JAMB ARABIC SYLLABUS FOR UNIFIED TERTIARY MATRICULATION EXAMINATION (UTME) – Download the JAMB Arabic Syllabus 2025 PDF with full UTME topics, grammar rules, literature, and recommended books. Get the best study guide to pass JAMB Arabic with high scores!
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GENERAL OBJECTIVES
The Arabic syllabus for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is designed to assess candidates’ proficiency and readiness for tertiary education. The primary objectives of this syllabus include:
- Demonstrating comprehension skills by accurately answering questions in standard Arabic.
- Translating simple texts between English and Arabic effectively.
- Applying Arabic grammatical rules in practical contexts.
- Analyzing and appreciating Arabic literary works within their historical and cultural settings.
- Utilizing Arabic as a global language for effective communication where necessary.
DETAILED SYLLABUS
SECTION A: COMPREHENSION
This section contains a passage of approximately seventy (70) words, followed by five multiple-choice questions. The passage will cover various topics relevant to candidates’ experiences, including:
- Current affairs
- Sports
- Education
- Politics
- Economy
- Health
- Culture
- Ethics
OBJECTIVES
Candidates should be able to:
- Identify appropriate words or phrases that convey specific meanings.
- Extract the central lesson or moral from the passage.
- Determine the main theme of the passage.
- Suggest a suitable title for the passage.
- Interpret the meanings of selected words within the passage.
SECTION B: TRANSLATION
This section comprises ten (10) questions, divided as follows:
- Five questions require translation from English to Arabic.
- Five questions require translation from Arabic to English.
Translation exercises will focus on key words, phrases, and standard sentence structures in both languages.
OBJECTIVES
Candidates should be able to:
- Select appropriate Arabic words or phrases to accurately express English terms.
- Identify suitable English equivalents for given Arabic expressions.
- Interpret idiomatic expressions in both Arabic and English.
- Accurately convey ideas from Arabic to English and vice versa.
- Communicate fluently and effectively in both languages.
SECTION C: GRAMMAR
This section evaluates candidates’ knowledge of essential Arabic grammar rules. Topics include:
- Demonstrative and Relative Pronouns (أسماء الإشارة والموصولة)
- Gender in Arabic (Masculine and Feminine – المذكر والمؤنث)
OBJECTIVES
Candidates should be able to:
- Identify different forms of demonstrative and relative pronouns.
- Compare and differentiate gender markers in Arabic grammar.
Nouns and Their Characteristics
- Characteristics of Nouns
- Dual Forms
- Plurals:
- Sound Masculine Plural (جمع المذكر السالم)
- Sound Feminine Plural (جمع المؤنث السالم)
- Broken Plural (جمع التكسير)
- Construct Phrases (المضاف والمضاف إليه)
Pronouns
- Separable and Inseparable Pronouns (الضمائر المنفصلة والمتصلة)
Appendants (التوابع)
- Adjective (النعت)
- Conjunction (العطف)
- Permutative (البدل)
- Emphasis (التوكيد)
Prepositions
- Prepositions (حروف الجر)
Verbs
- Transitive and Intransitive Verbs (الفعل اللازم والفعل المتعدي)
- Perfect Verb (الفعل الماضي)
- Imperfect Verb (الفعل المضارع):
- Indicative (المرفوع)
- Subjunctive (المنصوب)
- Jussive (المجزوم)
- Imperative Verb (الفعل الأمر)
Modifiers (النواسخ)
- Kana and its associates (كان وأخواتها)
- Inna and its associates (إن وأخواتها)
- Zanna and its associates (ظن وأخواتها)
Trilateral and Derived Verbs
- Trilateral and Derived Verbs (الفعل الثلاثي المجرد والمزيد فيه)
Derivatives (المشتقات)
- Comparative/Superlative (اسم التفضيل)
- Nouns of Instrument (اسم الآلة)
- Nouns of Time and Place (أسماء الزمان والمكان)
OBJECTIVES
Candidates should be able to:
- Identify the three fundamental characteristics of Arabic nouns.
- Differentiate between singular and dual noun forms.
- Construct plural forms from singular nouns.
- Recognize and correctly apply construct phrases.
- Distinguish between separable and inseparable pronouns.
- Apply adjectives, conjunctions, and the permutative correctly in sentences.
- Use appropriate prepositions in given sentences.
- Differentiate between transitive and intransitive verbs and apply them correctly.
- Identify and utilize perfect and imperfect verbs in sentences.
- Recognize and use imperative verbs accurately.
- Apply different types of modifiers in Arabic grammar.
- Distinguish between trilateral and derived verbs.
- Identify and use different types of derivatives effectively.
SECTION D: COMPOSITION
This section consists of five (5) questions covering topics relevant to the candidates’ lives and environment, such as:
- Education
- Culture
- Health
- Politics
- Economy
- Sports
- Current affairs
OBJECTIVES
Candidates should be able to:
- Use appropriate words for specific thoughts.
- Employ correct idiomatic expressions in Arabic.
- Communicate effectively in Arabic.
- Express ideas clearly in Arabic.
- Demonstrate the use of common Arabic idioms and proverbs.
SECTION E: ARABIC LITERATURE
This section consists of ten (10) questions on notable literary figures and their works from various historical periods. The periods include:
(A) The Pre-Islamic Period (500 – 610 C.E.)
- Zuhair ibn Abi Sulma and his wisdom poetry in Mu‘allaqāt (زهير بن أبي سلمى وأبياته الحكمية في معلقته السيمية)
- Tamadir al-Khansa’ and her elegies for her brother Sakhr (تماضر الخنساء ورثاؤها صخر الندى والذكر الدائم)
(B) The Islamic Period (610 – 1798 C.E.)
- Al-Farazdaq’s praise of Zayn al-Abidin: Hatha Alladhi Ta‘rifu al-Batha’ Watahu (الفرزدق ومدحه لزين العابدين: هذا الذي تعرف البطحاء وطأته)
- Hassan ibn Thabit’s poem on the conquest of Mecca: ‘Adimna Khaylakum In Lam Tarawha (حسان بن ثابت وقصيدته في فتح مكة: عدمنا خيلكم إن لم تروها)
- Jarir’s love poetry Ashjan al-Hawa (جرير وشعره أشجان الهوى: لقد كتمت الهوى حتى تهيّمي)
- Prophet Muhammad’s Farewell Sermon (النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وخطبته في حجة الوداع)
OBJECTIVES
Candidates should be able to:
- Identify pre-Islamic poetic traditions and conventions.
- Analyze the stylistic and figurative expressions found in Islamic literature.
SEE ASLO: JAMB Syllabus for Agriculture 2025/2026
JAMB Arabic Syllabus 2025 PDF – Full UTME Topics & Recommended Texts
Comprehension, Composition, and Translation
- بشهر أحمد معبى اندين والمرضي مغتار المرعلي – المطافعة الواعة، لكنو: شركة طن لامى وأمتانه.
- يد حمرة مالك: الإملاء العربي المتوسط (لقداري الكائوية)، إيادة: سلبعة الجامعة، با.ذا.مى 2005م.
- عد النقاح صعوى وعلي معس بقك: القراءة الرشيدة، الجزء 1 – 4، القاهرة: دار المعارف.
- عدد انه السطيب: سمير التلاميذ، الجزء 2، اندر متوم مكتب النشر.
- هرل زارج (1999م): كينوك الإسلام، كنو: مطيعة جامعة ونوق.
- محمد الأول فوبكر وآخرون: العربية المرة الجديدة للمرحلة الثانوية، إبادن: دار سبكتره للطباعة والنشر.
- محيد بديع شريف ومتين حكيرو الحاج – حسبن ادمو: العربية الجودة في نيجيريا، الكتاب 1-3، إكيجا: نونغمن.
- Adekileran, A. I.: Learning Arabic Language, Ilorin.
- Balegun, I. A. B. & Oseni, Z. L. (1982): A Modern Arabic Course Book, Lagos: Islamic Publications.
- Haywood, J. A. & Nahmad, H. M. (1964): A New Arabic Grammar of the Written Language, London: Lund Humphries.
- Malik, B. H. A. (1982): A Guide to Arabic Composition, Books 1 & 2, Lagos: I.P.H.
- Arabic newspapers, magazines, and journals.
Grammar
- ماى الجارم ومحلةى أصن: النحو الواضح للمرحلة الابتدائية، الأجزاء 1-3، القاهرة: دار المعارف.
- محمد أجوم السدهاجي: متن الآجُرُّومية، القاهرة.
- محمد سجى الدون عبد الحميد: التحفة السنية بشرح المقدمة الآجُرُّومية، بيروت: دار الفكر.
- Haywood, J. A. & Nahmad, H. M. (1965): A New Arabic Grammar of the Written Language, London: Lund Humphries.
Arabic Literature
- زكريا حسين: المادة الأدبية لطلاب العربية في إفريقيا، أوتثى: دار النور، 2004م (NECO/WAEC).
- زكريا حسين: قصص خط الاستواء، دار النور، أوتثى 2005م (NECO/WAEC).
- مصطفى لطفي المنفلوطي: العبرات، بيروت والقاهرة (2004) (WAEC/NECO).
- جميل عبد الله الكتوي: ادفع بالتي هي أحسن، مكتبة الحكمة الإسلامية، كفو، 2013م (NECO/WAEC).
- أحمد الإسكندري وآخرون: المفصل في تاريخ الأدب العربي (NECO/WAEC).
Transliteration of the Above Books
- ZAKARIYAU I. OSENI: AL-MA’DUBAT AL-ADABIYYAH.
- ZAKARIYAU I. OSENI: QISASU KHATTUL-ISTIWA’T, DARUL NUR, AUCHI.
- MUSTAPHA LUTF AL-MANFALUTI: AL-ABARAT.
- JAMIL ABDULLAHI ALKANAWI: IDFA’A BIL LATI HIYA AHSAN.
- AHMAD AL ASKANDARI WAL AKHARUN: ALMUFASSAL FI TARIKH AL ADABUL ARABI.