CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus 2024-25, PDF Download

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 10 English syllabus for the academic year 2024-25 includes detailed content focusing on the four language skills: reading, writing, grammar, and literature. The syllabus is designed to enhance students’ comprehension, critical thinking, creative writing, and communication skills.

CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus 2024-25

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 10 syllabus for the academic year 2024-25 is now available on the official website, cbseacademic.nic.in. The board has developed the curriculum for all language, core, and elective courses. Students and teachers can readily access the PDFs by going to the official CBSE website.

The CBSE Class 10 English syllabus for Language and Literature 2025 is available here, along with section-specific weightage, question type, and other key material.

CBSE Class 10 English Board Exam Structure

The section-wise weighting is the same when comparing the syllabuses for CBSE Class 10 English Language and Literature in 2024 and 2025. As per the CBSE English Curriculum 2025, there will be 20 marks allocated for each of the reading and writing components. The portion on language and literature will be worth forty points.

Sections
Weightage
A
Reading Skills (40 periods)*
20 Marks
B
Writing Skills and Grammar (40 periods)*
20 Marks
C
Language through Literature (50 periods)*
40 Marks

 

CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus 2024-25 Section wise

Here’s a breakdown of the english class 10 syllabus 2024-25 with all topics explained:

1. Reading Section: (20 Marks)

The reading section tests students’ ability to understand and interpret unseen passages. The section will contain two unseen passages, as follows:

  • Passage 1: A factual or discursive passage of about 400-500 words with five short answer-type questions and vocabulary questions (like synonyms, antonyms, and word meanings).
  • Passage 2: A case-based factual passage with data interpretation such as pie charts, graphs, etc. This will also be around 200-250 words.

Objective: This section focuses on assessing the students’ reading comprehension, inference, interpretation, and vocabulary skills.

2. Writing Section: (20 Marks)

The writing section evaluates students’ ability to express their thoughts clearly and concisely.

  • Formal Letter Writing:
    • Types: Letters based on a given context—such as complaints, requests, applications, placing orders, and inquiries.
    • Word Limit: About 100-120 words.
  • Analytical Paragraph Writing:
    • Content: Based on a visual or verbal cue like graphs, charts, or tables.
    • Word Limit: 100-120 words.

Objective: The goal of this section is to assess the students’ command of formal writing, coherence, logical structure, and appropriate vocabulary usage.

3. Grammar Section: (10 Marks)

This section tests the students’ grasp of grammatical concepts and their usage.

  • Topics Covered:
    • Tenses: Simple and progressive forms (past, present, future).
    • Subject-Verb Agreement
    • Modals: Expressing permission, possibility, ability, necessity.
    • Reported Speech: Statements, questions, and commands.
    • Clauses: Noun, adjective, and adverb clauses.

Objective: To check the accuracy of grammar usage, sentence structure, and correct expression in a given context.

4. Literature Section: (40 Marks)

This section assesses the students’ understanding of prescribed prose, poetry, and drama in the textbooks. The literature section is divided into two main textbooks, First Flight and Footprints Without Feet.

A. First Flight (Prose and Poetry)
  1. Prose:
    • Chapter 1: A Letter to God (G.L. Fuentes)
    • Chapter 2: Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (Nelson Mandela)
    • Chapter 3: Two Stories About Flying (Part I – His First Flight, Part II – The Black Aeroplane)
    • Chapter 4: From the Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank)
    • Chapter 5: The Hundred Dresses – I (El Bsor Ester)
    • Chapter 6: The Hundred Dresses – II (El Bsor Ester)
    • Chapter 7: Glimpses of India (I – A Baker from Goa, II – Coorg, III – Tea from Assam)
    • Chapter 8: Mijbil the Otter (Gavin Maxwell)
    • Chapter 9: Madam Rides the Bus (Vallikannan)
    • Chapter 10: The Sermon at Benares (Betty Renshaw)
    • Chapter 11: The Proposal (Anton Chekhov) [Play]
  2. Poetry:
    • Poem 1: Dust of Snow (Robert Frost)
    • Poem 2: Fire and Ice (Robert Frost)
    • Poem 3: A Tiger in the Zoo (Leslie Norris)
    • Poem 4: How to Tell Wild Animals (Carolyn Wells)
    • Poem 5: The Ball Poem (John Berryman)
    • Poem 6: Amanda! (Robin Klein)
    • Poem 7: Animals (Walt Whitman)
    • Poem 8: The Trees (Adrienne Rich)
    • Poem 9: Fog (Carl Sandburg)
    • Poem 10: The Tale of Custard the Dragon (Ogden Nash)
    • Poem 11: For Anne Gregory (W.B. Yeats)
B. Footprints Without Feet (Supplementary Reader)
  1. Chapter 1: A Triumph of Surgery (James Herriot)
  2. Chapter 2: The Thief’s Story (Ruskin Bond)
  3. Chapter 3: The Midnight Visitor (Robert Arthur)
  4. Chapter 4: A Question of Trust (Victor Canning)
  5. Chapter 5: Footprints Without Feet (H.G. Wells)
  6. Chapter 6: The Making of a Scientist (Robert W. Peterson)
  7. Chapter 7: The Necklace (Guy de Maupassant)
  8. Chapter 8: The Hack Driver (Sinclair Lewis)
  9. Chapter 9: Bholi (K.A. Abbas)
  10. Chapter 10: The Book That Saved the Earth (Claire Boiko)

Objective: In the literature section, the focus is on testing students’ understanding of themes, plot, character development, and literary devices such as metaphor, simile, and irony. Students will be expected to answer both long and short questions, as well as complete MCQs.

Assessment Format:

  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): In both Reading and Literature sections, MCQs will be used to assess comprehension, inference, and analysis.
  • Short Answer Questions (SAQs): These will be from both prose and poetry, focusing on plot details, character analysis, and interpretation.
  • Long Answer Questions (LAQs): These will require students to write detailed answers on themes, characters, and lessons learned from the prescribed texts.

Exam Weightage:

The total marks for the English paper are 80, with an additional 20 marks allotted for internal assessments (such as periodic tests, subject enrichment activities, and notebook submission).

  • Reading Section: 20 marks
  • Writing & Grammar Section: 30 marks (20 for writing and 10 for grammar)
  • Literature Section: 40 marks

Internal Assessment (20 marks):

  • Periodic Tests: 10 marks
  • Subject Enrichment Activities: 5 marks (including listening, speaking, and project work)
  • Notebook Submission: 5 marks
INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
Listening and Speaking Competencies 30 Periods
Assessment of Listening and Speaking Skills will be for 05 marks.
It is recommended that listening and speaking skills should be regularly practiced.
Art-integrated projects based on activities like Role Play, Skit, Dramatization etc. must be used. Please refer to the Circular no. Acad-33/2020 dated 14th May 2020 at the http://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Circulars/2020/33_Circular_2020.pdf for details

Prescribed Books: Published by NCERT, New Delhi

1. FIRST FLIGHT

A. Prose 

  1. A Letter to God
  2. Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom
  3. Stories About Flying
  4. Fromthe Diary of Anne Frank
  5. Glimpsesof India
  6. Mijbil the Otter
  7. Madam Rides the Bus
  8. The Sermon at Benares
  9. The Proposal (Play)

B. Poems

    1. Dust of Snow
    2. Fire and Ice
    3. A Tiger in the Zoo
    4. How to Tell Wild Animals
    5. The Ball Poem
    6. Amanda!
    7. The Trees
    8. Fog
    9. The Tale of Custard the Dragon
    10. For Anne Gregory

2. FOOTPRINTS WITHOUT FEET

  1. A Triumph of Surgery
  2. The Thief’s Story
  3. The Midnight Visitor
  4. A Question of Trust
  5. Footprints Without Feet
  6. The Making of a Scientist
  7. The Necklace
  8. Bholi
  9. The Book that Saved the Earth

3. WORDSAND EXPRESSIONS  I (WORKBOOK FOR CLASS IX)  Units 1 to 6 and Units 8,10 & 11

NOTE: Teachers are advised to:

  • encourage interaction among peers, students and teachers through activities such as role play, discussions, group work etc.
  • reduce teacher-talking time and keep it to the minimum,
  • take up questions for discussion to encourage pupils to participate and to marshal their ideas and express and defend their views, and
  • follow the Speaking and Listening activities given in the NCERT Besides measuring learning outcome, texts serve the dual purpose of diagnosing mistakes and areas of non-learning. To make evaluation a true index of learners’ knowledge, each language skills to be assessed through a judicious mixture of different types of questions.

 

CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus 2024-25 PDF Download

Students Can download Class 10 English Syllabus PDF by Clicking on the below link provided here.

CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus_2024-25 PDF Download

Study Tips to get Good Marks in Class 10 English Exam

  1. Focus on Grammar: Practice grammar exercises from tenses, modals, reported speech, and clauses to avoid common mistakes.
  2. Work on Writing Skills: Practice letter writing and paragraph writing regularly, focusing on format, clarity, and expression.
  3. Read Literature Thoroughly: Understand the plot, themes, and characters in-depth. Memorize key quotes and literary devices.
  4. Comprehension Practice: Solve sample unseen passages for reading comprehension regularly to improve speed and accuracy.
  5. Regular Revision: Revise chapters and poems frequently, focusing on key themes and character analysis.

How to Prepare CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus 2024-25 Timely?

To prepare for the CBSE Class 10 English syllabus for the academic year 2024-25 effectively and on time, here’s a structured approach:

Understand the Syllabus

  • Core Subjects: English in Class 10 usually has two parts: Literature (English Reader) and Language (Writing and Grammar).
  • Familiarize yourself with the chapters, topics, and types of questions that might be asked from both the Literature and Language sections.

Syllabus Breakdown:

  • Literature (Total 40 marks):
    • Prose & Poetry: Includes prescribed chapters and poems from the NCERT textbook.
    • Supplementary Reader: A prescribed supplementary book is included for additional readings.
  • Writing & Grammar (Total 40 marks):
    • Writing Skills: Includes formal/informal letters, articles, diary entries, speech, and story writing.
    • Grammar: Focus on topics like tenses, modals, voice, reported speech, etc.

Booklist:

  • Flamingo: Poetry and Prose sections.
  • Vistas: Supplementary Reader.
  • NCERT Grammar Book for practice.

Create a Timetable

  • Divide Your Time: Allocate fixed hours daily for English. For example:
    • Literature: 2-3 days a week.
    • Writing & Grammar: 2-3 days a week.
  • Make sure to leave some time for revision before exams.

Focus on Key Areas

  • Literature:
    • Summarize Key Chapters: Focus on the key themes, characters, and summaries of each chapter.
    • Important Quotes: Be prepared to explain important quotes from poems and stories.
    • Practice Previous Year’s Questions: Familiarize yourself with the types of questions asked in exams, such as short answer-type, long answer-type, and extract-based questions.
  • Writing Skills:
    • Practice Writing: Write at least 2-3 essays, letters, or diary entries weekly. Aim for clarity, structure, and correctness.
    • Focus on Format: Ensure you know the correct format for each type of writing (e.g., letter, speech).
  • Grammar:
    • Daily Practice: Dedicate time daily to practice grammar exercises.
    • Concepts: Focus on tenses, direct/indirect speech, voice, and prepositions.

Revision

  • Revise Chapter Summaries: Before exams, revise the important chapters and poems. Focus on understanding rather than rote learning.
  • Mock Tests: Take regular mock tests for both Literature and Language to gauge your progress.
  • Short Notes: Make concise notes of important literary devices, character sketches, and grammar rules.

Use Online Resources

  • YouTube: Look for CBSE Class 10 English explanation videos for chapters you find difficult.
  • Practice Websites: Websites like Vedantu, Toppr, and Byju’s offer practice papers, sample papers, and chapter-wise tests.

Group Study

  • Discussing with classmates or teachers can help clarify doubts and improve your understanding of complex topics.

Stay Consistent

  • Be consistent with your preparation and focus on one task at a time. Procrastination will lead to last-minute stress.

Example Weekly Plan:

  • Monday – Wednesday:
    • Literature (Chapters, Poems)
    • Focus on grammar exercises.
  • Thursday – Friday:
    • Writing skills practice (Essays, Letters).
    • Revision of the week’s content.
  • Saturday:
    • Full-length mock test or past paper review.
  • Sunday:
    • Group study or discussion with a teacher for tough topics.

This structured plan, along with consistent effort, will help you stay on track with the CBSE Class 10 English syllabus and prepare effectively for the exams.

Class 10 English Syllabus 2024: FAQs

1. What is the structure of the CBSE Class 10 English syllabus for 2024-25?

The syllabus is divided into two sections:

  • Language and Literature: This includes reading comprehension, writing skills, grammar, and literature (prose and poetry).
  • Assessment Weightage: Reading and Writing skills typically have a weightage of 50%, while Literature constitutes the remaining 50%.

2. What are the prescribed textbooks for English (Language and Literature) for Class 10?

  • First Flight: The main textbook containing prose and poetry.
  • Footprints Without Feet: The supplementary reader with short stories.

3. How are the marks distributed in the CBSE Class 10 English exam?

  • Reading Section: 20 marks, focusing on unseen passages and comprehension.
  • Writing and Grammar Section: 20 marks, including formal letters, essays, and grammar exercises.
  • Literature Section: 40 marks, covering questions from the prescribed textbooks.
  • Internal Assessment: 20 marks, consisting of periodic tests, notebook submission, and subject enrichment activities like speaking and listening skills.

4. Is there any change in the syllabus for the 2024-25 academic session?

As of now, there are no significant changes in the syllabus for the academic year 2024-25. However, students are advised to check official CBSE notifications for any updates.

5. How can students prepare effectively for the Class 10 English board exams?

  • Focus on NCERT Textbooks: Read and understand both prose and poetry from “First Flight” and “Footprints Without Feet”.
  • Practice Writing: Work on improving writing skills, such as essays, formal letters, and notices.
  • Grammar Practice: Regularly practice grammar exercises like sentence transformation, editing, and gap filling.
  • Solve Past Papers: Practice previous years’ question papers and sample papers to get a clear understanding of the exam pattern.

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