BECE 2019 English Language Past Questions and Answers

30 objective questions and 5 theory questions from the 2019 BECE English Language paper. Answers and worked solutions for questions 1 to 10 are below; the rest are free in the app.

Practise this paper free, online or offline

On an iPhone? Download on the App Store

On Android? Get it on Google Play

Paper 1: Objectives

Section A: LEXIS AND STRUCTURE

From the alternatives lettered A to D, choose the one which most suitably completes each sentence.

One of the bulls............ from the herd.
1. A. have been strayed
2. B. has been strayed
3. C. have strayed
4. D. has strayed
Answer: D
I saw the dog............ out of the house.
1. A. run
2. B. is running
3. C. ran
4. D. was running
Answer: A
Habib goes to school............ train.
1. A. by
2. B. on
3. C. with
4. D. in
Answer: A
This phone is not mine; it is............
1. A. mine uncle's
2. B. my uncle's
3. C. my uncles
4. D. mine uncles
Answer: B
Their sister wore a............ dress to the party.
1. A. silk blue beautiful
2. B. beautiful blue silk
3. C. blue beautiful silk
4. D. beautiful silk blue
Answer: B
I wish

I............ my friend next week.
1. A. can visit
2. B. am visiting
3. C. shall visit
4. D. could visit
Answer: D
Aba took............ her mother in many ways.
1. A. after
2. B. up
3. C. on
4. D. by
Answer: A
That girl is allergic............ dust.
1. A. with
2. B. to
3. C. against
4. D. about
Answer: B
My brother, with his children, ............ travelling to Salaga next week.
1. A. is
2. B. are
3. C. was
4. D. were
Answer: A
It is high time we............ for the meeting.
1. A. left
2. B. leave
3. C. have to leave
4. D. will leave
Answer: A

Answers and solutions for questions 11 to 30 are free in the BECE Past Questions app, with timed practice and offline study.

On an iPhone? Download on the App Store

On Android? Get it on Google Play

The accused person refused to appear before the............ panel.
1. A. five-man's
2. B. five-man
3. C. five-men
4. D. five-mens
The stories her children told her made her............
1. A. to laugh
2. B. laughing
3. C. laughed
4. D. laugh
They have not bought............ of the two prescribed books.
1. A. neither
2. B. either
3. C. none
4. D. all
The boy found the assignment............ to do.
1. A. much too difficult
2. B. difficult too much
3. C. too much difficult
4. D. much difficult too
The oxen lay on bare floor,............?
1. A. didn't they
2. B. don't they
3. C. didn't it
4. D. isn't it

Section B

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

The officials made a sudden visit to the school.
1. A. an usual
2. B. a strange
3. C. a quick
4. D. an unexpected
Some of the students grumbled about the assignment.
1. A. questioned
2. B. talked
3. C. complained
4. D. bothered
It is impolite to talk loudly in the presence of the elderly.
1. A. incorrect
2. B. improper
3. C. unwise
4. D. rude
She is fond of talking about trivial matters.
1. A. unpleasant
2. B. unimportant
3. C. unexciting
4. D. unacceptable
The curious child likes to ask a lot of questions.
1. A. inquisitive
2. B. pompous
3. C. intelligent
4. D. talkative

Section C

In each of the following sentences a word or group of words has been underlined. Choose from the alternatives lettered A to D the one that best explains the underlined word or group of words.

Araba's visit was a bolt from the blue. This means that the visit was..........
1. A. a most welcome one.
2. B. short.
3. C. a complete surprise.
4. D. timely.
My uncle loves to cast his bread upon waters. This means that my uncle..........
1. A. behaves strangely
2. B. feeds his fish with bread.
3. C. is wasteful.
4. D. loves to help people.
When he lost his job. Yaro was left to sink or swim. That means that Yaro..........
1. A. was depressed.
2. B. shouted for help
3. C. had to find another job.
4. D. had to survive on his own
I was informed at the eleventh hour about his decision to leave. This means that I heard about his decision..........
1. A. immediately.
2. B. at eleven o'clock
3. C. in good time
4. D. very late
John had to eat his words when our team won the match. This means that John..........
1. A. became very much surprised.
2. B. admitted he was wrong.
3. C. denied all that he had said.
4. D. lost appetite.

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.

The girl intentionally tore her dress.
1. A. carelessly
2. B. accidentally
3. C. willingly
4. D. foolishly
We initiated several projects last year.
1. A. funded
2. B. completed
3. C. executed
4. D. organized
Most of the rules were observed.
1. A. violated
2. B. cancelled
3. C. lessened
4. D. excluded
The results will be released very soon.
1. A. withheld
2. B. confirmed
3. C. withdraw
4. D. cancelled
No one enjoyed the old man's humourless stories
1. A. funny
2. B. peculiar
3. C. familiar
4. D. cheerful

Paper 2: Theory

PART A ESSAY WRITING

Answer one question only from this part. Your composition should be about 250 words long.

Write a letter to your headmaster discussing two games that should be encouraged among the students in your school.
Write an article for publication in your school magazine on why every student should be computer-literate.
Write an interesting story which ends with the words, 'It pays to be kind to strangers.'

PART B COMPREHENSION

Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.

Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions which follow.

Friends are meant to help each other when the need arises. At school, some people develop friendly relationships which continue throughout their lives. One thing which helps people to stay together as intimate friends is the ability to communicate freely among themselves and endeavour to be each other's keeper. What destroys friendships mostly is friends being suspicious of each other. That is why a popular adage says, 'Suspicion is the bane of friendship.'

People attend school not only because they want to make friends but also to acquire knowledge and skills for employment. Education helps people to be polished in their manners. The school prepares its students to become useful citizens.

At school, Tono was not in good books with the teachers because he behaved in an unruly manner. Initially, everyone avoided his company; he could be violent at times. Worst of all, he would refuse to do his assignments and was a habitual latecomer. With the passage of time, he was subjected to strict discipline. He began to amend his ways and obey the school's rules and regulations. He realised the need to work diligently in order to have a bright future. His academic work then improved by leaps and bounds.

Fortune separated us. I travelled abroad for further studies. I stayed away for two decades. On my return, I went to my former school for my certificate. There, I met a middle-aged gentleman who also came to the office for the same purpose. I could not recognize him because time had wiped off all memories of school life. However, the names on the certificates revealed that we were classmates. After further discussion, Tono invited me to his business partnership.

Questions:

a) i) State one thing which helps people to be close.

ii) How can friendships get destroyed?

b) Give two reasons why people go to school.

c) i) Why did people avoid Tono's company?

ii) State Tono's reason for visiting his former school.

d) Why could the writer not recognise Tono?

e) Explain in your own words the following expressions as used in the passage:

i) 'was not in the good books of the teachers'

ii) 'with the passage of time'

iii) 'by leaps and bounds'

f) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same and can fit into the passage:

i) intimate

ii) adage

iii) acquire

iv) polished

v) initially

PART C LITERATURE

Answer all the questions in this part.

SACKEY J. A. AND DARMANI L. (COMP): The Cockcrow

Question 5(a) to 5(c) are based on the abridged and simplified version of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist.

CHARLES DICKENS: Oliver Twist

'"Stop, thief!" he shouted, thinking Oliver had robbed him. The poor boy found himself being chased by people and even dogs! Someone in the crowd, a young man with purple lips and red sores all over his hands, grabbed Oliver and knocked him down............' [page 109]

5(a) The one described as a young man with purple lips and red sores all over his hands is............

5(b) Why did the 'young man with purple lips and red sores all over his hands' want to harm Oliver?

5(c) How did Mr. Brownlow help Oliver at the end of the story?

Read the following extract carefully and answer Question 5(d) and 5(e)

KEN SARO-WIWA: Home Sweet Home

'Bom, say, our young Miss has arrived heavily laden with all the good things of the earth. I should think Dakuna will soon float on a sea of wealth.' [page 178]

5(d) Who is referred to as 'our young Miss'?

5(e) The literary device used in 'heavily laden with all the good things of the earth' is............

Read the following extract carefully and answer Question 5(f) to 5(h)

AMA ATA AIDOO: The Dilemma of a Ghost.

'X: It was a couple of days ago that we met. What came out of the meeting is that we must come and ask you and your wife what is preventing you from giving your grandmother a great-grandchild before she leaves us.' [Act 4, page 66]

5(f) The speaker represented by 'X' in the extract is............?

5(g) According to Ato, what is preventing him and his wife from having children?

5(h) The figure of speech that describes 'she leaves us' in the extract is............

Read the following extract carefully and answer Question 5(i) and 5(j)

THERESA ENNIN: Makola

'Head bent, rags all around the upside down pan Picking her nose, shuffling her feet, oblivious to the bustle' [page 158]

5(i) Write one group of words in the extract that brings out the theme of uncleanliness.

5(j) The words 'Head bent, rags all around the upside down pan' appeal to the reader's sense of............