CBSE Class 11 Syllabus English (2025-26) | Latest Edition

ENGLISH CORE CODE NO. 301 CLASS – XI
2023-24
Section A – 26 Marks Reading Skills

I 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 the passages will be 600-750.
Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions will be asked.

3. Note Making and Summarization based on a passage of approximately 200-250 words.

i. Note Making:                                      5 Marks
○ Title:                                        1
○ Numbering and indenting:      1
○ Key/glossary:                         1
○ Notes:                                    2
ii. Summary (up to 50 words):                 3 Marks
○ Content:                                   2
○ Expression:                              1

Section B – 23 Marks
Grammar and Creative Writing Skills

II 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).
III Creative Writing Skills 16 Marks
6. Short writing task – Classified Advertisements, up to 50 words. One out of the two givenquestions to be answered (3 Marks: Format : 1 / Content : 1 / Expression : 1)
7. Short writing task –Poster up to 50 words. One out 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 contemporary / age-appropriate topic. One out 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 to be answered. (5 Marks: Format: 1 / Content: 2 / Expression: 2)

Section C – 31 Marks
Literature Text Book and Supplementary Reading Text

This section will have 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 response from the student. Any one out of 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, themes, as reference points. Any one out of two questions to be done.   (1x6=6 Marks)

Prescribed Books

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

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
Assessment of Listening Skills -  05 marks.
Assessment of Speaking Skills – 05 Marks
Project Work - 10 Marks

ENGLISH ELECTIVE

(Code No. 001) CLASS – XI
2023-24

Section A

Reading Comprehension 25 Marks
Two unseen passages and a poem
1. 12 out of 15 Multiple Choice / Objective Type Questions, from a literary or discursive passage of about 950-1000 words to assess comprehension, interpretation, inference, analysis, appreciation and vocabulary.    (1x12=12 marks)
2. 8 out of 9 Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions to test interpretation, inference and appreciation of a poem of about 10-12 lines.    (1x8=8 marks)
3. 5 out of 7 Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions from a case-based passage (with visual input- statistical data, chart etc.) of 100-120 words to test interpretation, analysis and evaluation.                       (1x5=5 marks)

Section B
Creative Writing Skills 15 Marks
4. An Essay on an argumentative/discursive/reflective/descriptive topic, leading to creative rendering, forming and defending of opinions, to be answered in 120-150 words.
(5 marks)
5. Article on one out of two topics to be answered in 120-150 words pertaining to contemporary topical issues.    (5 marks)
6. Speech on one out of two topics to be answered in 120-150 words pertaining to contemporary topical issues.    (5 marks)

Section C
This section will have 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 and extrapolation beyond the text.

Textbook 20 Marks
7. Reference to the Context
i. One Prose extract, out of two, to assess comprehension, literary appreciation and inference.
ii. One Poetry extract, out of two, to assess comprehension, literary appreciation and inference.           (5+5=10 Marks)
8. Two Short Answer Questions out of three, to be answered in 30-40 words to assess understanding, analysis and critical appreciation. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking.                                                                                                                 (2x2=4 marks)
9. Two Short Answer Questions, out of three, to be answered in 50-60 words to assess understanding, analysis and critical appreciation. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking.                                                                                                                 (3x2=6 marks)

Arms and the Man - [Drama]                                                               10 Marks
10. Two Long Answer Questions, out of three, to be answered in 80-100 words to appreciate characters, events and episodes. Questions to provide analytical responses using incidents, events, themes, as reference points.                                      (5x2=10 marks)

Fiction                                                                                                  10 Marks
11. One Short Answer Question, out of two, to be answered in 30-40 words to critically appreciate characters, events, episodes, interpersonal relationships and formation of personal points of view, with reference to content, events and episodes.        (2 marks)
12. One Short Answer Question, out of two, to be answered in 50-60 words to assess understanding, analysis and critical appreciation. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking.                                                                              (3 marks)
13. One Long Answer Question, out of two, to be answered in 120-150 words to test literary appreciation and to draw inferences. Questions should elicit creative responses and develop ability to form personal points of view.                                           (5 marks)

Seminar                                                                                                    (20 marks)
- Presentation - book review /a play /a short story/a novel/novella (tale, fable, and parable) to be followed by a question-answer session.
- Poetry reading to be followed by interpretative tasks based on close reading and literary analysis of the text.
- Critical review of a film/ documentary or a play.
- Conducting a theatre workshop to be followed by a discussion

Note: Teachers may develop their own rubrics to assess the performance of students objectively
The parameters for assessing Speaking skills, as given in the curriculum for English Core, may be referred to.

Prescribed Books:
1. Text book: Woven Words published by NCERT
2. Fiction: The Old Man and the Sea (Novel unabridged) by Ernest Hemingway
3. Drama: Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw

Book-Woven Words- Short Stories
- The Lament
- A Pair of Mustachios
- The Rocking-horse Winner
- The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
- Pappachi’s Moth
- The Third and Final Continent

Book-Woven Words-Poetry
- The Peacock
- Let me Not to the Marriage of True Minds
- Coming
- Telephone Conversation
- The World is too Much With Us
- Mother Tongue
- Hawk Roosting
- Ode to a Nightingale

Book-Woven Words-Essays
- My Watch
- My Three Passions
- Patterns of Creativity
- Tribal Verse
- What is a Good Book?
- The Story
- Bridges