JAMB UTME cheat sheet

Comprehension strategy: read the passage questions first, then locate each answer's sentence; JAMB comprehension items reward textual evidence over general knowledge.

Synonyms/antonyms: choose the option closest in meaning in the given sentence context, not the most common dictionary sense; test by substituting the option back into the sentence.

Sentence interpretation: for idioms and phrasal verbs, meaning is non-compositional - 'to bury the hatchet' = to end a quarrel, not literally to hide an axe.

Concord rule: a singular subject takes a singular verb regardless of intervening phrases - 'The list of items is long', not 'are long'.

Punctuation: a semicolon joins two independent clauses; a colon introduces a list or explanation; commas never separate subject from verb.

Register and lexis: formal writing avoids contractions, slang, and clichés; JAMB 'appropriate word' items favour the register matching the passage.

Stress and pronunciation: English word stress is lexical, not fixed by syllable count - 'REcord' (noun) vs 'reCORD' (verb); vowel length changes with stress.

Oral forms: the '-ed' ending is /t/ after voiceless sounds (walked), /d/ after voiced sounds (played), /ɪd/ after /t/ or /d/ (wanted, needed).

Summary and cloze: for gap-fill passages, predict the word class needed (noun, verb, connector) before scanning options; elimination beats guessing.

UTME has four subjects: Use of English (compulsory, 100 questions) plus three subjects relevant to the intended course; total score is out of 400.

Subject choice is constrained by course requirements: Medicine/Surgery and Dentistry typically require Biology, Chemistry, and Physics; Engineering requires Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.

Law usually requires Literature in English plus one Arts or Social Science subject; check the specific university's brochure because requirements differ.

Economics and Accounting programmes normally require Mathematics, Economics, and one other Social Science or commercial subject.

Sciences and Agriculture commonly require Biology, Chemistry, and either Physics or Agricultural Science; confirm per institution.

Scoring: each subject is marked over 100; no negative marking, so unanswered questions score zero - attempt every item.

Registration data must match your O'Level results: the subjects declared on the UTME form should align with those you will present for admission screening.

Change of course or institution after UTME is possible through the JAMB portal during the change-of-course window, subject to cut-off and quota rules.

Cut-off marks are set nationally (commonly around 140 for degree programmes) and raised by individual institutions; departmental cut-offs are usually higher.