JAMB Literature in English Syllabus 2025/2026

The JAMB 2025/2026 syllabus for Literature in English is now officially out. Are you writing Literature for the forthcoming Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination as one of your subject combinations? Find and download what is expected to be asked in the examination on this page.

Examination TypeUTME / Direct Entry
Examination Year2025/2026
SyllabusLiterature-in-English
File FormatPDF
File Size90KB

The JAMB syllabus for Literature in English provides an outline of the topics and subtopics that will be covered in the examination. This syllabus serves as a guide for students, helping them to know what to expect and plan their studies accordingly. Plus, the syllabus also make provisions for recommended text books to read.

General Objectives

By the end of your preparation through the syllabus, you should be able to:

  1. Stimulate and sustain their interest in Literature in English
  2. Create an awareness of the general principles of Literature and the functions of language
  3. Appreciate literary works of all genres and across all cultures
  4. Apply the knowledge of Literature in English to the understanding of cultural literature, political and economic activities in the society

Also Read: Free Download of the JAMB 2025/2026 Syllabus PDF: Syllabus System (IBASS)

JAMB Syllabus for Literature-in-English

TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTESOBJECTIVES
1. DRAMA

a. Types:
i. Tragedy
ii. Comedy
iii. Tragicomedy
iv. Melodrama
v. Farce
vi. Opera etc.

b. Dramatic Techniques
i. Characterisation
ii. Dialogue
iii. Flashback
iv. Mime
v. Costume
vi. Music/Dance
vii. Décor/scenery
viii. Acts/Scenes
ix. Soliloquy/aside
x. Figures of Speech..

c. Interpretation of the Prescribed
Texts
i. Theme
ii. Plot
iii. Socio-political context
iv. Setting
Candidates should be able to:

a.i. identify the various types of drama;
a.ii. analyse the contents of the various types of drama;
a.iii. compare and contrast the features of different types of drama.

b.i. demonstrate adequate knowledge of dramatic techniques
and stage directions used in each prescribed text;
b.ii. differentiate between styles of selected playwrights;

c.i determine the theme of any prescribed text;
c.ii. identify the plot of the play;
c.iii. apply the lessons of the play to social reality.
c.iv. identify the spatial setting and temporal period of the play.
2. PROSE

a. Types: Prose fiction
i. Fiction
– Novel
– Novella/Novelette
– Short story

ii. Non-fiction
– Biography
– Autobiography
– Memoir

iii. Faction: combination of fact and fiction

b. Narrative Techniques/Devices:
i. Point of view
– Omniscient
– First Person
– Second person
– Third person
– Stream of consciousness
– Epiphany

ii. Characterisation
– Round, flat, foil, hero, antihero villain, heroine. etc

iii. Language

c. Textual Analysis
i. Theme
ii. Plot
iii. Setting (Temporal/Spatial)
iv. Socio-political context
Candidates should be able to:

a.i. differentiate between types of novel.
a.ii. identify the category that each prescribed text belongs to;
a.iii. analyse the components of each type of prose;
a.iv. identify the balance of facts and fiction in literary faction.

b.i. identify the narrative techniques used in each of the prescribed texts;
b.ii. determine an author’s narrative style;
b.iii. distinguish between one type of character from another;
b.iv. Grammar, diction and clarity of expression.

c.i. determine the thematic pre-occupation of the prescribed text;
c.ii. indicate the plot of the novel;
c.iii. identify the setting and period/timing of the novel.
c.iv. relate the prescribed text to social reality.
3. POETRY

a. Types:
i. Sonnet
ii. Ode
iii. Lyrics
iv. Elegy
v. Ballad
vi. Panegyric
vii. Epic
viii. Blank Verse, etc.

b. Poetic devices
i. Imagery
ii. Sound (Rhyme/Rhythm, repetition, pun, onomatopoeia, etc.)
iii. Diction
iv. Persona

c. Appreciation
i. Thematic preoccupation
ii. Socio-political relevance
iii. Style.
Candidates should be able to:

a.i. identify different types of poetry;
a.ii. identify the distinctive features of the poetic types.

b.i. determine the devices used by various poets;
b.ii. show how poetic devices are used for aesthetic effect in each poem;
b.iii. identify the figure of speech in the texts.
b.iv. Show how poetic devices convey message and meaning.

c.i. Deduce the poet’s thematic preoccupation from the poem;
c.ii. appraise poetry as an art with moral values;
c.iii. apply the lessons from the poem to social reality
4. GENERAL LITERARY
PRINCIPLES

a. Literary terms:
foreshadowing, suspense, theatre, monologue, dialogue, soliloquy, symbolism, protagonist, antagonist, figures of speech, satire, stream of consciousness, synecdoche, metonymy, etc, in addition to those listed above under the different genres.
Candidates should be able to:

a.i. identify literary terms that are specific to drama, prose and poetry;
a.ii. identify areas of overlap in all the genres e.g. verse in drama and poetry, narration in all the genres.
5. LITERARY APPRECIATION

Unseen passages/extracts from Drama, Prose and Poetry.
Candidates should be able to:

i. identify literary devices used in a given passage/extract;
ii. provide an interpretation of the given passage/extract;
iii. relate the extract to true life experiences.

Download JAMB 2025 Syllabus for Literature in English

Click the button below to download the full 2025 Literature in English syllabus on your smartphone or laptop.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Literature in English section of the JAMB exam typically contains 40 questions. These are a mix of objective and comprehension-based questions.

Study all prescribed texts thoroughly and practice answering past questions based on the syllabus to increase your chances of success.

The syllabus provides a list of recommended plays, novels, and poetry collections, so download it to find what texts to focus on.

You can download the latest syllabus on this page or the official JAMB website.

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