How to Answer Oral English Questions in JAMB WAEC & NECO Exams

Consonants (including clusters)

Consonants are speech sounds produced by partial or complete closure of the vocal tract. Unlike vowels, which are produced with an open vocal tract, consonants involve some sort of obstruction of airflow.

Here are some more examples of consonant clusters in English:

Initial Clusters:

• “cl” as in “clap”
• “dr” as in “drive”
• “kn” as in “know”
• “sm” as in “smile”
• “tr” as in “train”

Middle Clusters:

• “skl” as in “muscle”
• “str” as in “street”
• “spl” as in “splash”
• “nth” as in “month”
• “lth” as in “health”

Final Clusters:

• “lks” as in “walks”
• “nds” as in “hands”
• “rpt” as in “carpet”
• “lft” as in “left”
• “mpt” as in “jumped”

It’s worth noting that not all languages permit consonant clusters, or have the same clusters as English. For example, in Japanese, the only allowable clusters are those that consist of a consonant followed by a “y” or “w” sound. In contrast, some languages, such as Russian and Georgian, have extensive and complex clusters.

Examples of Consonant Sound from WAEC Past Questions 2020

1. choose the word that has the same consonant sound(s) as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined.
   zoo

• A. stature
• B. cease
• C. days
• D. leisure
• Correct Option: Answer is C

Transcription  to Oral form

stature /ˈstatʃə/

cease /siːs/

days /deɪz/

leisure /ˈlɛʒə/

it is only the word ‘days’ that has the ‘z’ sound

2. choose the word that has the same consonant sound(s) as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined.
bath
• A. heart
• B. those
• C. bathe
• D. thigh
• Correct Option: Answer is D

Transcription  to Oral form

heart /hɑːt/

those /ðəʊz/

bathe /beɪð/

thigh /θʌɪ/

it is only the word ‘days’ that has the ‘θ’ (pronounce as ‘th’) sound

3. choose the word that has the same consonant sound(s) as the one represented by the letter(s) underlined.
band
• A. breath
• B. asked
• C. handsome
• D. dream
• Correct Option: Answer is D

Transcription  to Oral form

breath /brɛθ/

asked / æskt/

handsome /ˈhans(ə)m/

dream /driːm/

it is only the word ‘dream’ that has the ‘d’ sound, notice the ‘d’ in handsome is silent.

Rhymes (including homophones)

Rhymes and homophones are important aspects of the English language that are often tested in language examinations. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

1. Rhymes are words that have the same ending sound. For example, cat and hat rhyme because they end in the same “-at” sound.
2. Rhymes can be used in poetry, songs, and other forms of creative writing to create a sense of rhythm and flow. They can also be used to help children learn new words and improve their language skills.
3. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. For example, “their” and “there” are homophones because they sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
4. Homophones can be challenging for English language learners because they require a good understanding of spelling and context. It is important to pay attention to context clues when trying to figure out which homophone to use.

Rhyming words:

• cat, hat, sat
• bake, cake, lake
• run, sun, fun
• team, dream, cream

Homophones:

• their, there, they’re
• to, too, two
• aloud, allowed
• right, write, rite
• bear, bare

In an English language examination, you may be asked to identify which of the above words rhyme or which ones are homophones. You may also be asked to use them correctly in a sentence. For example:

Rhyming words:

• Use the word “hat” in a sentence that rhymes with “cat”.
• Which of the following words rhymes with “fun”: bun, pen, or gun?

Homophones:

• Which homophone should be used in the following sentence: “I’m going ___ the store”: to, too, or two?
• Use the homophone “write” in a sentence that makes sense.
• Which of the following words is a homophone for “bare”: bear or beer?

Examples Rhymes from WAEC Past Questions 2021

1. From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that rhymes with the given word
   niece
   • A. keen
   • B. knees
   • C. peels
   • D. piece
   Correct Option: Answer is D
   2. From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that rhymes with the given word
   blue

• A. flow
• B. blur
• C. grew
• D. show
Correct Option: Answer is C
3. From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that rhymes with the given word
court
• A. cart
• B. plot
• C. flew
• D. fort
Correct Option: Answer is D

Word stress (monosyllabic and polysyllabic)

Word stress is an important aspect of the English language that refers to the emphasis placed on one syllable of a word over the others. In English, there are two types of word stress: monosyllabic stress and polysyllabic stress.

1. Monosyllabic stress: This refers to the stress placed on a single syllable word. In English, the stress is usually placed on the first syllable of a monosyllabic word. For example: “cat”, “dog”, “car”, “bus”.
2. Polysyllabic stress: This refers to the stress placed on words that have two or more syllables. In English, the stress can fall on any of the syllables in a word. The placement of stress can vary depending on the word’s part of speech, context, and regional dialect. In general, polysyllabic words are pronounced with a stronger emphasis on one syllable than the others. For example:

• “In-tel-li-gent”
• “Com-pre-hen-sion”
• “U-ni-ver-si-ty”
• “Ca-te-go-ry”

In polysyllabic words, there are two types of stress: primary stress and secondary stress.

• Primary stress: This is the strongest and most prominent stress in a word. It is usually marked with an apostrophe (‘) before the stressed syllable. For example: “in-‘tel-li-gent”, “com-pre-‘hen-sion”, “u-ni-‘ver-si-ty”.
• Secondary stress: This is a weaker stress that occurs in longer words with more than two syllables. It is marked with a comma (,) before the stressed syllable. For example: “ca-‘te-go-ry“, “in-‘for-ma-tion“, “im-‘por-tant“.

In English, the placement of stress in a word is not always predictable, and it can vary depending on the word’s part of speech, context, and regional dialect. However, there are some general rules and patterns that can help you determine where the stress is in a word. Here are some tips:

1. Word type: Generally, words that are nouns, adjectives, or verbs are stressed differently. For example, nouns and adjectives are usually stressed on the first syllable, while verbs are often stressed on the second syllable. For example, “re-SEARCH” (noun) vs. “re-search” (verb).
2. Number of syllables: In English, longer words usually have more than one stressed syllable. In general, the primary stress falls on the second-to-last syllable in words with three or more syllables. For example, “in-TELL-i-gent“, “un-i-VER-si-ty“.
3. Pronunciation guides: You can use a dictionary or an online pronunciation guide to find the stress pattern of a word. Many dictionaries will indicate the stressed syllable with a symbol such as a bold font, accent mark, or apostrophe.
4. Listen for stress: In English, stressed syllables are pronounced with more emphasis and are often longer and louder than unstressed syllables. You can practice identifying word stress by listening to native speakers and paying attention to which syllables they emphasize.

here are some examples of word stress in English Language:

1. One-syllable words:

• cat (stressed on the first syllable)
• bus (stressed on the first syllable)
• box (stressed on the first syllable)
• pig (stressed on the first syllable)

2. Two-syllable words:

• hotel (stressed on the first syllable)
• pencil (stressed on the second syllable)
• father (stressed on the first syllable)
• music (stressed on the first syllable)

3. Three-syllable words:

• banana (stressed on the second syllable)
• teacher (stressed on the second syllable)
• bicycle (stressed on the second syllable)
• computer (stressed on the first syllable)

4. Four-syllable words:

• university (stressed on the third syllable)
• intelligent (stressed on the second syllable)
• information (stressed on the second syllable)
• communication (stressed on the third syllable)

Five-syllable words:

1. Photography (stressed on the second syllable: pho-TO-graph-y)
2. Accommodation (stressed on the third syllable: ac-com-MO-da-tion)
3. Entrepreneur (stressed on the second syllable: en-tre-PRE-neur)
4. Communication (stressed on the fourth syllable: com-mu-ni-CA-tion)
5. Anticipation (stressed on the fourth syllable: an-ti-ci-PA-tion)

Remember, these are general patterns, and the stress in a word can vary depending on the context and regional dialect. It is important to practice and develop your ear for English word stress to improve your pronunciation and comprehension.

Examples of Word Stress from WAEC 2021

1. From the words lettered A to D, choose the one that has the correct stress.
   accuracy
   • A. AC-cu-ra-cy
   • B. ac-Cu-ra-cy
   • C. ac-cu-RA-cy
   • D. ac-cu-ra-CY
   Correct Option: Answer is A
   2.From the words lettered A to D, choose the one that has the correct stress.
   consequential
   • A. CON-se-quen-tial
   • B. con- SE-quen-tial
   • C. con-se-QUEN-tial
   • D. con-se-quen-TIAL
   Correct Option: Answer is C
   3. From the words lettered A to D, choose the one that has the correct stress.
   insensitive
   • A. IN-sen-si-tive
   • B. in-SEN-si-tive
   • C. in-sen-SI-tive
   • D. in-sen-si-TIVE
   Correct Option: Answer is B

Intonation (words emphatic stress)

Intonation refers to the rise and fall of pitch in speech. It can convey different meanings and emotions in communication, and can be used to emphasize certain words or parts of a sentence. Emphatic stress is a type of intonation where a word or phrase is stressed or pronounced more strongly than the surrounding words, to give it more importance or emphasis.

Here are some key points to keep in mind about intonation and emphatic stress:

1. Intonation can convey emotions: The pitch, tone, and rhythm of speech can convey different emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, or excitement.
2. Emphatic stress can change meaning: Changing the stress or emphasis on different words in a sentence can change the meaning or emphasis of the sentence.
3. Emphatic stress can indicate contrast: Emphatic stress can be used to indicate contrast or opposition, such as “I didn’t say HE was wrong, I said HE was wrong.”
4. Emphatic stress can highlight important information: Emphatic stress can be used to highlight important information or key points, such as “I’m NOT going to the party tonight.”
5. Intonation can vary across different languages and dialects: Intonation patterns can vary across different languages, dialects, and regional accents. It is important to be aware of these variations and adjust your intonation accordingly when speaking with people from different backgrounds.

here are some examples of sentences with different intonation and emphatic stress patterns:

1. Are you going to the party tonight? (neutral tone and stress)
2. Are YOU going to the party tonight? (emphatic stress on “you” to express surprise or disbelief)
3. I can’t believe you’re not coming to the party. (neutral tone and stress)
4. I can’t BELIEVE you’re not coming to the party. (emphatic stress on “believe” to express strong emotion)
5. I’m going to the party with Mike. (neutral tone and stress)
6. I’m going to the PARTY with Mike. (emphatic stress on “party” to emphasize the location or event)
7. I don’t like pizza, I prefer pasta. (neutral tone and stress)
8. I don’t like PIZZA, I prefer pasta. (emphatic stress on “pizza” to indicate contrast or opposition)
9. I’m really looking forward to the concert tonight. (neutral tone and stress)
10. I’m REALLLLY looking forward to the concert tonight. (emphatic stress on “really” to express strong enthusiasm)