English Language & Literature Class X
Syllabus
Exam Structure
| Section | Topic | Marks |
| A | Reading Skills | 20 |
| B | Writing Skills with Grammar | 30 |
| C | Literature Textbooks and Extended Reading Text | 30 |
| Total | 80 |
The Board examination will be of 80 marks, with a duration of three hours.
SECTION A: READING
This section will have two unseen passages of a total length of 700-750. The arrangement within the reading section is as follows:
Q.1: A Factual passage of 300-350 words with eight Very Short Answer type Questions. [8 marks]
Q.2: A Discursive passage of 350-400 words with four Short Answer type Questions to test inference, evaluation and analysis and four MCQs to test vocabulary. [12 Marks]
SECTION B: WRITING AND GRAMMAR
Q.3: Formal letter complaint / Inquiry / placing order / Letter to the editor / article in about 100-120 words. The questions will be thematically based on the prescribed books. [8 marks]
Q.4: Writing a short story based on a given outline or cue/s in about 150-200 words. [10 marks]
The Grammar syllabus will include the following areas in class X.
- Tenses
- Modals (have to/had to, must, should, need, ought to and their negative forms)
- Use of passive voice
- Subject – verb concord
- Reporting
- (i) Commands and requests
- (ii) Statements
- (iii) Questions
- Clauses:
- Noun clauses
- Adverb clauses of condition and time
- Relative clauses
- Determiners
- Prepositions
The above items may be tested through test types as given below:
Q.5: Gap filling with one or two words to test Prepositions, Articles, Conjunctions and Tenses. [4 marks]
Q.6: Editing or omission. [4 marks]
Q.7: Sentences reordering or Sentence Transformation in context. [4 marks]
SECTION C: LITERATURE TEXTBOOKS AND EXTENDED READING TEXT
Q.8: One out of two extracts from prose/poetry/drama for reference to context. Four very Short Answer Questions : Two questions of one mark each on global comprehension and two questions of 1 mark each on interpretation. [4 marks]
Q.9: Four Short Answer type Questions from FIRST FLIGHT and FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET (two from each to test local and global comprehension of theme and ideas (30-40 words each) [2×4=8 marks]
Q.10: One out of two Long Answer type Questions to assess how the values inherent in the texts have been brought out (FIRST FLIGHT and FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET) creativity, imagination and extrapolation beyond the text and across the texts, will be assessed. (100-120 words). [8 marks]
Q.11: One out of two Very Long Answer Questions on theme, plot or character involving interpretation and inference in about 200-250 words based on prescribed extended reading text. [10 marks]
Prescribed Books
Published by NCERT
- FIRST FLIGHT – Textbook for Class X
- FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET – Supplementary Reader for Class X
EXTENDED READING TEXTS (either one)
- Diary of a Young Girl – 1947 By Anne Frank (unabridged edition)
- The Story of My Life – 1903 By Helen Keller (unabridged edition)
