Education WAEC Past Questions and Answers

WAEC Past Questions & Answers: ENGLISH LANGUAGE 2020

Bamidele OladimejiNovember 13, 2022

0 6 minutes read

Welcome to our WAEC past question and answer series. In this post, we will be sharing ‘recent’ past questions and their answers for various subjects. Stay tuned enjoy while learning.

In each of the following sentences, there is a word underlined and one gap. From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word and that will, at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentence.

1. Geraldine is very courteous but her brother, Gerald is unbelievably ……..

A. arrogant B. impolite C. snobbish D. haughty

2. Whilst Lydia became ………….in the course of the contest, Lena was confident

A. assuring B. boastful C. incensed D. jittery

3. We thought Jane was the instigator of the take-over, it turned out that she was rather the ………….

A. accomplice B. troubleshooter C. advisor D. cool-head

4. When they appeared before the disciplinary committee, Rex was unrepentant but Ray was ………..

A. sober B. Reformed C. remorseful D. quiet

5. Mama thought what I had done was smart but Dad said it was…..

A. dumb B. lame C. wicked D. rough

6. Even though Joyce was praised for what she had done, her opponents……………her.

A. admonished B. mocked C. warned D. provoked

7. Instead of being gentle with the frightened child, Tom was rather …..

A. brisk B. firm C. brash D. harsh

8. I felt very agitated yet I maintained a …….demeanour.

A. brave B. calm C. strict D. gentle

9. Adding much salt to food at table is ……to the heart not beneficial

A. hurtful B. abusive C. injurious D. offensive

10. The sound from Larry’s recorder was ……..rather than audible

A. muffled B. peaceful C. noisy D. blurred

SECTION II

From the words lettered A to D, choose the one that best completes each of the following sentences.

11. We shall overcome ……. how difficult it is.

A. no matter B. irrespective C. not looking D. despite

12. Jemima will be here ……a minute.

A. on B. by C. in D. to

13. The ambulance sped…………the hill.

A. downwards B. down C. between D upward

14. You ………. a scratch on your neck the last time we met

A. are having B. were having C. had D. have

15. He ………..they should be punished immediately.

A. is thinking B. think C. has thought D. thinks

16. ……………midnight, Tom fell asleep.

A. by B. until C. during D. on

17. Elorm and Jacob were then ………..war with each other.

A. into B. with C. at D. in

18. Though Tay had heard their cries for help, he ……..them.

A. has ignored B. ignores C. is ignoring D. ignored

19. Ali and Maria are good friends; they seldom ……………..

A. have argument B. will argue C. argue D. argued

20. Kennedy and Portia ………live in Accra

A. used to B. use to C. once D. then

SECTION III

Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word or expression in each sentence

21. Mother’s message was motivational; it gingered the children to work hard

A. aspirational B. sensational C. inspirational D. devotional

22. I have a hunch that the programme will not go well

A. conviction B. suspicion C. revelation D. notion

23. Desmond admonished his people not to go to war.

A. reproved B. threatened C. inspired D. warned

24. Parliamentary proceedings have been adjourned until January.

A. annulled B. scheduled C. suspended D. abolished

25. What the professor said was alien to all his students.

A. offensive B. pleasing C. unfamiliar D. fantastic

26. The unwholesome practice is anathema to decent people

A. a danger B. a curse C. a taboo D. a malady

27. When Joanita was declared winner, pandemonium broke out.

A. catastrophe B. chaos C. riots D. demonstrations

28. The subject of sanitation was accentuated at the meeting because of its importance

A. emphasized B. mentioned C. considered D. analysed

29. When the wild dog attacked the puppies, Cecil throttled it.

A. stifled B. gagged C. strangled D. caged

30. Little Simon was given a drug to suppress his hyperactivity.

A. crush B. conquer C. restrict D. control

SECTION IV

After each of the following sentences, a list of possible interpretations of all or part of the sentence is given. Choose the interpretation you consider most appropriate for each sentence.

31. Ever since Uche disgraced my niece in public, she has kept him at an arm’s length. This means that my niece

A. doesn’t want to get close to Uche

B. has broken ties with Uche

C. calls Uche frequently

D. hates everything that Uche does

32. If Seth really wants to be helped, he has to put his cards on the table. This means that Seth

A. has to write a detailed application to offices

B. has to be truthful, honest and frank

C. needs to be more sociable

D. needs to reach out to everybody

33. We consider the day our daughter first went to school a red-letter day. This means that we believe the day to be

A. of importance and therefore to be celebrated.

B. a very sad one for our daughter

C. full of danger and uncertainties

D. when she would start her scholarship

34. When the officer challenged the order, the commander hit the ceiling. This means that the commander was

A. surprised B. worried C. very angry D. embarrassed

35. News of the chief’s death spread like wildfire. This means that the news

A. made a lot of people feel uncomfortable

B. was disseminated in a haphazard manner

C. reached many people in a short time

D. produced fiery reactions from all angles

36. It looks like Selina got out of bed on the wrong side. This means that Selina

A. woke up very late

B. felt weak and unwell

C. did not sleep well

D. was in a very bad mood

37. James developed cold feet when he met the Manager to discuss his transfer. This means that James

A. suddenly felt feverish and sick

B. had second thoughts about what he wanted to do

C. became nervous and unable to talk

D. decided to change his mind

38. The priest’s death was a bolt from the blue. This means that the priest

A. died suddenly and unexpectedly

B. was killed by unknown assailants

C. died under mysterious circumstances

D. died peacefully and quietly

39. Anne is two-faced in her reactions to her friends

A. courteous

B. self-centred

C. hypocritical

D. accommodating

40. When Joe got there, he decided to strike while the iron was hot. This means that Joe

A. attacked the people he met there

B. finished all his work in good time

C. took daring decisions

D. took advantage of the situation

SECTION V

In the following passage, the numbered gaps indicate missing words. Against each number in the list below the passage, four choices are offered in columns lettered A to D. For each numbered gap, choose from the options provided for that number, the word that is most suitable to fill the gap.

Two months after moving into our new house, we hadn’t noticed any –41—on the building till one Sunday morning when water started—42—from a corner of the shower in our—43—bedroom. We assumed it was a simple –44—and therefore asked my nephew, an apprentice, to fix it for us. He did, but the—45—lasted for that day only. The next morning, water started dropping heavily from both the bedroom and adjoining room.

Frantically, I called the –46—who promptly came to our rescue. A thorough check revealed that two roofing—47—had been blown away causing water to collect on the —48–. The water had—49—gradually through the joints until that fateful Sunday when things became worse. We, therefore, had to reroof that—50—of the house.

41. A. damages

B. blemishes

C. challenges

D. defects

42. A. flowing

B. oozing

C. falling

D. dripping

43. A. inner

B. guest

C. master

D. big

44. A. outflow

B. leakage

C. trickling

D. filtering

45. A. repair

B. sealing

C. mending

D. blockade

46. A. technician

B. mason

C. plumber

D. worker

47. A. rafters

B. sheets

C. thatches

D. beams

48. A. ceiling

B. top

C. chimney

D. attic

49. A. soaked

B. spread

C. seeped

D. sopped

50. A. side

B. phase

C. area

D. line