The JAMB Syllabus for Arabic 2026/2027 outlines all the topics candidates are expected to study before sitting for the UTME. It serves as the official guide that shows what areas JAMB will test, how questions are structured, and the level of knowledge required to score high in Arabic.
Arabic in JAMB is not limited to basic reading or writing. The JAMB Arabic syllabus 2026/2027 covers comprehension, grammar, morphology, vocabulary, literature, translation, and cultural understanding. Questions are designed to test both theoretical knowledge and practical application of the language.
Using the UTME Arabic syllabus as a study guide also helps candidates plan their revision properly. It shows how much attention should be given to grammar, how often comprehension passages appear, and how translation questions are usually framed.
Objectives of Arabic Syllabus
The objectives of the JAMB Arabic syllabus for 2026/2027 are to assess whether candidates can:
- Read and understand written Arabic texts correctly
- Interpret passages and answer questions based on meaning and context
- Apply grammatical rules accurately in sentences
- Recognize correct word formations and verb patterns
- Translate ideas clearly between Arabic and English
- Identify literary themes, styles, and messages in Arabic texts
- Use appropriate vocabulary in different contexts
- Demonstrate understanding of Arabic culture as reflected in language
These objectives guide how questions are set in the UTME Arabic exam and what skills candidates must develop during preparation.
JAMB Syllabus for Arabic 2026
| S/N | TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES | JAMB EXPECTATIONS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SECTION A: COMPREHENSION It consists of a passage of seventy (70) words. Five multiple-choice questions are to be set on the passage. The contents should be within the experience of the candidates e.g. current affairs, sports, education, politics, economy, health, culture and ethics | Candidates should be able to: 1. use appropriate words or phrases for specific thought; 2. deduce the lesson in the passage; 3. determine the main theme of the passage; 4. give an appropriate title to the passage; 5. interpret the meanings of particular words |
| 2 | SECTION B: TRANSLATION This section consists of ten (10) questions. Five of them are on translation from English into Arabic while the other five are on translation from Arabic into English. Translation into English includes key words and phrases in a sentence. Translated questions are to be based on standard Arabic and English usages. | Candidates should be able to: 1. use an appropriate Arabic word or phrase to convey the meaning of an English word or phrase; 2. determine an appropriate English word or phrase for an Arabic statement; 3. interpret idiomatic expressions in both Arabic and English; 4. transfer ideas expressed in Arabic to English and vice versa; 5. communicate effectively in Arabic and English. |
| 3 | SECTION C: GRAMMAR Major grammatical features in Arabic to be examined include: .1 أسماء اإلشارة والموصولة والشرط واالستفهام. Demonstrative, relative pronouns, conditional and interrogative. .2 المذكر والمؤنث. Gender (Masculine and Feminine). .3 عالمات االسم. Characteristics of noun. .4 المثنى. Dual. .5 الجموع: Plurals: أ – جمع المذكر السالم. a. sound masculine plural ب – جمع المؤنث السالم b. sound feminine plural ج – جمع التكسير c. broken plural .6 المضاف والمضاف إليه. Construct phrase. .7 الضمائر المنفصلة و المتصلة Separable and inseparable pronouns. .8 التوابع: Appendants: أ – النعت. .adjective .a ب – العطف. .conjunction .b c. the permutative. .البدل – ج د – التوكيد. emphasis .d .9 حروف الجر والنصب والجزم Prepositions. .10 الفعل الالزم والفعل المتعدي. Transitive & Intransitive verbs. .11 الفعل الماضي The perfect verb. .12 فعل المضارع: The imperfect verb: a. the indicative. المرفوع – أ b. the subjunctive. المنصوب – ب c. the jussive. .المجزوم – ج .13 فعل األمر. The imperative verb. .14 النواسخ: The modifiers: أ – كان و أخواتها a. Kana and its associates ب – إن و أخواتها b. Inna and its associates ج – ظن و أخواتها c. Zanna and its associates .15 الفعل الثالثي المجرد و المزيد فيه. Trilateral and derived verb. .16 المصدر. Verbal noun. .17 المشتقات: Derivatives: أ – اسم الفاعل. a. active participle. ب- اسم المفعول. b. passive participle. ج- اسم التفضيل. c. comparative/superlative. هـ – اسم اآللة. d. noun of instrument. و – اسما الزمان و المكان. e. nouns of time and place. ز – اسم النسبة. f. relative adjective. ح- اسم المبالغة g. hyperbole noun. .18 الجملة الشرطية Conditional sentence. .19 العدد )1 – 1000 فقط( Numeral (1 – 1000). .20 الفاعل و نائب الفاعل. Active and passive voice. .21 المبتدأ والخبر. Subject and predicate. .22 منصوبات األسماء: Nouns in the accusative أ – المفعول به. a. direct object. ب – المفعول فيه )ظرف(. b. adverbs of place and time. ج – الحال. c. adverb of circumstance. د – المستثنى بإال. d. the exempted with illa. هـ – التمييز. e. the specification. و – المنادى. f. the vocative. | Candidates should be able to: 1. identify the various forms of demonstrative and relative pronouns; 2. compare gender markers in Arabic; 3. identify the characteristics of Arabic nouns; 4. differentiate between singular and dual forms of nouns; 5. construct plural forms of singular nouns; 6. identify construct phrases and their usages; 7. differentiate between separable and inseparable pronouns; 8. identify correct usage of adjectives, conjunctions, permutative and emphasis in Arabic sentences; 9. apply correct preposition particles in a given sentence; 10. differentiate between transitive and intransitive verbs and use them in sentences; 11. identify the perfect verbs and their forms; 12. identify the imperfect verbs and their grammatical words in sentences; 13. identify the imperative verbs and their forms; 14. identify the kinds of modifiers and apply them in Arabic usage; 15. differentiate between trilateral and derived verbs; 16. identify the types of derivatives; 17. apply the rules governing conditional sentences, identify, construct and differentiate them in normal sentences; 18. recognise and count Arabic numerals from 1 to 1000 and identify the intricacies involved in their usage; 19. distinguish between doer and doer-substitute and apply them in sentences; 20. identify different types of adverbial clause, the exempted, specification and the vocative and use them in standard Arabic; |
| 4 | SECTION D: COMPOSITION This section consists of five (5) questions on subjects relating to the lives and environment of the candidates, e.g. education, culture, health, politics, economy, sports and current affairs. | Candidates should be able to: 1. use appropriate words for specific thoughts; 2. use correct idiomatic expressions in Arabic; 3. communicate effectively in Arabic; 4. express ideas clearly in Arabic; 5. demonstrate the use of common Arabic idioms and proverbs; |
| 5 | SECTION E: ARABIC LITERATURE This section consists of ten (10) questions on notable literary figures and their works cutting across the various periods which include the following: أ – المدخل إلى األدب العربي. a) Introduction to Arabic literature. األدب تعريفه وأقسامه وفنونه. العصور األدبية. الشعر تعريفه وأنواعه وأغراضه. النثر تعريفه وفنونه ب – العصر الجاهلي )حوالى 500 – 610 م (. a) The Pre-Islamic Period (500 – 610 C.E.). الشنفرى والميته “أقيموا بني أمي صدور مطيكم # “. أكثم بن الصيفي التميمي وخطبته عند كسرى “إن أفضل األشياء…”. ج – العصور اإلسالمية )610 – 1798م(. b) The Islamic Periods (610 – 1798 C.E.). الحجاج بن يوسف الثقفي وخطبته الوعظية “أيها الناس قد أصبحتم في.”. علي بن أبي طالب وخطبته في الجهاد باإلخالص عبدهللا بن المقفع ورسالته في معاملته الصديق وبدايتها “أبذل لصديقك “. جرير بن عطية وقصيدته في مدح الخليفة عمر بن عبدالعزيز. د – العصر الحديث )1798م إلى اليوم(. c) The Modern Period (1978 to date). أحمد شوقي وقصيدته ” العلم والتعليم وواجب المعلم” جبران خليل جبران وقصيدته الموكب “الخير في الناس مصنوع …” عباس محمود العقاد وكتابه “اللغة الشاعرة” هـ – األدب العربي في غرب إفريقيا. d) Arabic Literature in West Africa . أسماء بنت الشيخ عثمان بن فودي وقصيدتها “أعيني جودا وابكيا لحبيبتي “ علي عبدالقادر العسلي وكتابه قصة عبث الطفولة” محمد األمين سامبوا غساما وقصيدته “االفتخار بالقارة اإلفريقية العريقة “ “التكرور أهل “وكتابه الفالني يحيى آدم | Candidates should be able to: 1. identify the essence of Arabic literature; poetry, prose and their periods. 2. identify pre-Islamic Arabic poetic and prosaic traditions and conventions; 3. identify and analyse the style of figurative expressions contained in a given Islamic literature; 4. describe the aesthetic features in literary texts and assess their modern cultural values; 5. evaluate areas of successful use of Arabic as a medium of West African novel and drama, analyse their contents and describe their major characteristics and plots. |
Download Arabic Syllabus 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
QUES: What topics are covered in the JAMB Syllabus for Arabic 2026/2027?
ANS: The JAMB Arabic syllabus includes comprehension, grammar (An-Nahw), morphology (As-Sarf), vocabulary and usage, translation between Arabic and English, Arabic literature, and cultural elements found in texts.
QUES: Is comprehension very important in JAMB Arabic?
ANS: Yes. Comprehension carries a significant number of questions. Candidates are tested on their understanding of passages, main ideas, specific details, vocabulary in context, and implied meanings.
QUES: Does the UTME Arabic exam include essay writing?
ANS: No. The JAMB Arabic exam is completely objective. However, writing skills are tested indirectly through grammar questions, sentence structure, and translation tasks where correct expression is required.
QUES: What type of grammar should I focus on for JAMB Arabic?
ANS: Candidates should focus on parts of speech, sentence structure, verb forms and tenses, agreement between nouns and adjectives, singular, dual and plural forms, and gender usage.
QUES: How are translation questions set in JAMB Arabic?
ANS: Translation questions may require candidates to translate from Arabic to English or from English to Arabic.
QUES: Is Arabic literature compulsory in the syllabus?
ANS: Yes. Literature is tested through passages and questions on themes, messages, and literary styles.
QUES: Do I need to study Arabic culture for JAMB?
ANS: Yes. Some comprehension and literature passages reflect cultural practices, historical references, and social values of Arabic-speaking communities.
QUES: Can I rely only on past questions to study Arabic for JAMB?
ANS: Past questions are useful for understanding exam patterns, but they should not replace studying the full JAMB Arabic syllabus 2026/2027.
QUES: Which section of the Arabic syllabus is usually the most challenging?
ANS: Many candidates find grammar and morphology challenging because they involve detailed rules about sentence construction and word formation.
QUES: What is the best way to use the JAMB Arabic syllabus for effective study?
ANS: Candidates should break the syllabus into weekly study targets, revise grammar consistently, read Arabic texts frequently, practice translation, and test themselves with past UTME questions.