NECO English Language past questions and answers

Checked by the Skolra question team · Last updated 23 October 2026

NECO English Language: 163 objective past questions from 5 papers between 2001 and 2008, each with the answer and an explanation. Newer NECO papers are not in our bank yet. Here are ten.

1. 1.Choose from the options A to E the one that is the MOST APPROPRIATE INTERPRETATION for each of the following statements. Introduction of religious fanaticism in state affairs is an ill wind that blows no one any good. This means that it is a _____ development.
   1. A
      a beneficial development
   2. B
      a harmful development
      Correct
   3. C
      a necessary development
   4. D
      an unpredictable development
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   Answer: B

   Stem: "Introduction of religious fanaticism in state affairs is an ill wind that blows no one any good. This means that it is a _____ development."

   The expression "an ill wind that blows no one any good" describes a bad situation that has absolutely no upside for anybody — it damages everyone and benefits no one at all. Mixing religion with state affairs, the statement says, is therefore destructive all round.

2. 2.Choose from the options lettered A - E the question that is best answered by the statement containing the stressed word which is written in CAPITAL letters The speaker AND his deputy attended the ceremony.
   1. A
      Who attended the ceremony?
   2. B
      What event did the speaker and his deputy attend?
   3. C
      Did the speaker attend the ceremony alone?
      Correct
   4. D
      Who else, apart from the speaker, attended the ceremony?
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   Answer: C

   Stressed word: AND. In spoken English, stressing a conjunction that joins two people signals emphatic addition — the speaker is insisting "it was not just one of them, it was both together."

3. 3.Choose from the options A to E the one that is MOST NEARLY OPPOSITE IN MEANING to the underlined word. Evelyn believed in a pragmatic approach, whereas Tina’s approach is _____
   1. A
      realistic
   2. B
      practical
   3. C
      idealistic
      Correct
   4. D
      theoretical
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   Answer: C

   Pragmatic describes someone who deals with situations sensibly and realistically, based on practical considerations rather than on fixed ideas or theory. The sentence sets up a contrast ("whereas"), so Tina's approach must be the opposite of Evelyn's pragmatic one.

4. 4.Choose from the options labelled A to E, the one that has the same vowel sound as the one represented underlined Letter(s). heir
   1. A
      weir
   2. B
      beer
   3. C
      bear
      Correct
   4. D
      fear
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   heir is pronounced with a silent "h": the underlined letters "ei" give the vowel sound /eə/, the same sound you hear in "air", "care" and "fair".

   bear carries that exact same /eə/ sound, so it is correct.

   So only "bear" matches the vowel sound represented by the underlined letters in "heir".

5. 5.Choose from the options lettered A- E the one that is nearest in meaning to the word underlined. The man was convalescing at home after his discharge from the hospital
   1. A
      Recuperating
      Correct
   2. B
      Convulsing
   3. C
      Relaxing
   4. D
      Deteriorating
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   Answer: A

   The word tested is convalescing, which means gradually regaining health and strength after an illness or medical treatment. This fits the sentence perfectly: the man is at home, recovering, after being discharged from hospital.

   Recuperating is the word nearest in meaning to "convalescing" — both describe the process of recovering health after sickness.

6. 6.Choose from the option lettered A to E the question that is best answered by the statement containing the stressed word which is written in CAPITAL letter(s).Paul is the DIRECTOR of this club.
   1. A
      Who is the director of this club?
   2. B
      Which club does Paul belong to?
   3. C
      What is Paul in this club?
      Correct
   4. D
      Where does Paul work as a director?
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   Stem: "Paul is the DIRECTOR of this club" - with stress placed on DIRECTOR.

   In spoken English, the stressed word in a statement signals the piece of information that is new or specifically being asked for. A listener stresses the exact word that answers the "wh-" question put to them, not words that were already known or implied.

7. 7.Choose from the options labelled A to E, the one that has the same consonant sound as the one represent the underlined letter(s)grease
   1. A
      house
      Correct
   2. B
      treasure
   3. C
      sugar
   4. D
      please
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: A

   The word grease (as in cooking grease) is pronounced /gri:s/. The letter s at the end stands for the voiceless consonant sound /s/ — the same hissing sound you hear in "bus" or "ice".

   We need the option whose underlined "s" makes that same /s/ sound.

   house (the noun, as in "a house to live in") is pronounced /haʊs/ — the final "s" is also the voiceless /s/ sound. This matches "grease", so it is correct.

8. 8.Complete this statement with the most appropriate of the options lettered A - EThe suspect was to be_________in police custody until his case would come up for hearing
   1. A
      remanded
   2. B
      arrested
   3. C
      detained
      Correct
   4. D
      imprisoned
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: C

   Correct answer: detained.

   The sentence describes a suspect being officially held by the police while waiting for his case to reach court: "The suspect was to be detained in police custody until his case would come up for hearing." Detained is the exact word used for keeping a person lawfully in custody for a period before trial, and it collocates naturally with "in police custody."

9. 9.Choose from the options lettered A- E the one that is nearest in meaning to the word in italics. My confidence in humanity suddenly began to wane.
   1. A
      Vanish
   2. B
      Strengthen
   3. C
      Increase
   4. D
      Diminish
      Correct
   Show answerHide answer

   Answer: D

   Wane means to become gradually weaker, smaller or less, the way the moon's light shrinks night by night after a full moon. In the sentence, the speaker's confidence did not vanish instantly; it was gradually reduced. The word nearest in meaning is therefore "diminish".

10. 10.Choose from the options A to E one that complete this statement..The driver inadvertently killed a man in an auto crash and was consequently convicted of _____
    1. A
       manslaughter
       Correct
    2. B
       murder
    3. C
       felony
    4. D
       homicide
    Show answerHide answer

    Answer: A

    Manslaughter is correct. The key word in the stem is "inadvertently", meaning without intention. In law, killing another person unintentionally (for example, through carelessness or an accident such as a car crash) is the crime of manslaughter, not murder.

    Murder is wrong because murder requires malice aforethought — a deliberate, premeditated intention to kill. An inadvertent act rules this out.

The questions come from past JAMB, WAEC and NECO papers. We use software to help write the answer options and explanations, and every answer is checked twice before it goes on the site. How we check

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