English-Language Exam Past Questions and Answers | JAMB, WAEC and NECO

English is the study of the English language. The goal is to improve communication skills by practicing listening, speaking, reading, writing, and understanding language rules like pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

• Question 1311:

  The passage below has gaps numbered 16 to 25. Immediately following each gap, four options are provided. Choose the most appropriate option for each gap. Each question carries 2 marks .

  One of the most difficult and confusing aspect of English language is its spelling system. There is often ….16…. [A. discrepancy B. discord C. a similarity D. concord] between the punctuation of a word and its spelling. One cannot always tell how to spell a word ….17…. [A. throughout B. by C. as to D. as from] its pronunciation.

  In order to understand the peculiarity of English spelling ….18….[A. difficulty B. confusion C. system D. code], it is good to know something about the history of the language. First, it is helpful to realize that English was originally spoken by people who could neither read nor write. While the ….19…. [A. middle-class B. educated C. less enlightened D. uneducated] people spoke English, the literate upper classes spoke French and wrote in Latin, later when English became a ….20…. [A. literary B. romantic C. written D. coded] language, there was no system for spelling its words. Moreover, the first writers of English were French speaking ….21… [A. newscasters B. scribes C. orators D. interpreters] who knew English only slightly: therefore, they carried many French spelling ….22…. [A. habits B. attitudes C. idiosyncrasies D. mannerisms] into English. In addition, these first writers of English, who were used to writing in Latin, often ….23…. [A. inserted B. interjected C. interpolated D. juxtaposed] letters into words even when they were not pronounced because the ….24…. [A. antecedent B. opposing C. corresponding D. synonymous] word in Latin was spelled that way. Finally, the confusion increased when the ….25…. [A. diction B.morphology C. orthography D. pronunciation] of certain words changed while the spelling remained the same.

  In question number 25 choose the best option from the letters A-D that best completes the gap Options:
  A) diction
  B) morphology
  C) orthography
  D) pronounciation
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 1312:

  In the question below choose the word(s) or phrase which best fills the gap:

  I forgot to bring a pen with me. Would you, please _____ me yours

  Options:
  A) borrow
  B) loan
  C) provide
  D) lend
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is D .
• Question 1313:

  Choose the option that best conveys the meaning of the underlined portion in the following sentence;

  His jail terms were to run concurrently

  Options:
  A) simultaneously
  B) uniformly
  C) laboriously
  D) consecutively
  E) judiciously
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is A .
• Question 1314:

  Choose the option that complete the gap(s).

  Didn't _____ draw your attention to the entry requirements?

  Options:
  A) anyone
  B) everyone
  C) everybody
  D) nobody
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is A .
• Question 1315:

  Choose the most appropriate option opposite in meaning of the underlined word.

  Our party is wielding potent political power?

  Options:
  A) assuming
  B) renouncing
  C) restoring
  D) reappraising
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 1316: The first time Paul met Ngozi, her beauty caught his eye. This means that _____. Options:
  A) Ngozi admired Paul
  B) Paul recognized Ngozi
  C) Ngozi attracted Paul
  D) Paul surprised Ngozi
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is C .
• Question 1317:

  Choose the option that best best completes the gap(s).

  Despite all preparations, the wedding did not _____ ?

  Options:
  A) come along
  B) come by
  C) come on
  D) come off
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is D .
• Question 1318:

  In the question below, choose the option nearest in meaning to the underlined:

  Ijeoma counted her chickens before they were hatched. This means that Ijeoma

  Options:
  A) regarded each egg as a chicken
  B) hatched the egg prematurely
  C) assumed that her expectation had already been realized
  D) protected her eggs from breaking
  E) insured the eggs
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is C .
• Question 1319:

  Fill the gap with the most appropriate option from the list following the gap.

  Sixty percent of the unskilled workers _____ yearly by the company?

  Options:
  A) are retain
  B) is retained
  C) were retained
  D) are retained
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is B .
• Question 1320:

  Choose the most appropriate option nearest in meaning to the underlined words.

  Their strength is their staggering capacity to reproduce?

  Options:
  A) unstable multiplying power
  B) unreliable attacking power
  C) qualitative multiplying power
  D) overwhelming multiplying power
  Show Answer
  The correct answer is D .