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🗣️ Use of English — Oral Forms and Registers

Use of English — Oral Forms and Registers

The UTME Use of English paper contains 60 questions — each of the other three subjects carries 40 — divided into Section A: Comprehension/Summary (25), Section B: Lexis and Structure (25) and Section C: Oral Forms (10). Section C sets two questions each on vowels, consonants, rhymes, word stress and emphatic stress, and expects candidates to distinguish vowel types, differentiate consonant types (including clusters) and identify correct accentuation in individual words and in connected speech.

Standard British English (Received Pronunciation) has 44 speech sounds: 20 vowels and 24 consonants. The vowels split into 12 monophthongs (pure vowels) and 8 diphthongs — 5 closing (/eɪ, aɪ, ɔɪ, əʊ, aʊ/, as in day, my, boy, go, now) and 3 centring diphthongs ending in /ə/ (/ɪə, eə, ʊə/, as in here, hair, tour). A syllable may begin with a cluster of at most three consonants (spring /spr-/, strong /str-/) and end with up to four (texts /-ksts/, twelfths /-lfθs/).

Word stress often signals word class: in many two-syllable noun–verb pairs the noun is stressed on the first syllable and the verb on the second (ˈimport/imˈport, ˈrecord/reˈcord, ˈconduct/conˈduct). In emphatic-stress items the contrastively stressed word is printed in capital letters; the correct option is the question to which the sentence, so stressed, is the appropriate answer — the stressed word contradicts an element in that question. For intonation, a falling tone is normal for statements, commands and wh-questions, while a rising tone marks yes/no (polar) questions and polite requests.

Two words rhyme when they share the same stressed vowel sound and everything after it, regardless of spelling (key rhymes with quay). Homophones sound identical but differ in spelling and meaning (knight/night, sight/site); JAMB tests them under 'Rhymes (including homophones)'. Homographs share spelling but differ in pronunciation or meaning (lead the metal versus lead, to guide). Watch silent letters — b in debt and comb, k in knife, w in write, l in calm — spelling is an unreliable guide to sound.

A register is a variety of language distinguished according to use, characterised by the field, tenor and mode of discourse (Halliday, McIntosh and Strevens, 1964). Master the core vocabulary of medicine (diagnosis, prescription), law (plaintiff, verdict), commerce (invoice, dividend) and agriculture (harrow, silage): JAMB tests registers through the cloze passage, which reflects various disciplines, and through Section B lexis items set in ordinary, figurative and idiomatic contexts.

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Sample questions (35)

1. How many distinct vowel sounds (phonemes) does Standard British English (Received Pronunciation) have in total?

  1. 20
  2. 24
  3. 44
  4. 12

RP English has 20 vowel phonemes in total, made up of 12 monophthongs and 8 diphthongs. The figure 44 is the total number of speech sounds and 24 is the number of consonants. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed. (CUP); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

2. Of the 20 vowel sounds in English, how many are monophthongs (pure vowels)?

  1. 12
  2. 8
  3. 20
  4. 24

English has 12 monophthongs and 8 diphthongs, which together make up the 20 vowel sounds. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP); Elugbe, B. (2000) Oral English for Schools and Colleges (Heinemann))

3. How many diphthongs are there in the English vowel system?

  1. 8
  2. 12
  3. 5
  4. 3

There are 8 diphthongs in English, made up of 5 closing diphthongs and 3 centring diphthongs. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP), chapter on diphthongs)

4. A monophthong is best described as a vowel sound that...

  1. keeps a single, unchanging quality throughout its pronunciation within one syllable
  2. glides from one vowel quality to another within the same syllable
  3. is always followed by the consonant /r/
  4. occurs only in unstressed syllables

A monophthong, or pure vowel, retains one steady vowel quality, unlike a diphthong, which involves a glide between two vowel qualities. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

5. Which statement correctly defines a diphthong?

  1. A vowel sound that glides from one vowel quality to another within a single syllable
  2. Two separate vowel sounds pronounced in two different syllables
  3. A consonant cluster occurring at the end of a word
  4. A vowel sound that never changes in quality

A diphthong involves a smooth glide from one vowel quality to another, both occurring within the same syllable. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

6. The eight English diphthongs are divided into two groups. How many of them are closing diphthongs (such as /eɪ/, /aɪ/, /ɔɪ/, /əʊ/, /aʊ/)?

  1. 5
  2. 3
  3. 8
  4. 4

Of the 8 diphthongs, 5 are closing diphthongs and 3 are centring diphthongs. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP), chapter on diphthongs)

7. Which set correctly represents the three centring diphthongs of English, all of which end in the schwa sound /ə/?

  1. /ɪə/, /eə/, /ʊə/
  2. /eɪ/, /aɪ/, /ɔɪ/
  3. /əʊ/, /aʊ/, /eɪ/
  4. /iː/, /uː/, /ɑː/

The three centring diphthongs /ɪə/, /eə/ and /ʊə/ all glide towards the schwa /ə/, unlike the closing diphthongs. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP), chapter on diphthongs)

8. Which diphthong is heard in the word 'boy'?

  1. /ɔɪ/
  2. /aɪ/
  3. /eə/
  4. /aʊ/

'Boy' is pronounced with the closing diphthong /ɔɪ/, which glides from an open-mid back rounded vowel towards /ɪ/. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

9. The word 'hair' contains which type of diphthong?

  1. A centring diphthong, /eə/
  2. A closing diphthong, /eɪ/
  3. A pure monophthong, /e/
  4. A closing diphthong, /aɪ/

'Hair' ends with a glide towards schwa, giving the centring diphthong /eə/. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP); Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

10. Which of the following words contains a centring diphthong?

  1. tour
  2. time
  3. toy
  4. town

'Tour' is pronounced with the centring diphthong /ʊə/, while 'time', 'toy' and 'town' contain the closing diphthongs /aɪ/, /ɔɪ/ and /aʊ/ respectively. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP); Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

11. Which vowel sound is heard in the word 'sheep'?

  1. /iː/
  2. /ɪ/
  3. /e/
  4. /æ/

'Sheep' contains the long monophthong /iː/, distinct from the short /ɪ/ heard in 'ship'. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

12. In terms of vowel length and quality, how do the vowels in 'full' and 'fool' differ?

  1. 'Full' has the short vowel /ʊ/ while 'fool' has the long vowel /uː/
  2. 'Full' has a diphthong while 'fool' has a monophthong
  3. Both words share exactly the same vowel sound
  4. 'Full' has the long vowel /uː/ while 'fool' has the short vowel /ʊ/

'Full' is pronounced with the short monophthong /ʊ/, whereas 'fool' is pronounced with the long monophthong /uː/. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

13. Which monophthong is represented in the word 'cat'?

  1. /æ/
  2. /ɑː/
  3. /e/
  4. /ʌ/

'Cat' is pronounced with the short front monophthong /æ/. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

14. The vowel sound in the word 'father' is represented by which symbol?

  1. /ɑː/
  2. /æ/
  3. /ʌ/
  4. /ɔː/

'Father' contains the long back monophthong /ɑː/. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

15. Which vowel sound is recognised as the most frequently occurring vowel sound in spoken English, typically found in unstressed syllables?

  1. The schwa, /ə/
  2. The long vowel /iː/
  3. The diphthong /aɪ/
  4. The short vowel /æ/

The schwa /ə/ is the most common vowel sound in English speech, occurring mainly in unstressed syllables such as the first syllable of 'about'. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP); Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

16. In English intonation, a falling tone is normally used with...

  1. a wh-question, such as 'What is your name?'
  2. a yes/no question, such as 'Are you ready?'
  3. a polite request, such as 'Could you help me?'
  4. a yes/no question seeking confirmation, such as 'Is it raining?'

Wh-questions, like statements and commands, normally take a falling tone, while yes/no questions and polite requests normally take a rising tone. (J.D. O'Connor, Better English Pronunciation (CUP); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

17. Which type of question normally takes a rising intonation pattern in English?

  1. A yes/no (polar) question, such as 'Is she coming?'
  2. A wh-question, such as 'Why is she late?'
  3. A command, such as 'Sit down.'
  4. A declarative statement, such as 'She is coming.'

Yes/no (polar) questions are normally spoken with a rising intonation, unlike statements, commands and wh-questions, which normally fall. (J.D. O'Connor, Better English Pronunciation (CUP); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

18. A command such as 'Open the window' is normally spoken with which intonation pattern?

  1. Falling intonation
  2. Rising intonation
  3. Rising-falling intonation
  4. Level (flat) intonation throughout

Commands, like statements and wh-questions, normally take a falling intonation pattern. (J.D. O'Connor, Better English Pronunciation (CUP); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

19. A polite request such as 'Could you close the door, please?' is typically produced with...

  1. Rising intonation
  2. Falling intonation
  3. No intonation change at all
  4. A tone reserved only for commands

Polite requests are normally produced with a rising intonation pattern, similar to yes/no questions. (J.D. O'Connor, Better English Pronunciation (CUP))

20. Which intonation pattern should a speaker use when asking, 'Are you coming to the party?'

  1. Rising intonation, because it is a yes/no question
  2. Falling intonation, because it is a wh-question
  3. Falling intonation, because it is a command
  4. Rising-falling intonation, because it is a statement

'Are you coming to the party?' is a yes/no question, so it should normally be said with rising intonation. (J.D. O'Connor, Better English Pronunciation (CUP); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

21. Which intonation pattern is appropriate for the question, 'What time does the train leave?'

  1. Falling intonation, because it is a wh-question
  2. Rising intonation, because it is a yes/no question
  3. Rising intonation, because it is a polite request
  4. Falling-rising intonation, because it expresses doubt

'What time does the train leave?' is a wh-question, so it should normally take falling intonation, like statements and commands. (J.D. O'Connor, Better English Pronunciation (CUP); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

22. Which of these four sentences would normally be said with a rising intonation pattern?

  1. 'Do you take sugar in your tea?'
  2. 'What did you say?'
  3. 'Please sit down.'
  4. 'She lives in Lagos.'

'Do you take sugar in your tea?' is a yes/no question and so takes rising intonation, unlike the wh-question, the command and the statement, which all take falling intonation. (J.D. O'Connor, Better English Pronunciation (CUP); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

23. In spoken English, a sentence with declarative (statement) word order, such as 'You're leaving now?', can be understood as a question rather than a statement mainly because of...

  1. A rising intonation pattern placed on the utterance
  2. The use of a question mark only, which changes pronunciation
  3. A falling intonation pattern placed on the utterance
  4. The absence of any stressed syllable

A rising intonation pattern can turn a sentence with statement word order into a question in spoken English, even though the word order itself does not change. (J.D. O'Connor, Better English Pronunciation (CUP); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

24. In terms of meaning, a falling intonation pattern typically signals to the listener that an utterance is...

  1. Complete and definite, as in a statement or command
  2. Incomplete and dependent on a following clause
  3. A polite request awaiting the listener's cooperation
  4. A yes/no question awaiting confirmation

Falling intonation generally conveys finality and certainty, as in statements, commands and wh-questions, whereas rising intonation invites a response, as in yes/no questions and polite requests. (J.D. O'Connor, Better English Pronunciation (CUP); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

25. Phoneticians studying Standard British English (Received Pronunciation) identify a total of forty-four speech sounds. How are these forty-four sounds divided between vowels and consonants?

  1. 20 vowel sounds and 24 consonant sounds
  2. 24 vowel sounds and 20 consonant sounds
  3. 22 vowel sounds and 22 consonant sounds
  4. 26 vowel sounds and 18 consonant sounds

RP English has 44 phonemes in total, made up of 20 vowel sounds (12 monophthongs and 8 diphthongs) and 24 consonant sounds. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed. (CUP); JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English, Section C)

26. In phonetics, what is a 'consonant cluster'?

  1. A sequence of two or more consonant sounds occurring together with no vowel sound between them
  2. A single consonant letter that is written twice in a word
  3. A vowel sound that is immediately followed by a consonant sound
  4. Two vowel sounds pronounced together as one syllable

A consonant cluster is a group of two or more consonant sounds that occur together in a syllable without an intervening vowel, as in the initial 'spr-' of 'spring'. (JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English, Section C objectives (differentiating consonant types, including clusters); Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP))

27. What is the maximum number of consonant sounds that can occur together at the beginning of an English syllable, as illustrated by the word 'spring'?

  1. One
  2. Two
  3. Three
  4. Four

English permits a maximum of three consonant sounds in an initial cluster, as in 'spring' /spr-/ and 'strong' /str-/. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP), chapter on the syllable)

28. The word 'texts' ends with a consonant cluster made up of how many consonant sounds?

  1. Two
  2. Three
  3. Four
  4. Five

'Texts' is pronounced /teksts/, so the final cluster '-ksts' contains four consonant sounds. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP), chapter on the syllable)

29. Which of the following words ends with a four-consonant sound cluster?

  1. string
  2. splash
  3. cats
  4. twelfths

'Twelfths' is pronounced /twelfθs/, ending in the four-consonant cluster '-lfθs'; the other words end in clusters of one or two consonant sounds. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP), chapter on the syllable)

30. Which of these words begins with a cluster of three consonant sounds?

  1. black
  2. plan
  3. string
  4. trust

'String' begins with the three-consonant cluster /str-/, whereas 'black', 'plan' and 'trust' each begin with only two consonant sounds. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP), chapter on the syllable)

31. The sound /θ/ heard in 'think' and 'thumb' is a voiceless consonant sound. Which of the following words contains its voiced counterpart, /ð/?

  1. throne
  2. three
  3. this
  4. thin

'This' is pronounced with the voiced sound /ð/, while 'throne', 'three' and 'thin' all contain the voiceless sound /θ/. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP); JAMB UTME Syllabus, Use of English, Section C objectives)

32. In which of these words is the final '-s' spelling pronounced as the voiced sound /z/ rather than /s/?

  1. cats
  2. books
  3. dogs
  4. laughs

Because 'dog' ends in the voiced sound /g/, the plural '-s' is pronounced /z/; after the voiceless sounds in 'cats', 'books' and 'laughs', it is pronounced /s/. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP); Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

33. In which of the following words is the initial consonant letter silent in pronunciation?

  1. knight
  2. night
  3. light
  4. sight

'Knight' begins with a silent 'k', so it is pronounced identically to 'night'; the other words have no silent initial consonant. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

34. Which of the following words contains a silent consonant letter?

  1. clip
  2. cliff
  3. click
  4. climb

'Climb' ends with a silent 'b' and is pronounced /klaɪm/; 'clip', 'cliff' and 'click' have no silent consonant. (Daniel Jones, Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (CUP))

35. Which pair of consonant sounds differs only in voicing, one being voiceless and the other voiced?

  1. /p/ and /b/
  2. /p/ and /m/
  3. /s/ and /r/
  4. /t/ and /l/

/p/ and /b/ are produced with the same place and manner of articulation (bilabial plosives) but differ only in that /p/ is voiceless and /b/ is voiced. (Peter Roach, English Phonetics and Phonology (CUP), chapter on consonants)

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