The WAEC Use of English exam is designed to test students’ proficiency in English language skills. It is a crucial paper in the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams, focusing on comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and writing skills. The key to succeeding in this exam lies in understanding the highly repeated topics and practicing past questions. This guide provides an overview of frequently repeated topics and sample past questions to help you prepare effectively for the 2025/2026 exam.
Overview of the WAEC Use of English Exam
The WAEC Use of English exam assesses the following components:
- Comprehension: Understanding and interpreting written passages.
- Grammar: Mastery of English grammar rules, including sentence structure and correct usage.
- Vocabulary: Knowledge of words, their meanings, and correct application.
- Essay Writing: Writing well-organized essays on various topics.
- Summary Writing: Condensing long passages into concise summaries.
- Literary Appreciation: Understanding the themes, style, and language of literature.
Exam Structure:
- Objective Section (1 hour): Multiple-choice questions covering grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension.
- Essay Section (1 hour 30 minutes): Writing an essay on one of several given topics, as well as summary writing and comprehension.
Highly Repeated Topics in WAEC Use of English (2025/2026)
Based on trends from previous years, the following topics are frequently tested in the WAEC Use of English exam. Understanding and practicing these topics will improve your chances of success.
1. Comprehension Passages
- Main Ideas and Themes: Students are often asked to identify the main idea or theme of a passage.
- Inferences and Implied Meaning: Test your ability to understand implicit meanings or make inferences based on the passage.
- Tone and Mood: Identifying the tone (e.g., serious, humorous, ironic) and mood (e.g., happy, sad, hopeful) of the passage.
- Figures of Speech: Recognizing metaphors, similes, personification, and other figures of speech used in the passage.
2. Sentence Construction and Syntax
- Subject-Verb Agreement: Ensuring that subjects and verbs match in number and person.
- Tense Consistency: Using the correct tense throughout a sentence or passage.
- Modifiers: Correct placement of modifiers (e.g., adjectives and adverbs) to avoid ambiguity.
- Parallel Structure: Using parallelism in lists, comparisons, or repeated ideas.
3. Vocabulary and Word Usage
- Synonyms and Antonyms: Recognizing words with similar meanings (synonyms) and opposite meanings (antonyms).
- Contextual Meaning: Understanding how words are used in context and their proper meanings in specific situations.
- Phrasal Verbs and Idioms: Understanding commonly used phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions, such as "give up," "turn out," and "put off."
4. Grammar and Parts of Speech
- Nouns, Pronouns, and Adjectives: Mastery of these basic parts of speech, including proper and common nouns, and their proper use.
- Verbs and Verb Forms: Regular and irregular verbs, verb tenses, and auxiliary verbs.
- Prepositions: Correct usage of prepositions, such as "on," "at," "by," "for," and "in."
- Conjunctions and Sentence Linking: Using conjunctions like "and," "but," "because," and "although" to connect sentences and ideas logically.
5. Error Identification
- Grammatical Errors: Identifying errors in sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, tense usage, etc.
- Spelling and Punctuation: Detecting spelling mistakes and improper punctuation marks, such as commas, apostrophes, and periods.
- Misused Words: Identifying common errors in the use of words that sound similar (homophones) or are used incorrectly in a sentence.
6. Summary Writing
- Main Points and Key Ideas: Identifying the most important ideas in a passage and summarizing them without altering the meaning.
- Word Count Limitation: Writing a summary within a specified word count while ensuring clarity and coherence.
- Conciseness and Clarity: Avoiding unnecessary words and maintaining focus on the central message of the passage.
7. Essay Writing
- Essay Structure:
- Introduction: Presenting the main idea of the essay.
- Body: Providing detailed arguments or explanations with examples.
- Conclusion: Summarizing the main points and offering a final perspective.
- Common Essay Topics:
- The Importance of Education
- The Role of Technology in Society
- Challenges of Youth in the Modern World
- The Impact of Social Media on Relationships
- Environmental Conservation and Sustainability
8. Literary Appreciation
- Understanding Literary Devices: Identifying literary techniques such as symbolism, irony, allusion, and foreshadowing.
- Analysis of Characters and Plot: Examining the development of characters and the sequence of events in a story.
- Theme Identification: Recognizing the underlying themes in literary works, such as love, betrayal, heroism, or social justice.
Sample Past Questions for WAEC Use of English Exam
Here are sample past questions based on the topics covered above. Practicing with these questions will help you improve your understanding of the exam format and increase your chances of success.
Sample Past Question 1:
Question:
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
"Technology has revolutionized every aspect of human life, from communication to transportation. In recent years, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has raised questions about its impact on employment and privacy."
- What is the main idea of the passage?
- What are the two main areas affected by technology according to the passage?
Answer:
- Main Idea: The passage discusses how technology has transformed various aspects of life, particularly focusing on artificial intelligence.
- Main Areas Affected: Communication and transportation.
Sample Past Question 2:
Question:
Identify the error in the following sentence:
"Neither the teacher nor the students was aware of the changes."
Answer:
The correct sentence should be: "Neither the teacher nor the students were aware of the changes."
Explanation: When using "neither...nor," the verb should agree with the noun closest to it, which in this case is "students."
Sample Past Question 3:
Question:
Write an essay on the following topic:
"The Role of Social Media in Modern Communication."
Answer:
Your essay should have a well-structured introduction, body paragraphs discussing the positive and negative impacts of social media on communication, and a conclusion summarizing the arguments presented.
Sample Past Question 4:
Question:
Read the passage below and write a summary in not more than 80 words:
"Many countries in Africa face challenges such as poverty, hunger, and unemployment. Despite these challenges, there is a growing movement toward economic development, with a focus on education and infrastructure improvement. Governments and international organizations are working together to address these issues and provide sustainable solutions for the future."
Answer:
Summary: Many African countries face poverty, hunger, and unemployment, but there is growing progress in economic development, focusing on education and infrastructure. Governments and international bodies are collaborating to find sustainable solutions.
Sample Past Question 5:
Question:
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence:
"He did not ______ the money he was offered."
A) Accept
B) Except
C) Expect
D) Accepting
Answer:
A) Accept
Study Tips for WAEC Use of English Exam
- Practice Regularly: Solve past questions and practice comprehension passages, grammar exercises, and essay writing regularly.
- Focus on Vocabulary: Expand your vocabulary by learning new words, their meanings, and how to use them in context.
- Study Grammar Rules: Master basic and advanced grammar rules to avoid making mistakes in sentence construction and error identification.
- Read Widely: Read novels, newspapers, and magazines to improve your comprehension and writing skills.
Conclusion
The WAEC Use of English exam requires mastery of multiple areas, including comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, and essay writing. By focusing on the most frequently repeated topics and practicing past questions, you’ll be well-prepared to excel in the 2025/2026 exam. Consistent practice, attention to detail, and a good understanding of language rules will help you achieve a top score.
Good luck with your WAEC Use of English exam preparation!
