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JAMB UTME English Grammar Questions
Practise english grammar (english) for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination: 10 multiple-choice questions, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. Click an option to check it, or “New questions” for another set.
English Grammar practice
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Q1.Choose the correct option: He insisted ___ paying the bill.
Show answer & explanation
Answer: A — on
“Insist” takes the preposition “on” + gerund.
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Q2.Choose the correct option: I would rather you ___ now.
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Answer: C — left
“Would rather + subject” is followed by the past tense for present/future meaning: “left”.
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Q3.Choose the correct option: The number of applicants ___ increased.
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Answer: C — has
“The number of” takes a singular verb; “a number of” takes a plural verb.
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Q4.Choose the correct option: The train ___ by the time we reach the station.
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Answer: D — will have left
An action completed before a future point takes the future perfect: “will have left”.
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Q5.Choose the correct option: I look forward to ___ from you.
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Answer: C — hearing
In “look forward to”, “to” is a preposition, so it takes a gerund: “hearing”.
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Q6.Choose the correct option: If I ___ you, I would accept the offer.
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Answer: C — were
The subjunctive “were” is used in hypothetical conditions: “If I were you…”.
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Q7.Choose the correct option: Hardly had he left ___ it started raining.
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Answer: B — when
The correlative pair is “hardly … when” (also “no sooner … than”).
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Q8.Choose the correct option: He prefers tea ___ coffee.
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Answer: C — to
“Prefer X to Y” is the correct pattern.
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Q9.Choose the correct option: This is the best book I ___.
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Answer: C — have ever read
A superlative + experience up to now uses the present perfect: “have ever read”.
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Q10.Choose the correct indirect speech: He said, “I am tired.”
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Answer: A — He said that he was tired.
With a past reporting verb, the present tense shifts back: “am” → “was”.
How to approach english grammar questions
Find the subject first and make the verb agree with it, ignoring phrases in between. Watch fixed prepositions (good at, insist on, prefer to) and tense sequence in reported speech.
About JAMB UTME
Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination — conducted by Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Nigeria’s computer-based university admission exam; Use of English is compulsory.
Original practice questions written for this site in the style and difficulty of each exam’s syllabus. They are not past papers and the site is not affiliated with any exam body. Exam patterns, marking schemes and syllabi change — always check the latest official notification.
JAMB UTME practice topics
| Topic | Section | Question source |
|---|---|---|
| English Grammar | English | Question bank |
| Algebra | Mathematics | Calculated (new numbers every set) |
| Physics | Science | Calculated + question bank |
| Chemistry | Science | Calculated + question bank |
| Biology | Science | Question bank |