WAEC Past Questions

WAEC Literature In English 2025
Questions & Answers

40 questions · Correct answers highlighted · 40 with explanations

40 Total Questions
2025 Exam Year
40 With Explanations
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1
Question 1 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A poem is characteristically divided into

A. chapters
B. acts
C. scenes
D. stanzas
Explanation

Poems are structured into stanzas, similar to paragraphs in prose.

2
Question 2 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A play that evokes laughter and ends happily is

A. farce
B. comedy
C. melodrama
D. tragi-comedy
Explanation

Comedy is a dramatic genre designed to amuse and resolve positively.

3
Question 3 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A literary device in which a past event is brought in to shed light on the present is

A. flashback
B. flashforward
C. irony
D. reminisce
Explanation

Flashback interrupts the narrative to insert past events for context.

4
Question 4 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

An unpleasant situation presented in a dignifying manner is

A. bathos
B. chiasmus
C. paradox
D. euphemism
Explanation

Euphemism uses mild or indirect expressions to soften harsh realities.

5
Question 5 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A figure of speech that is used for emphasis is

A. metonymy
B. euphemism
C. pun
D. repetition
Explanation

Repetition reinforces key ideas or emotions for emphasis.

6
Question 6 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A question that does not require a direct answer is rhetorical in nature.

A. ironical
B. euphemistic
C. paradoxical
D. rhetorical
Explanation

Rhetorical questions are posed for effect, not to elicit a response.

7
Question 7 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

"The flowers are dancing" is an example of

A. apostrophe
B. onomatopoeia
C. personification
D. pun
Explanation

Personification attributes human qualities to non-human entities.

8
Question 8 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Which of the following does not have a sound effect in poetry?

A. Alliteration
B. Assonance
C. Consonance
D. Litotes
Explanation

Litotes is understatement; the others are auditory devices.

9
Question 9 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A play is majorly divided into

A. acts
B. chapters
C. lines
D. stanzas
Explanation

Plays are structured into acts, each containing scenes.

10
Question 10 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

The distinguishing feature between play and playlet is

A. action
B. character
C. setting
D. size
Explanation

A playlet is a short play, differing in length from a full play.

11
Question 11 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A poem which expresses grief or sorrow is

A. ballad
B. elegy
C. epic
D. ode
Explanation

An elegy is a mournful poem lamenting death or loss.

12
Question 12 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Drama differs from poetry because drama

A. exists largely in action
B. makes use of many characters
C. may have tragic experiences
D. teaches morals
Explanation

Drama emphasizes performed action over poetic language alone.

13
Question 13 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

The aim of flashback technique is to

A. aid readers' perception of a character
B. clarify present events
C. focus on the real actions
D. predict future events
Explanation

Flashback provides background to explain current situations.

14
Question 14 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Onomatopoeia is

A. imitation of words of the same sound
B. repetition of the same consonant sound
C. repetition of the same vowel sound
D. sound suggesting the meaning
Explanation

Onomatopoeia uses words that imitate the sounds they describe.

15
Question 15 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A long narrative poem that centres on the hero and his exploits is

A. epic
B. ballad
C. ode
D. limerick
Explanation

An epic recounts heroic deeds in a grand, narrative style.

16
Question 16 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Setting in literary work is always determined by time and place

A. event
B. character
C. theme
D. time
Explanation

Setting encompasses the time and place of the story's events.

17
Question 17 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

"Oh moon I have seen your lamp!" exemplifies the use of

A. litotes
B. apostrophe
C. paradox
D. oxymoron
Explanation

Apostrophe directly addresses an absent or inanimate entity.

18
Question 18 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A novel written in form of a letter is

A. epistolary
B. gothic
C. picaresque
D. parody
Explanation

Epistolary novels are composed as a series of letters.

19
Question 19 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

The autobiography is primarily

A. biography
B. essay
C. narrative
D. prose
Explanation

An autobiography is a self-narrative recounting one's life.

20
Question 20 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Achebe is concerned with

A. Black Consciousness
B. Nordic Consciousness
C. Hispanic Consciousness
D. African Consciousness
Explanation

Chinua Achebe's works explore African identity and postcolonial themes.

21
Question 21 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A work that teaches morals is

A. Satirical
B. Didactic
C. Therapeutic
D. Poetic
Explanation

Didactic literature aims to instruct and impart moral lessons.

22
Question 22 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Metaphor is an example of

A. Fable
B. Contrast
C. Irony
D. Comparison
Explanation

Metaphor compares two unlike things directly without 'like' or 'as'.

23
Question 23 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Catharsis in literature is an example of

A. Cleansing
B. Purification
C. Healing
D. Purging
Explanation

Catharsis refers to the purging of emotional tensions through art.

24
Question 24 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A monologue is a

A. Long speech by an actor in a play
B. Short speech by an actor in a play
C. Dialogue between two actors
D. Conversation between characters
Explanation

A monologue is an extended speech by one character.

25
Question 25 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Anaphora is a

A. Figure of speech which expresses contrast
B. Figure of speech which expresses comparison
C. Direct speech
D. Repetition of words at the beginning of successive clauses
Explanation

Anaphora repeats words or phrases at the start of clauses for emphasis.

26
Question 26 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A metaphor in its simplest form is

A. A figure of speech
B. An implied comparison
C. A direct comparison
D. A simile
Explanation

Metaphor implies similarity between unlike things without connectors.

27
Question 27 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Simile is

A. A figure of speech that compares two unlike entities
B. A figure of speech that compares two like entities
C. A direct comparison
D. An implied comparison
Explanation

Simile makes explicit comparisons using 'like' or 'as'.

28
Question 28 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

The contrast between what is expected and what actually happens is

A. Irony
B. Paradox
C. Oxymoron
D. Hyperbole
Explanation

Situational irony involves unexpected outcomes contrary to expectations.

29
Question 29 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Pick the odd one out from the following

A. Agon
B. Nemesis
C. Hubris
D. Osamu
Explanation

Osamu is not a term from Greek tragedy; the others are.

30
Question 30 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

A rhymed poem which expresses grief or sorrow is

A. Elegy
B. Epic
C. Idyll
D. Ode
Explanation

An elegy is a rhymed lament for the dead or sorrowful events.

31
Question 31 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

In William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Egeus brings his complaint against Hermia to

A. Oberon
B. Theseus
C. Lysander
D. Puck
Explanation

Egeus appeals to Duke Theseus to enforce Athenian law on his daughter.

32
Question 32 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

In William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Lysander defends himself by claiming he is as worthy as Demetrius because

A. he possesses equal wealth and birth
B. he is richer than Demetrius
C. Demetrius loves Hermia less
D. he has royal connections
Explanation

Lysander argues his equal social standing and greater love for Hermia.

33
Question 33 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

In William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Theseus warns Hermia that she must obey her father or face

A. exile
B. death or lifelong chastity
C. imprisonment
D. forced marriage
Explanation

Under Athenian law, Hermia faces death or to live as a nun if she disobeys.

34
Question 34 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Read the extract from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 1 below and answer the questions that follow. Excerpt: 'From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty's rose might never die, But as the riper should by time decrease, His tender heir might bear his memory.' The theme of the poem is

A. Love
B. Death
C. Nature
D. War
Explanation

The sonnet explores love for beauty through procreation.

35
Question 35 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Read the extract from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 1 below and answer the questions that follow. Excerpt: 'From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty's rose might never die, But as the riper should by time decrease, His tender heir might bear his memory.' The mood of the poem is

A. Agitated
B. Calm
C. Reserved
D. Reflective
Explanation

The tone is contemplative about time and legacy.

36
Question 36 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Read the extract from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 1 below and answer the questions that follow. Excerpt: 'From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty's rose might never die, But as the riper should by time decrease, His tender heir might bear his memory.' From the passage, it can be deduced that the speaker is

A. Happy
B. Lost
C. Agitated
D. Hopeful
Explanation

The speaker hopes for continuity through heirs.

37
Question 37 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Read the extract from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 1 below and answer the questions that follow. Excerpt: 'From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty's rose might never die, But as the riper should by time decrease, His tender heir might bear his memory.' Which of the following best describes the speaker?

A. The speaker is busy
B. The speaker is greedy
C. The speaker is selfish
D. The speaker is affectionate
Explanation

The speaker urges procreation out of love for beauty's preservation.

38
Question 38 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Read the extract from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 1 below and answer the questions that follow. Excerpt: 'From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty's rose might never die, But as the riper should by time decrease, His tender heir might bear his memory.' The theme of the extract is

A. The theme is love
B. The theme is death
C. The theme is nature
D. The theme is war
Explanation

The extract emphasizes love and the perpetuation of beauty.

39
Question 39 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Read the extract from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 1 below and answer the questions that follow. Excerpt: 'From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty's rose might never die, But as the riper should by time decrease, His tender heir might bear his memory.' The mood of the extract is

A. The mood is agitated
B. The mood is calm
C. The mood is reserved
D. The mood is reflective
Explanation

The mood reflects on the passage of time and immortality.

40
Question 40 of 40
WAEC · Literature In English · 2025

Read the extract from William Shakespeare's Sonnet 1 below and answer the questions that follow. Excerpt: 'From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty's rose might never die, But as the riper should by time decrease, His tender heir might bear his memory.' What does the speaker wish for beauty's rose?

A. Beauty's rose might never die
B. Beauty's rose might grow
C. Beauty's rose might fade
D. Beauty's rose might bloom
Explanation

The speaker desires that beauty endures eternally through reproduction.

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