Eduisle.com has compiled all the senior WAEC English Language past questions and answers in PDF format to help students prepare effectively for the exam.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) English Language examination is a compulsory subject taken by students in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and The Gambia. The exam assesses students’ proficiency in English, which is a core subject for further education and career prospects.
Using EDUISLE.COM past questions is a smart way to prepare because it gives you a clear idea of what to expect in the exam, helps you practice answering questions, and improves your chances of success. (A1, B3 etc).
Download Senior WAEC English Language past questions in PDF
Answer three questions in all: one question from Section A and all the questions in Sections B and C.
SECTION A
ESSAY
[50 marks]
Answer one question only from this section.
All questions carry equal marks. Your answer should not be less than 450 words.
You are advised to spend about 50 minutes on this section.
- The Old Students’ Association of your school has just erected an ultra-modern hall for the school. As the senior prefect, write a letter to the chairman thanking him for this project and pointing out three other areas in which the school needs assistance.
- Several demonstrations have been organized in the past few months in your country. Write an article for publication in one of your national newspapers, discussing the causes of these demonstrations and proposing three ways by which the government could deal with them.
- You are the principal speaker in a debate on the motion: Living in one’s country is more advantageous than living abroad. Write your argument for or against the motion.
- Your friend wrote a letter to you and a part of it reads: “I think I am going to fail the examinations! I don’t know what to do.” Write a letter of encouragement to your friend, discussing at least three things he or she can do to manage examination jitters.
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Write a story that ends with the statement: I was mistaken to have thought the night would be like other peaceful nights.
SECTION B
COMPREHENSION
[20 marks]
You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this section.
6. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
I got home late on the day of the party. Although I had planned to be home early, the heavy traffic scuttled my plan. The party was in full swing by the time I arrived, with our street lined up with cars. I entered the compound and stood for several minutes, watching the scene before me with awe. My wife had spared no expenses in organizing the party.
I watched my son beam with delight. He had made me proud and was now getting his reward. My plan had worked. I hadn’t believed it would do the trick but I knew I just had to motivate him to do better than being content with the tenth position every term for the past two years. I knew he could be the best in his class, but he was just not trying hard enough. His lack of push was a weight on my shoulders and it was clear he needed an incentive. So, when he approached me with his yearly demand for a party, an idea occurred to me. I had always declined his request for an elaborate celebration. It was not for lack of money; I just never believed in living ostentatiously. Maybe my austere background had something to do with it. After all, as a manager of a reputable bank, I earned enough to make life comfortable for my family of four.
My plan to have a small family sprang from my desire to give my children the best in life. They were in one of the best schools and were always well-groomed.
Looking at the children enjoying themselves took me down memory lane. I remembered my days in school when I was at that age. Things were quite difficult for me while growing up. My parents were separated and my father had taken another wife who treated me with disdain. I worked like a grown-up man on my father’s farm to get produce to sell so as to pay my school fees. My consolation those days was my strong belief that I would make it one day; after all, every cloud has a silver lining.
After my secondary school education, I knew I had to get a job, as any hope of going further in my education was slim despite my good grades. I went to Lagos to live with my uncle, who was accommodating and soon got me a job in a bank. Through hard work and after passing various professional examinations, I rose to the peak of my career.
The joyous shouts of the children roused me from my reminiscences, I realized that if I had not used my son’s obsession for a party as a carrot for push, we wouldn’t be celebrating his resounding success today. As soon as he knew the reward for coming first in his class, he worked hard like never before. He also surprised us by being the best student in all his subjects, even in Mathematics, which used to be his Achilles’ heel.
The plan was worth it, though I still lament the amount of money it gulped.
Questions:
(a) What was the writer’s plan for his son?
(b) Why was the writer dissatisfied with his son’s performance?
(c) State two challenges that the writer faced while growing up.
(d) What is the writer’s attitude to life?
SECTION B: COMPREHENSION (Continued)
[20 marks]
You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this section.
7. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
Unlike a good number of boys who absent themselves from school for all manner of reasons, some students are more disciplined. Many boys attend parties when lessons are on, hide in various locations to commit cybercrimes, or engage in other nefarious activities. Therefore, boys have higher cases of truancy, resulting in a decline in their academic performance.
Certain consequences may result from this present situation. Most top positions in public and private establishments might eventually be occupied by women who have the required academic qualifications. Companies and industries are in constant patronage and will engage only the topmost brains with the necessary experience to occupy leadership positions. Thus, more female graduates and award-winners will qualify for these positions over men.
The effect will most likely be felt in homes where women are married to men who have lower academic qualifications. When rich senior school certificate holders are husbands of graduates or Ph.D. holders, misunderstandings and conflicts are bound to occur. The wives are likely to view issues from a broader perspective, while their husbands may consider their opinions as confrontational. Peace and harmony may become elusive in such homes.
Nevertheless, the development so far should make women very proud. But with more women than men as managers and policymakers, the downside is that there may be instances when women will use their higher number in positions of authority to formulate policies that will favour them and possibly dominate the males.
In conclusion, while the campaign for the educational progress of women should be sustained, efforts should be intensified to arrest the current decline in the interest of young men in education. Abundant benefits await society if there is a balance in the educational attainment of both genders.
Questions:
(a) In three sentences, one for each, summarize three indicators of the decline in the education of males according to the passage.
(b) In three sentences, one for each, summarize three likely consequences of the decline in the education of males according to the passage.
SECTION B: COMPREHENSION (Continued)
[20 marks]
You are advised to spend about 30 minutes on this section.
8. Answer the following questions based on the passage.
(e) What two pieces of evidence in the passage suggest that the writer’s children were well cared for?
Answer:
- “…no expenses were spared in organizing the party.”
- “They were in one of the best schools and were always well-groomed.”
(f) “(…) no expenses (…)”
(i) What is the grammatical name given to this expression as it is used in the passage?
Answer: Noun phrase.
(ii) What is its function?
Answer: It acts as the subject of the clause, showing the emphasis on the cost involved in organizing the party.
(g) “His lack of push was a weight on my shoulders.”
What figure of speech is used in the expression above?
Answer:
Metaphor.
For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and can replace it as it is used in the passage:
(i) scuttled;
Answer: Disrupted.
(ii) ostentatiously;
Answer: Lavishly.
(iii) reputable;
Answer: Respected.
(iv) sprang;
Answer: Emerged.
(v) well-groomed;
Answer: Neatly dressed.
(vi) reminiscences.
Answer: Memories.
SECTION C: SUMMARY
[30 marks]
You are advised to spend about 40 minutes on this section.
9. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
The campaign for the education of the girl-child appears to have achieved outstanding success. Many parents were once indifferent to the education of the girl-child, but now, boys seem to have become less serious with their studies. This calls for a determined effort to save the boy-child’s education from further decline and avoid unpleasant consequences for both genders and society.
It has been observed that more girls than boys now enrol for secondary and tertiary education, a reversal of trends from forty years ago. Today, the population of boys and girls in classrooms is either equal or girls outnumber boys. After obtaining their first degree, many young men prefer to work to raise money for marriage, while their female counterparts often pursue higher degrees while waiting to marry. As a result, more females register for postgraduate programmes in various fields.
In addition, female students now seem to perform better academically than males. Girls often top the list of best students in class, and more girls than boys earn first-class honours at university. A notable example occurred at a university graduation dinner for new dental surgeons, where only two men stood up for recognition out of twenty-one graduates, the rest being women.
Girls also show greater commitment to education, attending classes regularly while boys are more likely to skip school for parties, hide in various places to engage in cybercrimes, or partake in other nefarious activities. This truancy has led to a noticeable decline in the academic performance of boys.
Questions:
(a) In three sentences, one for each, summarize three indicators of the decline in the education of males according to the passage.
(b) In three sentences, one for each, summarize three likely consequences of the decline in the education of males according to the passage.
Can I Download WAEC English Past Questions in PDF ?
The PDF has been created. You can download it using the link below:
Download WAEC English Language Section A, B, & C PDF.
Visit https://t.me/waec_neco_exam_hub to get free WAEC English past questions and answers in PDF format. Prepare well and pass your exam with confidence!
SECTION C | Summary of the Decline in Male Education:
Indicators of Decline in Male Education:
- More girls than boys are enrolling in secondary and tertiary education, with females often outnumbering males in classrooms.
- Girls are performing better academically, with more females topping the list of best students and earning first-class honours.
- Boys are more likely to engage in truancy, attending parties or committing cybercrimes during school hours, resulting in poorer academic performance.
Consequences of the Decline in Male Education:
- More females will qualify for top positions in public and private sectors, as they will have better academic qualifications than males.
- Homes may experience conflicts when women with higher qualifications marry men with lower education levels, leading to misunderstandings.
- Women in leadership positions may use their authority to create policies that favour women over men, potentially disrupting gender balance in society.