CBSE Class 10 English language & literature Syllabus for 2026-27

The CBSE Class 10 English Language & Literature Curriculum seeks to help students acquire a deep appreciation of literature and at the same time enhance their language skills. This curriculum covers aspects such as vocabulary development; writing skills improvement, enhancement as well as examples reading comprehension passage questions that you could use in your revision. Students will be required to read and discuss various literary pieces created by contemporary poets on one hand while on the other studying some of the timeless pieces written by renowned writers ranging from plays to poetry or even prose. Besides practicing essay, article, letter, and story writing, they also study grammatical rules such as voice, tenses, modals, and subject-verb agreement. Important textbooks like 'First Flight' and 'Footprints Without Feet' contain a myriad of texts that help students analyze literary devices, themes as well as characteres. This helps students prepare for more advanced assignments and effective communication.

The English language is one of the most opted and scoring subject in CBSE Class 10. Candidates can find the complete CBSE Class 10 English syllabus on the official website. Students who are aiming to appear for the written examinations in February / March are advised to refer the English Language Syllabus before kick-staring the preparation. The CBSE Class Syllabus of English consists of three sections - Reading Skills, Writing Skills with Grammar and Literature textbooks and supplementary reading text. Students can access the CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus pdf file below for details of topics / chapters, types of questions, the number of questions and marks.

CBSE Class 10 Syllabus Of English

The English Class should not be seen as a place merely to read poems and stories in, but an area of activities to develop the learner's imagination as a major aim of language study, and to equip the learner with communicative skills to perform various language functions through speech and writing.

The Objectives of English language and literature are listed below.

To build greater confidence and proficiency in oral and written communication.
To develop the ability and knowledge required in order to engage in independent reflection and inquiry.
To use appropriate English to communicate in various social settings
To equip learners with essential language skills to question and to articulate their point of view.
To build competence in the different registers of English.
To develop sensitivity to, and appreciation of, other varieties of English, Like Indian English, and the culture they reflect.
To enable the learner to access knowledge and information through reference skills (Consulting a dictionary / thesaurus, library, internet, etc.)
To develop curiosity and creativity through extensive reading.
To faciliate self-learning to enable them to becom independent learners.
To review, organise and edit their own work and work done by peers.
To build listening and speaking into the curriculum.

CBSE Clas 10 English Syllabus - Language Items.

The secondary level English literature course will reinforce the following explicity:
Sequence of tenses.
Reported speech in extended texts.
Modal auxiliaries (Those not covered at upper primary).
Non-finites (infinitives, gerunds, participles).
Conditional clauses.
Complex and compound sentences.
Phrasal verbs and prepositional phrases.
Cohesive devices.

Punctuation (Semicolon, colon, dash, hyphen, parenthesis or use of brackets and exclamation mark)

Note : The CBSE Class 10 English language annual board examination will be of 80 marks, with a duration of three hours. There will be an internal assessment for 20 Marks.