CBSE Class 11 English Elective (Subject Code 001) Syllabus for Academic Session 2025-26
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released Class 11 English Elective (Subject Code 001) syllabus and Exam Pattern for Class 11 Examinations. The detailed exam pattern, section – wise break up of marks, details of questions, word limit, etc. has been given for the convenience of the students. CBSE has prescribed Woven Words-Textbook in English (Elective) for Class XI published by the NCERT.
Class – XI English Elective (Code 001) (2025-26)
Section A
I. Reading Comprehension (25 Marks)
Two unseen passages and a poem
1. 12 out of 15 Multiple Choice / Objective Type Questions, from a literary or discursive passage of about 950-1000 words to assess comprehension, interpretation, inference, analysis, appreciation and vocabulary. 1×12=12 marks
2. 8 out of 9 Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions to test interpretation, inference and appreciation of a poem of about 10-12 lines. 1×8=8 marks
3. 5 out of 7 Multiple Choice Questions / Objective Type Questions from a case-based passage (with visual input- statistical data, chart etc.) of 100-120 words to test interpretation, analysis and evaluation. 1×5=5 marks
Section B
II. Creative Writing Skills (15 Marks)
4. An Essay on an argumentative/discursive/reflective/descriptive topic, leading to creative rendering, forming and defending of opinions, to be answered in 120-150 words. 5 marks
5. Article on one out of two topics to be answered in 120-150 words pertaining to contemporary topical issues. 5 marks
6. Speech on one out of two topics to be answered in 120-150 words pertaining to contemporary topical issues. 5 marks
Section C
This section will have variety of assessment items including Multiple Choice Questions, Objective Type Questions, Short Answer Type Questions and Long Answer Type Questions to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis and extrapolation beyond the text.
III. Textbook (20 Marks)
7. Reference to the Context
- One Prose extract, out of two, to assess comprehension, literary appreciation and inference.
- One Poetry extract, out of two, to assess comprehension, literary appreciation and inference. 5+5=10 marks
8. Two Short Answer Questions out of three, to be answered in 30-40 words to assess understanding, analysis and critical appreciation. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. 2×2=4 marks
9. Two Short Answer Questions, out of three, to be answered in 50-60 words to assess understanding, analysis and critical appreciation. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. 3×2=6 marks
Drama (10 Marks)
10. Two Long Answer Questions, out of three, to be answered in 80-100 words to appreciate characters, events and episodes. Questions to provide analytical responses using incidents, events, themes, as reference points. 5×2=10 marks
Fiction (10 Marks)
11. One Short Answer Question, out of two, to be answered in 30-40 words to critically appreciate characters, events, episodes, interpersonal relationships and formation of personal points of view, with reference to content, events and episodes. 2 marks
12. One Short Answer Question, out of two, to be answered in 50-60 words to assess understanding, analysis and critical appreciation. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. 3 marks
13. One Long Answer Question, out of two, to be answered in 120-150 words to test literary appreciation and to draw inferences. Questions should elicit creative responses and develop the ability to form personal points of view. 5 marks
IV Seminar (20 Marks)
- Presentation- book review /a play /a short story/a novel/ novella (tale, fable, and parable) to be followed by a question-answer session.
- Poetry reading to be followed by interpretative tasks based on close reading and literary analysis of the text.
- Critical review of a film/ documentary or a play.
- Conducting a theatre workshop to be followed by a discussion
Note: Teachers may develop their own rubrics to assess the performance of students objectively
The parameters for assessing Speaking skills, as given in the curriculum for English Core, may be referred to.
Prescribed Books
Woven Words- Textbook published by NCERT
Short Stories
- The Lament
- A Pair of Mustachios
- The Rocking-horse Winner
- The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
- Pappachi’s Moth
- The Third and Final Continent
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
Essays
- My Watch
- My Three Passions
- Patterns of Creativity
- Tribal Verse
- What is a Good Book?
- The Story
- Bridges
Fiction: The Old Man and the Sea (Novel unabridged) by Ernest Hemingway
Drama: Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw
Question Paper Design Class XI (2025-26)
Marks 80+20=100
| Section | Competencies | Total marks | %
Weightage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Conceptual, understanding, decoding, analyzing, inferring, interpreting, appreciating, literary, conventions and vocabulary | 25 | 31.25% |
| Creative Writing | Reasoning, suitability of style and tone, use of appropriate format and fluency | 15 | 18.75% |
| Textbook | Recalling, reasoning, appreciating literary conventions illustrating with relevant quotations from the texts, giving opinions and justifying with fluency | 20 | 25% |
| Drama | Recalling, reasoning, appreciating literary conventions, illustrating with relevant quotations from the texts, giving opinions and justifying with fluency | 10 | 12.50% |
| Fiction | Recalling, reasoning, appreciating literary conventions, illustrating with relevant quotations from the texts, giving opinions and justifying with fluency | 10 | 12.50% |
| TOTAL | 80 | 100% | |
| Seminar | Seeking information and clarifying, illustrating with relevant quotations from the texts, reasoning, diction, articulation clarity of pronunciation, using appropriate language conventions
Addressing participants using appropriate titles or nomenclatures and overall fluency |
20 | – |
| Grand Total | 100 |