eZine · Nigerian exams

Oral Forms

JAMB English Language topic guide with 2 practice questions.

What to revise

  • vowels (monophthongs, diphthongs and triphthongs)
  • consonants (including clusters)
  • rhymes (including homophones)
  • word stress (monosyllabic and polysyllabic)
  • emphatic stress (in connected speech): placing stress on words in an utterance for emphasis

You should be able to

  • make distinctions among vowel types
  • differentiate among consonant types
  • identify correct pronunciation of individual words and articulation of connected speech

From JAMB's English Language syllabus official.

eZine's published bank has 87 questions on this topic (counted 29 October 2026).

Practice questions

Question 1 · Oral Forms

Choose the option that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letters in brackets in 'b[ir]d'. (Letters in square brackets stand for the underlined letters.)

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. w[or]d

'bird' has the central long vowel /ɜː/, as does 'word' /wɜːd/. 'ward' has /ɔː/, 'heart' has /ɑː/ and 'beard' has the diphthong /ɪə/. Learners who pronounce 'word' like 'ward' choose the wrong option.

eZine practice question (original, teacher-reviewed)

Question 2 · Oral Forms

Choose the option that has the same vowel sound as the one represented by the letters in brackets in 'b[e]d'. (Letters in square brackets stand for the underlined letters.)

Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. s[ai]d

'bed' has /e/; 'said' is pronounced /sed/ with the same vowel. 'laid' has the diphthong /eɪ/, 'bead' has /iː/ and 'bid' has /ɪ/. 'said' and 'laid' look alike but do not sound alike.

eZine practice question (original, teacher-reviewed)

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