CBSE Class 11 English Syllabus 2024-25: Download Official PDF & Exam Pattern

CBSE Class 11 English Syllabus 2024-25

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the Class 11 English syllabus for the 2024-25 academic session on its official website, www.cbseacademic.nic.in. Often overlooked, English is a high-scoring subject that can significantly boost your overall percentage. This syllabus has been meticulously designed to help students master language proficiency while building a strong foundation for Class 12. In this article, we provide a comprehensive breakdown of the CBSE Class 11 English syllabus for 2024-25.

English Class 11 Syllabus 2024-25 [Core English]

The CBSE Class 11 Core English syllabus is divided into three sections worth 80 marks in total. The theory component covers Reading Comprehension, Creative Writing Skills, and Literature textbooks. The remaining 20 marks are allocated to the Assessment of Listening and Speaking Skills, which includes Listening Skills (5 marks), Speaking Skills (5 marks), and a project (10 marks). Please refer to the marking scheme provided in the tables below.

CBSE Class 11 English Syllabus 2024-25 (Core)
Section	Particulars	Marks
Reading Comprehension(Section A)	Unseen passage (factual, descriptive or literary/ discursive, or persuasive)(10 Marks) Case-Based Unseen (Factual) Passage(8 Marks) Note Making and Summarization(8 Marks)	26
Creative Writing Skills(Section B)	Grammar(Based upon tense, Clauses, re-ordering/transformation of sentences) (7 Marks) Creative Writing Skills (Advertisement, Poster, Writing speech, Debate) ( 16 Marks)	23
Literature Text Books and Supplementary Reading Texts(Section C)	The question paper is structured to test various competencies through a mix of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), objective-type questions, short-answer questions, and long-answer questions. Based upon Poetry(Hornbill)-3 Marks Based upon Prose (Hornbill)- 3 Marks Based upon Prose (Snapshots)- 4 Marks Two Short answer type questions one from Prose and one from Poetry(Hornbill)  - 6Marks One Short answer type question (Snapshots)- 3 Marks One Long answer type question from Prose/Poetry(Hornbill)- 6 Marks One Long answer type question on the chapters (Snapshots)- 6 Marks	31
Total Marks		80
Assessment of listening and speaking Skills		10
Project Work		10
Grand Total		100

CBSE Class 11 English Core Syllabus 2024-25 (In detail)

Section A: Reading Comprehension

• Unseen passage (factual, descriptive or literary/ discursive, or literary)(10 Marks)
• Case-Based Unseen (Factual) Passage(8 Marks)
• Note Making (5 Marks)
• Summarization(3 Marks)

Section B: Creative Writing Skills

• Grammar[Questions on Gap filling (Tenses, Clauses)/Questions on re-ordering/transformation of sentences]
• Creative Writing Skills[Short writing task-  Advertisements up to 50 words, Short writing task –Poster up to 50 words, Speech in 120-150 words, Debate based on visual/verbal inputs in 120-150 words]

Section C: Literature Text Books and Supplementary Reading Texts

• One Poetry extract out of two from the book Hornbill (3 Marks)
• One Prose extract out of two from the book Hornbill (3 Marks)
• One prose extract out of two from the book Snapshots (4 Marks)
• Two Short answer type questions (one from Prose and one from Poetry from the book Hornbill) (6 Marks)
• One Short answer type question, from the book Snapshots (3 Marks)
• One Long answer type question, from Prose/Poetry Hornbill (6 Marks)
• One Long answer type question, based on the chapters from the book Snapshots(6 Marks)

Prescribed Books 

1. Hornbill: Core English Reader (NCERT)

• 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 (NCERT)

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

CBSE Class 11 Core English Syllabus Marking Scheme

The marking scheme for the CBSE Class 11 Core English syllabus clarifies how marks are distributed across theory and internal assessments. Achieving a strong final score requires consistent performance in both segments. Since English is a scoring subject, we encourage students to use this syllabus as a strategic roadmap to maximize their academic performance.

CBSE Class 11 Core English Syllabus Marking Scheme
Reading Comprehension, Writing skills, Literature text books	80 marks.
Assessment of Listening Skills	05 marks.
Assessment of Speaking Skills	05 Marks
Project Work	10 Marks
Total	100 marks

CBSE Class 11 Elective English Syllabus 2024-25

The CBSE Class 11 Elective English syllabus for 2024-25 is outlined below, covering comprehension, creative writing, literature, drama, and fiction. The theory paper carries 80 marks. Understanding this syllabus is crucial for students opting for the Elective paper, as it outlines every chapter and topic subject to examination.

CBSE Class 11 Elective English Syllabus 2024-25
Section	Particulars	Marks
Comprehension	Unseen passage (literary or discursive)(12 Marks) Unseen Poem(8 Marks) Case-Based Factual Passage(5 Marks)	25
Creative Writing	Essay (argumentative/discursive/reflective/descriptive topic) in 120-150 words. (5 marks) Article in 120-150 words. (5 marks) Speech in 120-150 words. (5 marks)	15
Literature Texts	The examination pattern for this section includes a balanced mix of Multiple Choice Questions, Objective Type Questions, Short Answer Type Questions, and Long Answer Type Questions.  One Prose and One Poetry out of two to assess comprehension, Literary, appreciation, and inference(Book: Woven Words)(10 Marks) Two Short Answer Questions to be answered in 30-40 words (4 marks) Two Short Answer Questions out of three to be answered in 50-60 words (6marks)	20
Drama	Two Long Answer Questions to be answered in 80-100 words (10 marks)	10
Fiction	One Short Answer Question out of two to be answered in 30-40 words(2 marks) One Short Answer Question out of two to be answered in 50-60 words (3 marks) One Long Answer Question out of two to be answered in 120-150 words (5 marks)	10
Total		80
Seminar	Presentation, Poetry, Critical review, Conducting a theatre workshop (20 Marks)	20
Grand Total		100

CBSE Class 11 English Elective Syllabus 2024-25 (In detail)

The Elective English syllabus is categorized into three primary components: Section A, Section B, and Section C.

Section A: Reading Comprehension

• Unseen passage (literary or discursive)(12 Marks)
• Unseen Poem(To test interpretation and appreciation of a poem)(8 Marks)
• Case-Based Factual Passage(5 Marks)

Section B: Creative Writing Skills

• Essay (argumentative/discursive/reflective/descriptive topic) in 120-150 words. (5 marks)
• Article on contemporary topical issues in 120-150 words  (5 marks)
• Speech on contemporary topical issues in 120-150 words  (5 marks)

Section C: Literature Text, Drama, Fiction 

Literature Book: Woven Words 

• One Prose and One Poetry out of two to assess comprehension, Literary, appreciation, and inference(Book: Woven Words)(10 Marks)
• Two Short Answer Questions to be answered in 30-40 words (4 marks)
• Two Short Answer Questions out of three to be answered in 50-60 words (6marks)

Drama: Arms and the Man 

• Two Long Answer Questions out of three to be answered in 80-100 words to appreciate characters, events, and episodes. (10 marks)

Fiction

• One Short Answer Question out of two to be answered in 30-40 words (2 marks)
• One Short Answer Question out of two to be answered in 50-60 words (3 marks)
• One Long Answer Question out of two to be answered in 120-150 words (5 marks)

Seminar (20 marks) 

• Presentation - book review /a play /a short story/a novel/novella.
• Poetry reading is to be followed by interpretative tasks based.
• A critical review of a film/ documentary or a play.
• Conducting a theatre workshop to be followed by a discussion

Prescribed Books 

1. Textbook: Woven Words (NCERT) 

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 FinalContinent

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

Woven Words: Essays

• My Watch
• My Three Passions
• Patterns of Creativity
• Tribal Verse
• What is a Good Book?
• The Story
• Bridges

2. Fiction: The Old Man and the Sea (Novel) by Ernest Hemingway

3. Drama: Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw