JAMB CBT Practice English: Questions, Tips & Free Practice (2027)

Student reading and practising English language on a laptop

Introduction: Why English Language Is the Subject You Cannot Afford to Ignore

English Language is the one subject every single JAMB candidate must sit for, regardless of course or faculty. Whether you are applying for Medicine, Engineering, Law, Accounting, or Mass Communication, English is on your exam slip.

Yet many students treat it as an afterthought. They focus on their "core" subjects and assume English will take care of itself because they speak it every day. This is a costly mistake. JAMB English is not about speaking English. It is about understanding comprehension passages under pressure, recognising grammatical structures, interpreting literary devices, and answering 40 questions accurately in roughly 30 minutes.

The difference between a student who scores 55/100 and one who scores 85/100 in English is not vocabulary size. It is practice. Specifically, it is consistent JAMB CBT practice in English that trains your brain to read fast, eliminate wrong options, and manage time on a computer screen.

This guide breaks down the entire JAMB English syllabus, gives you practice questions with explanations, and provides a study plan to push your score past 70/100.

Start Practising Now: SchoolHub's Free JAMB CBT Practice App covers English Language with AI-generated questions, a 20-minute timer, and detailed explanations, all completely free.

JAMB English Language at a Glance

Aspect	Detail
Number of questions	40
Time allocated	~30 minutes (within the 2-hour total)
Maximum score	100 (each question = 2.5 marks)
Question format	Multiple choice (A, B, C, D)
Sections covered	Comprehension, Lexis and Structure, Oral English, Literature (for selected texts)
Syllabus body	JAMB (based on WAEC/NECO secondary school syllabus)

Key fact: Comprehension passages alone can account for 10-12 of the 40 questions. If you lose marks here, recovering through other sections becomes very difficult.

Complete JAMB English Syllabus Breakdown

1. Comprehension (Approximately 30% of questions)

What to expect:

2-3 passages (each 200-400 words)
Questions on main idea, supporting details, inference, tone, and vocabulary in context
At least one passage on a scientific or technical topic
At least one passage on a social or literary topic

Skills tested:

Identifying the main idea vs. supporting details
Making inferences from context
Understanding the author's tone and purpose
Determining word meaning from context (not dictionary definition)
Summarising and drawing conclusions

Why students struggle: They read too slowly, re-read passages multiple times, and run out of time for other sections. The fix is practising timed comprehension daily.

2. Lexis and Structure (Approximately 35% of questions)

This is the largest section and covers two areas:

Lexis (Vocabulary)

Synonyms and antonyms
Words commonly confused (e.g., principal/principle, affect/effect, compliment/complement)
Idiomatic expressions and their meanings
Word formation (prefixes, suffixes, root words)
Phrasal verbs (pick up, break down, carry out, etc.)
Collocations (words that naturally go together)

Structure (Grammar)

Tenses (present, past, future, perfect, continuous)
Subject-verb agreement
Pronoun-antecedent agreement
Active and passive voice
Direct and indirect (reported) speech
Conditional sentences (first, second, third conditionals)
Concord
Articles (a, an, the) and determiners
Prepositions
Sentence patterns and transformations

Why it matters: Lexis and Structure is where most marks are won or lost. These questions test specific knowledge, so you either know the answer or you do not. Regular practice builds the pattern recognition needed to answer quickly.

3. Oral English (Approximately 20% of questions)

What to expect:

Questions on vowel and consonant sounds
Stress patterns (word stress and sentence stress)
Rhyming words
Syllable count and identification
Intonation patterns
Sound identification from phonetic transcription

Topics covered:

The 20 vowel sounds of English (12 pure vowels + 8 diphthongs)
The 24 consonant sounds
Primary stress in polysyllabic words
Emphatic/contrastive stress in sentences
Identifying the word with a different stress pattern
Identifying the word that rhymes with a given word

Why students struggle: Oral English is tested in a written CBT format, which feels unnatural. You cannot "hear" the options. You have to know the phonetic rules. Students who skip this section in preparation lose 15-20 easy marks.

4. Register and Vocabulary in Context (Approximately 15% of questions)

What to expect:

Passages using specialised vocabulary from specific fields (law, medicine, science, sports, religion, politics, maritime, aviation, etc.)
Questions asking you to identify the meaning of technical terms from context
Questions on the appropriate register for a given situation

Why it matters: These questions reward wide reading. Students who read newspapers, science articles, and general knowledge content regularly find this section straightforward.

20 JAMB English Practice Questions With Explanations

Work through these under timed conditions. Give yourself 15 minutes, then check the explanations.

Comprehension

Read the passage below and answer Questions 1-4.

The destruction of tropical rainforests is proceeding at an alarming rate. Every year, an area roughly the size of England is cleared for agriculture, logging, and urban expansion. Scientists warn that if this trend continues unchecked, up to 50% of the world's plant and animal species could face extinction within the next century. The rainforests also play a critical role in regulating the global climate by absorbing carbon dioxide. Their loss accelerates climate change, creating a vicious cycle that threatens communities far beyond the tropics.

Question 1: What is the main idea of the passage?

(A) Rainforests are important for agriculture
(B) The destruction of rainforests has serious global consequences
(C) Scientists are unable to stop deforestation
(D) Climate change only affects tropical regions

Explanation: The passage discusses rainforest destruction and its consequences (species extinction, climate change). Option (B) captures this central argument. Option (A) distorts the meaning. Option (C) is not stated. Option (D) contradicts the passage ("communities far beyond the tropics"). Answer: (B)

Question 2: The expression "vicious cycle" in the passage means

(A) a violent storm
(B) a harmful pattern that reinforces itself
(C) a rapid improvement
(D) a circular road

Explanation: "Vicious cycle" is an idiomatic expression meaning a situation where one problem causes another, which in turn worsens the first. In context, losing rainforests accelerates climate change, which causes more destruction. Answer: (B)

Question 3: According to the passage, rainforests help regulate climate by

(A) producing oxygen only
(B) absorbing carbon dioxide
(C) creating rainfall
(D) blocking sunlight

Explanation: The passage explicitly states "absorbing carbon dioxide." Do not add information that is not in the passage. Answer: (B)

Question 4: The word "unchecked" as used in the passage is closest in meaning to

(A) unverified
(B) uncontrolled
(C) unexpected
(D) unnoticed

Explanation: "Unchecked" means without being stopped or controlled. "If this trend continues unchecked" means if it continues without being controlled. Answer: (B)

Lexis (Vocabulary)

Question 5: Choose the word that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word: The politician gave an eloquent speech at the rally.

(A) brief (B) fluent and persuasive (C) angry (D) quiet

Explanation: "Eloquent" means fluent, persuasive, and well-expressed. Answer: (B)

Question 6: Choose the word that is most opposite in meaning to the underlined word: The judge was known for being impartial in his rulings.

(A) fair (B) biased (C) strict (D) lenient

Explanation: "Impartial" means fair and unbiased. The opposite is "biased." Answer: (B)

Question 7: Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The manager asked us to carry out the assignment before Friday.

The phrasal verb "carry out" means

(A) transport outside (B) remove (C) execute or perform (D) cancel

Explanation: "Carry out" means to perform, execute, or complete a task. Answer: (C)

Question 8: Choose the word that best completes the sentence: The _______ of the two proposals was accepted by the board.

(A) latter (B) later (C) latest (D) last

Explanation: "Latter" refers to the second of two items previously mentioned. "Later" refers to time. "Latest" means most recent. Answer: (A)

Structure (Grammar)

Question 9: Choose the option that best completes the sentence: Neither the students nor the teacher _______ present at the meeting.

(A) were (B) was (C) are (D) have been

Explanation: With "neither...nor," the verb agrees with the noun closest to it. "Teacher" is singular, so the verb is "was." Answer: (B)

Question 10: Choose the option that best completes the sentence: If I _______ you, I would accept the offer.

(A) am (B) was (C) were (D) had been

Explanation: This is a second conditional (unreal present). The structure is "If + past subjunctive." With the verb "to be," the subjunctive form is "were" for all persons. Answer: (C)

Question 11: Choose the option that best completes the sentence: She asked me where I _______ going.

(A) am (B) was (C) will be (D) shall be

Explanation: In reported speech, present continuous ("am going") changes to past continuous ("was going"). Answer: (B)

Question 12: Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct.

(A) He is one of the students who has passed the exam.
(B) He is one of the students who have passed the exam.
(C) He is one of the student who have passed the exam.
(D) He is one of the students who was passing the exam.

Explanation: "Who" refers to "students" (plural), so the verb is "have passed." Answer: (B)

Question 13: Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The committee _______ divided in their opinions on the matter.

(A) is (B) are (C) was (D) has been

Explanation: When a collective noun (committee) refers to individual members acting separately, a plural verb is used. "Divided in their opinions" indicates individual action. Answer: (B)

Oral English

Question 14: In which of the following words is the underlined letter pronounced differently from the others?

(A) chair (B) fair (C) pair (D) said

Explanation: "Chair," "fair," and "pair" all have the /eə/ diphthong sound. "Said" has the /e/ vowel sound (as in "bed"). Answer: (D)

Question 15: Which of the following words has the stress on the second syllable?

(A) BEAUty (B) reCORD (noun) (C) beLIEVE (D) TAble

Explanation: "Believe" is stressed on the second syllable: be-LIEVE. "Beauty" is stressed on the first: BEAU-ty. "Table" is stressed on the first: TA-ble. Note: "Record" as a noun is stressed on the first syllable (RE-cord), but as a verb on the second (re-CORD). The question specifies noun form. Answer: (C)

Question 16: Choose the word that rhymes with "weight."

(A) height (B) freight (C) receipt (D) deceit

Explanation: "Weight" is pronounced /weɪt/. "Freight" is pronounced /freɪt/. They rhyme. "Height" ends in /aɪt/. "Receipt" and "deceit" end in /iːt/. Answer: (B)

Question 17: In the sentence "I said I would GO, not STAY," the emphatic stress on "GO" indicates that the speaker

(A) loves travelling
(B) is correcting a misunderstanding about the intended action
(C) is angry about staying
(D) wants to leave immediately

Explanation: Contrastive/emphatic stress highlights the word being corrected. The speaker is clarifying that the action is "go" not "stay." Answer: (B)

Register and Vocabulary in Context

Question 18: In legal language, the word "plaintiff" refers to

(A) the judge presiding over a case
(B) the person who brings a case against another in court
(C) the lawyer defending the accused
(D) a witness in a court case

Explanation: A "plaintiff" is the person who files a lawsuit. The person being sued is the "defendant." Answer: (B)

Question 19: Choose the word that best completes the sentence in a formal register: The company wishes to _______ its sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused.

(A) say (B) give (C) extend (D) throw

Explanation: In formal register, "extend" collocates with "apologies." "Say apologies" and "throw apologies" are not standard. "Give" is acceptable but less formal than "extend." Answer: (C)

Question 20: In medical terminology, "diagnosis" means

(A) a type of treatment
(B) a surgical procedure
(C) the identification of a disease from symptoms
(D) a prescription for medication

Explanation: "Diagnosis" is the process of identifying a disease based on examination and symptoms. Answer: (C)

How to Score 35+ Out of 40 in JAMB English

Strategy 1: Read the Comprehension Passage Only Once

Most students read each passage 3-4 times, wasting minutes. Train yourself to read once, actively:

First 30 seconds: Read the questions (not the options) before reading the passage. This tells your brain what to look for.
Next 2-3 minutes: Read the passage once with focus. Underline key phrases mentally.
Next 2-3 minutes: Answer the questions. Return to the passage only for specific detail questions.

This approach takes 5-6 minutes per passage instead of 8-10.

Strategy 2: Build a "Confusable Words" List

JAMB loves testing words that students mix up. Study these pairs until you never confuse them again:

Word	Meaning	Commonly Confused With
affect	to influence (verb)	effect (noun: result)
principal	head of school / main	principle (a rule or belief)
stationary	not moving	stationery (paper, pens)
complement	to complete	compliment (praise)
lose	to misplace	loose (not tight)
discreet	careful, cautious	discrete (separate, distinct)
council	a governing body	counsel (advice)
their	belonging to them	there (location) / they're (they are)
its	belonging to it	it's (it is)
accept	to receive	except (excluding)

Strategy 3: Master the Top 30 Phrasal Verbs

JAMB tests phrasal verbs in almost every exam. Know these:

break down (stop working / collapse)
break out (start suddenly, e.g., war, disease)
bring up (raise a child / mention a topic)
call off (cancel)
carry on (continue)
carry out (execute, perform)
come across (find by chance)
come up with (think of, produce an idea)
cut down (reduce)
figure out (understand, solve)
get along with (have a good relationship)
get over (recover from)
give in (surrender, yield)
give up (stop trying)
go through (experience / examine)
hold on (wait)
let down (disappoint)
look after (take care of)
look forward to (anticipate with pleasure)
look into (investigate)
make up (invent / reconcile)
pass away (die)
pick up (collect / learn informally)
put off (postpone)
put up with (tolerate)
run into (meet by chance)
set up (establish)
take after (resemble a parent)
turn down (reject / reduce volume)
work out (exercise / solve / succeed)

Strategy 4: Learn the Oral English Sound Rules

You cannot skip Oral English. It is worth 8-10 questions (20-25 marks). Focus on:

Vowel sounds to distinguish:

/iː/ (beat) vs. /ɪ/ (bit)
/uː/ (pool) vs. /ʊ/ (pull)
/ɑː/ (car) vs. /æ/ (cat)
/ɔː/ (caught) vs. /ɒ/ (cot)

Stress rules for two-syllable words:

Nouns and adjectives: usually stressed on the FIRST syllable (TA-ble, BEAU-ty, RE-cord)
Verbs: usually stressed on the SECOND syllable (be-LIEVE, re-CORD, de-STROY)

Common rhyming traps:

"cough" rhymes with "off," not "through"
"though" rhymes with "go," not "cough"
"through" rhymes with "blue," not "rough"
"rough" rhymes with "stuff," not "through"

Strategy 5: Practise With a Timer Every Day

Reading comprehension speed and grammar pattern recognition only improve through repetition. Use SchoolHub's JAMB CBT Practice App for daily English sessions:

40 English questions per session
20-minute timer matching real exam pressure
AI-generated questions (fresh every session)
Detailed explanations for every answer

Section-by-Section Study Plan for JAMB English

Week 1-2: Comprehension Skills

Day 1-3: Practice reading passages and identifying main ideas
Day 4-5: Practice inference and tone questions
Day 6-7: Practice vocabulary-in-context questions
Day 8-10: Timed comprehension drills (one passage in 5 minutes)
Daily CBT practice: 1 session on SchoolHub
Target: Answer comprehension questions with 80%+ accuracy

Week 3-4: Lexis (Vocabulary Building)

Day 1-2: Synonyms and antonyms (learn 20 new pairs daily)
Day 3-4: Commonly confused words (study the list above + expand)
Day 5-6: Idiomatic expressions (learn 10 per day)
Day 7-8: Phrasal verbs (study the 30 listed above)
Day 9-10: Word formation (prefixes: un-, dis-, mis-, re-, pre-, anti-)
Daily CBT practice: 1 session
Target: Identify correct synonym/antonym in under 15 seconds

Week 5-6: Structure (Grammar)

Day 1-2: Tenses (all 12 English tenses with examples)
Day 3-4: Subject-verb agreement and concord rules
Day 5-6: Reported speech and conditional sentences
Day 7-8: Active/passive voice transformations
Day 9-10: Articles, prepositions, and sentence correction
Daily CBT practice: 1 session
Target: Score 90%+ on grammar questions

Week 7-8: Oral English

Day 1-2: The 20 vowel sounds (pure vowels + diphthongs)
Day 3-4: The 24 consonant sounds
Day 5-6: Word stress patterns (two-syllable and multi-syllable rules)
Day 7-8: Emphatic/contrastive stress in sentences
Day 9-10: Rhyming words and syllable identification
Daily CBT practice: 1 session
Target: Score 75%+ on oral English questions

Week 9-10: Register, Revision, and Full Mocks

Day 1-3: Study vocabulary from different registers (law, medicine, science, sports, religion)
Day 4-5: Revise all weak areas from practice sessions
Day 6-10: Full mock exams daily on SchoolHub
Target: Consistent 32+/40 in English

Common English Mistakes in JAMB (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Spending Too Long on Comprehension

Students re-read passages 3-4 times, leaving insufficient time for other sections. Fix: Read questions first, then read the passage once. Return only for specific details.

2. Guessing Word Meanings Without Context

Students pick the dictionary meaning instead of the contextual meaning. Fix: Always re-read the sentence containing the word. The correct answer fits the sentence, not just the word in isolation.

3. Ignoring Oral English

Many students skip Oral English during preparation because they "speak English well." Fix: Spoken fluency is different from phonetic knowledge. Study the sound rules systematically.

4. Confusing Grammar Rules

Students mix up tenses, especially present perfect vs. simple past. Fix: Learn the time markers. "Yesterday" = simple past. "Since/already/just" = present perfect.

5. Not Reading All Four Options

Students pick the first option that "looks right" without checking the others. Fix: Read all four options before selecting. Often, (C) or (D) is more precise than (A).

6. Overthinking Simple Questions

English questions are often more straightforward than they appear. Students add complexity that is not there. Fix: Trust your first instinct on vocabulary and grammar questions. Change your answer only with a clear reason.

Why SchoolHub Is the Best Platform for JAMB English Practice

AI-Generated English Questions

Unlike static past question banks where you memorise answers after a few rounds, SchoolHub generates fresh English questions every session. You build genuine comprehension and grammar skills.

All Four Sections Covered

Comprehension, Lexis and Structure, Oral English, and Register. Every section of the JAMB English paper is represented in your practice sessions.

Exam-Identical Format

40 questions. 20-minute timer. Multiple choice. The format matches JAMB exactly, so the real exam feels routine.

Detailed Explanations

Every question includes an explanation of why the correct answer is right and why the wrong answers are wrong. This is how deep learning happens.

Track Your Progress

See your English scores improve over weeks. Identify exactly which sections need more work.

Start Free JAMB English Practice on SchoolHub

Frequently Asked Questions

How many English questions are in JAMB?

There are 40 English Language questions in the JAMB UTME, to be answered within approximately 30 minutes as part of the 2-hour exam. Each question carries 2.5 marks, totalling 100 marks.

Is JAMB English easy?

Many students underestimate JAMB English because they speak the language daily. However, the exam tests formal grammar, phonetics, and reading comprehension under time pressure. Students who practise JAMB CBT English regularly perform significantly better than those who rely on conversational fluency alone.

What sections are in JAMB English?

JAMB English covers four main areas: Comprehension (reading passages), Lexis and Structure (vocabulary and grammar), Oral English (sounds, stress, rhymes), and Register (specialised vocabulary from different fields).

How do I improve my JAMB English comprehension?

Read one passage daily under timed conditions. Read the questions first, then the passage once. Practise identifying main ideas, inferences, and vocabulary in context. Use SchoolHub for daily comprehension practice.

What is the best app to practise JAMB English?

SchoolHub JAMB CBT Practice offers AI-generated English questions covering all four sections, timed sessions matching the real exam format, and detailed explanations for every answer.

Can I score 80+ in JAMB English?

Yes. Students who follow a structured study plan and practise daily CBT sessions for 8-10 weeks consistently score 80+ (32+/40). The key is covering all four sections, not just grammar.

How do I study Oral English for JAMB?

Study the 20 vowel sounds and 24 consonant sounds of English. Learn word stress rules (nouns on first syllable, verbs on second syllable for two-syllable words). Practise rhyming word identification. Use a phonetic chart as a reference.

Are JAMB past questions enough for English?

Past questions help you understand the format and common question types, but they are not sufficient on their own. JAMB introduces new passages and vocabulary every year. Practising with AI-generated questions on SchoolHub ensures you are prepared for unfamiliar content.

Start Practising JAMB English Today

English Language should be your easiest high-scoring subject. Unlike Mathematics or Sciences where you need to memorise formulas, English rewards consistent reading and practice. The skills you build here also help you read and understand questions faster in your other three subjects.

Your action plan:

Right now: Visit jamb.schoolhub.tech and take a free English session
This week: Identify your weakest section (Comprehension, Lexis, Grammar, or Oral English)
This month: Follow the 10-week study plan above
Exam day: Walk in confident and target 35+/40 in English

Your English score affects everything. Make it count.

Practice JAMB English Free on SchoolHub

Last Updated: September 2026 Written by the SchoolHub Team

JAMB CBT Practice English: Questions, Tips & Free Practice (2027)