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JAMB UTME practice questions

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Question 1Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The committee, after long deliberation, ______ its decision to the registrar yesterday.

  1. communicated Correct answer.
  2. have communicated
  3. communicating
  4. communicate

Explanation

The subject 'committee' is singular here and the time marker 'yesterday' requires the simple past tense. 'Communicated' agrees with a singular subject and expresses a completed past action. The other forms either fail subject-verb agreement or express the wrong tense or aspect.

Question 2Use of English

In the word 'photograph', where does the primary stress fall?

  1. On the second syllable
  2. On the third syllable
  3. Evenly on all syllables
  4. On the first syllable Correct answer.

Explanation

The noun 'photograph' is stressed on its first syllable, PHO-to-graph. Related forms shift the stress, as in pho-TO-gra-pher and pho-to-GRAPH-ic, but the base noun keeps initial stress.

Question 3Use of English

Choose the word that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word: The chairman gave a terse reply to the reporters.

  1. polite
  2. confusing
  3. lengthy
  4. abrupt Correct answer.

Explanation

'Terse' describes speech that is brief and often curt, so 'abrupt' is the closest synonym. It carries the sense of shortness that may seem rude. Length, courtesy and clarity are separate qualities not implied by the word.

Question 4Use of English

Choose the option opposite in meaning to the underlined word: The witness gave a candid account of the incident.

  1. written
  2. detailed
  3. honest
  4. guarded Correct answer.

Explanation

'Candid' means frank and open, so its opposite is 'guarded', meaning cautious and reserved. The other options describe honesty, detail or medium, none of which is the direct antonym.

Question 5Use of English

Identify the function of the underlined expression: The man who won the lottery donated the money to charity.

  1. Adverbial clause modifying 'donated'
  2. Appositive phrase
  3. Noun clause as subject
  4. Adjectival clause modifying 'man' Correct answer.

Explanation

The clause 'who won the lottery' begins with a relative pronoun and describes the noun 'man', so it functions as an adjectival (relative) clause. It does not modify the verb, act as subject, or rename the noun.

Question 6Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: Neither the students nor the teacher ______ aware of the change in timetable.

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

Explanation

With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject, which here is the singular 'teacher'. The singular past 'was' is therefore correct. Plural forms would agree with 'students', which is not the nearer subject.

Question 7Use of English

Choose the correctly spelt word to complete the sentence: The engineer submitted a detailed ______ of the bridge design.

  1. specificasion
  2. specification Correct answer.
  3. speciffication
  4. specifikation

Explanation

The noun derived from 'specify' is 'specification', with a single 'f' after 'speci' and '-tion' at the end. The other spellings double the consonant wrongly or use a non-standard ending.

Question 8Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: If the manager ______ the report earlier, the board would have approved the budget.

  1. had submitted Correct answer.
  2. has submitted
  3. submits
  4. submitted

Explanation

This is a third conditional sentence: the result clause uses 'would have approved', so the if-clause must use the past perfect 'had submitted'. It expresses an unreal condition in the past. Simple past or present forms break the conditional sequence.

Question 9Use of English

Identify the type of sentence: Although the rain was heavy, the match continued until the final whistle.

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

Explanation

The sentence contains one independent clause ('the match continued...') and one dependent clause introduced by 'although', which makes it complex. A compound sentence would need two independent clauses joined by a coordinator.

Question 10Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The lecturer advised that every student ______ the assignment before Friday.

  1. submit Correct answer.
  2. submitted
  3. is submitting
  4. submits

Explanation

After verbs of advice or command such as 'advised that', English uses the subjunctive mood, which takes the base form 'submit' regardless of the subject. 'Every student submit' is therefore correct in formal usage.

Question 11Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The politician was accused ______ embezzling public funds.

  1. about
  2. of Correct answer.
  3. for
  4. with

Explanation

The verb 'accuse' is followed by the preposition 'of' before the gerund: accused of embezzling. This is a fixed collocation in English and other prepositions do not fit.

Question 12Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: Hardly ______ the hall when the lights went off.

  1. he had entered
  2. did he entered
  3. had he entered Correct answer.
  4. he entered

Explanation

When a sentence opens with a negative adverbial such as 'hardly', subject and auxiliary invert: 'Hardly had he entered'. The past perfect is needed because the entering happened just before the lights went off.

Question 13Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The new policy will be ______ into effect next month.

  1. puts
  2. putted
  3. put Correct answer.
  4. putting

Explanation

'Put into effect' is a fixed passive expression meaning to implement; the past participle of 'put' is 'put'. After 'will be' a past participle is required, so 'put' is correct.

Question 14Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The teacher asked the pupils ______ they had completed their notes.

  1. what
  2. which
  3. that
  4. whether Correct answer.

Explanation

Reported yes/no questions are introduced by 'whether' or 'if', not by 'that'. The question asks about the truth of a statement, so 'whether' is the correct connector.

Question 15Use of English

Identify the mood of the underlined verb: May you succeed in your examinations.

  1. Interrogative
  2. Indicative
  3. Subjunctive Correct answer.
  4. Imperative

Explanation

'May you succeed' expresses a wish or prayer, which is the optative use of the subjunctive mood. It does not state a fact, give a command, or ask a genuine question.

Question 16Use of English

Choose the word that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word: The government's parsimonious approach to spending drew criticism.

  1. generous
  2. stingy Correct answer.
  3. efficient
  4. reckless

Explanation

'Parsimonious' means extremely unwilling to spend money, so 'stingy' is the closest synonym. The word is negative in tone, unlike 'efficient', which would suggest good management.

Question 17Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The two brothers quarrelled ______ themselves over the inheritance.

  1. among
  2. with
  3. amongst
  4. between Correct answer.

Explanation

'Between' is used for two parties, while 'among' is used for three or more. Since the quarrel involved exactly two brothers, 'between' is correct.

Question 18Use of English

Identify the literary device in the expression: The wind whispered through the trees.

  1. Simile
  2. Metonymy
  3. Hyperbole
  4. Personification Correct answer.

Explanation

Giving the wind the human ability to whisper is personification, the attribution of human qualities to non-human things. A simile would require 'like' or 'as', and hyperbole would be deliberate exaggeration.

Question 19Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: Scarcely had the bell rung ______ the students rushed out.

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

Explanation

The correlative pair is 'scarcely...when' (or 'hardly...when'), used with the past perfect for two closely following events. 'Than' pairs with 'no sooner', not with 'scarcely'.

Question 20Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The committee could not reach a consensus, ______ delayed the project.

  1. that
  2. which Correct answer.
  3. what
  4. who

Explanation

A non-defining relative clause referring to the whole preceding situation is introduced by 'which'. It comments on the entire clause rather than on a single noun. 'That' cannot introduce a non-defining relative clause.

Question 21Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: ______ the heavy traffic, we arrived at the examination centre on time.

  1. However
  2. Even
  3. Despite Correct answer.
  4. Although

Explanation

'Despite' is a preposition and can be followed directly by a noun phrase such as 'the heavy traffic'. 'Although' and 'However' are conjunctions or adverbs and require a clause or different punctuation.

Question 22Use of English

Choose the option nearest in meaning to the underlined idiom: The accountant let the cat out of the bag about the missing funds.

  1. kept a secret
  2. made a mistake
  3. revealed a secret Correct answer.
  4. took the blame

Explanation

The idiom 'let the cat out of the bag' means to disclose information that was meant to be kept secret. It is about revelation, not about error or blame.

Question 23Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The results of the survey, together with the written comments, ______ been published.

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

Explanation

The subject is 'results', which is plural; the phrase 'together with the written comments' is parenthetical and does not change the number of the subject. The plural auxiliary 'have' is therefore required before 'been published'.

Question 24Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The candidate, ______ credentials were impressive, was offered the scholarship.

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

Explanation

The relative pronoun must show possession of 'credentials', so the possessive form 'whose' is needed. 'Who' and 'whom' refer to persons but do not mark possession, and 'which' cannot possess in this way for a person.

Question 25Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: No sooner ______ the venue than it began to rain.

  1. did we reach
  2. we had reached
  3. had we reached Correct answer.
  4. we reached

Explanation

After the negative opener 'no sooner', the auxiliary moves before the subject, and the first event takes the past perfect: 'had we reached'. The second clause uses simple past 'began'.

Question 26Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The chairman, as well as his two deputies, ______ expected at the ceremony.

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

Explanation

When two subjects are joined by 'as well as', the verb agrees with the first subject only. 'The chairman' is singular, so the singular verb 'is' is required regardless of the plural phrase that follows.

Question 27Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: She prefers reading novels ______ watching films at night.

  1. to Correct answer.
  2. than
  3. from
  4. over

Explanation

The verb 'prefer' is followed by 'to' when comparing two things: prefer X to Y. 'Than' belongs with comparative adjectives such as 'better', not with 'prefer'.

Question 28Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The witness said she ______ the accused leaving the building at midnight.

  1. has seen
  2. sees
  3. will see
  4. had seen Correct answer.

Explanation

In reported speech, a past reporting verb ('said') normally shifts the original present perfect or past tense back to the past perfect. The past perfect 'had seen' correctly marks the earlier action.

Question 29Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The farmer has a large ______ of cattle on his ranch.

  1. pack
  2. herd Correct answer.
  3. swarm
  4. flock

Explanation

Collective nouns pair with specific animals: cattle are described as a herd. The other options name groups of different creatures, so they do not collocate with 'cattle'.

Question 30Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The rain was so heavy ______ the football match was abandoned.

  1. as
  2. so
  3. that Correct answer.
  4. then

Explanation

The correlative construction 'so + adjective + that' introduces a result clause. 'So heavy that ... abandoned' correctly expresses the consequence of the rain.

Question 31Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: Each of the candidates ______ given a copy of the timetable.

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

Explanation

'Each' is a singular indefinite pronoun, so it takes a singular verb even when followed by 'of the candidates'. The singular past 'was' is therefore correct.

Question 32Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The principal promised to look ______ the matter of the missing files immediately.

  1. for
  2. after
  3. into Correct answer.
  4. up

Explanation

The phrasal verb 'look into' means to investigate. Since the principal is investigating the missing files, 'into' supplies the correct meaning.

Question 33Use of English

Choose the word that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word: The committee's decision was described as arbitrary and unfair.

  1. reasonable Correct answer.
  2. random
  3. hasty
  4. biased

Explanation

'Arbitrary' means based on personal whim rather than reason, so its opposite is 'reasonable'. The other options repeat or resemble the sense of whim or unfairness.

Question 34Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The old man was accused of ______ the village funds for personal use.

  1. diverted
  2. diversion
  3. diverting Correct answer.
  4. divert

Explanation

The preposition 'of' in 'accused of' is followed by a gerund. 'Diverting' is the -ing form and functions correctly as the object of the preposition.

Question 35Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: By the time the invigilator arrived, the candidates ______ their scripts.

  1. will submit
  2. submit
  3. have submitted
  4. had submitted Correct answer.

Explanation

The past perfect marks an action completed before another past action. Since submitting happened before the invigilator arrived, 'had submitted' is required.

Question 36Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The teacher spoke to the boy ______ had won the debate competition.

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

Explanation

The relative pronoun is the subject of 'had won', so the subject form 'who' is needed for a person. 'Whom' would be used only as an object.

Question 37Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The lecturer insisted that the student ______ the essay before Friday.

  1. will submit
  2. submits
  3. submit Correct answer.
  4. submitted

Explanation

Verbs of insistence such as 'insist that' take the subjunctive, which uses the base form of the verb regardless of the subject. 'Submit' is therefore correct.

Question 38Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: Neither the driver nor the passengers ______ injured in the accident.

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

Explanation

With 'neither ... nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject. 'Passengers' is plural, so the plural past 'were' is correct.

Question 39Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The company's profits have risen ______ since the new manager took over.

  1. consideration
  2. considerably Correct answer.
  3. considerable
  4. considering

Explanation

An adverb is needed to modify the verb phrase 'have risen'. 'Considerably' is the adverb form, while the others are noun or adjective forms.

Question 40Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The new stadium, ______ was built last year, can seat fifty thousand spectators.

  1. who
  2. which Correct answer.
  3. that
  4. where

Explanation

A non-defining relative clause set off by commas requires 'which' for a thing, and 'that' is not used in this position. 'Which' correctly refers back to 'the new stadium'.

Question 41Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: He was offered the scholarship ______ he had applied late.

  1. because
  2. although Correct answer.
  3. so
  4. unless

Explanation

The two ideas contrast: receiving the scholarship despite applying late. 'Although' introduces a concessive clause expressing that contrast.

Question 42Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The committee has not yet decided ______ to hold the annual dinner.

  1. which
  2. what
  3. who
  4. where Correct answer.

Explanation

The question is about the place of the dinner, so the interrogative adverb 'where' is needed before the infinitive. The other words cannot express location in this structure.

Question 43Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The manuscript is said ______ by a young writer many years ago.

  1. to be writing
  2. to have written
  3. to have been written Correct answer.
  4. to write

Explanation

The passive reporting structure 'is said to ...' needs a passive infinitive when the subject receives the action. 'To have been written' also marks the earlier time of writing.

Question 44Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The supervisor asked the technician ______ the machine had been serviced.

  1. whether Correct answer.
  2. which
  3. what
  4. that

Explanation

An indirect yes-or-no question is introduced by 'whether' (or 'if'). The supervisor wants to know if the servicing happened, not what or which thing happened.

Question 45Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The two delegates argued ______ each other for over an hour.

  1. to
  2. with Correct answer.
  3. against
  4. at

Explanation

The verb 'argue' takes 'with' when naming the person one disputes with: argue with someone. 'Against' suits 'fight' or 'compete', not this reciprocal dispute.

Question 46Use of English

Choose the word nearest in meaning to the underlined word: The witness gave a terse reply that left the court unsatisfied.

  1. confusing
  2. lengthy
  3. polite
  4. brief Correct answer.

Explanation

'Terse' describes a reply that is short and to the point, so 'brief' is the closest synonym. The other options describe length, clarity, or manners rather than brevity.

Question 47Use of English

Choose the option nearest in meaning to the underlined idiom: The manager decided to bury the hatchet after the long dispute with his rival.

  1. hide the evidence
  2. make peace Correct answer.
  3. dig a trench
  4. end the business

Explanation

'Bury the hatchet' means to stop quarrelling and make peace. The context of ending a long dispute confirms this meaning.

Question 48Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: Not until the results were announced ______ the candidates realise their mistakes.

  1. did Correct answer.
  2. had
  3. were
  4. do

Explanation

When a negative expression such as 'not until' opens the sentence, subject-verb inversion follows. The main clause is past, so the inverted auxiliary 'did' plus the base verb is correct.

Question 49Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: ______ had the meeting begun when the power supply failed.

  1. Rarely
  2. Hardly
  3. Scarcely
  4. No sooner Correct answer.

Explanation

'No sooner' pairs with 'than' in the correlative construction 'no sooner ... than'. 'Hardly' and 'scarcely' would require 'when' instead.

Question 50Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: The panel, ______ members disagreed sharply, could not produce a final report.

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

Explanation

The relative word must show possession of 'members' by the panel, so the possessive 'whose' is required. 'Whose' can refer to things and groups as well as people.