You’re welcome to our school exams series where we provide you with termly examination questions in different subjects. In today’s post, we will focus on English Language exam questions. We will cover English Language exam questions for SS1 Second term with answers. This means that we’ll be providing you with answers to the questions at the end. Also, you will get a few success tips on how to pass English Language examinations with flying colors. Remember to use the comments sections if you have questions, and don’t forget to join our Free Online Tutorial Classes on YouTube. (Subscribe to the Channel)
Table of Contents
Introduction to English Language as a School Subject
Before we venture into Past English Language Exam Questions for SS1 Second term, here’s a brief introduction to the subject:
English Language is one of the most important subjects taught in schools. It serves as the main medium of communication in education, government, business, and social interaction in Nigeria and many other countries. Through English, students learn how to read, write, speak, and listen effectively.
The subject helps students to develop their vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension skills. It also builds confidence in expressing ideas clearly in both speech and writing. English Language connects learners to the wider world by exposing them to literature, media, and global information.
In summary, studying English Language equips students with the communication and critical thinking skills needed for academic success and everyday life.
English Language Exam Questions for SS1 Second Term
English Language Exam Questions for SS1 Second Term are divided into six sections:
- Section A
- Section B
- Sêction C
- Section D
- Section E
- Sêction F
The Second section, namely, Section A is composition, and students are expected to answer only one question in the section. Section B is the Comprehension part, and students are expected to read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. Sêction C is Objective test, and so on.
Note that what you have below are SS1 English Language Second Term Exam Past Questions made available to assist students in their revision for 1st term examinations and also teachers in structuring standard examinations.
SECTION A: ESSAY
Answer only ONE question from this section. Do not write more than 300 words.
1. You have received a report that your younger brother, who is schooling in another part of the country, is playing truant and keeping bad company. Write a letter to him, warning him of the consequences of such behavior and urging him to turn over a new leaf.
2. Write a letter to your English teacher asking for an extension on the scheduled date for submitting an assignment.
SECTION B: COMPREHENSION
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
The case of Dr. David Akinde drives home the point that nobody should be written off as a failure as long as he has not died. As far as I can recall, he was one of the weakest in class throughout our primary school career. Right from the second grade, he was the butt of most of our jokes. Indeed, whenever the teacher referred a question to him, most of us waited eagerly to have a good laugh. But we all admired him for two things. For one thing, he was the only one who never wrote with the right hand as he was a complete southpaw. Then, he endured all the jokes cheerfully and indeed, referred to himself as “Mr. Why Hurry.” Forever sociable, he was a friend to everybody who came close enough.
Not surprising, we left him behind in the primary school, as he could not get admitted to any of the secondary schools to which he took an admission examination. That was why, from the time I entered the secondary school, I lost contact with him. Nor did any of my mates whom I closely associated with ever mention meeting him anywhere. As far as most of us were concerned, David had faded away into obscurity. I imagined that he must have ended up in one of the low-grade vocations since he was at least good in handicraft.
Then, a few months ago, thirty eight years after I last saw him in the primary school, while I was watching a 9 o’clock television network programme, I saw David being interviewed by a team of reporters. He was introduced as a Specialist surgeon who has made his mark in heart surgery in the nation’s leading teaching hospital. The questions were on his recent feat in his successful correction of abnormality in the heart of a patient who had been written off by most other specialists. The patient fully recovered and was now back to his vocation as a mechanic.
I was amazed. I was pleasantly surprised. From the interview, it became clear that he had experienced a surge of intellectual prowess late in his secondary career and zoomed into and through the university as a medical student. Thereafter, it had been one major achievement after another for him in his chosen field.
Questions:
1. What evidence is there that the writer is not a young person?
2. For what two things was David Akinde admired by others in the primary school?
3. Why could he not move into a secondary school along with the others?
4. Why was the writer amazed?
5. “…while I was watching a 9 o’clock television network programme.”
(a) What is the grammatical name as it is used in the passage?
(b) What is its function?
6. Give another word or phrase that is similar to the following words/expressions and can suitably replace them in the passage: (6/i) eagerly (7/ii) endured (8/iii) sociable (9/iv) associated (10/v) feat
SECTION C: OBJECTIVE TEST
From the words lettered A to D, choose the word/group of words that best completes the following sentences.
11. The letter was sent to one Mr Amadi of Union Bank and not to _________ of the People’s Club.
(A) the Mr Collins
(B) Mr Collins
(C) a Mr Collins
(D) one Mr Collins
12. Every programming language and software package _________ limitations.
(A) have its (B) have their
(C) has its (D) has their
13. The speaker explained that at the _________ of every century, new ways of doing things are introduced.
(A) birth (B) emergence
(C) turn (D) procession
14. The hurricane _________ havoc on several houses in the city center.
(A) damaged (B) wrecked
(C) wreaked (D) affected
15. Each of the candidates that came late _________ to complete _________.
(A) have/this form
(B) are having/these forms
(C) have/these forms
(D) has/this form
16. “Don’t _________,” said the Chief. “I want a decision right now.”
(A) predilate (B) perjorative
(C) prevaricate (D) promulgate
17. The indolent candidate suggested that it _________ with the UTME.
(A) is time we do away
(B) was time we do
(C) is time we did away
(D) was time we did away
18. The newly employed reporter sent _________ of news to the press yesterday.
(A) a flash (B) an item
(C) a number (D) a glossary
19. I could hardly _________ the cargo ship in the distance.
(A) imagine (B) envisage
(C) see out (D) make out
20. Ada must have found the interesting movies quite _________.
(A) absolving (B) absorbing
(C) nauseating (D) indelible
21. Emeka _________ a fortune when his father passed on.
(A) came along (B) came into
(C) came through (D) came unto
22. The economic analyst speculated that when the strike is over, there will be an increase in wages and a _________ increase in prices.
(A) sporadic (B) concurrent
(C) stupendous (D) concordant
23. We agree that is African for a youth to show _________ to an elder.
(A) understanding (B) deference
(C) indifference (D) confluence
24. If you desire a successful marriage, you _________ pray for it.
(A) have better (B) had better
(C) better (D) would better
25. At the show, the _________ automobile was the cynosure of all eyes.
(A) small racing light-green
(B) small light-green racing
(C) racing small light-green
(D) light-green small racing
26. The senator declared his intention to run for a second term from the _________.
(A) outset (B) offset
(C) inset D) onset
27. When Chika met her _________ husband at the event, she felt like making up with him.
(A) caring (B) loving
(C) divorced (D) estranged
28. Ben was suspended from work because he demonstrated no _________ in dealing with the customers.
(A) love (B) interest
(C) character (D) finesse
29. Obi has been cured of his amnesia. It is obvious that he no longer suffers from _________.
(A) episodes of anxiety
(B) general body pains
(C) bouts of malaria
(D) loss of memory
30. The Barcelona team had a good chance to prove their _________.
(A) worth (B) position
(C) prowess (D) mettle
Choose the option that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word.
31. Richard is characteristically tempestuous while debating.
(A) calm (B) violent
(C) fierce (D) vehement
32. Chioma’s garrulity alienated her from his circle of friends and admirers.
(A) hypocrisy (B) reticence
(C) cunning (D) loquacity
33. They inadvertently left the store without paying for the items they had picked.
(A) secretly (B) cleverly
(C) intentionally (D) reluctantly
34. The effects of petrol subsidy removal on the economy are seen in microcosm.
(A) on a small scale
(B) on a daily basis
(C) from time to time
(D) on a large scale
35. The preacher opined that human life was ephemeral.
(A) eternal (B) momentary
(C) short (D) transitive
36. There was a general acquiescence on the new drug.
(A) resistance (B) discrepancy
(C) agreement (D) compromise
37. Aisha seems to feel ambivalent about her future in the company.
(A) decisive (B) anxious
(C) ambitious (D) inconsiderate
38. The report of the committee contained a plethora of details.
(A) simplicity (B) shortage
(C) spectrum (D) multitude
39. “Agozie is a callow youth,” said the rector.
(A) an ignorant
(B) an experienced
(C) an idle
(D) an organized
40. His antipathy affected the growth of his business.
(A) hatred (B) receptiveness
(C) loyalty (D) hostility
From the options provided, choose the word that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word.
41. I personally think that her costume is outlandish.
(A) outdated (B) strange
(C) unique (D) foreign
42. He simply disliked his wife’s inordinate demands for money.
(A) frequent (B) excessive
(C) repeated (D) indecent
43. The politician vehemently denied rigging the election.
(A) strongly (B) fearlessly
(C) openly (D) severally
44. I think children are more robust than adults.
(A) healthy and strong
(B) pleasant and cheerful
(C) vivacious and dependent
(D) plump and curvy
45. The printer took a cursory look at the document.
(A) puzzled (B) long
(C) quick (D) careful
Choose from the options lettered A to D, the one that contains the sound segment represented by the given phonetic symbol.
46. /i:/ (A) fatigue (B) famine (C) medicine (D) language
47. /ɪ/ (A) diva (B) savage (C) regime (D) police
48. /e/ (A) greet (B) adhere (C) heifer (D) record (v)
49. /ɑ:/ (A) manhood (B) caretaker (C) candle (D) heart
50. /ɜ:/ (A) purge (B) father (C) doctor (D) shepherd
51. /ʌ/ (A) non (B) ton (C) don (D) con
52. /ʊ/ (A) guilt (B) mutilate (C) full (D) clutch
53. /ə/ (A) beard (B) deter (C) famous (D) heroine
54. /u:/ (A) mould (B) could (C) cloud (D) routine
55. /ɒ/ (A) envelope (B) banal (C) canary (D) rainbow
56. /tʃ/ (A) chasm (B) procedure (C) sachet (D) archetype
57. /dʒ/ (A) linger (B) collage (C) montage (D) splurge
58. /θ/ (A) monolith (B) blithe (C) swathe (D) motherland
59. /z/ (A) exist (B) proxy (C) oxide (D) consume
60. /ʃ/ (A) question (B) suggestion (C) excision (D) immersion
SECTION D: GRAMMAR
(Using a table) Identify the grammatical name and function of the following expressions
61. The best pals are who support you always.
62. The police were aware he broke into the castle on that fateful night.
63. Rita reacted the way we all expected her to.
64. No one was perturbed about why he quit.
65. The magazine Dennis borrowed was torn by his puppy.
66. Shakespeare presents his characters in situations that are quite dramatic.
67. They’re never forgotten who perish in a great cause.
68. The man ate what was left in the pot.
69. She told us of her shattered dreams.
70. The main issue is that we can’t settle the debt.
71. I know that these cars in the garage belong to your father.
72. The pretty actress, feeling embarrassed by the paparazzi’s attention, waved shyly.
73. They eventually got tired of waiting for the train.
74. Completely stunned by the breaking news, the journalists sat down in silence.
75. Above the criminal hung the hangman’s noose.
76. The glass window broken by my baseball was an expensive one.
77. The students have a lot of work to complete before dawn.
78. Beside the river, the sojourner sat and groaned in pain.
79. Another African tradition is hating snakes intensely.
80. The athletes exercised daily to get in shape for the Olympics.
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Answers to English Language Exam Questions for SS1 Second Term
SECTION A: COMPOSITION
1. Letter to Younger Brother
12, Mercy Street,
Port Harcourt.
17th March, 2026.
Dear Chinedu,
I received a report about your recent behaviour in school, and I must say I am deeply worried. I was told that you have been skipping classes and moving with friends who do not add value to your life. This is not the brother I know.
You must understand that truancy leads to failure. Bad company destroys good morals. If you continue like this, you may ruin your future and disappoint the family that believes in you.
Education is your Second duty now. Face your books. Choose friends who are serious and focused. Remember, your future depends on the decisions you make today.
I advise you to turn over a new leaf immediately. It is not too late to change. Make us proud.
Yours sincerely,
Henry.
2. Letter to my English teacher
12, Mercy Street,
Port Harcourt.
17th March, 2026.
Dear Sir,
I write to respectfully request an extension of time for the submission of my English assignment, which is due soon.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to complete the assignment as expected due to some unforeseen circumstances at home. This has affected my study time and slowed down my progress. I sincerely regret any inconvenience this may cause.
Sir, I am committed to doing a proper and well-researched work, and I believe that a little more time will help me achieve this. I kindly request an extension of a few days to enable me complete and submit a quality assignment.
I assure you that I will make good use of the extra time if granted.
Thank you for your understanding.
Yours faithfully,
Henry.
SECTION B: COMPREHENSION
- The writer is not a young person because he last saw David thirty-eight years ago.
2. David was admired because:
He was a left-handed person (southpaw).
He endured jokes cheerfully.
3. He could not move to secondary school because he failed the admission examinations.
4. The writer was amazed because David, who was once weak in class, had become a specialist heart surgeon.
5(a). Adverbial clause (of time)
5(b). It modifies the verb “saw” by showing when the action took place.
6(i). eagerly → anxiously
7(ii). endured → tolerated
8(iii). sociable → friendly
9(iv). associated → related
10(v). feat → achievement
Answers to Section C (Objective Test)
The following table gives the correct answers to the objective section of English Language exam questions for SS1 Second term. If you are using a mobile device, hold the table and scroll to the right or left for a complete view.
| No. | Answer | No. | Answer | No. | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | C | 12 | C | 13 | C |
| 14 | C | 15 | D | 16 | C |
| 17 | D | 18 | B | 19 | D |
| 20 | B | 21 | B | 22 | B |
| 23 | B | 24 | B | 25 | B |
| 26 | A | 27 | D | 28 | D |
| 29 | D | 30 | D | 31 | A |
| 32 | B | 33 | C | 34 | D |
| 35 | A | 36 | A | 37 | A |
| 38 | B | 39 | B | 40 | B |
| 41 | B | 42 | B | 43 | A |
| 44 | A | 45 | C | 46 | A |
| 47 | B | 48 | C | 49 | D |
| 50 | A | 51 | B | 52 | C |
| 53 | C | 54 | D | 55 | A |
| 56 | D | 57 | D | 58 | A |
| 59 | D | 60 | B |
So here you have the answers to the objective section of English Language Exam Questions for SS1 Second term. Use the comments section to let me know if you have any questions you would want me to clarify or discuss further.
SECTION D: GRAMMAR
| No. | Expression | Grammatical Name | Function | No. | Answer (Summary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | who support you always | Adjectival Clause | Qualifies “pals” | 62 | Noun Clause – Object of “aware” |
| 63 | the way we all expected her to | Adverbial Clause (Manner) | Modifies “reacted” | 64 | Noun Clause – Object of preposition “about” |
| 65 | Dennis borrowed | Adjectival Clause | Qualifies “magazine” | 66 | Adjectival Clause – Qualifies “situations” |
| 67 | who perish in a great cause | Adjectival Clause | Qualifies “They” | 68 | Noun Clause – Object of “ate” |
| 69 | her shattered dreams | Noun Phrase | Object of preposition “of” | 70 | Noun Clause – Complement of “is” |
| 71 | in the garage | Prepositional Phrase | Qualifies “cars” | 72 | Participial Phrase – Qualifies “actress” |
| 73 | waiting for the train | Gerund Phrase | Object of preposition “of” | 74 | Participial Phrase – Qualifies “journalists” |
| 75 | the hangman’s noose | Noun Phrase | Subject of the verb “hung” | 76 | Participial Phrase – Qualifies “window” |
| 77 | to complete before dawn | Infinitive Phrase | Qualifies “work” | 78 | Prepositional Phrase – Modifies “sat” |
| 79 | hating snakes intensely | Gerund Phrase | Complement of “is” | 80 | Infinitive Phrase – Shows purpose (modifies “exercised”) |
How to Pass English Language Exam Questions for SS1 First Term
Passing your English Language exam questions for SS1 Second term requires a combination of preparation, understanding, and strategy. Here are actionable tips to help you excel:
1. Master the Basics First
Focus on:
- Parts of speech
- Tenses
- Concord (very important!)
- Sentence structure
If your foundation is weak, comprehension and essay will suffer.
2. Understand, Don’t Just Read Comprehension
When you see a passage:
- Read it twice
- Know the main idea
- Answer only from the passage (don’t guess)
Most students fail here because they rush.
3. Learn Common Essay Formats
You must know how to write:
- Informal letter
- Formal letter
- Narrative essay
- Descriptive essay
Always:
- Start well (address/introduction)
- Stay on the topic
- End properly
4. Build Your Vocabulary Daily
Learn at least 5 new words every day.
Focus on:
- Opposites
- Synonyms
- Correct usage
This will help you in objective questions.
5. Practice Objective Questions Regularly
This is where you score fast marks.
Pay attention to:
- Correct collocations (e.g. wreak havoc, not wreck havoc)
- Prepositions
- Idioms
Practice past questions often.
6. Don’t Joke with Grammar Section
For questions like:
- Clauses
- Phrases
- Functions
Always ask:
- What is the name?
- What is it doing in the sentence?
That is the secret.
7. Avoid Common Mistakes
- Don’t write too long essays
- Don’t use slang
- Don’t ignore punctuation
- Don’t mix tenses
Simple, clear English wins.
8. Practice Writing Every Week
Write:
- One letter
- One essay
- Some grammar exercises
Then correct your mistakes.
It’s a wrap!
If you need more clarification on SS1 Second Term Questions on English Language, you can use the comments box below. We’ll be there to answer you asap. Don’t forget to join our Free Online Tutorial Classes on YouTube. (Subscribe to the Channel)
Best wishes..
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