WAEC & NECO 2025 Literature-in-English: How to Analyze Set Texts

Understand the Plot of the Set Text

Understanding the plot of the set text is an important step in your preparation for WAEC & NECO 2025 Literature-in-English exams. 

The plot refers to the sequence of events that unfold in the story, drama, or poem. 

Start by reading the set text thoroughly to grasp the storyline from beginning to end. 

Pay attention to how the author introduces the main conflict, develops the tension, and resolves it by the conclusion. 

Understanding the plot helps you see the connection between events, character actions, and themes, which is vital when answering questions. 

Creating a plot summary or timeline can help you retain the main events and their significance, ensuring you are well-prepared for detailed plot-related questions.

1. Identify Key Themes in the Set Text

Identifying key themes in the set text is essential for a deep understanding of the work and for answering WAEC & NECO 2025 Literature-in-English questions effectively.

Themes are the central ideas or messages the author seeks to convey, such as love, betrayal, conflict, power, or justice. 

As you read the set text, take note of recurring ideas and how they are expressed through the actions of characters, dialogue, and events.

Understanding key themes helps you explain the deeper meaning of the text and relate it to real-life issues, which is often required in essay questions.

Practice linking themes to specific scenes and characters, and always support your points with relevant examples from the text, this approach is going to enhance your analysis and improve your exam performance.

2. Analyze Major Characters and Their Roles

Analyzing major characters and their roles is a great aspect of your preparation for WAEC & NECO 2025 Literature-in-English. 

Each major character serves a specific function in driving the plot forward and highlighting key themes. 

To analyze a character, start by examining their traits, motivations, and relationships with other characters. 

Consider how they evolve throughout the story and how their actions influence key events. 

Pay attention to whether a character is a protagonist, antagonist, or a supporting figure and how they contribute to the central conflict. 

When writing your analysis, use specific examples from the text to illustrate your points, such as important dialogues or actions, this not only shows your understanding of the character but also strengthens your interpretation of the set text.

3. Examine the Author’s Use of Language and Style

Examining the way the author chooses words, constructs sentences, and uses literary devices such as imagery, symbolism, and figurative language greatly contributes to the overall meaning and tone of the work. 

Pay attention to the language used by characters and the narrator, and how it reflects their emotions, social status, or environment. 

Consider the author’s writing style, whether it is formal, colloquial, descriptive, or poetic and how this affects the reader’s perception of the story.

For instance, short, direct sentences can create tension or urgency, while elaborate descriptions could highlight themes of beauty or sorrow.

Analyzing these elements allows you to appreciate the depth of the text and provides strong evidence for your answers, especially when addressing themes or character development.

4. Study the Setting and Its Significance

Studying the setting and its significance is a vital aspect of analyzing any set text for WAEC & NECO 2025 Literature-in-English. 

The setting refers to the time, place, and social environment in which the events of the story occur. 

Understanding the setting allows you to see how it influences the plot and characters, as well as its connection to the themes of the text. 

For example, a story set in a war-torn country can highlight themes of survival, loss, and conflict, while a more peaceful setting can focus on personal growth or relationships. 

Pay attention to how the author describes the setting and how it affects the mood or atmosphere of the story. 

The setting can also symbolize larger ideas or reflect the internal struggles of the characters, by analyzing the setting, you gain a deeper understanding of its impact on the narrative, helping you provide more insightful answers in the exam.

5. Explore Literary Devices and Their Effects

Exploring literary devices and their effects in a set text can enhance your understanding and analysis for WAEC & NECO 2025 Literature-in-English.

Literary devices like metaphors, similes, personification, irony, and foreshadowing serve to deepen the meaning of the text and evoke emotional responses from the reader. 

These devices shape how the story is experienced, adding layers of meaning beyond the literal. For example, the use of irony can highlight the contrast between expectation and reality, while a metaphor could connect an abstract concept to something more tangible. 

As you read the set text, take note of how these devices are used and consider their effect on the reader’s interpretation of characters, themes, and the overall message. 

Analyzing these elements helps you grasp the subtleties of the text, making your responses more thoughtful and well-supported in the exam.

6. Interpret Key Quotes and Passages

Note that certain quotes or passages in the text carry significant meaning and often encapsulate the central themes or conflicts. 

When interpreting these lines, consider the context in which they occur, the speaker, and their emotional or intellectual state at that moment.

Reflecting on how these words contribute to the overall message of the text and how they influence the development of characters or plot, analyzing key quotes also involves exploring figurative language or rhetorical techniques the author may use to emphasize important ideas. 

Supporting your interpretation with specific examples from the text strengthens your answers, showcasing your deeper understanding of the work and your ability to analyze it critically.

7. Relate the Text to Its Historical Context

Relating the text to its historical context is an effective way to deepen your knowledge of a set text for WAEC & NECO 2025 Literature-in-English.

Every literary work is shaped by the time and place in which it was written, and understanding the historical background can provide valuable insights into the themes, characters, and events.

Consider the social, political, and economic conditions during the period the text was written, and how they influenced the author’s choices. 

Imagine this, a novel written during a time of war can reflect themes of struggle for survival, while one written during a period of social change can address issues of equality or justice. 

By connecting the text to its historical context, you can interpret its significance more fully, especially when explaining the author’s intentions or the relevance of specific events or characters, this perspective can also help you draw comparisons to contemporary issues, making your analysis richer and more comprehensive.

8. Practice Answering Past Questions on the Set Text

Practicing past questions on the set text is a highly effective way to prepare for WAEC & NECO 2025 Literature-in-English. 

By working through previous exam questions, you familiarize yourself with the types of questions that are commonly asked and the way they are framed. 

This helps you refine your answering techniques and boosts your confidence when tackling similar questions in the exam.

Additionally, reviewing past questions allows you to practice structuring your responses clearly and concisely, ensuring you address the key points and provide well-supported answers.

As you analyze past responses, pay attention to the areas you need to improve on, such as identifying themes, character analysis, or using quotes to back up your points.

9. Compare Different Interpretations of the Text

Comparing different interpretations of the set text helps you gain a broader perspective and deepen your understanding. 

Literature is often open to multiple interpretations, and analyzing various viewpoints can enhance your critical thinking. 

You can come across interpretations from critics, scholars, or other students that highlight aspects of the text you have not considered. 

By exploring different perspectives, you can strengthen your own analysis and broaden your ability to discuss complex themes and characters. 

This approach also helps you recognize the diversity of thought and analysis in literature, which is valuable when constructing your responses during the exam.

Importance of Analyzing Set Texts for WAEC & NECO

Note the importance of analyzing set texts for WAEC & NECO, it:

• Improves comprehension: Analyzing set texts helps you understand the deeper meaning of the story, themes, and characters.
• Enhances exam performance: A thorough analysis allows you to answer questions more confidently and accurately, leading to better marks.
• Develops critical thinking: The process of examining themes, characters, and literary devices sharpens your ability to think critically and interpret complex ideas.
• Builds analytical skills: By identifying key elements like symbolism and themes, you develop strong skills in analysis that will serve you well in exams.
• Boosts confidence: Understanding the text deeply and being able to discuss its nuances gives you the confidence to tackle any exam question.
• Prepares you for essay questions: Analyzing set texts equips you with the knowledge and evidence needed to craft well-supported, structured essays.

Pro Tips 

• Read the text thoroughly: Ensure you understand the plot, themes, and characters before diving into analysis.
• Take notes on key passages: Highlight important quotes and passages that reflect the text’s main ideas and character motivations.
• Practice writing summaries: Summarize the text and key scenes to reinforce your understanding and improve recall during exams.
• Use past questions: Answer past questions on the set text to familiarize yourself with the exam format and the types of questions likely to be asked.
• Compare interpretations: Examine different perspectives on the text to broaden your understanding and deepen your analysis.
• Support your answers with evidence: Always backup your interpretations with specific examples or quotes from the text to strengthen your responses.