BECE 2010 English Language Past Question and Answers
Answer all questions in this section.
Each question is followed by four options lettered A to D. Find the correct answer for each question.
From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence.
1. Our teacher was late for school because he ………a flat tyre.
Solution: Past perfect ("had") is used to show an action completed before another past action (being late).
2. We had dinner at a Chinese restaurant where I ………..fried chicken.
Solution: Simple past ("enjoyed") matches the past tense of the main clause ("had dinner").
3. Ama’s father asked her to choose ………..John and William.
Solution: "Between" is used when choosing between two specific options.
4. Willie has malaria and is not ………..enough to go to school.
Solution: "Well" describes health status, while "good" describes quality.
5. The school band ………two days a week.
Solution: Collective nouns like "band" take singular verbs in American English.
6. Philomena ………passed the examination if she had tried harder.
Solution: Third conditional structure: "could have + past participle" for unreal past possibilities.
7. The law was passed according to strict legal ……….
Solution: "Legal principles" refers to fundamental doctrines governing laws.
8. The book, as well as several others, ………..interesting reading.
Solution: The subject ("book") is singular, so the verb agrees ("makes").
9. ………Joe scored the first goal, he was injured in the process.
Solution: "Although" introduces a contrast between scoring and being injured.
10. Neither Kojo nor his friend ………the issue clearly.
Solution: With "neither...nor," the verb agrees with the closer subject ("friend" - singular).
11. The ………centre is located on the hill.
Solution: Plural possessive ("women’s") is correct for a center belonging to multiple women.
12. One of the cows ………from the herd.
Solution: "One" is singular, so the verb is singular ("has strayed").
13. At the party, the guests placed an order for a large…………of drinks.
Solution: "Quantity" is used for uncountable nouns like "drinks."
14. The hall was so small that it could ………..contain all of us.
Solution: "Hardly" means "almost not," fitting the context of limited space.
15. If I were a manager, I ………..satisfy my customers.
Solution: Hypothetical ("were") requires conditional "would."
Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.
16. Florence performs creditably in all examinations.
Solution: "Creditably" means in a deserving or praiseworthy manner.
17. The choir sang some melodious songs at the function.
Solution: "Melodious" means pleasant-sounding.
18. Jane is always immaculately dressed.
Solution: "Immaculately" means perfectly clean or tidy.
19. The village was enveloped in a thick fog.
Solution: "Enveloped" means completely surrounded or covered.
20. The inquisitive stranger asked many questions.
Solution: "Inquisitive" means eager for knowledge; curious.
In each of the following sentences a group of words has been underlined. Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one that best explains the underlined group of words.
21. Whenever Kweku goes to Kumasi, he puts up with his uncle. This means that Kweku ……….
Solution: "Puts up with" means to tolerate or stay with someone.
22. I glanced over the papers as I walked home. This means that I quickly ……….the papers.
Solution: "Glanced over" means to read quickly.
23. The woman entered the room to find her daughter with her eyes glued to the television. This means that her daughter was …………the television.
Solution: "Eyes glued to" means staring fixedly at something.
24. Kojo was dragged to the farm like a lamb to the slaughter. This means that Kojo was dragged …….
Solution: The simile implies helplessness or passive acceptance.
25. The bully was ordered to leave his younger brother alone. This means that the bully was told …….
Solution: "Leave alone" means to stop bothering someone.
From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word underlined in each sentence.
26. Some of the guests at the party were rude.
Solution: "Rude" (impolite) is opposite to "courteous."
27. The lawyer supported his argument with copious evidence.
Solution: "Copious" (abundant) is opposite to "scanty."
28. If you want to be believed, you must be objective.
Solution: "Objective" (unbiased) is opposite to "subjective."
29. In all boarding schools, going out in the night is prohibited.
Solution: "Prohibited" (forbidden) is opposite to "permitted."
30. The surest way to avoid defeat is to strive for ……..
Solution: "Defeat" is opposite to "victory."
31. Suddenly the sky became dark and there was a rainstorm.
Solution: "Suddenly" (quickly) is opposite to "gradually."
32. The athlete looked dejected at the end of the race.
Solution: "Dejected" (sad) is opposite to "excited."
From the options lettered A to D, choose the one that correctly answers the questions or completes the sentence.
33. The extract is an example of ………………
Solution: The lyrical structure and rhythm indicate poetry.
34. The extract is about ………………
Solution: The subject is directly addressed as "young lady."
35. ‘The moon that walks beautifully across the sky’ is an example of
Solution: The moon is given human traits ("walks").
36. ‘Young lady, you are like … An eagle feather worn by a husband’
Solution: The comparison uses "like," making it a simile.
37. The writer of a poem is called
Solution: A poet writes poetry.
38. ‘The potter puts the pots in the pans’ is an example of
Solution: Repetition of the "p" sound creates alliteration.
39. The rhyme scheme of the above verse is
Solution: The end words rhyme in pairs (star/are, high/sky).
40. ‘Afua Bonsu is the apple of my eye’. This is an example of
Solution: A direct comparison without "like" or "as" is a metaphor.