Aims and Objectives of Practicing These JAMB Literature CBT Questions

As you prepare for the 2026 JAMB Literature in English Examination, practicing CBT questions is one of the smartest steps you can take. Here is why these questions matter:

1. Familiarity With JAMB CBT Format

Practicing CBT-style questions helps you understand how JAMB sets questions, the level of difficulty, and the timing expected in the real exam.

2. Improvement in Speed and Accuracy

The more you practice, the faster you become at identifying correct answers — a very important skill in a timed exam like JAMB.

3. Better Understanding of Texts and Literary Devices

You will improve your knowledge of themes, characters, plots, poetry techniques, drama elements, and unseen passages.

4. Confidence Building

Practice reduces fear. When you already know the pattern, you enter the hall with full confidence.

5. Higher Chances of Scoring 70–90% in Literature

Practicing several CBT questions increases your chances of excelling in Literature, improving your overall JAMB score.

✅ 100 JAMB CBT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

Below are well-curated questions across Prose, Poetry, Drama, and General Literary Principles.

SECTION A: GENERAL LITERATURE (Questions 1–30)

1. A literary work that teaches a moral lesson is called a —
   Answer: Didactic work
2. The sequence of events in a narrative is known as —
   Answer: Plot
3. A comparison using “like” or “as” is called —
   Answer: Simile
4. The central idea of a literary work is the —
   Answer: Theme
5. The point of view where the narrator participates in the story is —
   Answer: First-person point of view
6. A story in which animals behave like humans is called —
   Answer: Fable
7. A drama meant to evoke laughter is known as —
   Answer: Comedy
8. A figure of speech that addresses an absent person or object is —
   Answer: Apostrophe
9. A sudden revelation or insight experienced by a character is —
   Answer: Epiphany
10. The struggle between opposing forces is called —
    Answer: Conflict
11. A character whose qualities contrast with another character is a —
    Answer: Foil
12. An exaggerated statement is called —
    Answer: Hyperbole
13. A story within a story is known as —
    Answer: Embedded narrative
14. Another word for the turning point in a play is —
    Answer: Climax
15. The time and place in which a story occurs is called —
    Answer: Setting
16. A short, witty poem with a clever twist is an —
    Answer: Epigram
17. A literary device where the outcome is opposite of expectations is —
    Answer: Irony
18. A character who undergoes permanent change is —
    Answer: Dynamic character
19. A scene that interrupts the present action to show past events is —
    Answer: Flashback
20. The final unraveling of a plot is the —
    Answer: Denouement
21. A device that gives human qualities to non-human things is —
    Answer: Personification
22. Words whose sounds imitate their meanings are called —
    Answer: Onomatopoeia
23. A long narrative poem about a hero is an —
    Answer: Epic
24. A speech delivered alone on stage by a character is a —
    Answer: Soliloquy
25. The main character in a literary work is the —
    Answer: Protagonist
26. A short fictional prose narrative is called —
    Answer: Short story
27. The use of hints to suggest future events is —
    Answer: Foreshadowing
28. A play with a sad ending is a —
    Answer: Tragedy
29. The author’s attitude toward the subject matter is the —
    Answer: Tone
30. The feeling aroused in the reader is called —
    Answer: Mood

SECTION B: POETRY (Questions 31–60)

31. A group of lines in a poem is called a —
    Answer: Stanza
32. The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables is called —
    Answer: Rhythm
33. The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words is —
    Answer: Alliteration
34. A poem without regular rhyme is —
    Answer: Free verse
35. The voice speaking in a poem is the —
    Answer: Persona
36. The repetition of vowel sounds is —
    Answer: Assonance
37. A 14-line poem traditionally written in iambic pentameter is a —
    Answer: Sonnet
38. A direct reference to a historical or literary event is —
    Answer: Allusion
39. The overall message or lesson of a poem is its —
    Answer: Theme
40. A type of poem that mourns the dead is an —
    Answer: Elegy
41. A poem that tells a story is a —
    Answer: Narrative poem
42. A poem praising something or someone is an —
    Answer: Ode
43. A short, musical poem is a —
    Answer: Lyric
44. A break or pause within a poetic line is called —
    Answer: Caesura
45. The use of harsh sounds in poetry is known as —
    Answer: Cacophony
46. Soft and pleasant sounds in poetry are called —
    Answer: Euphony
47. The arrangement of rhymes in a poem is its —
    Answer: Rhyme scheme
48. A poem written for performance, not reading, is —
    Answer: Spoken word poem
49. Comparing two things without “like” or “as” is a —
    Answer: Metaphor
50. A poem that recounts heroic deeds is an —
    Answer: Epic poem
51. An unexpected twist in the final line of a poem creates —
    Answer: Surprise ending
52. A poem lamenting the futility of life is often —
    Answer: Dirge
53. A poem arranged in the shape of its subject is called —
    Answer: Concrete poem
54. Poetic exaggeration is —
    Answer: Hyperbolic poetry
55. A pair of rhyming lines is called —
    Answer: Couplet
56. A narrative set to music is a —
    Answer: Ballad
57. A repeated line or chorus in a poem is a —
    Answer: Refrain
58. The emotional atmosphere of a poem is its —
    Answer: Mood
59. The poet’s choice of words is —
    Answer: Diction
60. A poem with no stanza breaks is described as —
    Answer: Continuous verse

SECTION C: DRAMA (Questions 61–85)

61. The person who writes a play is called a —
    Answer: Playwright
62. Instructions about movement and sound in a play are —
    Answer: Stage directions
63. The main division of a play is the —
    Answer: Act
64. A smaller division within an act is a —
    Answer: Scene
65. A long speech by a character to others on stage is a —
    Answer: Monologue
66. The character opposing the protagonist is the —
    Answer: Antagonist
67. The use of humor to ease tension is known as —
    Answer: Comic relief
68. The setting in which the play is acted is the —
    Answer: Stage
69. A humorous play with exaggerated characters is —
    Answer: Farce
70. The event that triggers the conflict is the —
    Answer: Inciting incident
71. Dialogue in drama refers to —
    Answer: Conversation between characters
72. A play with music, dance, and songs is a —
    Answer: Musical drama
73. A tragic flaw in the hero’s character is called —
    Answer: Hamartia
74. The audience’s emotional release in tragedy is —
    Answer: Catharsis
75. A character who provides commentary on events is —
    Answer: Chorus
76. The peak of tension in a play is the —
    Answer: Climax
77. A humorous imitation of a serious work is —
    Answer: Parody
78. When characters speak to the audience but not to others on stage, it is —
    Answer: Aside
79. A feeling of pity and fear aroused in drama refers to —
    Answer: Pathos
80. The ending of a tragedy usually results in —
    Answer: Death of the hero
81. A play dealing with ordinary people and real-life situations is —
    Answer: Domestic drama
82. The opening of a play introducing characters is —
    Answer: Exposition
83. When a play begins in the middle of action, it is —
    Answer: In medias res
84. The spectacle element of drama refers to —
    Answer: Visual effects
85. The environment or surroundings in a play is the —
    Answer: Setting

SECTION D: PROSE (Questions 86–100)

86. A long fictional narrative is a —
    Answer: Novel
87. The time and place of a story is its —
    Answer: Setting
88. An event that contradicts what the reader expects is —
    Answer: Situational irony
89. A character described with few traits is —
    Answer: Flat character
90. A character with complex traits is —
    Answer: Round character
91. A narrator who knows everything is —
    Answer: Omniscient narrator
92. A story that explains the origin of something is a —
    Answer: Myth
93. A character representing a universal pattern is an —
    Answer: Archetype
94. A story based on real events but fictionalized is —
    Answer: Historical fiction
95. A story whose characters represent moral ideas is an —
    Answer: Allegory
96. A detail that hints at future events is —
    Answer: Foreshadowing
97. A story with two levels of meaning is —
    Answer: Allegorical tale
98. A narrative that ridicules human vices is —
    Answer: Satire
99. The writer's unique use of language is their —
    Answer: Style
100. The struggle within a character is —
     Answer: Internal conflict

100 MORE JAMB LITERATURE IN ENGLISH CBT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

SECTION A: GENERAL LITERATURE (Questions 1–30)

1. The protagonist in a story who is morally good is often called a —
   Answer: Hero
2. Literature that deals with real-life situations and social issues is —
   Answer: Realistic literature
3. The main problem or struggle in a story is the —
   Answer: Conflict
4. The method an author uses to reveal a character is —
   Answer: Characterization
5. A recurring symbol, image, or idea in a literary work is —
   Answer: Motif
6. The opposite of a static character is a —
   Answer: Dynamic character
7. A story told by a narrator outside the story is —
   Answer: Third-person narrative
8. The attitude a writer expresses toward a subject is —
   Answer: Tone
9. A humorous or absurd exaggeration is —
   Answer: Caricature
10. A narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds is —
    Answer: Epic
11. A work that ridicules human foolishness is —
    Answer: Satire
12. A brief story illustrating a moral is —
    Answer: Fable
13. A narrative that criticizes society is —
    Answer: Social commentary
14. Words or phrases that evoke sensory experiences are —
    Answer: Imagery
15. The time, place, and social environment of a story is its —
    Answer: Setting
16. A struggle between opposing characters is —
    Answer: External conflict
17. A literary work based on imagination, not facts, is —
    Answer: Fiction
18. A literary work meant to teach or instruct is —
    Answer: Didactic literature
19. A character who lacks depth and development is —
    Answer: Flat character
20. The narrator who knows the thoughts of only one character is —
    Answer: Limited omniscient narrator
21. A story that has an unexpected ending employs —
    Answer: Surprise ending
22. The emotional quality of a literary work is —
    Answer: Mood
23. A short story illustrating human folly or vice is —
    Answer: Allegory
24. A character who serves as a contrast to the protagonist is a —
    Answer: Foil
25. A struggle within a character is —
    Answer: Internal conflict
26. A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole is —
    Answer: Synecdoche
27. A statement that seems contradictory but reveals truth is —
    Answer: Paradox
28. A comparison of two unlike things without using “like” or “as” is —
    Answer: Metaphor
29. The use of clues to suggest events that will happen later is —
    Answer: Foreshadowing
30. A repeated theme, idea, or object in literature is —
    Answer: Motif

SECTION B: POETRY (Questions 31–60)

31. A stanza of four lines is a —
    Answer: Quatrain
32. The use of words to imitate natural sounds is —
    Answer: Onomatopoeia
33. The repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words is —
    Answer: Assonance
34. A poem expressing personal emotions is —
    Answer: Lyric
35. A narrative poem that tells a story is —
    Answer: Ballad
36. The rhythmical pattern in a poem is —
    Answer: Meter
37. A 14-line poem in iambic pentameter is a —
    Answer: Sonnet
38. A poem that mourns the dead is an —
    Answer: Elegy
39. A stanza of three lines is a —
    Answer: Tercet
40. A direct comparison of two things using “like” or “as” is a —
    Answer: Simile
41. A poem praising someone or something is an —
    Answer: Ode
42. A figure of speech giving human qualities to non-human objects is —
    Answer: Personification
43. The emotional atmosphere of a poem is its —
    Answer: Mood
44. A subtle or indirect comparison is a —
    Answer: Analogy
45. Words that create a harsh, discordant sound are —
    Answer: Cacophony
46. Soft, melodious sounds in poetry are —
    Answer: Euphony
47. A poem arranged in the shape of its subject is a —
    Answer: Concrete poem
48. A repeated line or phrase in a poem is a —
    Answer: Refrain
49. A poem with no regular meter or rhyme is —
    Answer: Free verse
50. A story of heroic deeds in poetic form is an —
    Answer: Epic
51. An unexpected ending in a poem often creates —
    Answer: Irony
52. The poet’s choice of words and style is —
    Answer: Diction
53. A humorous or satirical poem is —
    Answer: Lampoon
54. A poem expressing sorrow or lamentation is —
    Answer: Dirge
55. The central message of a poem is its —
    Answer: Theme
56. A humorous exaggeration in poetry is —
    Answer: Hyperbole
57. The voice speaking in a poem is called the —
    Answer: Persona
58. A 5-line stanza is a —
    Answer: Cinquain
59. The deliberate use of ambiguity or double meaning is —
    Answer: Pun
60. The repetition of consonant sounds is —
    Answer: Alliteration

SECTION C: DRAMA (Questions 61–85)

61. The person who writes a play is a —
    Answer: Playwright
62. Instructions about how characters move or speak on stage are —
    Answer: Stage directions
63. A play divided into major sections is made up of —
    Answer: Acts
64. A smaller division within an act is a —
    Answer: Scene
65. A long speech delivered by a character alone on stage is —
    Answer: Soliloquy
66. A speech delivered to other characters on stage is a —
    Answer: Monologue
67. The character who opposes the protagonist is —
    Answer: Antagonist
68. The highest point of tension in a play is the —
    Answer: Climax
69. The introduction of characters, setting, and situation is the —
    Answer: Exposition
70. A play meant to evoke laughter is —
    Answer: Comedy
71. A play with a sad ending is —
    Answer: Tragedy
72. A humorous character used to relieve tension is —
    Answer: Comic relief
73. When a character speaks to the audience but not others on stage, it is —
    Answer: Aside
74. The visual elements of a play are —
    Answer: Spectacle
75. A character with a tragic flaw is said to have —
    Answer: Hamartia
76. The release of emotions experienced by the audience in tragedy is —
    Answer: Catharsis
77. Dialogue between characters is —
    Answer: Conversation
78. A short, exaggerated comedic play is —
    Answer: Farce
79. A humorous imitation of a serious work is —
    Answer: Parody
80. The environment in which a play takes place is —
    Answer: Setting
81. When a play starts in the middle of action, it is —
    Answer: In medias res
82. A play that deals with ordinary life is —
    Answer: Domestic drama
83. The point at which the conflict is resolved is the —
    Answer: Denouement
84. A character who comments on the action but does not participate is —
    Answer: Chorus
85. The hero in a tragedy usually experiences —
    Answer: Downfall

SECTION D: PROSE (Questions 86–100)

86. A long prose narrative about imaginary events is a —
    Answer: Novel
87. A brief narrative focusing on a single incident is a —
    Answer: Short story
88. A story based on true events but with fictionalized elements is —
    Answer: Historical fiction
89. A story explaining the origin of natural phenomena is a —
    Answer: Myth
90. A character representing universal qualities is an —
    Answer: Archetype
91. A story in which characters or events represent abstract ideas is —
    Answer: Allegory
92. A narrator who knows everything about all characters is —
    Answer: Omniscient narrator
93. A statement that seems contradictory but is true is —
    Answer: Paradox
94. A minor character who does not change is —
    Answer: Static character
95. The conflict within a character’s mind is —
    Answer: Internal conflict
96. A story that ridicules human vices is —
    Answer: Satire
97. Details hinting at future events in a story are —
    Answer: Foreshadowing
98. A character who is morally bad is often called a —
    Answer: Villain
99. The author’s unique style and use of language is —
    Answer: Voice
100. A story that is passed down orally is —
     Answer: Folktale