INTRODUCTION
English Oral English, also known as spoken English, refers to the use of spoken words to communicate, express ideas, and interact with others. It encompasses the skills of listening and speaking, which are fundamental for effective communication and play a vital role in language development and literacy.
In essence, Oral English is about the practical application of the English language through spoken interaction, encompassing not just pronunciation and grammar but also the ability to convey meaning and engage in meaningful conversations. Strong oral language skills are crucial for developing reading comprehension and writing abilities.
The WASSCE Oral English Test is often considered one of the most challenging sections of the English paper by SHS students in Ghana and West Africa. But with the right approach and techniques, you can master it and boost your overall grade. This article shares practical, student-friendly tips and tricks to help you confidently pass the WASSCE Oral English Test in 2025.
HOW ENGLISH ORALS IS SET
The oral English for Wassce has 60 questions in all .Candidates taking the wassce are expected to answer them all.The 60 questions are to divided into categories numbered test 1-8.Test 1,2,3,4 and 5 has to deal with the three basic sounds (initial,medial and final sounds).
1. INITIAL SOUNDS
Is the first sound produced when pronouncing a word .E.g sheep, the first word is sh, in cheat the first sound is ch and in beat ,the first sound is b.
Initial sounds refer to the very first sound you hear when a word is spoken. These are also called beginning sounds, and they are extremely important in oral English because they help us identify, pronounce, and differentiate words correctly.
Let’s break it down:
In the word “sheep”, the first sound is /ʃ/ – this is the sound of “sh”, not just the letter ‘s’ or ‘h’ alone.
In the word “cheat”, the first sound is /tʃ/ – this is the sound made by “ch”.
In the word “beat”, the first sound is /b/ – the simple ‘b’ sound you pronounce at the beginning.
2. MEDIAL SOUNDS
Is the sound produced in the middle of the word .E.g in sheep ,the middle is ee, in cheat the middle is ea, and in beat the middle is ea.
3.FINAL SOUND
This is the sound produced at the end of the word.E.g in seed ,d is the final sound ,and in beat ,t is the final word.
THE VARIOUS TEST IN ORALS ,ITS CONTENTS AND TECHNIQUES
Tests 1,2 and 3 contents and techniques
Test 1 has 15 items (1-15),lettered A to C ,test 2 also has 15 items (15-30),test 3 has only 10 items (31-40).No sooner than the play button is pressed to play,your attention should be on every word in the test.
One of the speakers will start giving instructions followed by two examples ,one of the speakers will say “listen carefully”.In this test there are three words to a line .Beside the words I read there is a letter ,shade this letter on your answer sheet.When you hear any of the speakers say now get ready to start the rest of the test one on your answer sheet ,start at number 1″.
Examples;
a.Teach b.Cheat c.Eat
There are differences among these words in terms of initial,medial and final .
Test 1,2 and 3 has the same explanation and techniques.
TEST FOUR(4)
In test four,there are three sentential options .You should also listen to any instructions or examples given by one of the speakers. Among the three optional sentences,the speaker will read one of them and you should be smart enough detect the actual word pronounced by the speaker.These are words with almost the same sound but a different spelling and meaning. E.g
1.” a. The war was caused by his (tribe)”
” b. The war was caused by his (bribe).”
“c. The war was caused by his (pride)”.
- “a. He’s just (found) his father .” “b. He’s just (fanned) his father.” “c. He’s just (phoned) his father”
TEST FIVE(5)
This is about rhyming scheme. The medial and the final are combined to pronounce the word .E.g;The speaker may pronounce the word ” sing” while in the option you will see
a. Snipe
b. Wing
c. Sink
d. Snick
In the above options ,b is the correct answer because it has the same medial sound and final sound with the speakers word. It is hard to see in the options the very word that is being pronounced by the speaker.
Easy Ways/ Tricks to Pass Your WASSCE Oral English Test
While the oral exam demonstrates your knowledge and mastery of a subject matter, it’s primary purpose is to demonstrate your presentation, speaking and interpersonal communication skills.
This examination is conducted by West African Examination Council (WAEC)) for five countries in West Africa and are written on the same day. As an experience Examiner and Tutor I want to share with you how to listen to the voice of both Female and Male being played and passed easily(ORAL TEST). In fact always the voice of the male is deep carrying some echo (reflection of sound).Below are tricks you have to adapt to pass your ORAL TEST easily.
1.Go to the examination center and get seated twenty minutes(20) before the Examination commence.
2.Stop any distractor beside you being it your colleague candidate.
- Listen to the word not voice ( men voice has echo if care is not taken you will missed the word)
4.Do not ask candidate behind you for a missing word — else all of you will missed subsequent word(s)
- You can ask for a missing word after all the conversation ( Please It’s Not Allowed In Examination Center).Be Smart!!!
6.As soon as you hear stop work, please stop and stand by your scanable answer sheet.
Conclusion, Passing the WASSCE Oral English Test is achievable if you prepare smart. Use the tips above consistently, and your chances of success will be high. Remember, understanding the test format, regular listening practice, and focused preparation are the keys to excelling.
Good luck with your WASSCE & NOVDEC 2025!