Which of the following organelles is common to both plant and animal cells

Step 1: Analyze the question We need the structure found in both plant cells and animal cells.

Step 2: Review each option

• A. Cellulose cell wall: Found only in plant cells (and also in fungi and bacteria, but made of different materials). Animal cells have no cell wall. ❌
• B. Chlorophyll: The green pigment for photosynthesis, found in the chloroplasts of plant cells. Animal cells have no chloroplasts. ❌
• C. Cell membrane: Every living cell is surrounded by a cell membrane. It controls what enters and leaves the cell. In plants it lies just inside the cell wall. ✅
• D. Large vacuole: A large, permanent central vacuole is a feature of mature plant cells. Animal cells have only small, temporary vacuoles. ❌

Step 3: Answer The cell membrane is present in both plant and animal cells, so the answer is C.

Note: Strictly speaking, the cell membrane is a structure rather than a true "organelle" in some textbook definitions, but WASSCE questions usually treat it as one. Among the options, it is the only one common to both cell types.

Exam tip: Remember the plant-only structures with the phrase "CCV": Cell wall, Chloroplast (chlorophyll), and large Vacuole. If an option is on that list, it is not common to both. Cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, and ribosomes are shared.