CBSE Class 11 English Core Syllabus for Board Exam 2026-27, Download PDF Here

Section A: Reading Skills- 26 Marks

Reading Comprehension through Unseen Passages (10+8=18 Marks)

1. One unseen passage to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and vocabulary. The passage may be factual, descriptive or literary.

2. One unseen case-based factual passage with verbal/visual inputs like statistical data, charts etc to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and evaluation.

Note: The combined word limit for both passages will be 600-750. Multiple Choice Questions/ Objective Type Questions will be asked.

3. Note making and summarisation based on a passage of approximately 200-250 words.

Section B: Grammar and Creative Writing Skills- 23 Marks

I. Grammar: 7 Marks

4. Questions on Gap filling (Tenses, Clauses)

5. Questions on re-ordering/transformation of sentences

 (Total seven questions to be done out of the eight given).

Creative Writing Skills (16 Marks)

6. Short writing task – Classified Advertisements, up to 50 words. One out of the two given questions to be answered (3 Marks: Format: 1 / Content: 1 / Expression: 1)

7. Short writing task –Poster up to 50 words. One of the two given questions to be answered. (3 marks: Format: 1 / Content: 1 / Expression: 1)

8. Long Writing task: Speech in 120-150 words based on verbal/visual cues related to a contemporary / age-appropriate topic. One of the two given questions to be answered. (5 Marks: Format: 1 / Content: 2 / Expression: 2)

9. Long Writing Task: Debate based on visual/verbal inputs in 120-150 words, thematically related to contemporary, topical issues. One out of the two given questions is to be answered. (5 Marks: Format: 1 / Content: 2 / Expression: 2)

Section C: Literature Text Book and Supplementary Reading Text-31 Marks

This section will have a variety of assessment items, including Multiple Choice Questions, Objective Type Questions, Short Answer Type Questions and Long Answer Type Questions, to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, evaluation and extrapolation beyond the text.

10. One Poetry extract out of two, from the book Hornbill, to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and appreciation. 3x1=3 Marks

11. One Prose extract out of two, from the book Hornbill, to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, evaluation and appreciation. 3x1=3 Marks

12. One prose extract out of two, from the book Snapshots, to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and appreciation. 4x1=4 Marks

13. Two short-answer type questions (one from Prose and one from Poetry, from the book Hornbill), out of four, to be answered in 40-50 words. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. 3x2=6 Marks

14. One short-answer type question, from the book Snapshots, to be answered in 40- 50 words. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. One out of two questions to be done. 3x1=3 Marks

15. One Long answer type question, from Prose/Poetry of Hornbill, to be answered in 120-150 words. Questions can be based on incident/theme/passage/extract/event, as reference points to assess extrapolation beyond and across the text. The question will elicit analytical and evaluative responses from the student. One of the two questions to be done. 1x6=6 Marks

16. One long-answer type question, based on the chapters from the book Snapshots, to be answered in 120-150 words, to assess global comprehension and extrapolation beyond the text. Questions to provide analytical and evaluative responses, using incidents, events, and themes as reference points. One of two questions to be done. 1x6=6 Marks

1. Hornbill: English Reader, published by National Council of Education Research and Training, New Delhi

• The Portrait of a Lady (Prose)
• A Photograph (Poem)
• “We’re Not Afraid to Die… if We Can Be Together
• Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues
• The Laburnum Top (Poem)
• The Voice of the Rain (Poem)
• Childhood (Poem)
• The Adventure
• Silk Road (Prose)
• Father to Son

2. Snapshots: Supplementary Reader published by National Council of Education Research and Training, New Delhi

• The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse (Prose)
• The Address (Prose)
• Mother’s Day (Play)
• Birth (Prose)
• The Tale of Melon City

Section

Competencies

Total marks

Reading Skills

Conceptual understanding, decoding, Analyzing, inferring, interpreting, appreciating, literary, conventions and vocabulary, summarizing and using appropriate format/s.

26

Grammar and Creative Writing Skills

Conceptual Understanding, application of rules, Analysis, Reasoning, appropriate style and tone, using appropriate format and fluency, inference, analysis, evaluation and creativity.

23

Literature Text Book and Supplementary Reading Text

Recalling, reasoning, appreciating literary convention, inference, analysis, creativity with fluency, Critical Thinking.

31

TOTAL

80

Internal Assessment

Assessment of Listening and Speaking Skills

• Listening

• Speaking

10

5+5

• Project Work

10

GRAND TOTAL

100