Use of English is compulsory in the JAMB UTME, so every candidate needs a deliberate plan for it. The subject is not only about memorising difficult words. JAMB tests whether you can understand passages, interpret meaning, choose correct grammatical forms, recognise standard pronunciation patterns and read the approved text.
This guide brings the current syllabus structure together with the official question pattern, the approved reading text for the 2026 UTME material and a practical eight-week plan. Use it for revision, but always check JAMB’s Integrated Brochure and Syllabus System (IBASS) for any new cycle-specific change before registration or examination.
Important update: JAMB’s 2026 application bulletin identifies The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba as the general reading text. Older online guides may still mention The Life Changer; candidates should follow the current JAMB material and not assume that an older text remains approved.
What the JAMB Use of English syllabus covers
The syllabus has three broad sections:
| Section | Main focus | What JAMB wants to see |
|---|---|---|
| A. Comprehension and Summary | Passages, cloze questions, inference and the reading text | Whether you can understand, connect and evaluate ideas |
| B. Lexis and Structure | Vocabulary, grammar, sentence meaning and usage | Whether you can select accurate English in context |
| C. Oral Forms | Vowels, consonants, rhymes, stress and emphatic stress | Whether you can identify standard pronunciation patterns |
JAMB describes the general purpose as evaluating effective written and spoken communication and the use of English for learning at tertiary level. That means the best preparation combines reading accuracy, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation practice.
Official JAMB Use of English question structure
The current JAMB training material sets Use of English at 60 multiple-choice questions. The official breakdown is:
| Section | Question type | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehension and Summary | One comprehension passage | 5 |
| Comprehension and Summary | One cloze passage | 10 |
| Comprehension and Summary | General reading text | 10 |
| Lexis and Structure | Sentence interpretation | 5 |
| Lexis and Structure | Antonyms | 5 |
| Lexis and Structure | Synonyms | 5 |
| Lexis and Structure | Basic grammar | 10 |
| Oral Forms | Vowels, consonants, rhymes, word stress and emphatic stress | 10 |
| Total | 60 | |
Use this distribution when planning practice. Comprehension and Lexis/Structure each account for 25 questions, while Oral Forms accounts for 10. Do not spend all your time on vocabulary and neglect passages or oral English.
Section A: Comprehension and Summary
Topics to study
- Description
- Narration
- Exposition
- Argumentation and persuasion
- Main ideas and topic sentences
- Words, phrases, clauses, sentences, figures of speech and idioms in context
- Coherence, deductions and inferences
- Synthesis of ideas from separate parts of a passage
- The approved general reading text
JAMB passages can draw from different disciplines. Do not judge an answer by whether you agree with the writer. Look for what the passage actually says, what it implies and how each sentence supports the central idea.
Objectives and skills
- Identify the main point and supporting details.
- Work out implied meaning rather than selecting a word because it sounds familiar.
- Recognise the grammatical function of a word, phrase or clause in its sentence.
- Infer the writer’s intention, mood, attitude and opinion.
- Combine information from more than one part of a passage to form a complete conclusion.
How to answer comprehension questions
- Read the question before returning to the relevant part of the passage.
- Underline the key word in the question: mainly, implies, according to or except.
- Eliminate options that are too broad, too narrow or unsupported.
- For vocabulary-in-context questions, replace the word with each option and test the sentence meaning.
- For inference questions, choose the conclusion that follows from the evidence, not a personal opinion.
Section B: Lexis and Structure
Vocabulary and usage
Study synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, ordinary usage, figurative usage and idiomatic usage. The syllabus emphasises formal idioms expressed in standard British English. Learn words in sentences instead of memorising isolated lists; a word can change meaning according to its context.
For each new word, record its meaning, part of speech, common collocations, opposite and one sentence. This method helps with both vocabulary questions and sentence interpretation.
Grammar and sentence patterns
The main grammar areas include:
| Area | What to practise |
|---|---|
| Word classes | Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and their functions |
| Clause and sentence patterns | Simple, compound and complex structures; independent and dependent clauses |
| Verb forms | Mood, tense and aspect; keeping the verb consistent with the time of the sentence |
| Agreement or concord | Subject-verb agreement, collective nouns, indefinite pronouns and tricky intervening phrases |
| Number and degree | Singular/plural forms and positive, comparative and superlative adjectives |
| Question tags | Matching the auxiliary, subject and positive or negative form |
| Mechanics | Punctuation and correct spelling |
| Interpretation | Understanding the exact meaning conveyed by a sentence |
Common traps include confusing less and fewer, using a plural verb after a singular subject separated by a long phrase, mixing tenses and selecting an answer that is grammatically possible but does not fit the sentence meaning.
Section C: Oral Forms
Oral English is tested through written options, so you do not need to speak into the computer. You need to recognise the correct sound or stress pattern.
- Vowels: monothongs, diphthongs and triphthongs.
- Consonants: individual consonant sounds and consonant clusters.
- Rhymes: words with matching end sounds, including homophones where relevant.
- Word stress: stress patterns in monosyllabic and polysyllabic words.
- Emphatic stress: placing normal stress on a word in connected speech to change or highlight the intended meaning.
Practise with a reliable pronunciation dictionary and listen to standard examples. Do not rely only on how a word is spelt. Words such as record, produce and permit can change pronunciation when their grammatical function changes.
The approved JAMB reading text
For the 2026 JAMB application material, the general text is The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba. JAMB’s bulletin says candidates should expect questions on the text regardless of their chosen course.
Read the complete book early. As you read, keep a character-and-event table, note important settings and conflicts, record cause-and-effect links and write a short summary after each section. Then practise answering questions from memory before checking the text. Avoid relying on online summaries alone because they can omit details that become useful in objective questions.
An 8-week JAMB Use of English study plan
| Week | Priority | Work to complete |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baseline and comprehension | Take a timed 60-question test, review errors and practise main ideas, details and vocabulary in context. |
| 2 | Reading text | Read the approved book and create a chapter or section summary with characters, events and themes. |
| 3 | Lexis | Build a context-based vocabulary notebook covering synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, idioms and figurative meaning. |
| 4 | Grammar I | Revise word classes, sentence patterns, clauses, tenses, aspects and subject-verb agreement. |
| 5 | Grammar II | Practise number, degree, question tags, punctuation, spelling and sentence interpretation. |
| 6 | Oral Forms | Study vowel and consonant contrasts, rhymes, word stress and emphatic stress; complete targeted drills. |
| 7 | Mixed practice | Complete two timed 60-question tests, classify every error and revisit the relevant syllabus topic. |
| 8 | Exam simulation | Do three full mixed tests under realistic timing, revise your error log and reduce new material. |
On ordinary study days, use a 60-minute cycle: 20 minutes for a topic lesson, 25 minutes for questions and 15 minutes to review mistakes. Your error log matters more than the number of questions you attempted. Record why your answer was wrong and what clue should have guided you.
Difficult areas candidates should not ignore
- Inference: the answer may not be stated in exactly the same words as the passage.
- Cloze tests: grammar, collocation and the meaning of the whole paragraph all matter.
- Concord: locate the real subject before choosing the verb.
- Idioms: reject options that sound locally familiar but do not fit formal standard usage.
- Oral English: revise the sound, not merely the spelling.
- Reading-text details: know who did what, why it happened and what followed.
How to practise effectively
- Use the syllabus as a checklist and tick off topics only after you can answer questions on them.
- Practise with a timer so that reading speed improves without sacrificing accuracy.
- Review every wrong answer, including guesses that happened to be correct.
- Mix easy and difficult questions; the examination will not present topics in your preferred order.
- Read quality English daily: editorials, essays, science explainers and formal reports.
- Keep a short list of recurring mistakes and revise it before each mock test.
Exam-day strategy
JAMB’s official training material says Use of English contains 60 questions within the UTME’s overall 180-question paper. Read each instruction carefully, keep moving when a question is taking too long and return to difficult items if the interface allows it. Use elimination, but do not change an answer without a clear reason. In comprehension, return to the passage instead of relying on memory; in oral English, compare the sound pattern rather than the spelling.
Frequently asked questions
Is Use of English compulsory in JAMB?
Yes. It is the compulsory language component of the UTME, alongside the three other subjects required for the candidate’s chosen programme.
How many Use of English questions are in JAMB?
The current official training material sets the paper at 60 multiple-choice questions.
What is the current JAMB reading text?
JAMB’s 2026 application bulletin identifies The Lekki Headmaster by Kabir Alabi Garba as the general text. Check IBASS again for a later cycle.
Can I pass JAMB English without studying Oral Forms?
You can improve your chances by studying it, but skipping it leaves a defined part of the 60-question structure uncovered. Revise the sound contrasts and stress patterns regularly.
Should I memorise a long list of synonyms?
Memorise useful words, but always practise them in context. JAMB can test meaning, grammar and collocation together.
How should I use past questions?
Use them to identify patterns and practise timing, not to assume that questions will repeat. After each session, link every mistake to a syllabus topic and revise that skill.
Final checklist
- Comprehension, cloze and synthesis understood
- The Lekki Headmaster read and summarised
- Synonyms, antonyms, homonyms and idioms revised
- Clauses, sentence patterns, tenses and concord practised
- Punctuation, spelling and interpretation reviewed
- Vowels, consonants, rhymes and stress studied
- At least three timed 60-question tests completed
- Error log reviewed before the examination
The syllabus gives you a map, but marks come from repeated, thoughtful practice. Read for meaning, study grammar in context, train your ear for Oral Forms and use your mistakes to decide what to revise next.
Sources: JAMB official website, JAMB 2026 application bulletin, JAMB 2026 training manual, JAMB IBASS and current syllabus topic breakdown.
