JAMB Use of English 2022 practice collection

31 reviewed questions with answers and explanations.

These adapted questions come from a publisher-labelled 2022 collection. The original UTME sitting and question numbers are unconfirmed. Practice selection: full-paper coverage has not been confirmed.

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Answer 10 distinct reviewed Use of English questions from this 2022 collection in 30 minutes, then see your raw score and explanations. This is a practice selection, not a confirmed complete UTME paper.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

The principal bent over backwards to admit the learner. What did the principal do?

  1. Made every possible effort
  2. Ignored the application
  3. Changed religion
  4. Walked into the school backwards
Answer and explanation

A: Made every possible effort

Bent over backwards is an idiom for making a great effort to help or achieve something.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

The class had hardly entered when the bell rang. When did it ring?

  1. Long before they entered
  2. Soon after they entered
  3. Only after they left
  4. The following day
Answer and explanation

B: Soon after they entered

Hardly had they entered when indicates that the bell rang almost immediately after their entry.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Our holiday plans fell through at the last moment. What happened to the plans?

  1. They succeeded
  2. They failed
  3. They became public
  4. They were delayed by one hour
Answer and explanation

B: They failed

A plan that falls through does not happen as intended; it fails.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

After leaving prison, Bayo resolved to go straight. What did he resolve to do?

  1. Walk without turning
  2. Live honestly
  3. Leave the country
  4. Change his faith
Answer and explanation

B: Live honestly

Go straight means stop committing crimes and live an honest life.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

With no fixed schedule, the organisers chose to play it by ear. What was their plan?

  1. Listen to music
  2. Respond as events unfolded
  3. Ignore advice
  4. Cancel every activity
Answer and explanation

B: Respond as events unfolded

Play it by ear means decide what to do as a situation develops rather than follow a fixed plan.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

She completed the course ___ several setbacks.

  1. Despite
  2. Because
  3. In addition
  4. Even on
Answer and explanation

A: Despite

Despite introduces a contrast: the setbacks did not stop her from completing the course.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

___ visitors enjoyed the exhibition.

  1. Every of the
  2. All the
  3. The whole
  4. Each of
Answer and explanation

B: All the

All the can directly modify the plural noun visitors. Each of would need a determiner such as the after of.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

The insult felt like a slap ___ the face.

  1. On
  2. At
  3. In
  4. Upon
Answer and explanation

C: In

The established idiom is a slap in the face, meaning an insult or rejection.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

The grant will be divided between ___.

  1. We and they
  2. Us and them
  3. Us and they
  4. We and them
Answer and explanation

B: Us and them

Between is a preposition, so its personal pronouns take object forms: us and them.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

The conductor, as well as her assistants, ___ at every rehearsal.

  1. Attend
  2. Are attending
  3. Attends
  4. Have attended
Answer and explanation

C: Attends

The singular subject conductor controls agreement; as well as her assistants does not make it plural.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

They completed a ___ training programme.

  1. Five-days
  2. Five day
  3. Five-day
  4. Five day's
Answer and explanation

C: Five-day

A compound number-plus-noun modifier before a noun is hyphenated and uses singular day: five-day programme.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

My ___ is to read the instructions first.

  1. Advise
  2. Advice
  3. Adverse
  4. Advance
Answer and explanation

B: Advice

Advice is the noun for a recommendation. Advise is the verb.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

If an event is inevitable, it is ___.

  1. Optional
  2. Unavoidable
  3. Welcome
  4. Immediate
Answer and explanation

B: Unavoidable

Inevitable means certain to happen or impossible to avoid; unavoidable is the closest choice.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

The police hope to apprehend the suspect. What do they hope to do?

  1. Interview
  2. Arrest
  3. Charge
  4. Sentence
Answer and explanation

B: Arrest

To apprehend a suspect is to arrest or capture that person. Charging and sentencing are later legal steps.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

A conspicuous mark is easy to ___.

  1. Conceal
  2. Notice
  3. Remove
  4. Paint
Answer and explanation

B: Notice

Conspicuous means readily seen or noticed, so notice completes the meaning.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Which verb means to make an illness worse?

  1. Heal
  2. Detect
  3. Exacerbate
  4. Ameliorate
Answer and explanation

C: Exacerbate

Exacerbate means make a problem or illness more severe; ameliorate means improve it.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

I cannot focus while the noise continues; it is a ___.

  1. Distraction
  2. Detraction
  3. Fare
  4. Counsel
Answer and explanation

A: Distraction

A distraction diverts attention from a task. Detraction concerns reducing value or worth.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Passengers are worried that bus ___ will increase next month.

  1. Bills
  2. Fares
  3. Fees
  4. Wages
Answer and explanation

B: Fares

The price a passenger pays to travel by bus is a fare.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

A country's representative who helps its citizens abroad is a ___.

  1. Console
  2. Counsel
  3. Consul
  4. Council
Answer and explanation

C: Consul

A consul is an official representing a country abroad. Counsel is advice or a legal adviser.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Which spelling names a military or exploratory survey of an area?

  1. Reconaissance
  2. Reconnaissance
  3. Reconnaisance
  4. Reconnaissence
Answer and explanation

B: Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance is the standard spelling for a preliminary survey or information-gathering mission.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Which verb is opposite in meaning to intensify in the phrase 'intensify anxiety'?

  1. Increase
  2. Diminish
  3. Aggravate
  4. Heighten
Answer and explanation

B: Diminish

Diminish means reduce; intensify means make greater or stronger.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

The peace agreement declared that there was no victor and no ___.

  1. Winner
  2. Patriot
  3. Vanquished
  4. Mediator
Answer and explanation

C: Vanquished

The vanquished are those defeated by a victor. The paired expression denies that either side won or lost.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Her eagerness contrasted with her colleague's ___.

  1. Enthusiasm
  2. Indifference
  3. Readiness
  4. Interest
Answer and explanation

B: Indifference

Eagerness is keen interest; indifference is lack of interest.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

In 'AMINA bought the brown shoes', which question does the stressed word answer?

  1. What colour were the shoes?
  2. Who bought the shoes?
  3. What did Amina buy?
  4. When were they bought?
Answer and explanation

B: Who bought the shoes?

Stress on AMINA identifies the buyer, so the matching question asks who bought the shoes.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

In 'It rained ALL day', which question does the stressed word answer?

  1. Where did it rain?
  2. Who saw the rain?
  3. For how long did it rain?
  4. Was it raining yesterday?
Answer and explanation

C: For how long did it rain?

Stress on ALL identifies the duration as the part being corrected or supplied.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Which word begins with the /j/ sound, as in yes?

  1. Jam
  2. Gauge
  3. Yam
  4. George
Answer and explanation

C: Yam

Yam starts with the /j/ glide. The other words start with the affricate /dʒ/.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Which word rhymes with roam?

  1. From
  2. Come
  3. Home
  4. Loan
Answer and explanation

C: Home

Roam and home end in /əʊm/ (or /oʊm/), while loan ends in /n/.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Which word rhymes with bough?

  1. Thought
  2. Dough
  3. How
  4. Low
Answer and explanation

C: How

Bough and how share the /aʊ/ vowel and final sound.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Which word rhymes with rain?

  1. Many
  2. Frame
  3. Feign
  4. Frighten
Answer and explanation

C: Feign

Rain and feign end in /eɪn/ despite their different spelling.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Which word rhymes with knight?

  1. Knife
  2. Cite
  3. Knot
  4. Cent
Answer and explanation

B: Cite

Knight and cite both end in /aɪt/; their silent letters do not change that rhyme.

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Practice question

Poscholars 2022 collection · Original sitting and question number unconfirmed.

Which word rhymes with jeer?

  1. Jeep
  2. Gear
  3. Gauge
  4. Bear
Answer and explanation

B: Gear

Jeer and gear share the /ɪə/ ending in many British pronunciations; bear has a different vowel.

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