WAEC 2019 English Language · Question 3

Tom's humility contrasts with his brother's …

Question

From the list of words lettered A to D, choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the underlined word and that will, at the same time, correctly fill the gap in the sentence. Tom's humility contrasts with his brother's__________

In the original paper part of this question is underlined. The underline isn't shown here: see the explanation below.

A.haughtiness
B.stubbornness
C.gentleness
D.quietness

Answer: A. haughtiness

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Step 1: Analyze the question The underlined word is humility (being modest, not proud). We need the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning and also fits the gap: "Tom's humility contrasts with his brother's __."

Step 2: Explain the concept

Humility = modesty, lack of pride.
The opposite of humility is pride, arrogance, or haughtiness.
The word "contrasts" tells us the brother has the opposite quality to Tom.

Step 3: Test each option

A. haughtiness: means arrogance or excessive pride. It is a direct opposite of humility. ✔
B. stubbornness: means being obstinate. It is not related to pride or modesty. ✘
C. gentleness: means being mild or kind. It is closer to humility, not opposite. ✘
D. quietness: means being silent or calm. It is not an opposite of humility. ✘

Step 4: Answer "Tom's humility contrasts with his brother's haughtiness." This sentence is grammatically correct, since the noun form fits the gap after the possessive "brother's", and the meaning is clearly opposite.

Exam tip: In opposite-meaning questions, first find the word's core idea (humility means no pride), then look for the option that expresses the reverse (pride). Also, noun-for-noun matching helps: the gap needs a noun, as humility is a noun. Memorize pairs like humility ↔ arrogance/haughtiness, generosity ↔ stinginess, courage ↔ cowardice.

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