What the Exam Expects
Literature in English is a subject where there is no shortcut around reading. The paper includes questions on the prescribed texts and on general literary knowledge, such as literary terms and the features of prose, drama and poetry. Candidates who have read the texts answer quickly. Candidates who have not are left guessing between options that look equally possible.
The first step is to confirm which texts are currently prescribed. The official JAMB syllabus or brochure gives the list, and it can change over time. Do not rely on a friend, an old classmate or an online summary from earlier years.
Plan Your Reading Backwards
Count the texts and estimate pages. Decide how many weeks you have, then divide. A reading plan beats good intentions.
- Add the pages: 120 + 90 + 150 = 360 pages
- Count the reading days: 8 weeks x 6 days = 48 days
- Divide: 360 / 48 = 7.5 pages per day
- Round up to 8 pages per day to leave slack
Start with the plan, because most students who struggle with Literature simply start late. Short daily reading is more effective than one large session near the exam.
What to Note While You Read
Do not underline everything. Use a small notebook or cards with the same headings for each text:
- Setting. Where and when, and how it affects the story.
- Plot. Five to ten key events in order.
- Characters. A one-line note each: who they are, what they want, how they change.
- Themes. The big ideas, such as power, tradition versus change, love, greed or justice, with one example for each.
- Style and language. Narrative point of view, tone, notable devices and examples.
- Key quotes. Only a few short lines, and the speaker.
Prose, Drama and Poetry: Different Habits
Prose (novels and stories)
Track the order of events and the relationships between characters. Pay attention to the narrator: who tells the story, and how much do they know? Knowing the point of view helps answer questions on style.
Drama
Learn the structure: acts, scenes, stage directions, soliloquy, aside, dialogue and conflict. Note what each major scene changes in the plot. Drama questions often ask about the turning point or the role of a character.
Poetry
Read each poem aloud. Write one line on what it is about, the speaker's mood and the main devices. Learn the common forms and terms, such as stanza, rhyme scheme, rhythm, refrain and imagery.
Know the Literary Devices Cold
Devices show up in extracts and in general questions, so they are some of the easiest marks. Be able to define and spot the following.
| Device | Quick meaning |
|---|---|
| Simile | Comparison using like or as |
| Metaphor | Direct comparison without like or as |
| Personification | Giving human qualities to non-human things |
| Irony | Meaning that differs from what is said or expected |
| Hyperbole | Deliberate exaggeration |
| Alliteration | Repeated starting consonant sounds |
| Symbolism | An object or action that stands for an idea |
- Look for a non-human thing doing a human action: the wind whispers
- Check for like or as: none appears, so it is not a simile
- Check whether it is a direct comparison: the wind is not said to be something else
How to Answer the Question Types
Most questions fall into a few patterns. Practise each one.
- Who said or did what? This tests your character notes. Link names to key scenes.
- What is the theme? Choose the option that matches the main idea of the passage, not just a detail in it.
- What device is used? Match the extract to the definition.
- What does the extract reveal? Look for tone, character or setting clues.
- General terms. Definitions of genres and features, such as tragedy, comedy, satire, elegy and ode.
Eliminate options that contradict the text. When two options look close, pick the one supported by a specific event or line you remember.
Revision and Mistakes to Avoid
- Relying only on summaries and film adaptations. They often drop details or change the plot.
- Reading late and fast, so that characters blur together.
- Learning devices without practising them on extracts.
- Ignoring poetry because it feels hard. Poems are short, so you can revise them quickly.
- Skipping past questions. They show you how the examiner phrases things.
What to Do Today
- Confirm the current prescribed texts on the official JAMB syllabus
- Count the pages and divide by your available days
- Set a daily reading slot
- Start a notebook with headings for setting and plot and characters and themes
- Learn the seven literary devices in the table
- Try five past questions on devices