2023 BECE ENGLISH LANGUAGE PAPER 1

PART A
LEXIS AND STRUCTURE
SECTION A
From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence.

1. All work and no play makes Jack a dull

boy,…….? 8. She lives in her………………..house.
A. Shan’t it A. Father-in-laws’
B. Isn’t it B. Fathers-in-laws’
C. Doesn’t it C. Father’s-in-law’s
D. Can’t it D. Father-in-law’s

2. You cannot swim in the sea,….you? 9. Their sister wore a…………….to the party.
A. Couldn’t A. Beautiful silk pink dress
B. Can B. Silk pink beautiful dress
C. Don’t C. Pink beautiful dress
D. Did D. Beautiful pink silk dress

3. It is no use………over spilt milk. 10. It was…….late to go out alone.

A. Cry A. Too
B. Of crying B. Very
C. Crying C. Much
D. To cry D. So
4. Some of the pineapples are………sour to be
eaten. 11. This is the boy…………rescued us.
A. More so A. Whose
B. More too B. Which
C. Much too C. Whom
D. Much so D. Who
5. ………………,learners must behave well.
A. The last but not least 12. The nurse made me……….a lot of water.
B. The last but not the least A. Drink
C. Last but not least B. Drank
D. Last but not the least C. Drunk
D. To drink
6. Where……..Asana and Betty spending 13. It is not easy to identity……voice it was.
their next holiday? A. Who
A. Is B. Whom
B. Are C. Who’s
C. Were D. Whose
D. Was
7. The messenger did not……….anyone in the 14. Neither the parents nor the child…………at
house. home yesterday.
A. Meet A. Are
B. Met B. Is
C. Meets C. Were
D. Meeting D. Was
 15. Her clothes would look better if
she…….them.
A. Will wash
B. Washes
C. Washed
D. Would wash

SECTION B
Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one which is nearest in meaning to the underlined word in
each sentence.

16. We will not allow him to dampen our B. Translated

spirits. C. Existed
A. Suppress D. Happened
B. Break
C. Destroy 19. Lance only talks about trivial a secret.
D. Lower A. Unimportant
B. Unpleasant
17. The commotion at the stadium was C. Unacceptable
avoidable. D. Unexciting
A. Trouble
B. Confusion 20. The robber ransacked the house.
C. Issue A. Torched
D. Violence B. Destroyed
C. Invaded
18. What transpired between them remains a D. Looted
secret.
A. Manifested

SECTION C
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. I was informed at the eleventh hour about D. Cried all the more.
his decision to leave town. This means
that I heard it 23. When we went Nina’s house, we were told
A. Very late that she had gone away bag and baggage.
B. At eleven o’clock. This means that Nina had gone away
C. Immediately. A. Leaving all her children.
D. In good time. B. Leaving all the belongings
C. Without informing anyone.
22. We tried all we could to amuse her but D. With all her belongings.
she kept a straight face. This means that
she
A. Did not listen to us.
B. Looked straight ahead.
C. Refused to laugh.
 24. Samantha’s main problem is that she can 25. When he lost his job, Yaro was left to sink
see no further than her nose. This means or swim. This means that Yaro
that Samantha A. Had to find another job.
A. Lacks foresight. B. Shouted for help.
B. Is easy deceived. C. Had to survive on his own.
C. Has a long nose. D. Was depressed.
D. Cannot think.

SECTION D
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. She accidentally tore her dress. 29. We finished several projects last year.
A. Intentionally A. Initiated
B. Willingly B. Concluded
C. Carelessly C. Stopped
D. Foolishly D. Organized

27. The story was written in simple language. 30. The unfavourable weather affected their
A. Foreign health.
B. Strange A. Beautiful
C. Local B. Pleasant
D. Complex C. Cool
D. Promising
28. The arrogant storekeeper lost all his
customers.
A. Respectful
B. Obedient
C. Modest
D. Sympathetic