Sample WAEC-style Practice Questions (Original Content)
WAEC Style
Question 1
The details of the plan were obscure even to the staff.
- A. hidden
- B. clear
- C. famous
- D. difficult
Answer: A. hidden
Explanation: Obscure means not discovered or known about; uncertain or hidden.
Question 2
The widow began to lament the loss of her husband.
- A. celebrate
- B. mourn
- C. ignore
- D. forget
Answer: B. mourn
Explanation: To lament means to express passionate grief or sorrow; to mourn.
Question 3
Success comes to those who are diligent in their studies.
- A. lazy
- B. wealthy
- C. hard-working
- D. clever
Answer: C. hard-working
Explanation: Diligent means having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work; hard-working.
Question 4
We need a pragmatic approach to solve this traffic problem.
- A. practical
- B. theoretical
- C. fast
- D. expensive
Answer: A. practical
Explanation: Pragmatic means dealing with things sensibly and realistically; practical.
Question 5
The editor decided to abridge the long manuscript.
- A. lengthen
- B. shorten
- C. destroy
- D. publish
Answer: B. shorten
Explanation: To abridge means to shorten a piece of writing without losing the sense.
Question 11
The meeting ended in total chaos.
- A. noise
- B. order
- C. confusion
- D. fighting
Answer: B. order
Explanation: Chaos means complete disorder and confusion; the opposite is order.
Question 12
The new manager is very arrogant.
- A. proud
- B. humble
- C. wealthy
- D. rude
Answer: B. humble
Explanation: Arrogant means having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance; the opposite is humble.
Question 13
He was known for being stingy with his resources.
- A. mean
- B. generous
- C. careful
- D. quiet
Answer: B. generous
Explanation: Stingy means unwilling to give or spend; the opposite is generous.
Question 14
The wall was painted with vertical stripes.
- A. upright
- B. horizontal
- C. diagonal
- D. crooked
Answer: B. horizontal
Explanation: Vertical means up-and-down; the opposite is horizontal (left-to-right).
Question 15
They found ancient artifacts in the desert.
- A. old
- B. modern
- C. valuable
- D. dusty
Answer: B. modern
Explanation: Ancient means belonging to the very distant past; the opposite is modern.
Question 21
Don't be a wet blanket at the party tonight.
- A. a person who is wet
- B. someone who spoils the fun
- C. someone who brings a blanket
- D. a very helpful person
Answer: B. someone who spoils the fun
Explanation: A "wet blanket" is a person who discourages enjoyment or enthusiasm.
Question 22
The manager turned a deaf ear to our complaints.
- A. became deaf
- B. refused to listen
- C. listened carefully
- D. shouted at us
Answer: B. refused to listen
Explanation: To "turn a deaf ear" means to refuse to listen to something or ignore it.
Question 23
Investments in education will pay off in the long run.
- A. after a marathon
- B. eventually
- C. immediately
- D. never
Answer: B. eventually
Explanation: "In the long run" means over a long period of time or in the end.
Question 24
When he moved to the city, he felt like a fish out of water.
- A. very thirsty
- B. uncomfortable in a new situation
- C. happy to be free
- D. ready to swim
Answer: B. uncomfortable in a new situation
Explanation: A "fish out of water" refers to a person in a completely unsuitable environment or situation.
Question 25
The pilot managed to keep his head during the emergency.
- A. look straight ahead
- B. remain calm
- C. shout for help
- D. save his life
Answer: B. remain calm
Explanation: To "keep one's head" means to remain calm and sensible in a difficult or crisis situation.
Question 31
Neither the governor nor his deputies ______ present at the ceremony.
- A. was
- B. were
- C. is
- D. has been
Answer: B. were
Explanation: With "neither/nor", the verb agrees with the closer subject (his deputies), which is plural.
Question 32
John is very good ______ Mathematics.
- A. in
- B. at
- C. with
- D. for
Answer: B. at
Explanation: The adjective "good" (meaning skillful) is followed by the preposition "at".
Question 33
If I ______ the money, I would have bought that house.
- A. have
- B. had
- C. had had
- D. have had
Answer: C. had had
Explanation: This is a third conditional (unreal past). It requires "if + past perfect (had had)".
Question 34
The man ______ son won the scholarship is very proud.
- A. who
- B. whose
- C. whom
- D. which
Answer: B. whose
Explanation: "Whose" is the possessive relative pronoun.
Question 35
The students ______ the classroom before the teacher arrived.
- A. left
- B. have left
- C. had left
- D. are leaving
Answer: C. had left
Explanation: Use past perfect (had left) for an action completed before another action in the past.
Question 36
She bought a ______ dress for the wedding.
- A. silk blue beautiful
- B. beautiful blue silk
- C. blue beautiful silk
- D. silk beautiful blue
Answer: B. beautiful blue silk
Explanation: Adjective order: Opinion (beautiful), Color (blue), Material (silk).
Question 37
You are coming to the party, ______?
- A. are you
- B. aren't you
- C. don't you
- D. you aren't
Answer: B. aren't you
Explanation: A positive statement takes a negative question tag.
Question 38
I am looking ______ my lost keys.
- A. at
- B. for
- C. after
- D. on
Answer: B. for
Explanation: "Look for" means to search for something.
Note: Questions 39-50 follow the same grammar structure.
Question 39
He hasn't got ______ money in his pocket.
- A. many
- B. much
- C. plenty
- D. few
Answer: B. much
Explanation: "Much" is used for uncountable nouns like money in negative sentences.
Question 40
The teacher asked us ______ our books to the next class.
- A. bring
- B. to bring
- C. bringing
- D. brought
Answer: B. to bring
Explanation: The verb "ask" is followed by the object + infinitive (to bring).
Question 41
Not only ______ the window, but he also broke the door.
- A. he broke
- B. did he break
- C. he has broken
- D. he breaks
Answer: B. did he break
Explanation: When "Not only" begins a sentence, the subject and auxiliary verb must be inverted.
Question 42
This is ______ best film I have ever seen.
Answer: B. the
Explanation: Use the definite article "the" with superlative adjectives like "best".
Question 43
The students enjoy ______ football every Saturday.
- A. to play
- B. playing
- C. play
- D. played
Answer: B. playing
Explanation: The verb "enjoy" is followed by a gerund (-ing).
Question 44
Everyone ______ to be careful when crossing the road.
- A. must
- B. have
- C. has
- D. should
Answer: C. has
Explanation: "Everyone" is a singular pronoun and takes the singular verb "has" (in the context of "has to").
Question 45
One of the boys ______ missing from the camp yesterday.
- A. are
- B. were
- C. was
- D. have been
Answer: C. was
Explanation: The subject "One" is singular, so the verb must be singular "was".
Question 46
This room is ______ than the one we stayed in last year.
- A. more large
- B. largest
- C. larger
- D. most large
Answer: C. larger
Explanation: The comparative form of "large" is "larger".
Question 47
The cake ______ by my mother for my birthday.
- A. baked
- B. was baked
- C. is baking
- D. was baking
Answer: B. was baked
Explanation: This is a passive voice sentence.
Question 48
I suggest that he ______ the meeting tomorrow.
- A. attends
- B. attend
- C. should attend
- D. attended
Answer: B. attend
Explanation: This is the subjunctive mood used after verbs of suggestion; the base form "attend" is used.
Question 49
Hardly ______ the station when the train left.
- A. reached I
- B. had I reached
- C. I reached
- D. did I reach
Answer: B. had I reached
Explanation: Inversion occurs after negative adverbs like "Hardly".
Question 50
You will not succeed ______ you work very hard.
- A. if
- B. unless
- C. because
- D. when
Answer: B. unless
Explanation: "Unless" means "if... not", which fits the logic of the sentence.
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