1. GENERAL OBJECTIVES
The aim of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 2026 syllabus in Use of English is to guide the candidates in their preparation for the Board’s examination. It is designed to evaluate the candidates’ ability to:

(i) communicate effectively in both written and spoken English; and

(ii) use the English Language for learning at the tertiary level.


2. The syllabus consists of three sections:

SECTION A: Comprehension/Summary

SECTION B: Lexis and Structure, and

SECTION C: Oral Forms

A. Comprehension/Summary

Topics:

(a) description
(b) narration
(c) exposition
(d) argumentation/persuasion

(i) Each of the two passages to be set (one will be a cloze test) should reflect various disciplines and be about 200 words long.

(ii) Questions on the passages will test the following:

(a) Comprehension of the whole or part of each passage.
(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) The Life Changer by Khadija Abubakar Jalli
(e) 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 complete whole.


Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:
i. identify main points/topic sentences in passages;
ii. determine implied meaning;
iii. identify the grammatical functions of words, phrases, clauses and figurative/idiomatic expressions;
iv. deduce or infer the writer's intentions including mood, attitude to the subject matter and opinion.

B. Lexis and Structure

Topics:

(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, figurative usage and idiomatic usage are to be tested.

NOTE:
Idioms to be tested shall be those that are formal and expressed in standard British English.


Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:
i. identify words and expressions in their ordinary, figurative and idiomatic contexts;
ii. determine similar and opposite meaning of words;
iii. differentiate between correct and incorrect punctuation and spelling;
iv. identify various grammatical patterns in use;
v. interpret information conveyed in sentences.

C. Oral Forms

Topics:

(a) Vowels (monothongs and diphthongs
(b) Consonants (including clusters)
(c) Rhymes (including homophones)
(d) Word stress (monosyllabic and polysyllabic)
(e) Intonation (words emphatic stress)

NOTE:
Emphatic stress involves the placement of normal stress on words in an utterance for the purpose of emphasis.


Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:
i. make distinctions between vowel types;
ii. differentiate between consonant types;
iii. identify correct accentuation in individual words and connected speech.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE EXAMINATION

SECTION A: Comprehension/Summary

Topics:
(a) 1 comprehension passage – 5 questions

(b) I cloze passage – 10 questions

(c) 1 reading text – 10 questions

SECTION B: Lexis Structure

Topics:
(a) Sentence interpretation – 5 questions

(b) Antonyms – 5 questions

(c) Synonyms – 5 questions

(d) Sentence completion – 10 questions

SECTION C: Oral Forms

Topics:

10 questions

Total: 60 questions

RECOMMENDED TEXTS

Attah, M. O. (2013). Practice in Spoken English for Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Maiduguri: University of Maiduguri Press.

Bamgbose, A. (2002). English Lexis and Structure for Senior Secondary Schools and colleges (Revised Edition), Ibadan: Heinemann

Banjo, A. et al (2004). New Oxford Secondary English Course Book Six for Senior Secondary Schools, Ibadan: UP Plc.

Caesar, O. J. (2003). Essential Oral English for Schools and Colleges, Lagos: Tonad Publishers Limited

Daniel Jones (2011). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

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, Sogbesan, T. S, Adofo, A. K. Burgess, D. F and Burgess, L. J. (1998). Round-up English: A Complete Guide, Lagos: Longman