JAMB French Syllabus

General Objectives

The French syllabus is designed to enable candidates to:

• Assess written comprehension in French.
• Apply the principles governing the structure and use of written French.
• Identify how French sounds work in speech production.
• Examine the culture of Francophone West Africa and France in relation (where possible) to the home country.

Detailed French Syllabus

4 topics. For each topic: what to study (contents) and the objectives you should be able to meet.

1. Written Comprehension in French

   Contents

   • Reading and interpreting texts on topics of general and emergent interest including love, life, death, politics, marriage, HIV/AIDS, communication, child trafficking, cultism, travel, corruption, money-laundering, etc.

   Objectives — candidates should be able to:

   • deduce answers to questions on the content, intent and style of proposed texts
   • apply reasoning skills

2. Principles Governing the Structure and Use of Written French

   Contents

   • Identification of basic form classes — Nouns: simple/compound, singular/plural, masculine/feminine
   • Identification of basic form classes — Pronouns: personal, impersonal, demonstrative, possessive and relative
   • Identification of basic form classes — Verbs: reflexive and non-reflexive; their moods and tenses
   • Identification of basic form classes — Adjectives: qualifying, possessive, interrogative, demonstrative, indefinite (e.g. nul), numeral (e.g. dix) and ordinal (e.g. dixième)
   • Identification of basic form classes — Adverbs: common forms with -ment (e.g. lentement) and préposition + noun (e.g. par avion, à cheval, en voiture, par bateau); special forms (e.g. bien, vite, mal, mieux, le mieux, pire, le pis, ne…que); types: manner (e.g. debout, facilement), purpose (e.g. pour + infinitive, afin de + infinitive), cause and consequence (e.g. pour + infinitive perfect, à cause de + noun), concession (e.g. malgré + noun), place (e.g. y, en, ici, là, là-haut, partout), time (e.g. hier, aujourd'hui, avant-hier, après, demain, la veille, le matin, dans un mois)
   • Identification of basic form classes — Prépositions: simple (e.g. à, de, avec, avant, sur, dans) and compound (e.g. à côté de, au milieu de)
   • Identification of basic form classes — Conjunctions: of co-ordination (e.g. mais, ou, et, donc, car, cependant, ne…ni) and of subordination (e.g. afin que, quoique, à condition que, pour que, parce que)
   • Identification of basic form classes — Articles: definite, indefinite and partitive
   • Assessment of vocabulary span: words in contemporary contexts — meaning, use, opposites, synonyms
   • Importance of word order in affirmative sentences, interrogative sentences, imperative sentences, and passive voice formation
   • Identification and application of basic processes — Conjugation in all tenses except l'imparfait du subjonctif, le passé composé du subjonctif, et le plus-que-parfait du subjonctif
   • Identification and application of basic processes — Negation (e.g. ne…pas, ne…plus, ne…rien, nul ne, ne…ni…ni, ne…personne, personne…ne, aucun…ne, rien ne)
   • Identification and application of basic processes — Agreement (e.g. les beaux arts, il les a vues les photos)
   • Identification and application of basic processes — Pluralisation (e.g. cheval/chevaux, beau/beaux)
   • Identification and application of basic processes — Derivation: adjective to adverb (lent-lentement), adjective to adjective (un–premier), adjective to noun (bon-bonté, riche-richesse), degree of comparison using plus…que, moins…que, aussi…que (e.g. plus grand que), and special forms (bon, meilleur, le meilleur, la meilleure, mauvais, pire, le pire)
   • Use of French in set expressions — Proverbs (e.g. tel père tel fils, petit à petit l'oiseau fait son nid)
   • Use of French in set expressions — Idioms (e.g. avoir une faim de loup, crier sur le toit, mourir de peur)
   • Use of French in set expressions — Conventional stretches (e.g. enchanté, c'est dommage, c'est formidable, stationnement interdit)
   • Use of French in set expressions — Speech acts (e.g. proposer, conseiller, regretter, admirer, espérer, interroger, reprocher, s'accorder)

   Objectives — candidates should be able to:

   • identify what constitutes the basic structures of written French
   • use the principles governing the structure of written French to determine acceptability (e.g. transform one form or class into another)
   • apply the structure to convey diverse messages
   • apply communicative skills

3. Workings of French Sounds

   Contents

   • Sound discrimination (e.g. tout/tu, fais/fée)
   • Letter-sound correspondence (e.g. ai-/e/, eau-/o/)
   • Syllabification (e.g. con/tente/ment)
   • Liaison (e.g. trois animaux, des enfants)
   • Sense groups in reading (e.g. J'ai mal à la tête / J'ai mal pas à la tête mais au dos)
   • Faux amis / false cognates (e.g. librairie/library, rester/to rest, blesser/to bless)
   • Identification of sounds to determine similarity (e.g. maison/saison, dents/don, fond/fonde)

   Objectives — candidates should be able to:

   • discriminate between French sounds
   • deduce meanings out of sound combinations
   • use the above to enhance effective communication
   • assess sound groupings in terms of how they are affected by such features as syllabification, liaison, e-caduc, pause, intonation, etc.

4. Culture and Civilization

   Contents

   • Characteristics (aspects, similarities and differences) of the educational system, socio-economic life, political organization and cultural life of Francophone Africa and France, with reference (where possible) to Nigeria

   Objectives — candidates should be able to:

   • identify the characteristic/specific features of the culture of Francophone Africa and France (greetings, dressing, food, leisure, marriage, festival, art, profession, etc.)
   • compare these features with those of the home country (where possible)
   • apply reasoning skills

Recommended Texts

• Ajiboye, T. (2014). Companion to French Grammar (4th Edition). Ibadan: Cleavoketa Books.
• Ajiboye, T. (2012). Nouvel Horizon, Book 4 (New Revised Edition). Ibadan: Bounty Press.
• Byrne, L. S. R. and Churchill, E. L. (1980). A Comprehensive French Grammar.
• Hatier (1980). Le Nouveau Bescherelle: L'Art de Conjuguer. Ibadan: Spectrum Books Ltd.
• Maice, G. et Merlo, G. (1998). Grammaire progressive du français (Niveau intermédiaire). Paris: Clé International.
• Mazauric, C. et Sirejols, E. (2006). On y va! Book 3. Ibadan: Spectrum Books Ltd.
• Ojo, S. A. (2000). A Comprehensive Revision Handbook of French Grammar. Ibadan: Agoro Publishing Company.
• Ajiboye, T. (2010). An Introduction to Practice in Oral French. Ibadan: Bounty Press.
• Leon, M. (1978). Initiation à la Prononciation du Français Standard.
• Girod, R. and Grand-Clement, F. (1979). Comment vivent les Français. Paris: Hachette.
• Mbuko, L. (2000). French Essays on Culture and Civilization for Schools and Colleges. Ibadan: Bounty Press.
• Any good French/English or French dictionary.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many topics are in the JAMB French syllabus?

The JAMB UTME French syllabus is organised around four broad areas: Written Comprehension in French, Principles Governing the Structure and Use of Written French, Workings of French Sounds, and Culture and Civilization. Although there are only four headline topics, the grammar (structure) topic is extensive and is broken into five large sections covering form classes, vocabulary, word order, language processes, and set expressions.

What is the main focus of the JAMB French syllabus?

It tests four core abilities: assessing written comprehension in French, applying the principles that govern the structure and use of written French, identifying how French sounds work in speech production, and examining the culture of Francophone West Africa and France in relation to the candidate's home country.

Is the JAMB French exam written or oral?

The UTME French paper is a written, objective (multiple-choice) examination delivered as a Computer Based Test. Even the 'Workings of French Sounds' section is tested in writing — for example, by recognising sound discrimination, liaison, syllabification, and faux amis in printed form rather than through spoken assessment.

What grammar topics should I study for JAMB French?

The structure topic covers basic form classes (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, articles), vocabulary (meaning, opposites, synonyms), word order in affirmative, interrogative, imperative and passive sentences, and language processes such as conjugation of tenses, negation, agreement, pluralisation and derivation. It also includes set expressions: proverbs, idioms, conventional phrases and speech acts.

Which verb tenses are excluded from the JAMB French syllabus?

Candidates must master conjugation in all tenses except three subjunctive forms: l'imparfait du subjonctif, le passé composé du subjonctif, and le plus-que-parfait du subjonctif. These three are explicitly excluded from the syllabus.

What does the Culture and Civilization topic cover?

It examines the educational system, socio-economic life, political organisation, and cultural life of Francophone Africa and France — including greetings, dressing, food, leisure, marriage, festivals, art and professions — with comparison to Nigeria where possible.

What are the recommended textbooks for JAMB French?

Key grammar texts include Ajiboye's Companion to French Grammar and Nouvel Horizon Book 4, Byrne and Churchill's A Comprehensive French Grammar, Le Nouveau Bescherelle (conjugation), and Ojo's Comprehensive Revision Handbook. For oral/sounds, Ajiboye's An Introduction to Practice in Oral French and Leon's Initiation à la Prononciation are recommended, plus culture texts like Comment vivent les Français and a good French dictionary.

What kinds of comprehension passages appear in JAMB French?

Comprehension passages cover topics of general and emergent interest such as love, life, death, politics, marriage, HIV/AIDS, communication, child trafficking, cultism, travel, corruption and money-laundering. Candidates must deduce answers about the content, intent and style of the passages and apply reasoning skills.