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JAMB Government practice questions

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Question 1Use of English

In the sentence 'The senator, together with his aides, ___ arriving this morning', choose the verb that completes it correctly.

  1. have been
  2. is Correct answer.
  3. were
  4. are

Explanation

The subject is 'the senator', which is singular. The phrase 'together with his aides' is a parenthetical addition and does not change the number of the subject, so a singular verb is required. 'Is' agrees with the singular subject.

Question 2Use of English

Which option best replaces the underlined expression in 'The committee could not reach a decision because the members were at sixes and sevens'?

  1. in total disorder Correct answer.
  2. in financial difficulty
  3. in secret session
  4. in complete agreement

Explanation

The idiom 'at sixes and sevens' means confused or in a state of disorder and disagreement. In this context it explains why the committee failed to reach a decision. It does not mean agreement, secrecy, or money trouble.

Question 3Use of English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: 'The permanent secretary insisted that every memo ___ signed before Friday.'

  1. was
  2. is
  3. will be
  4. be Correct answer.

Explanation

Verbs of insistence, demand, and request take the subjunctive mood in a 'that' clause. The base form 'be' is used regardless of the subject or tense of the main verb. This is standard formal usage in administrative English.

Question 4Use of English

In the word 'government', where does the primary stress fall in standard Nigerian educated English?

  1. Third syllable
  2. All syllables equally
  3. First syllable Correct answer.
  4. Second syllable

Explanation

The noun 'government' is stressed on its first syllable: GOV-ern-ment. Stress placement is a fixed lexical property, so it does not shift with sentence position. Equal stress across syllables is not a feature of English word stress.

Question 5Use of English

Identify the function of the underlined clause in 'That the bill was passed surprised the opposition.'

  1. Noun clause as subject Correct answer.
  2. Adjectival clause of condition
  3. Adverbial clause of reason
  4. Relative clause modifying 'bill'

Explanation

The clause 'that the bill was passed' fills the subject slot of the main verb 'surprised'. A clause performing a nominal function is a noun clause. It is not introduced by a relative pronoun and does not express reason or condition.

Question 6Use of English

Which sentence uses the article correctly?

  1. She is the honest person everyone trusts.
  2. He was elected as the chairman of the panel. Correct answer.
  3. The Lagos is a busy commercial city.
  4. They appointed him the minister of finance.

Explanation

Definite article 'the' is used with a unique or specified office when the holder is identified, as in 'the chairman of the panel'. Proper names of cities take no article, and singular countable nouns need a determiner.

Question 7Use of English

Choose the option that is nearest in meaning to 'The auditor's report was categorical about the missing funds.'

  1. unqualified Correct answer.
  2. tentative
  3. conditional
  4. ambiguous

Explanation

'Categorical' means stated absolutely and without qualification or doubt. 'Unqualified' carries the same sense of being unconditional and definite. The other options suggest doubt or conditions, the opposite of the intended meaning.

Question 8Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'Hardly had the session begun ___ the lights went off.'

  1. then
  2. than
  3. that
  4. when Correct answer.

Explanation

The correlative pattern for 'hardly' in this inverted construction is 'hardly ... when'. It signals that the second event followed immediately. 'Than' pairs with 'no sooner', not with 'hardly'.

Question 9Use of English

In the sentence 'The clerk who processed the forms was promoted', the relative clause is:

  1. restrictive and essential to meaning Correct answer.
  2. adverbial and movable
  3. appositive and explanatory
  4. non-restrictive and set off by commas

Explanation

The clause 'who processed the forms' identifies which clerk was promoted, so it is restrictive and takes no commas. Removing it would change the meaning of the sentence rather than merely adding information.

Question 10Use of English

Which option is the correct passive form of 'The Senate will debate the appropriation bill tomorrow'?

  1. The appropriation bill will debate by the Senate tomorrow.
  2. The appropriation bill would have been debated by the Senate tomorrow.
  3. The appropriation bill will be debated by the Senate tomorrow. Correct answer.
  4. The appropriation bill is being debated by the Senate tomorrow.

Explanation

The passive is formed with the appropriate form of 'be' plus the past participle, keeping the original tense. The modal 'will' plus 'be' plus 'debated' preserves the future sense of the active sentence.

Question 11Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: 'The minister spoke ___ he were the only authority on the matter.'

  1. even though
  2. provided that
  3. in order that
  4. as if Correct answer.

Explanation

'As if' introduces a clause of unreal comparison and correctly triggers the past subjunctive 'were'. The other conjunctions express concession, purpose, or condition, which do not fit the hypothetical comparison.

Question 12Use of English

In the word 'photograph', the stress pattern changes when it becomes 'photography'. Which statement describes this correctly?

  1. Stress shifts to the third syllable in 'photography'.
  2. Stress stays on the first syllable in both words.
  3. Stress falls on the final syllable in both words.
  4. Stress shifts to the second syllable in 'photography'. Correct answer.

Explanation

In 'photograph' the primary stress is on the first syllable, but in 'photography' it moves to the second syllable: pho-TOG-ra-phy. Suffixes such as '-graphy' pull stress onto the syllable immediately before them.

Question 13Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'Neither the chairman nor the members ___ willing to comment.'

  1. were Correct answer.
  2. has been
  3. was
  4. is

Explanation

With 'neither ... nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject. The nearer subject here is 'members', which is plural, so the plural verb 'were' is required.

Question 14Use of English

Identify the type of sentence: 'Although the motion was defeated, the sponsor vowed to reintroduce it.'

  1. Compound-complex
  2. Complex Correct answer.
  3. Compound
  4. Simple

Explanation

The sentence contains one independent clause and one dependent clause introduced by 'although'. A sentence with one main clause and at least one subordinate clause is complex.

Question 15Use of English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: 'The report, ___ findings were disputed, was finally withdrawn.'

  1. whose Correct answer.
  2. that
  3. which
  4. of which

Explanation

'Whose' is the possessive relative pronoun and links 'report' to its 'findings'. It functions as a determiner before the noun. 'Which' and 'that' cannot express possession directly in this slot.

Question 16Use of English

Which option best explains the meaning of 'The chairman's remarks were off the record'?

  1. They were withdrawn from the agenda.
  2. They were not to be published or attributed. Correct answer.
  3. They were officially minuted.
  4. They were recorded for broadcast.

Explanation

'Off the record' means information given informally and not for publication or attribution. It does not mean the remarks were officially recorded or withdrawn. The idiom concerns confidentiality of attribution.

Question 17Use of English

Choose the option that is opposite in meaning to 'The committee's verdict was unanimous.'

  1. final
  2. divided Correct answer.
  3. binding
  4. formal

Explanation

'Unanimous' means all members agreeing, so its antonym is 'divided', meaning opinions were split. 'Binding', 'final', and 'formal' describe the status of a decision, not the level of agreement.

Question 18Use of English

In the sentence 'The aide gave the minister a detailed brief', the underlined words 'the minister' function as:

  1. indirect object Correct answer.
  2. object complement
  3. subject complement
  4. direct object

Explanation

Verbs such as 'give' can take two objects. The person receiving the thing is the indirect object, while the thing given ('a detailed brief') is the direct object. The minister therefore receives the brief.

Question 19Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'By the time the delegation arrived, the session ___ .'

  1. was ending
  2. will have ended
  3. had ended Correct answer.
  4. has ended

Explanation

The past perfect 'had ended' expresses an action completed before another past action ('arrived'). The time marker 'by the time' signals this sequence of past events.

Question 20Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The principal, as well as the teachers, ___ invited to the ceremony.'

  1. have been
  2. are
  3. was Correct answer.
  4. were

Explanation

The subject is 'the principal', singular, and the phrase 'as well as the teachers' is parenthetical. The verb therefore agrees with the singular subject, giving 'was'.

Question 21Use of English

In the sentence 'The motion was passed, which surprised many observers', the word 'which' refers to:

  1. many observers
  2. the motion
  3. the passing of the motion Correct answer.
  4. the observers' surprise

Explanation

In this construction 'which' refers to the whole preceding proposition, namely the fact that the motion was passed. It does not refer to the noun 'motion' alone or to the observers.

Question 22Use of English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: 'The witness said he ___ the document before the hearing.'

  1. signs
  2. will sign
  3. has signed
  4. had signed Correct answer.

Explanation

In reported speech, a past-tense reporting verb normally shifts the original present perfect back to past perfect. The signing happened before the hearing, so 'had signed' is correct.

Question 23Use of English

Which option best explains the difference between 'The bill was rejected' and 'The bill has been rejected'?

  1. The second stresses a present relevance of the rejection. Correct answer.
  2. Both are exactly identical in meaning and use.
  3. The first stresses present relevance; the second does not.
  4. The second refers to a future rejection.

Explanation

The present perfect 'has been rejected' links a past action to the present, often implying current relevance or a recent result. The simple past merely reports a completed past event. The two forms are not interchangeable in every context.

Question 24Use of English

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: 'The secretary was praised for ___ the minutes accurately.'

  1. writing Correct answer.
  2. to write
  3. written
  4. write

Explanation

A preposition such as 'for' is followed by a gerund, not an infinitive or a bare verb. The gerund 'writing' functions as the object of the preposition.

Question 25Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The chairman, ___ speech was widely reported, declined to comment.'

  1. which
  2. whom
  3. who
  4. whose Correct answer.

Explanation

'Whose' shows possession and links the chairman to 'speech'. It is the only relative pronoun here that can act as a possessive determiner before a noun.

Question 26Use of English

In the sentence 'The permanent secretary signed the memo before leaving the office', the word 'before' introduces which type of clause?

  1. A relative clause modifying 'memo'
  2. An adjectival clause modifying 'secretary'
  3. A noun clause acting as object
  4. An adverbial clause of time Correct answer.

Explanation

'Before leaving the office' tells us when the signing happened, so it functions as an adverbial of time attached to the main verb. Relative clauses describe a noun, noun clauses fill a nominal slot, and adjectival clauses modify nouns; none of these fits here.

Question 27Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The constitution stipulates that every citizen ___ the right to a fair hearing.'

  1. has Correct answer.
  2. having
  3. is having
  4. have

Explanation

After 'stipulates that' the clause needs a finite verb agreeing with its singular subject 'every citizen', so 'has' is required. 'Every citizen' is grammatically singular even though it refers to many people.

Question 28Use of English

Which option best explains the meaning of 'The governor's aide was economical with the truth during the briefing'?

  1. The aide refused to attend the briefing
  2. The aide deliberately withheld or distorted facts Correct answer.
  3. The aide spoke briefly to save time
  4. The aide quoted the budget figures accurately

Explanation

The idiom 'economical with the truth' is a euphemism for being less than fully honest, usually by omitting or bending facts. It concerns honesty, not brevity, accuracy of figures, or attendance.

Question 29Use of English

Choose the option that is nearest in meaning to 'The tribunal's ruling was unequivocal.'

  1. The ruling was ambiguous
  2. The ruling was controversial
  3. The ruling was provisional
  4. The ruling was unmistakable Correct answer.

Explanation

'Unequivocal' means leaving no doubt, so 'unmistakable' captures the same sense of clarity. Provisional, ambiguous and controversial all introduce doubt or dispute that the original word excludes.

Question 30Use of English

In the sentence 'The clerk submitted the file, and the director approved it', the word 'it' refers to:

  1. The clerk
  2. The file Correct answer.
  3. The submission
  4. The director

Explanation

Pronoun reference is resolved by finding the nearest suitable antecedent, which here is the singular inanimate noun 'file'. 'The clerk' and 'the director' are people and would normally be referred to with 'he' or 'she'.

Question 31Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The panel insisted on ___ all the petitions before reaching a verdict.'

  1. reviewing Correct answer.
  2. to review
  3. reviewed
  4. review

Explanation

The preposition 'on' must be followed by a gerund, so 'reviewing' is the only grammatical choice. Infinitives and bare verbs cannot follow a preposition in this construction.

Question 32Use of English

Which option best describes the register of the sentence 'The undersigned respectfully requests that the committee reconsider its decision'?

  1. Neutral journalistic
  2. Formal and deferential Correct answer.
  3. Colloquial and informal
  4. Sarcastic and hostile

Explanation

The third-person self-reference 'the undersigned', the adverb 'respectfully' and the subjunctive 'reconsider' mark a formal, deferential register typical of official correspondence.

Question 33Use of English

Which option is the correct question tag for 'The senators have not signed the register'?

  1. have they Correct answer.
  2. do they
  3. haven't they
  4. did they

Explanation

A negative statement takes an affirmative tag, and the auxiliary of the statement is 'have', so the tag is 'have they'. The tense and auxiliary must match the main clause.

Question 34Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'Scarcely had the minister taken his seat ___ the opposition raised a point of order.'

  1. than
  2. when Correct answer.
  3. then
  4. that

Explanation

The correlative pattern with 'scarcely' (or 'hardly') is completed by 'when', not 'than'. 'No sooner' is the expression that pairs with 'than'.

Question 35Use of English

In the sentence 'The committee, having reviewed the evidence, adjourned', the phrase 'having reviewed the evidence' is:

  1. A perfect participle clause modifying 'the committee' Correct answer.
  2. An absolute construction with its own subject
  3. A finite subordinate clause
  4. A dangling modifier with no subject

Explanation

'Having reviewed' is a perfect participle phrase, and its understood subject is 'the committee', which is also the subject of the main verb 'adjourned'. Because the subject is recoverable, it is not dangling.

Question 36Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The bill was passed ___ a majority of two-thirds.'

  1. in
  2. with
  3. by Correct answer.
  4. through

Explanation

When stating the margin or agent by which a vote is carried, English uses 'by': 'passed by a majority'. The preposition 'with' would describe an instrument rather than a margin.

Question 37Use of English

Which option best explains the difference between 'The clerk must submit the report' and 'The clerk should submit the report'?

  1. The first states an obligation; the second states a recommendation Correct answer.
  2. The first states a possibility; the second states a certainty
  3. Both express the same degree of obligation
  4. The first is a past obligation; the second is a future one

Explanation

Modal verbs differ in strength: 'must' conveys strong obligation, while 'should' conveys advice or expectation. Neither sentence is about past time, and they are not equivalent in force.

Question 38Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The witness denied ___ the document before the panel.'

  1. to have signed
  2. signed
  3. to sign
  4. signing Correct answer.

Explanation

The verb 'deny' takes a gerund as its object, so 'denying signing' is correct. Infinitives follow verbs such as 'refuse' or 'agree', not 'deny'.

Question 39Use of English

Which option is the correct passive form of 'The committee will announce the results next week'?

  1. The results are being announced next week
  2. The results will announce next week
  3. The results would be announced next week
  4. The results will be announced next week Correct answer.

Explanation

The passive of a future statement is formed with 'will be' plus the past participle, giving 'will be announced'. The agent is omitted because it is unspecified.

Question 40Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The chairman, together with his advisers, ___ expected to address the press.'

  1. is Correct answer.
  2. have been
  3. were
  4. are

Explanation

When a subject is followed by 'together with', the verb agrees with the first noun, which here is the singular 'chairman'. The intervening phrase does not change the number of the subject.

Question 41Use of English

In the sentence 'The minister, whose portfolio covers education, resigned', the clause 'whose portfolio covers education' is:

  1. A non-defining relative clause Correct answer.
  2. A defining relative clause
  3. A noun clause functioning as subject
  4. An adverbial clause of reason

Explanation

The clause is set off by commas and adds extra information about an already identified person, making it non-defining. Defining clauses are not separated by commas and are needed to identify the noun.

Question 42Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'If the panel ___ earlier, the report would have been ready.'

  1. would meet
  2. has met
  3. had met Correct answer.
  4. meets

Explanation

This is a third conditional, which uses 'had' plus the past participle in the if-clause and 'would have' in the main clause. The past perfect signals a hypothetical past event.

Question 43Use of English

Which option best explains the effect of the sentence 'The motion failed. The gallery erupted.'?

  1. The short sentences create a dramatic, staccato effect Correct answer.
  2. The sentences illustrate a cleft construction
  3. The sentences form a periodic structure with delayed main clauses
  4. The second sentence is a subordinate clause

Explanation

Two brief independent sentences placed side by side create a clipped, dramatic rhythm, an effect known as asyndetic parataxis. Neither is subordinate, and there is no cleft structure or delayed main clause.

Question 44Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The registrar asked whether the certificates ___ ready for collection.'

  1. are
  2. is
  3. will
  4. were Correct answer.

Explanation

In reported speech the tense usually shifts back one step, so a present-tense question becomes past. 'Were' agrees with the plural 'certificates' and reflects that backshift.

Question 45Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The constitution provides that no person shall be convicted of a criminal offence ___ the offence was defined at the time it was committed.'

  1. whereas
  2. although
  3. despite
  4. unless Correct answer.

Explanation

'Unless' introduces the necessary condition that must be met for the prohibition to apply, matching the legal rule against retrospective criminal liability. The other connectives signal concession or contrast, which would reverse the logic.

Question 46Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'Seldom ___ a debate generated so much public interest.'

  1. does
  2. had
  3. has Correct answer.
  4. have

Explanation

When a negative adverb such as 'seldom' opens the sentence, subject and auxiliary invert. The singular subject 'a debate' requires 'has', giving 'Seldom has a debate generated'.

Question 47Use of English

In the sentence 'What the committee needs is a clearer mandate', the clause 'What the committee needs' functions as:

  1. The subject of the sentence Correct answer.
  2. An object of the verb 'is'
  3. An adverbial of purpose
  4. A subject complement

Explanation

This is a pseudo-cleft sentence: the nominal clause 'What the committee needs' occupies the subject position, and 'a clearer mandate' is the complement. The verb 'is' links the two rather than taking an object.

Question 48Use of English

Which option best explains the difference between 'The bill was rejected' and 'The bill got rejected'?

  1. The second describes an ongoing action
  2. The first is active; the second is passive
  3. The first is formal passive; the second is an informal get-passive with a similar meaning Correct answer.
  4. The second attributes the action to a stated agent

Explanation

Both sentences are passive, but 'get' plus a past participle is an informal get-passive often used in speech. The be-passive is neutral and formal, and neither sentence names an agent.

Question 49Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'Hardly ___ the motion been tabled when the chamber emptied.'

  1. has
  2. was
  3. have
  4. had Correct answer.

Explanation

The 'hardly ... when' construction uses the past perfect, and the negative adverb at the start triggers inversion, giving 'Hardly had the motion been tabled'. The auxiliary must precede the subject.

Question 50Use of English

Which option best explains why 'The report, which was leaked to the press, embarrassed the ministry' differs in meaning from 'The report which was leaked to the press embarrassed the ministry'?

  1. The second omits the relative pronoun
  2. The first is ungrammatical; the second is correct
  3. The first implies there was only one report; the second implies there were several Correct answer.
  4. The first describes an ongoing action

Explanation

Commas mark a non-defining clause, which adds information about an already identified report, suggesting only one exists. Without commas the clause is defining and serves to pick out one report among several.