the principal's crying incident. The passage explicitly states that the guidance counsellor was the person who accompanied him home, making option B the correct choice.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose another character who was mentioned as being present during the incident, but the passage specifies only the guidance counsellor went to the principal's home.

This question tests your ability to understand and extract specific information from a given text. To answer it, you would need to read a comprehension passage and identify the part that discusses Ikenna Egbu's speech and its subject matter. Option D is the correct answer because it directly states the topic of the speech as it would be presented in the passage.

Common mistake: Students often choose incorrect options if they misread the passage or confuse details about different speakers or events mentioned in the text.

This type of question requires you to read a passage and find specific information or reasons for a character's actions. To answer correctly, you must locate the part of the text that explains Mr. Bepo's feelings about relocating. The passage would explicitly state or strongly imply that his commitment to his students is the main reason he is hesitant to leave.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose a general reason like option B (fear of adapting) or D (leaving family), as these are common reasons for not moving, but the correct answer must be based only on the information provided in the passage.

The nickname 'The Lekki Headmaster' is a figurative expression, meaning it is not literally true. He is not an actual headmaster, but he is compared to one because of a certain quality. The correct answer shows that this quality is his skill in resolving conflicts calmly and fairly, a role often associated with a respected headmaster. This trait of being a peacemaker is why people gave him that special name.

Common mistake: Students often mistakenly choose option A because the word 'Headmaster' is commonly associated with being strict and enforcing discipline in a school setting.

This question is a test of reading comprehension, requiring you to find a specific piece of information from the provided passage. The passage explicitly states that Mr. Audu was the person who came up with the nickname 'The Lekki Headmaster'. Therefore, option A is the correct answer as it is directly supported by the text.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose another character mentioned prominently in the passage, like the students (D), confusing who used the nickname with who originally invented or 'coined' it.

This question tests your ability to find specific information within a reading passage. The passage, which is not provided here, would have contained a sentence explicitly stating Seri's monthly salary as a nurse in the UK. The correct answer, £10,000, is found by carefully reading the text and locating this specific detail.

Common mistake: A common mistake is choosing another figure mentioned in the passage, perhaps a previous salary or a different expense, due to not reading the question and the text carefully enough.

This question tests your ability to read a comprehension passage and extract specific details. To answer correctly, you would need to locate the information about Mr. Bepo's monthly salary within the provided text. The correct option, N400,000, would be directly stated or clearly derivable from the passage.

Common mistake: Students often choose a wrong option by misreading the passage, confusing Mr. Bepo's salary with another character's salary, or mixing up monthly with annual figures.

The question requires understanding the implied reason behind the colleagues' amusement at Mr. Bepo's reluctance. Option D correctly identifies that the colleagues find it amusing because they believe relocating for better earnings is a highly desirable opportunity, making his hesitation seem irrational or humorous to them. This demonstrates an understanding of character perspective and implied meaning within a given context.

Common mistake: Students might choose options like B if the passage hinted at Mr. Bepo's personal aspirations, but this option doesn't explain why his colleagues would find his reluctance 'amusing' rather than simply understanding it.

This question tests your ability to find and understand specific information from a reading passage. To answer correctly, you must locate the part of the text that explains the reasons for the school's failure. The passage would have clearly stated that the school was in a location without essential amenities, which is what 'basic infrastructure' means.

Common mistake: Students might be distracted by other problems mentioned in the passage, like poor management (D), but the text would have identified the lack of infrastructure as the main reason for the failure.

This question requires reading and understanding a given passage to extract specific information. It tests the ability to identify key details and facts directly stated or strongly implied within the text. The answer would be found by locating the part of the passage that discusses Mr. Bepo's caution and the reason behind it.

Common mistake: Students often choose an option that seems logical or is mentioned in the passage but isn't the specific factor directly linked to Mr. Bepo's caution, or they might misinterpret the context of a detail.

The term 'roforofo' is a popular Nigerian expression derived from the Yoruba word for 'mud'. It is used figuratively to describe a messy, dirty, or undignified situation, like a public quarrel or fight. Therefore, 'petty disagreements and conflicts' is the correct meaning as it best captures the idea of a messy squabble between people.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose 'Mismanagement issues' because such issues can lead to conflicts, but 'roforofos' specifically refers to the messy fight itself, not the underlying cause.

This question requires you to infer a character's values based on their actions described in a passage. Since Mr. Bepo's reluctance to move is the focus, the correct answer must explain the reason for this reluctance. The passage would have indicated his strong connection to his students and work, showing that he prioritises these professional relationships over personal advancement elsewhere.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option C, thinking that reluctance to change is the same as being indecisive, without considering the positive reasons for his hesitation shown in the passage.

This question directly tests your ability to understand and recall specific information from a given passage. To answer correctly, you would need to read the passage carefully, locate the section where Bepo discusses the hourly payment system, and identify the specific benefit he mentions. The correct option (B) would be the one explicitly stated by Bepo in the text.

Common mistake: A common mistake is to choose an option that seems logical or generally true, rather than focusing strictly on what the passage attributes to Bepo, leading to answers not supported by the text.

This question tests your ability to recall specific factual information from the recommended literature text (the novel). To answer correctly, you must have read the book and remembered the details it provided about doctor migration. The novel explicitly states that the approximate annual migration rate is 1,000 out of 3,000 doctors.

Common mistake: Students often make mistakes by not reading the recommended novel thoroughly, leading them to guess an answer or misremember the specific statistic mentioned in the text.

This question tests your ability to find specific information in the reading passage. The passage would have stated that Mr. Nku took a loan of N2 million from the school's cooperative. This is considered an unethical act because he did it right before relocating abroad, which implies he had no intention of paying the money back to his colleagues.

Common mistake: Students might mistakenly choose option D, 'He stole money from the school’s treasury', because borrowing without intending to repay feels like stealing, but the passage specifies the money came from the cooperative, not the treasury.

This question tests your ability to extract specific information from a given text. To answer correctly, you would need to read the comprehension passage carefully and identify the exact reason stated for the school driver's attempt to sell the bus. Option A is the correct detail as presented in the original passage.

Common mistake: Students often choose other options that might seem plausible or are mentioned as general problems in the passage, but are not the precise reason for the specific action asked about in the question.