The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the syllabus for the English Language for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). This syllabus is designed to guide candidates in their preparation by outlining the topics to be covered and the objectives expected to be achieved. The English Language syllabus is structured into three main sections: Comprehension/Summary, Lexis and Structure, and Oral English.

Below is a detailed breakdown of each section, including the specific topics and objectives for the candidates to master before the examination.

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Section 1: Comprehension/Summary

This section tests candidates’ ability to understand and interpret written passages. It assesses the capacity to extract relevant information, make inferences, and understand meanings within a given context.

Topics:

1. Passages:

• Passages will cover various themes like narrative, descriptive, expository, argumentative, and discursive writing.
• Texts may include extracts from novels, plays, and short stories, as well as journalistic writing and reports.

Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:

1. Identify the main idea of the passage.
2. Understand specific details, ideas, and the structure of the passage.
3. Make deductions from the text, such as interpreting facts and events logically.
4. Recognize the writer’s tone, purpose, and point of view.
5. Explain the meaning of specific words or phrases in context.
6. Summarize or paraphrase key information from the passage.
7. Compare and contrast ideas and facts presented within or across passages.

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Section 2: Lexis and Structure

This section evaluates candidates’ understanding of the English vocabulary (lexis) and grammar (structure), focusing on their ability to construct sentences correctly and understand word meanings, synonyms, and antonyms.

Topics:

1. Synonyms and Antonyms:

• Knowledge of words with similar and opposite meanings.

1. Word and Sentence Meaning:

• Understanding words in different contexts.
• Use of idiomatic expressions and figurative language (metaphors, similes, etc.).

1. Sentence Structure:

• Simple, compound, and complex sentences.
• Correct use of punctuation, tenses, concord, and parts of speech.

1. Cloze Passages:

• Completing gaps in passages by choosing the correct word or phrase from a list of options.

1. Lexical and Grammatical Structure:

• Application of grammar rules including the use of determiners, prepositions, adjectives, adverbs, and conjunctions.

Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:

1. Identify and use appropriate synonyms and antonyms.
2. Understand and apply the correct meanings of words in various contexts.
3. Construct grammatically correct sentences, applying rules of tenses, concord, and sentence agreement.
4. Interpret idiomatic expressions and figurative language effectively.
5. Complete cloze passages accurately by selecting the right words to fit the context.
6. Demonstrate understanding of sentence patterns and correct use of various parts of speech.

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Section 3: Oral English

The Oral English section tests candidates on their knowledge of phonetics and phonology, focusing on pronunciation, stress, intonation, and the identification of sounds in spoken English.

Topics:

1. Vowel and Consonant Sounds:

• Understanding and recognizing the different vowel and consonant sounds in English.

2. Stress and Intonation:

• Identifying stressed syllables in words and sentences.
• Recognizing the use of intonation in questions, statements, commands, and exclamations.

3. Phonetic Symbols:

• Mastering the use of phonetic symbols to represent sounds in words.

4. Rhymes and Sound Patterns:

• Recognizing sound patterns, including rhymes, in spoken English.

5. Minimal Pairs:

• Distinguishing between pairs of words that differ by only one sound (e.g., ship vs. sheep).

Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:

1. Identify and produce vowel and consonant sounds correctly.
2. Recognize and apply the rules of stress in words and sentences, including primary and secondary stress.
3. Distinguish between rising and falling intonation in various sentence types.
4. Use phonetic symbols to correctly transcribe and pronounce English words.
5. Recognize rhyming words and patterns in spoken texts.
6. Distinguish minimal pairs of sounds and words that differ by a single phoneme.

Finally, the JAMB syllabus for English Language 2025 provides a comprehensive guide to help candidates prepare for the examination. The syllabus focuses on enhancing students’ understanding of reading comprehension, building strong lexis and structure skills, and improving proficiency in oral English. By mastering these topics and objectives, candidates will be well-equipped to excel in the English section of the UTME. Regular practice, including reading a variety of texts and practicing past questions, will aid significantly in achieving a high score.