<_____2016/2017 USE OF ENGLISH JAMB
SYLLABUS _____>
Use of English
USE OF ENGLISH GENERAL OBJECTIVES
The aim of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation
Examination (UTME) syllabus in Use of English is
to prepare the candidates for the Board's
examination . It is designed to test their
achievement of the course objectives, which are
to:
(1)communicate effectively in both written and
spoken English;
(2)have a sound linguistic basis for learning at the
tertiary level
The syllabus consists of two sections SECTION A:
Comprehension/Summary SECTION B: Lexis,
Structure and Oral Forms
DETAILED SYLLABUS
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES
1. Comprehension/Summary
(a) description
(b) narration
(c) exposition
(d) argumentation/persuasion
(i) Each of the four passages to be set (one will
be a close test) should reflect various disciplines
and be about 400 words long.
(ii) Questions on the passages, The Potter's
Wheel by Chukwuemeka Ike and The Successors
by Jerry Agada will test the following:
(a) Comprehension of the whole or part of
each passages.
(b) Comprehension of words, phrases,
clauses, sentences, figures of speech and idioms
as used in the passages.
(c) Coherence and logical reasoning
(deductions, inferences, etc.)
(d) Synthesis of ideas from the passages.
NOTE:
By synthesis of ideas is meant the art of
combining distinct or separate pieces of
information to form a complex whole, that is;" the
ability to make generalizations from specific ideas
mentioned in the passages, such generalizations
involve identifying the mood or tone of the writer,
his attitude to the subject matter, his point of
view, etc. In this regard, synthesis is a higher-
level skill than summary.
OBJECTIVES
Candidates should be able to:
i. identify main points in passages;
ii. determine implied meaning;
iii. identify the grammatical functions of words,
phrases and clauses and figurative /idiomatic
expression; iv. deduce or infer the writer's
opinion, mood, attitude to the
subject matter, etc.
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES
2. Lexis, Structural and Oral Forms
2.1 Lexis and Structure
(a) synonyms
(b) antonyms
(c) homonyms
(d) clause and sentence patterns
(e) word classes and their functions
(f) mood, tense, aspect, number, agreement/
concord, degree (positive, comparative and
superlative) and question tags
(g) punctuation and spelling
(h) ordinary usage (words in their denotative or
dictionary sense), figurative usage (expressions
used in ways other than literal) and idiomatic
usage (expressions whose meanings cannot be
determined hrough a mere combination of
individual words) are to be tested.
NOTE:
Idioms to be tested will be those expressed in
standard British English (i.e those with universal
acceptability)
OBJECTIVES
Candidates should be able to:
i. use words and expressions in their ordinary,
figurative and idiomatic contexts;
ii. determine similar and opposite meanings:
iii. differentiate between correct and incorrect
punctuation and spelling;
iv. identify various grammatical pattern in use;
v. interpret information conveyed in sentences.
TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES
2.2Oral Forms
(a)Vowels (monophthongs and diphthongs
(b)Consonants (including clusters)
(c)Rhymes (homophones)
(d)Stress (word, sentence and emphatic)
(e)Intonation
NOTE:
Sentence stress should not be mistaken or
emphatic or contrastive stress.It involves the
placement of normal stress on content words
(nouns, main verbs, adjectives and adverbs) in an
utterance. Here, no emphasis or contrast is
intended. For example, the words 'see' and 'soon'
would normally be stressed in the sentence, Til
see you soon*.
OBJECTIVES
Candidates should be able to:
i. distinguish correct from incorrect vowels;
ii. differentiate correct from incorrect consonants;
iii. identify silent letters, vowel length, consonant
clusters, etc.
iv. determine appropriate uses of stress in words
(monosyllable, disyllable and polysyllable) and in
sentences (emphatic/contrastive);
v. detect partial and complete rhymes
C. THE STRUCTURE OF THE EXAMINATION
SECTION A: Comprehension/Summary
(a)2 comprehension passages (10 questions in all,
3 marks each) = 30 marks
(b)I cloze passage (10 questions in all, 2 marks
each) = 20 marks
(c)2 texts (The Potter's Wheel 10 questions -15
marks and The Successors 5 questions-10 marks)
= 25 marks
SECTION B: Lexis, Structure and Oral Forms
(a)Sentence interpretation (10 questions in all, 2
marks each) = 20 marks
(b)Antonyms (opposite in meaning - 10 questions
in all, 1 mark each) = 10 marks
(c)Synonyms (same in meaning - 10 questions in
all, 1 mark each) = 10 marks
(d)Sentence completion (filling in the gaps - 20
questions in all, 1 mark each) = 20 marks
(e)Oral forms (15 questions in all, 1 mark each)
=15 marks Total: 100 questions = 150 marks
Use of English
RECOMMENDED TEXTS
Bamgbosc, A. (2002) English Lexis and Structure
for Senior Secondary Schools and colleges
(Revised Edition), Ibadan: Heinemann
Banjo, A. eta 1 (2004) New Oxford Secondary
English Course Book Six for Senior Secondary
Schools, Ibadan: UP Pic.
Banjo, A. Ayodele, S. and Ndahi, K. S. (1997)
Exam Focus: English for WASSCE and SSCE,
Ibadan UP Pic
Caesar, O. J. (2003) Essential Oral English for
Schools and Colleges, Lagos: Tonad Publishers
Limited
Egbe, D. I (1996) Mastering English Usage and
Communication Skills, Lagos: Tisons
Elugbe, B. (2000) Oral English for Schools and
Colleges, Ibadan: Heinemann
Grant, N. J. H, Nnamonu, S. Jowitt, D. (1998)
Senior English Project 3, (New Edition) Harlow:
Longman
Idowu, O. O, Sogbeson, T. S, Adofo, A. K.
Burgess, D. F and Burgess, L. J. (1998) Round-up
English: A Complete Guide, Lagos: Longman
Idris, U. (2001) Oral English at Your Fingertips for
Schools and Colleges, Lagos, M. Youngbrain
Publishers
Igwe, S. O. Atoye, R. O. and Olayiwola, B. A.
(2005) JAMB Success: English Language for UME,
PCE, Ibadan: UP Pic
Nnamonu, S. and Jowitt, D. (1987) Use of
English: JAMB Practice Tests, Lagos: Longman.
Nnamonu, S. and Jowitt, D. (1989) Common
Errors in English, Lagos: Longman
Obinna, M. F. (2001) University Matriculation Use
of English,(Fourth Edition) Port Harcourt: Sunray
Books Limited
Ogunsanwo, O. Duruaku, A. B.C, Ezechukwu, J
and Nwachukwu, U. I (2005) countdown English
Language, (Revised Edition), Ibadan: Evans
Olatoye, S. (2006) The Silent Teacher, Ado-Ekiti:
Segun and Sons Enterprises
Oluikpe, B. O. A, nnaemeka, B. A, Obah, T. Y,
Otagburuagu, E. J. Onuigbo, S. and Ogbonna, E.
A. (1998) Intensive English for Senior Secondary
School 3, Onitsha: Africana - FIRST Publisher.
Tomori, S. H. O (2000) Objective Tests for School
Certificate english: Practice in Lexis, Structure and
idiom (Reprinted Edition), Ibadan: Heinemann
Ikwuegbu, C, Okoro, O., idris, A. u, Okebukola, F.
O. and Owokade, C. p. (2002) Catch-up English
for SSCE/UME, Ibadan: Heinemann
