All 100 questions from the National Examinations Council (NECO) English Language 2025 Objective paper, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each. Free, no signup needed.
Advertisement
Choose the option most nearly opposite in meaning to the word or expression in italics: The teacher insisted that the students' reason for coming late to school was petty.
'Petty' means of little importance or trivial. Its most direct opposite is 'important', signifying something of great significance or value.
The cat will not move if the tyres are deflated.
'Deflated' means to have air or gas let out, making something collapse or go flat. 'Aerified' is the most precise opposite, describing the act of putting air back in.
The word 'meager' (as used in the given sentence) means very small in amount or quality; the most direct opposite is 'huge'.
'Meager' means very small in amount or quality; inadequate. The most direct opposite is 'huge', meaning extremely large in scale.
Smoking is noxious to our health.
'Noxious' means harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant. The most direct opposite is 'harmless', meaning not causing or likely to cause any damage or injury.
The injury was a hitch to his effective performance during the match.
'A hitch' refers to a temporary difficulty or problem that delays or obstructs something. 'An advantage' is a condition that puts one in a favourable position, directly contrasting with 'hitch'.
Dotun is naturally taciturn.
'Taciturn' describes someone who is reserved or uncommunicative in speech, while 'garrulous' means excessively talkative - its opposite.
The students found the passage exacting to comprehend.
'Exacting' means making great demands on one's skill or attention. Its opposite is 'easy', meaning achievable without great effort.
She bumped into the old woman while running.
'Bumped into' means to accidentally hit or collide with someone, while 'dodged' means to avoid someone or something by a sudden movement - its opposite.
The bride flaunted her dazzling wedding ring for all to see.
'Flaunted' (v) means to display something ostentatiously, while 'concealed' means to keep something from sight - its opposite.
The recently conducted election was inconclusive.
'Inconclusive' means not leading to a firm result, while 'decided' means having a clear and definite outcome - its opposite.
The association has a set of ___ governing its activities.
The word 'rules' refers to a set of regulations or principles governing conduct within a particular activity or organisation. While other options like 'constitutions' or 'decrees' can be forms of governing principles, 'rules' is the most general and appropriate term for an association's day-to-day operational guidelines.
The artiste released his album last year.
The word 'debut' specifically refers to a person's first public appearance or performance, or first occasion when something is introduced. In the context of an artiste releasing their album, 'debut' is the most fitting word.
Some crops were destroyed by a ___ of locusts.
A 'swarm' is the correct collective noun for insects, especially flying insects like locusts or bees, when they move in large numbers.
The labourers agitated for an increase in their daily ___.
The term 'wages' refers to a regular payment, typically paid on a daily or weekly basis, made by an employer to an employee, especially to a manual or unskilled worker.
Please, accept my ___ on the death of your father.
'Condolences' are expressions of sympathy, especially on the occasion of a death. This is the only appropriate term in this context.
The ___ players hope to become professionals in future.
The word 'amateur' refers to a person who engages in a pursuit, especially a sport, on an unpaid rather than a professional basis.
The building was designed by a qualified ___.
An 'architect' is a person who designs buildings and in many cases also supervises their construction.
The ___ who sewed the wedding gown was commended for her expertise.
A 'seamstress' is a woman who sews, especially one who makes a living by sewing.
The ___ remarried two years after the death of his wife.
A 'widower' is a man whose wife has died and who has not remarried.
My sister was advised to see ___ for her ear problem.
An 'otolaryngologist' is a medical doctor who specialises in diseases and disorders of the ear, nose, and throat (often referred to as an ENT doctor).
After working assiduously for weeks, Mr. Ojo finally took to bed.
The idiom 'took to bed' implies becoming confined to bed due to illness or exhaustion. Given that Mr. Ojo worked 'assiduously' (very diligently), it suggests he pushed himself to the point of becoming unwell and needing to rest in bed.
Joshua's action put paid to my business plans.
The idiom 'put paid to' means to finish, stop, or destroy something completely. It indicates that Joshua's actions rendered the business plans impossible or ended them.
The governor's visit to our school was a bolt from the blue.
The idiom 'a bolt from the blue' refers to an event or news that is completely unexpected and often shocking or surprising.
The committee chairman broke the ice when he presented the report.
To 'break the ice' means to do or say something to relieve tension or start a conversation in a social setting, especially when people are initially shy or uncomfortable.
When the teacher cautioned him, Mike gave him the cold shoulder.
To 'give someone the cold shoulder' means to intentionally ignore someone or treat them in an unfriendly way.
The activist described the legislator as a green horn.
A 'greenhorn' is an inexperienced person, a novice, or someone who is naive or easily fooled. The term often refers to someone new to a particular field or activity.
Having taken some drugs before the game, the athlete ran amok.
To 'run amok' means to behave in a wild, uncontrolled, and disruptive manner. It often implies a loss of self-control, sometimes due to drugs or emotional distress.
He passed the test by the skin of his teeth.
The idiom 'by the skin of one's teeth' means by the narrowest of margins, barely. It implies a very close call.
My mother gave me a dirty look for returning home late.
To 'give someone a dirty look' means to look at them with an expression of disapproval, anger, or disgust. It is a non-verbal way of showing displeasure.
My kith and kin graced my convocation.
'Kith and kin' is an idiom that collectively refers to one's friends, acquaintances, and, most importantly, one's relatives. It encompasses a broader group than just immediate family.
The young politician was described as being avaricious after winning the election.
The word 'avaricious' (adj.) means having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain. 'Greedy' is a direct synonym.
The accountant was absolved of the allegations brought against him.
To 'absolve' someone means to declare them free from guilt, obligation, or punishment. The phrase 'freed from' directly conveys this meaning.
Several analogies were used to clarify the concept during the lesson.
An 'analogy' is a comparison between two things for the purpose of explanation or clarification, often based on their structure or functions. 'Comparisons' is the closest synonym.
He was estranged from other members of the group.
To be 'estranged' from someone means to no longer be on friendly terms with them; to be separated or alienated. 'Alienated from' perfectly captures this sense of being distanced or isolated from others.
The professor is from a prestigious institution.
The word 'prestigious' (adj.) means inspiring respect and admiration; having high status. 'Famous' is a good fit, capturing the essence of widespread recognition and high regard.
The company closed down because it could not meet the standard set by the regulatory agency.
A 'standard' in this context refers to a level of quality or attainment that is considered acceptable or desirable. A 'criterion' (plural: criteria) is a principle or standard by which something may be judged or decided; it is the most appropriate synonym here.
The preacher advised the faithful not to be carried away by ephemeral things.
The word 'ephemeral' (adj.) means lasting for a very short time. 'Temporary' is a direct synonym describing something that lasts only briefly.
The little girl fainted on seeing the grotesque masquerade.
The word 'grotesque' (adj.) means comically or repulsively ugly or distorted. 'Ugly' is the most fundamental and direct meaning, describing something that would cause fright or revulsion.
It is imperative for parents to take care of their children.
The word 'imperative' (adj.) means of vital importance, crucial. In the context of duties, it implies something compulsory required by a legal, moral, or other rule; 'obligatory' is the closest synonym.
The economic policy of the government has been criticised by the opposition.
To 'criticise' means to indicate the faults of someone or something in a disapproving way, to express complete disapproval of. 'Condemned' implies a strong, often public, expression of disapproval, aligning with how an opposition would react to a government policy.
The man ___ comes here regularly is my uncle.
The word 'who' is a relative pronoun used to refer to people, acting as the subject of the verb in the relative clause; here, 'who' is the subject of 'comes'.
Akpan's car broke down, he was late for the meeting ___ however he still arrived on time.
The word 'so' is a conjunction used to introduce a result or consequence. Akpan's car breaking down was the cause, and being late was the direct result.
Mr. Smith married a ___ girl.
When listing adjectives describing a noun, there is a general order: Opinion-Size-Age-Colour-Origin-Material-Purpose. 'Beautiful' (opinion) is size, and 'tall' is age (in a relative sequence), so 'beautiful tall young' follows the correct sequence per the source key.
He had informed you before travelling, hadn't he?
This is a tag question. The auxiliary verb in the main sentence is 'had', and the tag is negative ('hadn't he?'). To agree with a positive statement that has a negative tag, you use 'Yes' followed by the positive form of the auxiliary verb from the tag.
Mother ___ breakfast every morning.
'Every morning' indicates a habitual action. For habitual actions in the present tense, we use the simple present tense. For a third-person singular subject ('Mother'), we add '-s' to the verb.
My seamstress sews very well, ___?
This is a tag question. The main verb is 'sews' (simple present, positive). To form the tag, we use the auxiliary verb 'do/does' (in this case 'does' for 'she') and make it negative because the main sentence is positive.
The principal sent Jessica and ___ on an errand.
The pronoun 'me' is the object of the verb 'sent'. When a pronoun is the object of a verb or preposition, you should use the objective case ('me').
It is quite a ___ task to drive on a bad road.
The word 'herculean' means requiring great strength or effort. The word is often misspelled, but 'herculean' is the correct spelling, referring to the mythological hero Hercules known for his immense strength and difficult tasks.
I was unable to watch the episode of the movie.
The word 'penultimate' means second to last. The other options are misspellings of the same word.
I was indignant ___ my friend's silly attitude to the visitors.
The correct preposition to use with 'indignant' when referring to something that causes the indignation (an attitude, an action, a situation) is 'at'. If you are indignant 'with' a person, you use 'with'.
The suffix ___ will combine with 'grace' to form a new word.
When the suffix '-ful' is added to 'grace,' it forms the word 'graceful,' meaning elegant or beautiful in movement. The other suffixes do not form a valid or common word when combined with 'grace' in this manner.
The prefix 'en-' can be added to ___ to form a new word.
The prefix 'en-' combines with 'sure' to form 'ensure,' meaning to make certain that something will occur or be the case.
The men who requested to wait after the meeting ___.
The subject 'the men' is plural, and the sentence is in the passive voice, indicating an action that happened in the past. Therefore, the plural past tense auxiliary verb 'were' is correct.
Only one out of the ten competitors ___ selected.
In phrases like 'one out of...' or 'one of the...', the verb agrees with 'one', which is singular, even if the larger group is plural. The sentence describes a past state, making the past tense appropriate.
My brother bought a puppy ___ kitten.
The word 'and' is a coordinating conjunction used to connect items in a list or to add one item to another. It indicates that both a puppy and a kitten were bought.
Neither my sister nor her friends ___ interested in the job.
When 'neither...nor' connects two subjects, the verb agrees with the subject closer to the verb. Here, 'her friends' is plural, so the plural verb 'are' is correct.
The inaugural speech was delivered ___ the chairman.
In a passive voice sentence, the agent performing the action is introduced by the preposition 'by'. The speech was delivered by the chairman.
All the girls in the party quarrelled with ___.
The reciprocal pronoun 'one another' is typically used when referring to more than two people or things interacting among themselves. Since 'all the girls' implies more than two, 'one another' is appropriate.
A ___ of ladies attended the occasion.
A 'bevy' is a collective noun specifically used for a group of ladies, or sometimes birds.
The chairman and chief executive ___ invited me for a dinner.
When two nouns are connected by 'and' but refer to the same person (often indicated by the repetition of the article 'the' or its absence), the verb should be singular. Here, 'the chairman and chief executive' refers to one person who holds both positions.
Direct Speech: 'I like farming,' said Amina. Indirect Speech: Amina said that ___.
When converting direct speech to indirect speech: the pronoun 'I' changes to 'she' to reflect Amina, and the present simple verb 'like' changes to the past simple 'liked' (backshifting of tenses) because the reporting verb 'said' is in the past tense.
A ___ of musicians performed during the swearing-in ceremony of the president.
A 'band' is the most common and appropriate collective noun for a group of musicians who play instruments together.
The prime suspect divulged some ___ to the private investigator.
The word 'information' is an uncountable noun, meaning it does not have a plural form ('informations' is incorrect). To quantify uncountable nouns, we use phrases like 'a piece of' or 'pieces of' when implying more than one unit.
He ___ scrubbed the floor to remove the stains on the tiles.
The word 'thoroughly' (adv.) means in a careful and complete way, which fits the action of scrubbing to remove stains effectively.
Direct Speech: 'The students will present a playlet,' said the teacher. Indirect Speech: The teacher said that the students ___.
When converting direct speech to indirect speech, 'will' changes to 'would' (backshifting of modals) because the reporting verb 'said' is in the past tense.
Thank you ___ for the lovely gift you sent to my brother.
The preposition 'for' is used to indicate the reason or purpose for gratitude. You thank someone 'for' something.
The teacher was standing ___ the board when I arrived.
The preposition 'beside' means next to or at the side of. This is the most natural and common position for a teacher in relation to a whiteboard or blackboard.
The carton was so interesting ___ the children were glued to the television set.
The intensifier 'so...that' is a common correlative conjunction structure used to express cause and effect. 'So interesting' is the cause, and the children being glued to the television set is the effect.
I added ___ sugar to the baby's pap because it was tasteless.
'Sugar' is an uncountable noun. To increase its quantity, 'more' is the appropriate word ('few' and 'many' are for countable nouns, and 'less' means a smaller quantity).
Tina bought ___ dozen of exercise books yesterday.
'Dozen' is a unit of quantity (12). When referring to a single unit of 'dozen', the indefinite article 'a' is used.
INEC is the main administrative ___ responsible for organizing elections in Nigeria.
INEC is the main administrative body responsible for organising elections in Nigeria. 'Bureau' is a department, 'body' fits the context of a primary organisational entity.
The process for political parties involves official ___ with the electoral commission.
The process for political parties involves official registration with the electoral commission. 'Registration' is the formal act of signing up or being recorded.
In elections, there is often a period when political ___ are not allowed, followed by a period when they are.
This refers to a period when political campaigns are not allowed, followed by a period when they are - referring to the organised activities to influence voters.
When a ban is removed or ended, it is ___.
When a ban is removed or ended, it is 'lifted'. 'Announced' means made known, 'opened' means unclosed, 'placed' means put.
Before the main election, parties hold ___ elections to choose their nominees.
'Primary elections' (or primaries) are elections held to select candidates for a principal, or general, election.
A ___ is a body of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body.
A 'constituency' is a body of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body. Candidates campaign within their designated constituencies.
A ___ is a large notice, often with a picture on it, that is put in a public place to advertise something, e.g. election posters.
A poster is a large notice, often with a picture on it, that is put in a public place to advertise something, e.g. election posters.
'Primary elections' (or primaries) are elections held to select candidates for a ___, or general, election.
'Primary elections' (or primaries) are elections held to select candidates for a principal, or general, election.
Parties nominate ___ to run for various positions.
Parties nominate 'candidates' to run for various positions. 'Delegates' are representatives, 'leaders' are those in charge.
A ___ is a piece of cloth with a special coloured design on it that may be the symbol of a particular country, organisation, or have a particular meaning.
A flag is a piece of cloth with a special coloured design on it that may be a symbol of a particular country or organisation, or may have a particular meaning.
The main election where candidates from various parties compete for public office is known as the ___ election.
The main election where candidates from various parties compete for public office is known as the general election.
Legislative bodies often consist of two parts, referred to as ___ (e.g. the House of Representatives is the lower chamber, and the Senate is the upper chamber).
Legislative bodies often consist of two parts, referred to as 'chambers' (e.g. the House of Representatives is the lower chamber, and the Senate is the upper chamber).
Electoral ___ (or voter rolls) are lists of eligible voters, displayed for verification.
Electoral 'registers' (or voter rolls) are lists of eligible voters, displayed for verification before an election.
___ (or polling stations) are the designated places where voters cast their ballots on election day.
'Polling units' (or polling stations) are the designated places where voters cast their ballots on election day.
The National ___ refers to the country's legislative body, comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The National Assembly refers to the country's legislative body, comprising the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The first modern ___, called Homo Sapiens, emerged in East Africa about one hundred thousand years ago.
The passage is specifically talking about the evolution of Homo Sapiens, which is the scientific name for modern humans.
Early humans formed ___ and sat round fires, shared childcare, and used early tools to make things.
Early humans formed social units, and 'groups' is the most general and appropriate term for a collection of people living or working together.
Sharing ___ around fires is a fundamental social activity for early humans, indicating communal living for sustenance.
Sharing food around fires is a fundamental social activity for early humans, indicating communal living and cooperation for sustenance.
Early humans were characterized by their development and use of primitive ___ for various purposes.
Early humans were characterised by their development and use of primitive tools for various purposes, including hunting and building.
___ are objects made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest.
'Artefacts' are objects made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest, such as tools and pottery found at archaeological sites.
The passage describes humans starting in East Africa and then spreading across the rest of the ___, indicating global migration.
The passage describes humans starting in East Africa and then spreading 'across the rest of the world', indicating global migration.
Spearheads are primarily used for ___ animals for food in prehistoric societies.
Spearheads are primarily used for hunting animals for food in prehistoric societies.
Axes are commonly used for chopping ___, typically for fuel, building materials, or crafting.
Axes are commonly used for chopping wood, typically for fuel, building materials, or crafting - a less direct object of 'chopping' than iron, planks or rocks.
The word 'cut' is often used with blades, as in the general context of 'chopping' described in the passage.
The word 'cut' is often used with blades; 'cutting' fits the general action described for axes chopping wood.
Later, people made tools and jewellery using metal, referring to the transition from stone tools to metal tools (e.g. copper, bronze, iron).
The passage states that 'Later, people made tools and jewellery using metal.' This refers to the transition from stone tools to metal tools (e.g. copper, bronze, iron).
The phrase 'rear animals and grow crops' describes the fundamental practices of early ___.
The phrase 'rear animals and grow crops' describes the fundamental practices of early agriculture.
With the development of agriculture, humans transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer 'camps' to more permanent settlements, typically starting as 'villages' before growing into towns and cities.
With the development of agriculture, humans transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherer camps to more permanent settlements, typically starting as villages before growing into towns and cities.
'Clay pots' are common archaeological finds from early settled communities, used for storing water, grains, and for cooking.
'Clay pots' are common archaeological finds from early settled communities, used for storing water, grains, and for cooking.
'Communities' refers to groups of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. As people settled in villages, they formed structured communities with rules and leaders.
'Communities' refers to groups of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. As people settled in villages, they formed structured communities with rules and leaders.
Elaborate masks and decorated clothes are typically worn during 'ceremonies' or rituals, which are characteristic of organised early human societies.
Elaborate masks and decorated clothes are typically worn during 'ceremonies' or rituals, which are characteristic of organised early human societies.
Advertisement
…and/or go further with premium services and No Ads.