Top 6 JAMB Essay-Writing Mistakes to Avoid

The Use of English paper trips more UTME candidates than any other subject. Here are the six most common blunders. First: ignoring the instruction word. "Discuss" and "explain" are not the same thing. Read the prompt three times before you write a single word. Second: writing a single unbroken paragraph. Examiners grade structure. An introduction, three developed body paragraphs, and a tight conclusion can add five to eight marks. Third: repeating the question in the introduction. Start with a bold claim or a striking fact instead. Fourth: vague vocabulary. Swap "bad things happen" for "adverse consequences compound". Precision signals maturity. Fifth: ignoring counter-arguments in argumentative essays. Acknowledge the opposing view in one paragraph and rebut it — this is what separates an A from a B. Sixth: poor time allocation. You have roughly 30 minutes for the essay. Outline for five, write for 20, and proofread for five. Never skip the proofread.