Last updated: October, 2026
Writing Literature in English in the 2027 UTME? The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) syllabus tells you which genres, techniques and set texts the examiners can use, so you can read with purpose.
This page lists all five topics in the official JAMB Literature in English syllabus, the skills you are expected to show, and the prescribed plays, novels and poems. You will also find the recommended books, a six-week study plan, sample questions and answers to frequently asked questions.
Quick Facts
- Exam: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), computer-based
- Subject: Literature in English
- Total topics: 5 (Drama, Prose, Poetry, General Literary Terms and Principles, Literary Appreciation)
- Prescribed texts: 2 plays (one African, one non-African), 3 novels (two African, one non-African) and 10 poems (six African, four non-African)
- Source: Official JAMB syllabus
In This Guide
- Aim and objectives of the syllabus
- The five topics at a glance
- Detailed syllabus (topics and what you should be able to do)
- Prescribed texts
- Recommended books
- Six-week study plan
- Sample questions
- Subject combinations
- FAQs
Aim and Objectives
The aim of the UTME Literature in English syllabus is to prepare candidates for the Board’s examination, to generate, deepen and sustain interest in literature in English, and to create awareness and understanding of the principles and techniques of all the genres of literature from diverse cultures. Candidates are expected to:
- Stimulate and sustain their interest in Literature in English.
- Create an awareness of the general principles of literature and the functions of language.
- Appreciate literary works of all genres and across all cultures.
- Apply the knowledge of Literature in English to the understanding of cultural, literary, political and economic activities in society.
The Five Topics at a Glance
- Drama: types, dramatic techniques and interpretation of the prescribed texts
- Prose: types, narrative techniques and textual analysis
- Poetry: types, poetic devices and appreciation
- General Literary Terms and Principles: terms across all genres
- Literary Appreciation: unseen passages from drama, prose and poetry
Detailed Syllabus
Drama
- Types: tragedy, comedy, tragicomedy, melodrama, farce, opera and others
- Dramatic techniques: characterisation, dialogue, flashback, mime, costume, music and dance, decor and scenery, acts and scenes, soliloquy and aside, and figures of speech
- Interpretation of the prescribed texts: theme, plot, socio-political context and setting
- You should be able to:
- Identify, analyse, compare and contrast the types of drama.
- Show knowledge of the dramatic techniques and stage directions used in each prescribed text, and tell the styles of selected playwrights apart.
- Determine the theme and plot of a play, and identify its spatial setting and time period.
- Apply the lessons of the play to social reality.
Prose
- Types:
- Fiction: novel, novella or novelette, and short story
- Non-fiction: biography, autobiography and memoir
- Faction: a combination of fact and fiction
- Narrative techniques and devices:
- Point of view: omniscient, first person, second person, third person, stream of consciousness and epiphany
- Characterisation: round, flat, foil, hero, anti-hero, villain, heroine and others
- Language
- Textual analysis: theme, plot, setting (time and place) and socio-political context
- You should be able to:
- Differentiate between types of novel, and identify the category each prescribed text belongs to.
- Analyse the components of each type of prose, and identify the balance of fact and fiction in faction.
- Identify the narrative techniques in each prescribed text and determine an author’s narrative style.
- Distinguish one type of character from another.
- Determine the themes, plot, setting and period of the novel, and relate the text to social reality.
Poetry
- Types: sonnet, ode, lyric, elegy, ballad, panegyric, epic, blank verse and others
- Poetic devices: imagery, sound (rhyme, rhythm, repetition, pun, onomatopoeia), diction and persona
- Appreciation: thematic preoccupation, socio-political relevance and style
- You should be able to:
- Identify the types of poetry and their distinctive features.
- Determine the devices used by various poets, show how they create aesthetic effect, and identify the figures of speech in the texts.
- Show how poetic devices convey message and meaning.
- Deduce the poet’s thematic preoccupation, appraise poetry as an art with moral values, and apply the lessons of the poem to social reality.
General Literary Terms and Principles
- Literary terms: foreshadowing, suspense, theatre, monologue, dialogue, soliloquy, symbolism, protagonist, antagonist, figures of speech, satire, stream of consciousness, synecdoche, metonymy and others, in addition to those listed under the different genres
- You should be able to:
- Identify literary terms specific to drama, prose and poetry.
- Identify areas of overlap across the genres, for example verse in drama and poetry, and narration in all the genres.
Literary Appreciation
- Content: unseen passages or extracts from drama, prose and poetry
- You should be able to:
- Identify the literary devices used in a given passage or extract.
- Provide an interpretation of the passage or extract.
- Relate the extract to true-life experiences.
Prescribed Texts
JAMB lists these selected African and non-African plays, novels and poems. The titles below are in their usual written form.
Drama
- African: Efua Sutherland, The Marriage of Anansewa
- Non-African: William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra
Prose
- African: Pede Hollist, So the Path Does Not Die
- African: Elma Shaw, Redemption Road
- Non-African: Susanne Bellefeuille, Path of Lucas: The Journey He Endured
Poetry
- African:
- Gabriel Okara, “Once Upon a Time”
- Elizabeth L. A. Kamara, “New Tongue”
- Wole Soyinka, “Night”
- Niyi Osundare, “Not My Business”
- S. O. H. Afriyie-Vidza, “Hearty Garlands”
- Syl Cheney-Coker, “The Breast of the Sea”
- Non-African:
- Lord Byron, “She Walks in Beauty”
- Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Nun’s Priest’s Tale” (shortened)
- Fleur Adcock, “The Telephone Call”
- Wilfrid Wilson Gibson, “The Stone”
Recommended Books
JAMB lists these texts for Literature in English.
Anthologies
- Obafemi, O. and Agoi (eds). Of Shadows and Rainbows: Musings in Times of Covid (an anthology of poems, plays and short stories). PEN Nigeria, online.
- Hayward, J. (ed.) (1968). The Penguin Book of English Verse. London: Penguin.
- Johnson, R., Ker, D., Maduka, C. and Obafemi, O. (eds) (1996). New Poetry from Africa. Ibadan: University Press Plc.
- Kermode, F. (1964). Oxford Anthology of English Literature, Vol. II. London: OUP.
- Ofiono, N. and Okenyodo, O. D. (eds) (2021, new edition). Camouflage: Best of Contemporary Writing from Nigeria. Mace Books Association.
- Parker, E. W. (ed.) (1980). A Pageant of Longer Poems. London: Longman.
- Senanu, K. E. and Vincent, T. (eds) (1993). A Selection of African Poetry. Lagos: Longman.
- Soyinka, W. (ed.) (1987). Poems of Black Africa. Ibadan: Heinemann.
Critical texts
- Abrams, M. H. (1981). A Glossary of Literary Terms (4th Edition). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
- Emeaba, O. E. (1982). A Dictionary of Literature. Aba: Inteks Press.
- Murphy, M. J. (1972). Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Students. George Allen and Unwin Ltd.
Six-Week Study Plan
- Week 1: Drama. Learn the types and techniques, then read The Marriage of Anansewa and note its theme, plot, characters and setting.
- Week 2: Drama continued. Read Antony and Cleopatra, or a good summary and study guide alongside it, and compare it with the African play.
- Week 3: Prose. Learn the types, narrative techniques and character types, then read the three prescribed novels.
- Week 4: Poetry. Learn the types and devices, then study each of the prescribed poems for theme, style and devices.
- Week 5: Literary terms and literary appreciation. Practise unseen passages from drama, prose and poetry.
- Week 6: Revise weak areas and practise past questions under timed conditions.
Tips:
- Read every prescribed text. Summaries help you revise, but they do not replace reading.
- For each text, write down the theme, plot, setting, main characters, narrative style and a few key quotes.
- Learn the literary terms with an example of each. Many questions simply ask you to identify a term.
- Practise unseen passages regularly, because they test skills you can only build by practice.
- Use the syllabus objectives as a checklist. If you cannot do what an objective says, you are not ready on that topic.
Sample Questions
- A play that ends in the downfall of its hero is a A. comedy B. tragedy C. farce D. opera Answer: B
- A character speaks his thoughts aloud while alone on stage. This is called a A. soliloquy B. aside C. chorus D. dialogue Answer: A
- A narrator who knows everything about all the characters is A. first person B. omniscient C. second person D. stream of consciousness Answer: B
- A poem of fourteen lines is a A. sonnet B. ode C. elegy D. ballad Answer: A
- Who wrote the prescribed play Antony and Cleopatra? A. Geoffrey Chaucer B. Lord Byron C. William Shakespeare D. Wole Soyinka Answer: C
Subject Combinations
Literature in English is commonly required for courses such as English, Law, Mass Communication, Theatre Arts, Linguistics and other Arts courses. Always check your chosen course and university in the JAMB brochure for the exact combination.
Related: JAMB Subject Combination for Arts Students | JAMB Brochure | JAMB Recommended Textbooks for All Subjects | JAMB UTME Registration Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the JAMB Literature in English syllabus?
It is the official JAMB document that lists the topics, learning objectives and prescribed texts candidates must cover for Literature in English in the UTME.
How many topics are in the syllabus?
Five: Drama, Prose, Poetry, General Literary Terms and Principles, and Literary Appreciation.
Which texts must I read?
The syllabus prescribes two plays, three novels and ten poems, listed on this page.
Do I need to read every prescribed text?
Yes. Questions ask about the theme, plot, setting, characters and style of each prescribed text, so you should read all of them.
What are unseen passages?
They are extracts from drama, prose or poetry that you have not studied before. You are asked to identify the literary devices, interpret the extract and relate it to real life.
Where can I get past questions for Literature in English?
Click here
Check Other JAMB Subject Syllabuses
- All Subjects
- Use of English
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- Art
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- Chemistry
- Christian Religious Studies
- Commerce
- Computer studies
- Economics
- French
- Geography
- Government
- Hausa
- History
- Home-Economics
- Igbo
- Islamic-Studies
- Literature-In-English
- Mathematics
- Music
- Physics
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- Principles of Accounts
- Yoruba
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