BECE 2012 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. Two people perished ......the spot.
Solution: "On the spot" is an idiomatic phrase meaning "immediately" or "at that very place."
2. Oyo fell ill ......measles.
Solution: "Fell ill of" is an older but correct construction meaning "became sick with."
3. The doctor gave ......to the patient.
Solution: "Advice" is uncountable, so "some good advice" is correct.
4. All girls were supposed to wear ......during the Speech Day.
Solution: Adjective order: opinion ("new"), size ("long"), color ("white").
5. ‘I think you know ......already’, said the host to all the participants.
Solution: "One another" is used for more than two people, while "each other" is for two.
6. The girls asserted that both tennis racquets were
Solution: The possessive form ("Akologo’s") shows ownership.
7. Children usually take ......their parents in appearance.
Solution: "Take after" means to resemble someone.
8. We haven’t had ......rice to eat this week.
Solution: "Any" is used in negative sentences with uncountable nouns ("rice").
9. The chief praised the ......during the students demonstration.
Solution: Plural possessive ("policemen’s") + uncountable noun ("behaviour").
10. When the lights went off I ......my supper.
Solution: Past continuous ("was eating") describes an interrupted action.
11. The doctor said she ......if she had not kept strictly to her diet.
Solution: Third conditional (past unreal condition) requires "would have + past participle."
12. We saw the plane ......for Kumasi.
Solution: "Take off" means to leave the ground (for aircraft).
13. There are many big houses in our area, ......?
Solution: The tag question matches the plural subject ("houses") and affirmative statement.
14. Your have cut the grass, ......?
Solution: Present perfect ("have cut") uses "haven’t" in the tag.
15. The new airport ......next year.
Solution: Passive future tense ("will be completed") is correct for scheduled events.
16. Walking in the rain is not good, ......?
Solution: Negative statement ("is not") requires affirmative tag ("is it").
17. Go over your work carefully, ...... you?
Solution: Polite imperative sentences use "will" in the tag.
Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in each sentence.
18. About fifty houses were demolished to make way for the new road.
Solution: "Demolished" means completely destroyed.
19. The headmaster took drastic action against the culprits.
Solution: "Drastic" means extreme or harsh.
20. It was forecast that there would be floods this year.
Solution: "Forecast" means to predict a future event.
21. Many people revered the old man for his charity to the poor.
Solution: "Revered" means deeply respected.
22. When they reached the frontier, the customs officer stopped the car.
Solution: "Frontier" refers to a boundary between countries.
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.
23. Awuni normally feels at home in my house.
Solution: "Feels at home" means to be relaxed and comfortable.
24. The students were advised to stop building castles in the air.
Solution: "Building castles in the air" means having unrealistic dreams.
25. The chief told his linguist not to beat about the bush.
Solution: "Beat about the bush" means to avoid addressing something directly.
26. Immediately Ekuba’s mother left the house, she let the cat out of the bag.
Solution: "Let the cat out of the bag" means to disclose a secret.
27. The teacher poured cold water on Sena’s suggestion.
Solution: "Poured cold water on" means to discourage or dismiss an idea.
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.
28. He had applied for a permanent job.
Solution: "Permanent" (lasting) is opposite to "temporary."
29. He has a violent temper.
Solution: "Violent" (extreme) is opposite to "mild."
30. His position made him humble.
Solution: "Humble" (modest) is opposite to "arrogant."
31. That is a genuine painting.
Solution: "Genuine" (real) is opposite to "fake."
32. The soldier climbed the mountain carefully.
Solution: "Climbed" (went up) is opposite to "descended."
From the options lettered A to D, choose the one that correctly answers the questions or completes the sentence.
33. The main idea in a novel or play is the ......
Solution: The "theme" is the central idea or message.
34. The three main forms of literature are prose, drama and ......
Solution: Prose, drama, and poetry are the primary literary forms.
35. Time in the stanza is being used as ......
Solution: Time is given human traits ("ever-rolling stream").
36. The rhyme scheme of the stanza is ......
Solution: The stanza follows an alternating rhyme pattern (abab).
37. The place and time of the action of a play or novel is its ......
Solution: "Setting" refers to the time and place of a story.
38. One of the following helps best to create interest in a work of art:
Solution: "Suspense" keeps readers engaged.
39. The main function of imagery in literature is to make readers / listeners ......
Solution: Imagery helps visualize and comprehend the text.
40. A character in a play that opposes the hero or heroine is the ......
Solution: The "antagonist" opposes the protagonist (hero).