Arabic JAMB Syllabus 2027/2028 Download PDF

The JAMB Arabic syllabus 2027/2028 shows the main topics and language skills you should study for the examination.

The syllabus covers Comprehension, Translation, Grammar, Composition, and Arabic Literature. These areas help you develop your ability to understand Arabic passages, translate between Arabic and English, use Arabic grammar correctly, express ideas clearly in writing, and understand important Arabic literary works.

In this guide, you will see the topics under each section and what you should be able to understand, identify, translate, write or apply. You will also find the JAMB Arabic syllabus PDF download section, recommended texts, and simple guidance on how to use the syllabus during revision.

Arabic requires regular reading, writing and language practice, so use the syllabus to check the areas you have covered and the ones that still need more attention.

Download JAMB Arabic Syllabus 2027/2028 PDF

You can keep the JAMB Arabic syllabus PDF on your phone or computer and use it as a guide while studying.

The PDF covers the major areas of Arabic, including Comprehension, Translation, Grammar, Composition, and Arabic Literature.

Download the JAMB Arabic Syllabus 2027/2028 PDF here:

Download, tap or click it to open the syllabus PDF and save a copy for your revision.

Use the PDF regularly to check the topics you have covered and the areas where you still need more practice, especially grammar, translation, comprehension and Arabic literature.

JAMB Arabic Syllabus Topics and Objectives

The JAMB Arabic syllabus covers five main areas: Comprehension, Translation, Grammar, Composition, and Arabic Literature.

Each section tests a different part of your Arabic language ability. You should be able to understand written Arabic, translate ideas correctly, apply grammar rules, express yourself clearly, and understand important literary texts.

Section A: Comprehension

The Comprehension section tests your ability to read Arabic passages carefully and understand their meaning.

It consists of two passages of about 70 words each. Five multiple-choice questions are set on each passage.

The passages may be based on familiar areas such as:

• current affairs;
• sports;
• education;
• politics;
• economy;
• health;
• culture;
• ethics.

The themes of the two passages are expected to be different.

Understanding Words and Phrases

You should be able to understand how particular Arabic words and phrases are used in a passage.

Sometimes, the meaning of a word depends on the sentence or idea around it. You should pay attention to the context instead of looking at the word alone.

You should also be able to choose appropriate words or phrases that express a particular idea correctly.

Identifying the Main Theme

The main theme is the central idea of a passage.

After reading, you should be able to determine what the passage is mainly about and separate the main idea from supporting details.

Deducing the Lesson

Some passages may contain a lesson or message that is not stated directly.

You should be able to understand the passage as a whole and determine the lesson the writer wants the reader to learn.

Choosing an Appropriate Title

You should be able to choose a suitable title for a passage.

A good title should reflect the main subject or idea of the passage rather than a small detail mentioned in it.

Interpreting Meaning in Context

You should be able to determine the meanings of particular words from the way they are used in the passage.

Regular reading practice can help you become more familiar with Arabic vocabulary and sentence patterns, making it easier to understand different kinds of passages.

Section B: Translation

Translation tests your ability to transfer meaning correctly between Arabic and English.

This section contains 10 questions. Five questions are based on translation from English into Arabic, while the other five are based on translation from Arabic into English.

The questions use standard Arabic and English.

Translation from English to Arabic

You should be able to choose suitable Arabic words and expressions that correctly communicate the meaning of English words, phrases and statements.

When translating into Arabic, pay attention to the complete meaning of the sentence. A word should not be translated without considering how it is being used.

You should be able to:

• choose an appropriate Arabic word for an English word;
• translate English phrases into suitable Arabic expressions;
• transfer ideas from English into Arabic without changing their meaning;
• use standard Arabic expressions correctly.

Translation from Arabic to English

You should also be able to translate Arabic words, phrases and statements into clear English.

This includes choosing an English word or expression that gives the correct meaning of the Arabic statement.

You should be able to:

• identify the meaning of Arabic words and phrases;
• choose suitable English equivalents;
• transfer ideas from Arabic into English clearly;
• communicate the original meaning without unnecessary changes.

Idiomatic Expressions

You should understand idiomatic expressions in both Arabic and English.

An idiomatic expression may have a meaning that cannot be understood by translating each word separately. You need to understand the whole expression before choosing a suitable equivalent in the other language.

Your translation should communicate the intended idea rather than simply replace one word with another.

Effective Communication in Both Languages

Translation is not only about knowing vocabulary. You should be able to communicate ideas effectively in both Arabic and English.

This means understanding the original statement, choosing suitable words and producing a translation that gives the same meaning in the other language.

Section C: Grammar

Grammar is one of the largest parts of the JAMB Arabic syllabus. You should understand how Arabic words and sentences are formed and know how to use the main grammatical rules correctly.

Demonstrative and Relative Pronouns

You should study:

• أسماء الإشارة;
• الأسماء الموصولة.

These cover demonstrative and relative pronouns.

You should be able to identify their different forms and use them correctly in Arabic sentences.

Gender

You should study:

• المذكر;
• المؤنث.

These are the masculine and feminine forms in Arabic.

You should be able to recognize the markers that show whether a noun is masculine or feminine.

Characteristics of Nouns

Study:

• علامات الاسم.

You should be able to identify the main characteristics that distinguish nouns in Arabic.

Dual Forms

Study:

• المثنى.

The dual form is used when referring to two people or things.

You should be able to distinguish between singular and dual nouns and form dual nouns correctly.

Plurals

You should study the three main plural forms:

• جمع المذكر السالم, sound masculine plural;
• جمع المؤنث السالم, sound feminine plural;
• جمع التكسير, broken plural.

You should be able to form plurals from singular nouns and distinguish between the different types.

Construct Phrases

Study:

• المضاف والمضاف إليه.

This structure joins two nouns together to show a relationship between them.

You should be able to identify construct phrases and use them correctly.

Separable and Inseparable Pronouns

Study:

• الضمائر المنفصلة;
• الضمائر المتصلة.

You should be able to distinguish between separable and inseparable pronouns and use each type correctly.

Appendants

You should study:

• النعت, adjective;
• العطف, conjunction;
• البدل, permutative;
• التوكيد, emphasis.

You should understand how each one functions in a sentence and recognize correct usage.

Prepositions

Study:

• حروف الجر.

You should be able to choose and apply the correct preposition in a given Arabic sentence.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

You should study:

• الفعل اللازم, intransitive verb;
• الفعل المتعدي, transitive verb.

You should be able to distinguish between these two types and use them correctly in sentences.

Perfect Verb

Study:

• الفعل الماضي.

You should be able to identify perfect verbs and recognize their forms in Arabic sentences.

Imperfect Verb

Study:

• الفعل المضارع.

The imperfect verb may appear in different grammatical forms:

• المرفوع, indicative;
• المنصوب, subjunctive;
• المجزوم, jussive.

You should be able to recognize these forms and understand how the grammatical position of the verb affects its ending.

Imperative Verb

Study:

• فعل الأمر.

You should be able to identify imperative verbs and recognize their different forms.

Modifiers

You should study the main groups of modifiers:

• كان وأخواتها;
• إن وأخواتها;
• ظن وأخواتها.

You should be able to identify each group and apply the correct grammatical rules when using them in Arabic sentences.

Trilateral and Derived Verbs

Study:

• الفعل الثلاثي المجرد;
• الفعل المزيد فيه.

You should be able to distinguish between basic trilateral verbs and derived verbs.

Derivatives

You should study:

• اسم التفضيل, comparative and superlative;
• اسم الآلة, noun of instrument;
• اسما الزمان والمكان, nouns of time and place;
• اسم النسبة, relative adjective.

You should be able to identify the different types of derivatives and understand how they are used.

Conditional Sentences

Study:

• الجملة الشرطية.

You should be able to:

• identify conditional sentences;
• apply the rules governing them;
• construct them correctly;
• distinguish them from ordinary sentences.

Numerals

You should study:

• العدد من 1 إلى 3000.

You should be able to recognize and count Arabic numerals from 1 to 3000 and understand the rules involved in their usage.

Active and Passive Voice

Study:

• الفاعل;
• نائب الفاعل.

You should be able to distinguish between active and passive constructions and apply them correctly in Arabic sentences.

Nouns in the Accusative

You should study:

• المفعول به, direct object;
• المفعول فيه, adverb of place and time;
• الحال, adverb of circumstance;
• المستثنى بإلا, exception with illa;
• التمييز, specification;
• المنادى, vocative.

You should be able to identify these forms in standard Arabic and use them correctly in sentences.

Section D: Composition

The Composition section tests your ability to express ideas clearly in written Arabic.

This section contains five questions based on topics connected with the lives and environment of students.

Possible areas include:

• education;
• culture;
• health;
• politics;
• economy;
• sports;
• current affairs.

Choosing Appropriate Words

You should be able to choose Arabic words that match the idea you want to express.

Your sentences should be clear and suitable for the topic you are writing about.

Using Idiomatic Expressions

You should know how to use common Arabic idiomatic expressions correctly.

An idiom should fit naturally into the sentence and communicate the intended meaning.

Expressing Ideas Clearly

You should be able to organize your thoughts and communicate them clearly in Arabic.

This means using:

• suitable vocabulary;
• correct grammar;
• clear sentence structure;
• expressions that fit the topic.

Using Arabic Proverbs and Common Expressions

You should also understand and use common Arabic proverbs and expressions where they fit naturally.

The main goal is to show that you can communicate effectively in Arabic and present your ideas in a clear and meaningful way.

Section E: Arabic Literature

Arabic Literature covers important writers and literary works from different periods. You should understand the main features of the texts, the style of the writers, and the cultural value of the works.

The literature section is divided into:

• the Pre-Islamic Period;
• the Islamic Period;
• the Modern Period;
• West African Literature in Arabic.

Pre-Islamic Period

You should study:

• قس بن ساعدة and his sermon “من عاش مات”;
• تماضر الخنساء and her elegiac poetry.

You should understand the main features of Pre-Islamic Arabic literary traditions and be able to recognize important characteristics of the works from this period.

Islamic Period

You should study:

• الفرزدق and his praise of زين العابدين in “لنا العزة الغلباء”;
• حسان بن ثابت and his poem on the conquest of Makkah;
• جرير and his poem “أشجان الهوى”.

You should be able to identify and analyse figurative expressions used in these literary works.

You should also understand how the writers use language to communicate ideas, emotions and praise.

Modern Period

You should study:

• مصطفى لطفي المنفلوطي and his book العبرات, including “قصة الحجاب”;
• إيليا أبو ماضي and his poem “لم تشتكي”.

You should be able to describe the artistic and aesthetic features of the texts and understand their cultural value.

West African Literature in Arabic

Arabic literature is also represented in West African writing.

You should study:

• زكريا إدريس حسين and his play “الطبقة العليا”;
• جميل عبد الله الكنوي and “ادفع بالتي هي أحسن”.

You should understand how Arabic is used as a medium for West African literature, especially in drama and other literary writing.

You should be able to:

• analyse the content of the works;
• identify their main characteristics;
• describe their plots;
• understand how Arabic is used to express West African experiences and ideas.

When studying Arabic Literature, do not focus only on memorizing authors and titles. You should also understand the period of each work, its main ideas, its style and the important literary features found in the text.

How to Use the JAMB Arabic Syllabus for Revision

The JAMB Arabic syllabus can help you organize your study by showing you the areas to cover and the skills you should develop.

Read also: JAMB Area of Concentration for Arabic Subject 2027/2028

Divide your revision into the five main sections:

• Comprehension
• Translation
• Grammar
• Composition
• Arabic Literature

Work through each section gradually and practise regularly.

For Comprehension, read short Arabic passages and practise identifying the main idea, suitable title, lesson, and meanings of words in context.

For Translation, practise both English to Arabic and Arabic to English. Pay attention to the meaning of the whole sentence, especially when working with idiomatic expressions.

For Grammar, revise the rules topic by topic. Practise identifying and using pronouns, gender forms, plurals, verbs, modifiers, derivatives, conditional sentences, numerals, active and passive constructions, and nouns in the accusative.

For Composition, practise writing clearly in Arabic on topics such as education, culture, health, sports, politics, economy and current affairs. Work on suitable vocabulary, correct grammar, idiomatic expressions and common proverbs.

For Arabic Literature, study the writers, literary periods and prescribed works carefully. Do not memorize only names and titles. Understand the main ideas, style, figurative expressions, cultural value and important features of each text.

Use the objectives under each section as a checklist. They show what you should be able to understand, translate, identify, construct, explain or analyse after studying each topic.

You can also use the recommended Arabic texts to improve your reading, grammar, composition, translation and understanding of literature.

Recommended Texts for JAMB Arabic

The recommended texts for JAMB Arabic cover comprehension, composition, translation, grammar and literature.

Comprehension, Composition and Translation

The following texts can support your reading, writing and translation practice:

• بشير أحمد محيي الدين والمرضي مختار المرضي, المطالعة الواضحة, Kano: شركة طن لامي وأبنائه.
• سيد حمرة مالك, الإنشاء العربي المتوسط للمدارس الثانوية, Ibadan: University Press, 2005.
• عبد الفتاح صبري وعلي عمر بك, القراءة الرشيدة, Parts 1–4, Cairo: دار المعارف.
• عبد الله الطيب, سمير التلاميذ, Parts 1–2, Khartoum: مكتب النشر.
• غرب ط. زاريا (1999), كيف تكتب الإنشاء, Kano: Bayero University Press.
• محمد الأول أبوبكر وآخرون, العربية الميسرة الجديدة للمرحلة الثانوية, Ibadan: Spectrum.
• محمد بديع شريف وسليم حكيم والحاج حسين آدمو, العربية الجديدة في نيجيريا, Books 1–3, Ikeja: Longman.
• Adekilekun, A. L. A., Learning Arabic Language, Ilorin.
• Balogun, I. A. B. and Oseni, Z. I. (1982), A Modern Arabic Course Book 1, Lagos: Islamic Publications Bureau.

These materials can help you improve your reading comprehension, vocabulary, composition and translation skills.

Grammar

The following texts can support your study of Arabic grammar:

• علي الجارم ومصطفى أمين, النحو الواضح لمدارس المرحلة الأولية, Parts 1–3, Cairo: دار المعارف.
• محمد أجروم الصنهاجي, متن الأجرومية, Cairo.
• محمد محيي الدين عبد الحميد, التحفة السنية بشرح المقدمة الأجرومية, Beirut: دار الفكر.
• Haywood, J. A. and Nahmad, H. M. (1965), A New Arabic Grammar of the Written Language, London: Lund Humphries.

These books can help you practise the grammatical rules and sentence structures covered in the syllabus.

Arabic Literature

For Arabic Literature, study the following works:

• زكريا حسين, المأدبة الأدبية للطلاب العربية في إفريقيا.
• زكريا حسين, الطبقة العليا.
• مصطفى لطفي المنفلوطي, العبرات.
• جميل عبد الله الكنوي, ادفع بالتي هي أحسن.
• أحمد الإسكندري وآخرون, المفصل في تاريخ الأدب العربي.

The transliterated titles include:

• Zakariyau I. Oseni: Al-Ma’dubat Al-Adabiyyah
• Zakariyau I. Oseni: Al-Tabaqat Al-Ulya (The Upper Class)
• Mustapha Lutfi Al-Manfaluti: Al-Abarat
• Jamil Abdullahi Alkanawi: Idfa’a Bil-Lati Hiya Ahsan
• Ahmad Al-Askandari wal Akharun: Al-Mufassal fi Tarikh Al-Adab Al-Arabi

Read also: Full List of JAMB Recommended Textbooks for Arabic 2027/2028

Use these texts to support your understanding of the prescribed literary periods, writers, styles and works.

Key Points to Remember

• The JAMB Arabic syllabus covers five main areas: Comprehension, Translation, Grammar, Composition, and Arabic Literature.
• In Comprehension, you should be able to identify the main theme, suitable title, lesson, and meanings of words in context.
• Translation covers both English to Arabic and Arabic to English, including suitable vocabulary and idiomatic expressions.
• Grammar includes pronouns, gender, nouns, dual and plural forms, construct phrases, verbs, modifiers, derivatives, conditional sentences, numerals, active and passive voice, and nouns in the accusative.
• Composition requires you to express ideas clearly in Arabic using suitable vocabulary, correct grammar, idioms and common proverbs.
• Arabic Literature covers the Pre-Islamic Period, Islamic Period, Modern Period, and West African Literature in Arabic.
• Do not memorize only rules or literary titles. You should also be able to identify, translate, construct, interpret, analyse and use Arabic correctly.
• Use both the topics and objectives during revision so you know what to study and what you should be able to do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The JAMB Arabic syllabus 2027/2028 gives you a clear guide to the main areas you should study, including Comprehension, Translation, Grammar, Composition, and Arabic Literature.

Use the syllabus to organize your revision and make sure you practise both understanding and using Arabic. Pay attention to reading passages, translating between Arabic and English, applying grammar rules correctly, writing clearly, and studying the prescribed literary texts and writers.

You can also return to the JAMB Arabic syllabus PDF whenever you need to check the topics and objectives you have already covered.

If you have any questions about the JAMB Arabic syllabus, leave a comment. You can also share this guide with other students who may find it useful.