POETRY

Contents & notes: what this topic covers

Under POETRY, the JAMB Literature in English syllabus expects you to study:

• 3. POETRY a. Types: i. Sonnet ii. Ode iii. Lyrics iv. Elegy v. Ballad vi. Panegyric vii. Epic viii. Blank Verse, etc.
• b. Poetic devices i. Imagery ii. Sound (Rhyme/Rhythm, repetition, pun, onomatopoeia, etc.) iii. Diction iv. Persona c. Appreciation i. Thematic preoccupation ii. Socio-political relevance iii. Style.

Study notes & guidance

Study POETRY using a recommended Literature in English textbook that follows the JAMB syllabus. Work through the contents listed above one by one, make brief notes in your own words, and then practise as many questions on this topic as you can — in Literature in English, understanding and steady practice matter far more than memorising. Use the objectives below as a checklist: if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Objectives — candidates should be able to

After studying POETRY, you should be able to:

1. A.i. identify different types of poetry; a.ii. identify the distinctive features of the poetic types. b.i. determine the devices used by various poets; b.ii. show how poetic devices are used for aesthetic effect in each poem; b.iii. identify the figure of speech in the texts. b.iv. Show how poetic devices convey message and meaning. c.i. Deduce the poet’s thematic preoccupation from the poem; c.ii. appraise poetry as an art with moral values; c.iii. apply the lessons from the poem to social reality.

These objectives are from the official JAMB syllabus. Use them as a checklist — if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Source: official JAMB UTME Literature in English syllabus (IBASS, jamb.gov.ng). Reproduced for study use. Last checked: 17 Sept 2026. Always confirm the current syllabus on the official portal.