The CBSE English exam for Class 1o is one of the most important exams on the academic calendar of an Indian school student. English has become the most important subject and language that students cannot overlook, unlike in earlier times. This is because command over the English language really helps you stand out from the crowd. Many a times, in class 10, students may neglect grammar, which has the potential to fetch full marks in the board examination. Read these useful tips and tricks to perform well in the board exams.
Format of Class 10 English Exam
The English exam is divided into 4 sections, each carrying 20 marks.
- Section A (Comprehension): An unseen passage where students need to answer the questions correctly. This section is included to test the comprehension skills of the student.
- Section B (Writing skills): Students are asked to write on different genres such as letter, notice, article, essay, etc.
- Section C (Grammar): Students need to answer for tenses, punctuation, synonyms, translation, etc.
- Section D (Literature): Students have to answer the questions on prose and poetry.
Class 10 English Exam Marking Scheme
Knowing the marking scheme for the Class 10 English exam is beneficial to students because it makes scoring opportunities more abundant. The CBSE guidelines state that the marking pattern for English exam will be as follows:
- Section A: 15 marks
- ReadingL 20 marks
- Grammar: 15 marks
- Literature + supplementary: 20 marks
- Listening and speaking: 10 marks
- Assessment: 20 marks
Class 10 English: Topic-wise Distribution
The Class 10 English examination is divided into different sections such as literature, supplementary, grammar and writing skills. The topics covered in each section has been reiterated here.
Comprehension
- Conceptual understanding
- Decoding
- Inferring
- Interpreting and vocabulary
Grammar and Writing Skills
- Determiners
- Modals
- Tenses
- Voice
- Reported speech
- Creative writing
- Fluency
- Style and tone
- Conventions
Literature and Supplementary
- Recalling
- Reasoning
- Understanding the writer’s message
- Questions/answers
- Phrases
- Understanding theme
- Central idea
Reference Books for Class 10 English
Be it the CBSE English exam for class 10 or the class 10 ICSE English exam, students need reference books to learn and prepare well. The class 10 and class 12 NCERT solutions offer the best reference materials in this regard. Here is a list of subjects that students need to cover for their class 10 English exam.
Check out these useful tips on how to write an essay in English.
NCERT Literature
- A letter to god
- Nelson Mandela: Long walk to freedom
- Two stories about flying
- The hundred dresses-I
- The hundred dresses-II
- Glimpses of India
- Mijbil the other
- The sermon at Benares
- Madam rides the bus
- The proposal
NCERT Supplementary
- The necklace
- The making of a scientist
- The midnight visitor
- The thief’s story
- A triumph of surgery
- Footprints without feet
- The hack driver
- Bholi
- The book that saved the earth
NCERT Grammar
- Determiners
- Idioms
- Phrases
- Voice
- Narration
- Tenses
- Essay
- Notice
- Creative writing
- Letter writing
Preparation Tips for English Exam CBSE Class 10
Preparing for the board exams can be a time of great anxiety and anticipation. While some students thrive on the tension of the build-up, many students may find it difficult to cope. This is where online English classes in India can help calm the nerves of students. Moreover, following simple tips daily can benefit students in the long run.
General Tips
- Practice writing about trending topics in the news as it will help you improve your style of writing and learn new terms.
- Prepare flashcards to remember the names of various authors and characters.
- Read every poem and chapter at least once and answer all the questions given at the end of the chapter/poem.
- Solve previous year exam papers/sample papers to get familiar with the questioning pattern and to be able to identify your weak points.
- Time yourself while answering the sample papers as it will help you manage time during the exam.
- Revise as many times as you can.
- Finish the chapters which you find easy to understand as it will boost your confidence.
- Read NCERT books regularly as CBSE board exam question papers are completely based on this book.
- Do not start a new chapter/topic at the last minute.
- Regularly practice writing essays and answers to reduce grammatical errors.
- Read one chapter a day and make notes on the topics that you find the most important.
- Read the chapter aloud to improve your speech and vocabulary.
- Read the stories again and again to understand the details.
- Practice by writing while keeping the assessment tools, content, fluency, and accuracy in mind.
- Set your time for studying each section and do not start a new chapter on the day of the exam.
Tips for Exam Time
- Attempt the question paper in serial order.
- Adhere to the prescribed word limit.
- Use a black pen to write formats/keywords.
- Underline important points.
- Write the answer in the corresponding tense form of the question.
- Take care of the neatness and presentation.
Time Management
Time management is of paramount importance when preparing for CBSE Class 10 English exam. This will help you write questions in time and save time for proofreading. You can try and use these time management tips while practicing with past exam papers/ sample papers and implement them in the actual exam paper.
Section A
- Passage Question 1: 20 minutes
- Passage Question 2: 20 minutes
Section B
- Two questions from the writing section: 20 minutes each (20x2= 40)
- Three questions from the grammar section: 10 to 15 minutes
Section C
- One extract from the textbook 10 minutes
- Five short answer type questions: 30 minutes
- One long answer type question from the textbook (8 marks): 10 minutes
- One long question from the novel (10 marks): 10 to 15 minutes
Critical Preparation Techniques
Read ALL Chapters and Poems
In the Class 10 English Paper, there will be objective questions based on extracts from both prose and poetry. There will also be subjective type questions from First Flight and Footprints Without Feet. A sincere and thorough reading of the chapters will help in scoring high marks.
Read every chapter and poem at least once and answer all the questions given at the end of the chapter/poem. Learn the names of various authors and characters. Avoid reading the chapters that have been excluded from the CBSE Class 10 English Revised Syllabus.
Practice Writing and Grammar
The grammar and writing section carries a total of 20 marks in the CBSE Class 10 English Paper 2021. Practice several questions from previous years' question papers and sample papers. For questions given in the writing section like letter and paragraph writing, you should work on your thinking and presentation skills. Learn the right format in which you may express your ideas and thoughts. Go through sample letters. To do well in the grammar section, practicing hard is the only way.
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Solve Old Question Papers and Sample Papers
Solve different types of questions given in the previous years' question papers and sample papers. Try to solve at least 1 question paper in a day. Try to practice the long answers by writing them down, which will help you improve your speed and accuracy.
Carefully read each line of the unseen passages. Also, solve the latest sample paper to know the format of questions and practice various questions of similar formats. Prepare yourself to attempt questions based on visuals.
Focus on Your Health
While preparing for exams, it is important to focus on your own well-being as well. And, there are certain ways to do that too. Students should try and avoid social media and stay focused on their studies. Regular exercise and eating healthy food regularly can also help you to stay fit.
Besides memorizing, students also need to practice a lot. With a little effort and hard work, it is easy to score 90+ marks in the CBSE Class 10 English Board Exam 2021. Students usually leave the preparation of English for the last as it is a theoretical subject. However, the basics can't be learned just by reading the textbooks in the last few days of exams. It requires reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Find more English speaking course online here on Superprof.
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