Update on 2024-04-15

CBSE 12th English Paper Exam Preparation Tips | How to score good marks in English?

CBSE 12th English Paper Exam Preparation Tips:

CBSE 12th English is one of the main subjects of class 12th. English plays an important part in the course selection after passing the 12th. A student can choose among many courses based on their marks in CBSE 12th English paper. CBSE 12th English paper is considered greatly important as it reflects a student’s fundamental knowledge and scholastic skills. CBSE Class 12th exam is conducted in March. CBSE 12th English paper syllabus includes a range of topics and fundamental concepts that students need to learn about and should be well acquainted with all the topics to solve questions in the 12th board exam as well as other competitive exams.

After passing the CBSE Class 10th board exam, the Class 12th board exam is the next milestone in the journey of education for a student. If we compare class 10th and class 12th exams, the degree of complexity for CBSE Class 12th is higher. There are several subjects in CBSE 12th board exam. Some of the subjects are Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Biology, Hindi, English, Accountancy, Business Studies, and Economics. Among these English plays an important role.

Some of the students face difficulty in clearing the English paper. This is because they focus more on technical subjects. But to clear CBSE class 12th with a good percentage, English is very important. This subject has equal weightage in comparison to the other technical subjects. English increases the overall percentage of the student’s result. So, it is very important to study English with the same enthusiasm.

If you want to know How to prepare for CBSE 12th English paper, then this article will help you. You will get all the important tips to score well CBSE Class 12 English Preparation Tips 2025.

Highlights of CBSE 12th English Paper
Exam Duration	3 hours
Maximum Marks	100
Total Number of Questions	39
Very short answer type questions	1 mark
Short Answer I type questions	2 marks
Long Answer I type questions	5 marks
Long Answer II type questions	6 marks
Very Long Answer type questions	10 marks

CBSE Class 12th English Exam Syllabus:

To plan your study, it is very much important to know the syllabus of the subject. Once you know the syllabus, make a routine or timetable. It is a must to read the syllabus thoroughly. This will help you to know about the subject. The exam pattern also plays an important role. Keep your eye on the exam pattern to know which topic is important. This article will help you to know how to prepare for CBSE 12th English paper. Now, have a look at the CBSE class 12th English paper syllabus.

CBSE Class 12th English paper syllabus (Section-wise):

CBSE class 12th English paper syllabus incorporates 3 sections. All the sections have equal weightage. So, it is important to look after all the 3 sections.

Reading Comprehension
Writing Skills
Literature and Long Reading Skills

Reading Comprehension:

Section A is reading comprehension. This section will have two passages carrying a total of 20 marks.

1. The first unseen passage incorporates a variety of Objective Type Questions. This passage includes Multiple Choice questions and Short Answer Questions to test comprehension, interpretation, and inference. This passage will also test your vocabularies such as word formation and inference of meaning. The total length of the first passage will be between 800 - 900 words. In addition to this, five Multiple Choice questions and Seven Objective Type Questions of 12 Marks will be asked from this first passage.

The first passage will include one of the following -

a) Factual passages, e.g., instructions, descriptions, reports.

b) Descriptive passages involving opinion, e.g., argumentative, persuasive, or interpretative text.

c) Literary passages, e.g., extract from fiction, drama, poetry, essay, or biography.

2. The second passage encompasses 400-500 words. Note-making and Abstraction will be asked from the second passage –

Note making (4 Marks)
Summary (4 Marks)

Writing Skills:

The CBSE Class 12th English paper syllabus for Writing Skills contains 30 marks and comprises the following:

Advertisements and notices, writing formal and informal invitations and replies, designing, or drafting posters. Students have to attempt one question out of the two Short Answer Questions – 4 Marks
Letters based on the verbal or visual input – One question out of the two Long Answer Questions to be answered in 120-150 words – 6 Marks

Letter types include

Business or official letters (for making inquiries, registering complaints, asking for and giving information, placing orders, and sending replies),
Letters to the editor (giving suggestions or opinions on issues of public interest), and
Application for a job
Two compositions based on the visual and/or verbal Input which may be descriptive or argumentative in nature such as an article/a debate/ a speech or a report. Students also have to answer two Very Long Answer Questions containing internal choice in 150-200 words. (10×2=20 Marks)

Literature and Long Reading Skills:

Section C is literature and long reading skills which carry 30 marks and comprises the following -

Eight Objective Type Questions – 4 from one poetry and 4 from one prose extract to test comprehension and appreciation. (8×1=8 marks)
Five out of Seven Short Answer Questions based on prose/drama/ poetry from both texts (5×2=10 Marks)
One out of two Long Answer Questions to be answered in 120-150 words to test global comprehension and extrapolation beyond the texts. (6 marks) (Flamingo)
One out of two Long Answer Questions to be answered in 120-150 words to test global comprehension along with analysis and extrapolation. (6 marks) (Vistas)

The different chapters – prose and poetry – included in Flamingo are as under:

Prose

The Last Lesson
Lost Spring
Deep Water
The Rattrap
Indigo
Poets and Pancakes
The Interview
Going Places

Poetry

My Mother at Sixty Six
An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum
Keeping Quiet
A Thing of Beauty
A Roadside Stand
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers

The chapters in Vistas are as follows:

The Third Level
The Tiger King
Journey to the End of the Earth
The Enemy
Should Wizard Hit Mommy
On the Face of It
Evans Tries an O-Level
Memories of Childhood
The Cutting of My Long Hair
We too are Human Being

Important tips for how to prepare for CBSE 12th English Exam:

As we all know that English is a very important subject in the CBSE 12th exam to score a good percentage of marks. English is important for every stream whether it is Science, Arts, or Commerce. Given below are the important tips for how to prepare for CBSE 12th English paper. Have a look.

1. Prepare letter-writing and summary writing formats

Try to practice letter writing and summary to master section A of the CBSE 12th English paper. This section is also very important in terms of time management. Managing time in this section is so beneficial. Practice it daily. This will increase your writing practice and you won’t get any problem with letter writing and summary. In addition to this, try to write an impressive letter with a proper introduction and conclusion.

2. Read the comprehension passage thoroughly

Sometimes comprehension passage takes more than the usual time. This will not only kill your time but also affect your overall performance. So, to maintain time management try to read the related questions. This will give you an idea to identify the sections containing the answers in the passage. This will save your time which is very important for CBSE 12th English paper.

3. Try to improve your writing skills

Grammar is very important in every aspect of life. This will help you to clear CBSE 12th English paper as well as any other competitive exams. Learning grammar is very crucial. In addition to this, vocabulary is also important. So, the only tip to improve your grammar and vocabulary is to read a newspaper daily. This will help you to write English easily and impressively.

4. Solve sample question papers daily

Question paper format is very important to write the CBSE 12th English paper. This will help you to understand the paper format. So, try to solve the last 5-year question paper. This will increase your practice and help in time management. Marks allotted to each section also play an important part.

5. Make notes on character sketches and central themes

In the prose or poetry section in your CBSE Class 12th English paper, it is significant to make notes on character sketches of central characters as well as on central themes. Also, if you use quotes in your CBSE 12th English paper, it will help you to score good marks. But if you are not sure about the quotes, then don’t mention them in your answer. It will catch the attention of the examiner.

6. Underline all the important points in your answers

In the prose and poetry section of the paper, try to underline all the important points of your answer. This will highlight the important terms which will definitely catch the attention of the examiner. Also, this will help the examiner to check your answer sheet easily. The most important part of the CBSE 12th English paper is spelling. Try to avoid any spelling mistakes.

7. Do not go for selective studying

To score well in CBSE 12th English paper, it is very important to study every topic. Every topic has its own benefits and carries some marks. So, it is never a good idea to opt for selective study. The only solution to solve this problem is to revise every day. Revision helps you to understand any difficult topic easily.

8. Time management is important

To maintain time management, it is important to decide how much time you want to allow each section in your CBSE Class 12th English paper and after deciding time yourself accordingly at the time of solving the sample question papers.

Several students don’t finish their papers on time because of proper time management.

9. Make good decisions

You will get three sections in the CBSE 12th English question paper. So, decide wisely out of the given options which questions you are going to attempt first under each section.

10. Neat and readable handwriting is very necessary

If you write neat and readable answers in your CBSE 12th English paper, your answer will be very clear and easily readable by the examiner. This will give you an extra advantage to get good marks. Neat handwriting is itself a bonus.

11. It is necessary to be systematic

To get more than 80% in your CBSE 12th English paper, it is important to be systematic. Try to answer all the questions serially. The messy answer sheet might cut some marks. If you are not sure about any answer, leave some space for that answer and proceed further. Also, always write the correct serial number to its answer. If somehow you have written the right answer against the different serial number, then you won’t get any marks for that. After completing your exam, try to check all the serial numbers and cross-check your answers.

12. Pay attention while reading the questions

Section A contains two passages. Read both the passages thoroughly and only then answer the questions. Be concentrated while reading the questions. Sometimes, students make a blunder in reading questions and write another answer instead of the correct one. This will not only cut your marks but also kill your time. So, read the questions by paying attention.

13. Revise before you submit your answer copy

Revision is very important for any exam. It is necessary to revise your answer script once you have written all the answers. Make time management for revision also. Revising the answer copy may protect you from any marked loss. It is better to take 15 minutes from the last and revise in that time.

CBSE class 12 English exam

English Elective
Advanced Reading Skills (Unseen Passages Two)	20 marks
Effective Writing Skills	20 marks
Applied Grammar	15 marks
Literature	25 marks
Conversation Skills (Listening, Speaking)	10 marks
Reading Project	10 marks

English Core
Advanced Reading Skills (Unseen Passages Two)	20 marks
Effective Writing Skills	25 marks
Applied Grammar	20 marks
Literature	35 marks

Tips for CBSE Class 12th English Exam:

Practice reading every day. Read as much as you can. Do not leave any piece of good English literature that should not escape your hands: Newspapers, your CBSE 12th English textbooks, or anything else on which you can lay your hands.
Read different topics every day - from philosophy to science to fiction. This will help you with the unseen passages and also enhance your vocabulary.
Try to communicate in English as much as you can.
Follow a good grammar book and know the basic rules.
Try and comprehend what the author is saying on that particular topic and take out logical conclusions from the text.
For writing letters and applications, reports and speeches, know the formats first and practice every day.

How to score good marks in CBSE English Class 12th?

In the exam, try to write your descriptive answers in points and give pictorial or graphical examples wherever possible. It enhances visibility. Scan the paper before answering. For long answer-type questions, before starting, make a list of the answer in the margin. Be exact and to the point in very short questions.

Time management -

Devote 50 minutes to each section
Keep 15 minutes for revision

Presentation

TIP 1: Use a black pen to write keywords.

TIP 2: Maintain proper spacing.

TIP 3: Underline important points.

Tip 4: Write headings with a black pen and underline subheadings.

Recommended NCERT Books for CBSE 12th English Exam:

CBSE recommends Class 12th NCERT Textbooks and Solutions for Class 12th CBSE English Exam Preparation Tips. Following are some of the recommended books -

Kaleidoscope - Textbook published by NCERT
Fiction: A Tiger for Malgudi or The Financial Expert by R.K. Narayan (Novel) Fiction
Language Skills book - Class XII English Elective published by CBSE, Delhi.
Literature Reader - Class XII English Elective published by CBSE, Delhi.
Extended Reading Text (Either one)

i) The Invisible Man (Unabridged) by H.G. Wells.

ii) Silas Marner (Unabridged) by George Eliot.

Reference Books for CBSE Class 12 English Grammar:

Wren and Martin High School grammar.
A Practical Guide to English Grammar (Paperback) by K. P. Thakur.
Silas Marner Class-12 1st Edition (Paperback) by K. S. Paul
Lord of the Flies (Unabridged Edition) Prescribed for Class-12 as per the Latest CBSE Syllabus (Paperback) by William Golding.

CBSE Class 12th English Paper Preparation Tips - Bonus Tips:

Be systematic with the syllabus and go through previous years’ sample papers.
Read books every day, especially for passages as prescribed by NCERT. This will help you with the section of the unseen passage and also enhance your vocabulary.
Try to communicate in English as much as you can.
Use a good grammar book as a reference. You can take the help of some good reference books for grammar.
Know how to write the proper answers in the CBSE 12th English paper like the answers should be relevant and descriptive (if required) or brief (as asked).
Clear all your doubts before the exam.
Don’t forget to revise your class notes every day.
Study NCERT textbooks for English which will surely help to score good marks.
Take breaks, eat, and sleep well.
Avoid taking stress. Indulge yourself in some outdoor activities as well.