Living Organisms: JAMB Biology Questions, Answers & Notes

What Living Organisms covers in the JAMB Biology syllabus

Living things share characteristics often summarised as MRS GREN: Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity (irritability), Growth, Reproduction, Excretion and Nutrition. The cell is the basic unit of life; plant cells have a cellulose cell wall, chloroplasts (with chlorophyll) and a large vacuole, which animal cells lack, while both have a nucleus (control centre), cytoplasm, cell membrane and mitochondria (respiration). Life is organised as cell → tissue → organ → system → organism. Living things are classified into kingdoms (Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia). Autotrophs make their own food (plants, by photosynthesis); heterotrophs feed on others.

For Living Organisms, JAMB expects you to be able to:

• State the characteristics and levels of organisation of living things
• Describe cell structure and differences between plant and animal cells
• Classify organisms and distinguish autotrophs from heterotrophs

Key facts & revision notes: Living Organisms

These are the recurring points our Living Organisms questions test — revise them until each feels automatic, then practise the questions above to lock them in.

• Rusting is a chemical change in metals, not a life process.
• Living things respire, reproduce and grow.
• The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all living things.
• Reproduction is the life process by which organisms produce new individuals.
• Excretion is the removal of metabolic waste products.
• Irritability (sensitivity) is the ability to detect and respond to changes (stimuli).
• Plant cells have a cellulose cell wall (and chloroplasts and a large vacuole); animal cells do not.
• The nucleus controls the cell's activities and contains the genetic material.
• Chlorophyll, found in chloroplasts, traps light energy for photosynthesis.
• green plants) make their own food, usually by photosynthesis.
• The cell membrane is selectively permeable, controlling movement in and out of the cell.
• A tissue is a group of similar cells carrying out the same function.
• Levels of organisation: cell → tissue → organ → organ system → organism.
• The five kingdoms are Monera (bacteria), Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia.
• The mitochondrion is the site of aerobic respiration, releasing energy for the cell.
• Locomotion is the movement of an entire organism from one place to another.
• The vacuole stores cell sap; it is large and permanent in plant cells.
• Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants make food from CO₂ and water using light.
• A microscope magnifies tiny structures such as cells for detailed study.
• Heterotrophs cannot make their own food and feed on other organisms.
• The cytoplasm is the jelly-like medium in which many cell reactions take place.
• Nutrition is one of the characteristics of living things.
• Cells are the basic units of all living things.
• Single-celled organisms are unicellular.

Worked examples

Three Living Organisms questions with the answer and a short explanation, so you can see how the topic is set before you practise the full set.

How Living Organisms is tested in JAMB Biology

Our Living Organisms bank holds 40 questions (15 easy, 23 medium, 2 hard). JAMB Biology typically returns to Living Organisms year after year, so steady practice on this topic is high-value revision. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, and at UTME pace you get roughly 40 seconds each — which is why timed practice matters.

How to answer Living Organisms questions

Work the stem first and predict the answer before you look at the options; then eliminate the ones that contradict the key facts above. Watch for “which is not…”, “all of the above” and “except” style stems, which are where rushed candidates lose easy marks on Living Organisms. If a calculation or a precise definition is involved, work it from first principles rather than guessing from a half-remembered rule. When two options look right, re-read the stem for the qualifier that separates them — JAMB rarely repeats an option by accident. If you are still unsure, eliminate the two weakest choices to lift your odds, flag the question, and move on; never burn a full minute on one Biology item when the exam gives you about forty seconds each. Then come back to flagged questions with whatever time remains. The single most reliable way to get faster at Living Organisms is repeated timed practice, so use the button above until the recurring patterns feel automatic.

Common mistakes to avoid in Living Organisms

The errors that cost marks on Living Organisms are usually careless rather than conceptual: misreading a negative stem, confusing two similar terms, or rushing a definition you actually know. Candidates also over-rely on “expo” and last-minute cramming instead of understanding the topic — which fails the moment JAMB rephrases a familiar idea. Treat every option as a claim to be checked against the facts above, keep your working tidy for any calculation, and don’t change a considered answer on a hunch. Above all, revise Living Organisms actively by answering questions, not just by re-reading notes — recall under time is what the exam rewards.

Frequently asked questions

Is Living Organisms part of the JAMB Biology syllabus?

Yes. Living Organisms is a recognised topic in the JAMB Biology syllabus, covering state the characteristics and levels of organisation of living things. You should be able to recall its key facts and apply them to multiple-choice questions.

How many Living Organisms questions can I practise on Belmadeng?

There are 40 original, JAMB-standard Living Organisms questions in our free bank, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. You can practise them untimed or as a timed test.

What are the most important points to know about Living Organisms?

Living things share characteristics often summarised as MRS GREN: Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity (irritability), Growth, Reproduction, Excretion and Nutrition. The cell is the basic unit of life; plant cells have a cellulose cell wall, chloroplasts (with chlorophyll) and a large vacuole, which a…

How do I answer Living Organisms questions quickly in JAMB?

Read the stem carefully, eliminate clearly wrong options, and match the remaining choices to the key facts for Living Organisms. Practising timed Living Organisms questions builds the speed you need for UTME's pace of about 40 seconds per question.

Are these JAMB Biology Living Organisms questions past questions or original?

They are original questions written to JAMB (UTME) standard and mapped to the official syllabus — not reproduced past papers. This keeps them legal to use freely while closely mirroring how the real exam tests the topic.

Where can I practise Living Organisms questions free without signing up?

Right here — tap “Start Living Organisms practice” on this page to begin instantly. Belmadeng's CBT practice is completely free and needs no sign-up, download or subscription.

About these questions: original, JAMB-standard items written from the official UTME Biology syllabus (last reviewed 2026-09-18). Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with JAMB. Spotted an error? Use the report link.