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CBSE X Latest Updates
26 Sep, 2025 CBSE Class 10 Previous Year Papers with solutions PDF are available here for free. Download Here
The CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus 2025-26 has been published, and students can download the syllabus from the official website, cbseacademic.nic.in.
- The English syllabus is divided into three main sections: Reading, Writing, and Literature.
- The literature part is again divided into two prescribed books: First Flight and Footprints without Feet.
- There are three sections to the 80-mark theory paper: 40 marks for literature, 20 marks for reading, and 20 marks for writing with grammar.
- It is important to note that the chapters and topics deleted in the 2023-24 session will continue to remain excluded for 2025-26 as well.
In this article, students can see the updated CBSE class 10 English syllabus and then prepare accordingly for their class 10 exams.
Also Read
CBSE Class 10 Exam Pattern
Key Summary
- In this article, we discussed the CBSE Class 10 English syllabus, which includes weightage, deleted topics, tips, and important books
- Class 10 students can download the official syllabus from the CBSE website: cbseacademic.nic.in.
- The CBSE Class 10 English syllabus is divided into reading skills, writing, and literature.
- The total marks for English subjects are 100, with Reading – 20, Grammar – 10, Writing – 10, and Literature – 40.
- Some topics from previous years have been deleted.
- NCERT books are the primary reference, supported by other recommended guides.
- Students are advised to practice previous year question papers and follow preparation tips for each section to maximize performance.
What is CBSE Class 10 English 2025-26 syllabus?
The goal of the CBSE Class 10 English syllabus is a systematic approach to the development of reading, writing, grammar, and literature skills.
- The exam is divided into three main sections: Reading Skills, Writing & Grammar, and Literature, each assessing specific competencies.
- Reading and writing sections test comprehension, analytical, and communication skills, while the literature section evaluates understanding of prose, poetry, and supplementary reader texts.
- The overall marks are typically distributed with Reading – 20, Writing & Grammar – 30, and Literature – 40, making a total of 100 marks.
- Students are expected to answer a mix of short and long questions, ensuring both knowledge and application skills are assessed.
CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus: Reading Skills
This section develops students’ comprehension abilities through unseen passages, including both discursive and factual texts.
| Section | Topic/Content | Details |
|---|---|---|
| A: Reading Skills | Discursive passage | 400–450 words |
| Case-based factual passage | 200–250 words |
CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus: Writing Skills and Grammar
This section focuses on effective writing and proper use of grammar, including letters, paragraphs, and key grammar topics.
| Section | Topic/Content | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B: Writing Skills and Grammar | Grammar Topics | Determiners, Tenses, Modals, Subject-Verb Concord, Reported Speech |
| Writing Tasks | Formal letter (100 to 120 words), Analytical paragraph (100 to 120 words on map/chart/graph/cues) | |
| Grammar Questions | Attempt 10 out of 12 questions |
CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus: Literature
This section covers prose, poetry, and supplementary reader chapters to enhance literary understanding and analytical skills.
| Section | Topic/Content | Details |
|---|---|---|
| C: Literature – Prose | Prose | His First Flight, A Letter to God, Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom, Two Stories about Flying, From the Diary of Anne Frank, Glimpses of India, Mijbil the Otter, Madam Rides the Bus, The Sermon at Benaras, The Proposal (A Play) |
| C: Literature – Poetry | Poetry | His First Flight, Dust of Snow, Fire and Ice, A Tiger in the Zoo, How to Tell Wild Animals, Amanda, The Trees, Fog, The Tale of Custard the Dragon, For Anne Gregory |
| C: Literature – Supplementary Reader | Supplementary Reader | Footprints Without Feet: A Triumph of Surgery, The Thief’s Story, The Midnight Visitor, A Question of Trust, The Making of a Scientist, The Necklace, Bholi, The Book That Saved the Earth |
Also Read
CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus Chapters
There are a total of 20 chapters and 10 poems in the CBSE Class 10 English syllabus 2025-26. These chapters are included in the prescribed books of the CBSE class 10 English syllabus, like First Flight and Footprints Without Feet. CBSE class 10 English syllabus chapters are listed in the table below.
| Books | Prose/Poem | Chapters | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Flight | Prose |
| 9 |
| Poem |
| 10 | |
| Foot Prints Without Feet | Prose |
| 9 |
CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus: Deleted Topics
For the 2025–26 CBSE Class 10 English Language and Literature exam, several topics have been removed to reduce student workload. Here's a concise overview of the deleted content:
| Section | Deleted Topics |
|---|---|
| Grammar | Use of Passive Voice Clauses—Noun Clauses, Adverb Clauses, Relative Clauses, Prepositions |
| First Flight | Prose: The Hundred Dresses - I The Hundred Dresses—IIPoetry: Animals |
| Footprints without Feet | The Hack Driver |
CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus 2025-26: Weightage
The CBSE Class 10 English syllabus is designed to develop reading, writing, grammar, and literature skills.
- The exam assesses comprehension, communication, and literary understanding through three main sections: Reading, Writing & Grammar, and Literature.
- The syllabus has been rationalized for 2025–26, with some topics removed to reduce student workload and focus on core concepts.
The CBSE Class 10 English syllabus section-wise marks weightage is given below in a table format.
| Section-wise Marks Weightage | |
|---|---|
| Section | Marks |
| Reading Skills | 20 marks |
| Grammar | 10 marks |
| Creative/Writing Skills | 10 marks |
| Literature | 40 marks |
| Total | 100 marks |
Also Read
CBSE Class 10 Paper AnalysisCBSE Class 10 Recommended English Books
NCERT textbooks serve as the primary resource for CBSE Class 10 English preparation, as they closely follow the official syllabus.
Along with NCERT, the following reference books are recommended to strengthen understanding and practice:
| Book Name | Author/Publisher |
|---|---|
| English Communicative | Oswaal |
| Language and Literature All in One Class 10 | Arihant Experts’ |
| Xam Idea Complete English Course for Class 10 | VK Global |
| High School Composition Book and English Grammar | Wren and Martin |
| English Language and Literature | Together With |
CBSE Class 10 English Previous Year’s Question Papers
The table below lists the CBSE Class 10 English question papers from the past few years, helping students identify frequently asked questions and important topics for exam preparation.
| Year | Question Paper Links |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Download English Question Paper PDF |
| 2023 | Download English Question Paper PDF |
| 2022 | Download English Question Paper PDF |
| 2020 | Download English Question Paper PDF |
| 2019 | Download English Question Paper PDF |
| 2018 | Download English Question Paper PDF |
| 2017 | Download English Question Paper PDF |
CBSE Class 10 English Exam 2026 Preparation Tips
The tips provide a focused strategy for preparing for CBSE Class 10 English 2026, helping students strengthen reading, writing, grammar, and literature skills efficiently.
| Section | Tips |
|---|---|
| Reading Skills |
|
| Writing/Creative Skills |
|
| Grammar |
|
| Literature – Prose |
|
| Literature – Poetry |
|
| Supplementary Reader |
|
| General Tips |
|
FAQs
Ques. What is the syllabus of Class 10 English CBSE?
Ans. The CBSE Class 10 English syllabus is designed to develop reading, writing, grammar, and literary skills. It is divided into three main sections:
| Section | Content / Details |
|---|---|
| Reading Skills | Comprehension of unseen passages, both discursive and factual. |
| Writing & Grammar | Formal letters, analytical paragraphs, story writing, and grammar topics including tenses, modals, determiners, reported speech, and subject-verb agreement. |
| Literature | Chapters from First Flight (prose and poetry) and Footprints Without Feet (supplementary reader). Tests understanding of themes, characters, moral values, poetic devices, and story analysis. |
Ques. How many chapters are in English Class 10 CBSE?
Ans. The CBSE English class 10 syllabus consists of:
- First Flight: 10 chapters (combining prose and poetry)
- Footprints Without Feet (Supplementary Reader): 8 chapters
- Total: 18 chapters. Students are expected to study all chapters, except those specifically deleted in the revised syllabus, to perform well in exams.
Ques. Is 70% good in CBSE Class 10?
Ans. Yes, 70% is considered a good score in CBSE Class 10. It shows above-average performance and demonstrates a strong grasp of concepts.
Students scoring around 70% are usually well-prepared for higher secondary education and have a solid foundation in core subjects.
Ques. Who got 100% in CBSE?
Ans. Every year, some students across India achieve 100% marks in individual subjects. These students demonstrate exceptional knowledge, exam preparation, and accuracy.
CBSE occasionally publishes merit lists or news reports highlighting top scorers, but the names vary by year and subject.
Ques. Is 97 good in CBSE Class 10?
Ans. Yes, 97% is an excellent score in CBSE Class 10. This score places the student among the top performers nationwide.
It reflects outstanding academic ability and consistent preparation across all subjects. Students scoring above 95% are generally recognized as toppers or high achievers.
Ques. Who got 500 out of 500 in 10th?
Ans. Occasionally, exceptional students achieve full marks (500/500) in CBSE Class 10 exams. Achieving 100% across all subjects requires perfect performance in theory and practical/internal assessments.
Such accomplishments are rare and often reported in news articles or official CBSE announcements. The names of these students change every year.
Ques. What is the syllabus of class 10 English CBSE?
Ans. As per the CBSE class 10 syllabus released on the official website for the 2025-26 academic year, the CBSE class 10 English syllabus is divided into various parts, including Reading Skills, Writing Skills and Grammar, and Language through Literature.
- From the CBSE class 10 English syllabus for Reading Skills, students must prepare passages of around 400-500 words (10 marks) and a Case-based factual passage with 200-250 words (10 marks). Students will be required to answer MCQs/objective questions/very short answer questions to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, and vocabulary of CBSE class 10 students.
- For CBSE class 10 Writing Skills and Grammar, students will be asked questions from Grammar (10 marks), Writing Skills (10 marks). CBSE class 10 grammar syllabus includes;
- Determiners
- Tenses
- Modals
- Subject – verb concord
- Reported speech
- Commands and requests
- Statements
- Questions
- CBSE class 10 English syllabus for Language Through Literature includes Reference to Context (10 marks), and includes Short and Long answer type questions for a total of 40 marks.
Ques. How many chapters are in English class 10 CBSE?
Ans. As per the CBSE class 10 English syllabus PDF, the prescribed books for the CBSE class 10 English syllabus are First Flight and Foot Prints Without Feet. From the First Flight book, students are required to prepare a total of 9 Chapters and 10 Poems. However, from Footprints Without Feet, a total of 9 chapters are included. So, in English class 10 CBSE, a total of 20 chapters and 10 poems are included.
| Books | Prose/Poem | Chapters | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Flight | Prose |
| 9 |
| Poem |
| 10 | |
| Foot Prints Without Feet | Prose |
| 9 |
Ques. What are the Grammar topics in English class 10 2025?
Ans. CBSE has published the CBSE class 10 English syllabus PDF on the official website. As per the CBSE class 10 syllabus PDF 2026, the Grammar syllabus is included in Section B- Writing Skills and Grammar. The Grammar topics in CBSE class 10 English syllabus are;
- Determiners
- Tenses
- Modals
- Subject- verb concord
- Reported speech
- Commands and requests
- Statements
- Questions
Ques. What is the CBSE Class 10 English Grammar Syllabus 2025-26?
Ans. Class 10 English Grammar syllabus NCERT PDF suggests topics like Determiners, Tenses, Modals, Subject-verb concord, Reported speech (Commands and requests, Statements, and Questions) in CBSE class 10 English Grammar syllabus 2026.
Ques. What is the Class 10 syllabus 2025-26 CBSE official website?
Ans. CBSE class 10 syllabus PDF 2025-26 is out on the official website. Students can download the Class 10 syllabus 2025-26 CBSE official website at cbseacademic.nic.in.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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