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:
(i) communicate
effectively in both written and spoken English;
(ii) 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
B 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 through 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
2.2 Oral 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. STRUCTURE OF THE EXAMINATION
SECTION A:
Comprehension/Summary
(a) 2
comprehension passages (10 questions in all, 3 marks each) = 30 marks
(b) 1 close
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
RECOMMENDED TEXTS
Bamgbose, A. (2002) English Lexis
and Structure for Senior Secondary Schools and colleges (Revised Edition), Ibadan: Heinemann
Banjo, A. etal (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
Wisdomline Pass at Once JAMB.
