How to Score High in JAMB Oral English – 2025 Tips

Oral English is one part of the JAMB Use of English paper that many students ignore or rush through. It usually carries about 10 questions, and while that might not seem like much, those 10 marks could make the difference between 210 and 230—or even help you cross a competitive cut-off mark.

The good news is: you don’t need to speak or read aloud. JAMB is simply testing how well you understand how English sounds when spoken. Once you understand the rules and practice often, scoring high in Oral English becomes easy.

What JAMB Oral English Covers

JAMB tests your ability to recognize correct sounds, stress patterns, and word groupings. The questions are mostly based on:

• Vowel sounds
• Consonant sounds
• Rhyming words
• Word stress
• Intonation and sentence rhythm

Each question is multiple choice, and the options may seem similar—but only one is correct based on how it sounds.

Key Areas You Must Practice

1. Vowel and Consonant Sounds

JAMB may ask which word has a different vowel or consonant sound.

Example:
Which of these words has a different vowel sound?
A. seat
B. sit
C. sheep
D. leak
Correct answer: B. sit (It has a short /ɪ/ sound while others have /i:/)

To prepare well, learn the 20 vowel sounds and 24 consonant sounds. You don’t need to memorize symbols—just understand the difference between long and short sounds.

2. Rhyming Words

You may be asked which group of words rhyme.

Practice how words like go, show, throw sound the same, and how love and move may look similar but don’t rhyme.

3. Stress Patterns

This is one of the most common Oral English questions. You’ll be given a word and asked to choose where the stress falls.

Example:
Where is the stress in the word “import” when used as a noun?
Answer: First syllable → IMport
As a verb? → Second syllable → imPORT

So, part of your preparation should be learning how stress shifts depending on how a word is used.

Tips to Practice Oral English Without Stress

• Listen to native speakers: Watch news channels, YouTube lessons, or BBC Learning English. Focus on how words are pronounced and where the stress falls.
• Read aloud: Practice reading English passages and noticing how you naturally stress certain words.
• Use online tools: Apps like YouDictionary or Cambridge Dictionary allow you to hear word pronunciations with stress.
• Practice past JAMB Oral English questions: This helps you understand the pattern and types of questions JAMB likes to ask.

READ ALSO: How to Prepare for Use of English in JAMB 2025 and Pass Easily

Final Advice

Oral English may seem technical, but with daily exposure and focused practice, it becomes easy to master. You don’t need to sound British or American—you just need to recognize the correct sounds and stress patterns.

So don’t ignore this section. Practice it like the others, and those 10 questions will be 10 easy marks on exam day.