WAEC English Language 2021 past questions

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

Ten questions from the 2021 WAEC English Language paper, with answers and explanations. We hold 14 questions from this paper, and the Skolra app has all of them.

WAEC English Language 2021 questions and answers

1. 1.

   From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol.

   /ŋ/

   1. A
      Orange
   2. B
      Singer
      Correct
   3. C
      Danger
   4. D
      Engine
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   Answer: B

   The symbol /ŋ/ represents the velar nasal sound, the sound at the end of words like "sing" and "ring". It is a single consonant sound, different from /n/ and from the /ndʒ/ sound in words like "danger".

   In "singer", the letters "ng" are pronounced as the pure velar nasal /ŋ/ — /ˈsɪŋə(r)/. This is the word that contains the sound /ŋ/.

2. 2.

   From the questions lettered A to D, choose the one to which the given sentence is the appropriate answer.

   Stephen SELDOM goes to the house.

   1. A
      When did Stephen go to the house?
   2. B
      How often does Stephen go to the house?
      Correct
   3. C
      Where does Stephen go?
   4. D
      Who goes to the house?
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   Answer: B

   The capitalised word SELDOM is an adverb of frequency, telling us how often something happens. A sentence that answers a "how often" question naturally contains a frequency adverb such as seldom, always, often, or never.

   So "Stephen SELDOM goes to the house" is the appropriate answer to "How often does Stephen go to the house?"

3. 3.

   From the questions lettered A to D, choose the one to which the given sentence is the appropriate answer.

   John's PARENTS have received the letters.

   1. A
      What did John's parents receive?
   2. B
      How many letters did John's parents receive?
   3. C
      Who has received the letters?
      Correct
   4. D
      Whose letters have been received?
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   Answer: C

   Sentence: "John's PARENTS have received the letters." The capitalised word (PARENTS) marks the part of the sentence being emphasised — this shows what information the sentence is supplying as an answer.

4. 4.

   From the questions lettered A to D, choose the one to which the given sentence is the appropriate answer.

   The THIRD-YEAR girls were commended by the principal.

   1. A
      Which set of girls did the principal commend?
      Correct
   2. B
      Why were the third-year girls commended?
   3. C
      What did the principal say to the third-year girls?
   4. D
      Who commended the third-year girls?
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   Answer: A

   The given sentence is "The THIRD-YEAR girls were commended by the principal." Notice that THIRD-YEAR is emphasised (capitalised), which signals that the sentence is answering a question about which group of girls was commended, not about who did the commending.

5. 5.

   From the questions lettered A to D, choose the one to which the given sentence is the appropriate answer.

   Many students ATTEND lectures everyday.

   1. A
      What do many students do everyday?
      Correct
   2. B
      What do many students attend everyday?
   3. C
      Who attends lectures everyday?
   4. D
      How often do many students attend lectures?
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   Answer: A

   In this WAEC item type, the word written in capitals inside the given sentence shows which part of the sentence is being emphasised, and the correct question is the one that this emphasised part directly and appropriately answers.

6. 6.

   From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol.

   /k/

   1. A
      knife
   2. B
      chemist
      Correct
   3. C
      city
   4. D
      chair
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   Answer: B

   The question asks for the word whose sound matches the phonetic symbol /k/, the hard "k" sound as in "cat" or "key".

   In chemist, the letters "ch" are pronounced /k/, giving /ˈkemɪst/. This is a common pattern in words of Greek origin (compare "chemistry", "chorus", "echo").

   Why the others are wrong:

   In "knife", the letter "k" is silent; the word begins with the /n/ sound, not /k/.

7. 7.

   From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol.

   /əʊ/

   1. A
      cost
   2. B
      cow
   3. C
      know
      Correct
   4. D
      how
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   Answer: C

   The phonetic symbol /əʊ/ is the diphthong heard in words like "go", "no" and "boat" — it starts with a schwa-like sound and glides to a short "oo".

   In know, the "k" is silent and the "ow" spelling is pronounced /əʊ/, giving /nəʊ/. This matches the given symbol.

8. 8.

   From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol.

   /l/

   1. A
      calm
   2. B
      folk
   3. C
      chalk
   4. D
      help
      Correct
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   Answer: D

   The symbol /l/ stands for the consonant sound heard in words like "look" or "well". The candidate must find the word in which the letter "l" is actually pronounced.

   help is pronounced /help/ — the "l" is clearly sounded, so this word contains /l/.

9. 9.

   From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol.

   /b/

   1. A
      Debt
   2. B
      Comb
   3. C
      Cab
      Correct
   4. D
      Lamb
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   Answer: C

   The phonetic symbol /b/ stands for the voiced bilabial plosive sound, as heard clearly at the end of the word cab /kæb/. In that word, the letter "b" is fully pronounced, so it is the correct choice.

10. 10.

    From the words lettered A to D, choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol.

    /ʊə/

    1. A
       Store
    2. B
       Tour
       Correct
    3. C
       Door
    4. D
       Bore
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    Answer: B

    The symbol /ʊə/ stands for the diphthong heard in words like tour, pure, sure and cure — the tongue glides from a short "oo" sound towards a weak "uh" sound.

    Tour is pronounced /tʊə(r)/, so it contains exactly this sound and is correct.

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

Spotted a wrong answer? Tell us from the app or on the contact page and we check it.

Practise all 14 questions we hold from the 2021 paper, on a timed CBT screen

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