Class 11 English Core Syllabus – 2025‑26 Overview

Latest Updates

Book Free Demo :

Maximise Every Mark with One-to-One Learning

Section-wise Breakdown of CBSE Syllabus Term 1 for Class 11 English Core PDF

The updated class 11 English core syllabus 2025-26 has been released by CBSE. This latest 2025-26 syllabus provides the complete English core class 11 syllabus 2025-26, including mark weightage details and internal assessment. The syllabus is based on three prescribed NCERT books — Hornbill, Snapshots, and Woven Words. With clear sections on reading, grammar, writing, and literature, students must follow the English core syllabus class 11 to score well. Vedantu brings the CBSE Class 11 syllabus for a better understanding about the chapters, questions, and question pattern.

Table of Content

Download the Class 11 English Core Syllabus 2025-26

Prescribed Book: Woven Words

Section	Chapter No.	Chapter Name	Author
Short Stories	1	The Lament	Anton Chekhov
	2	A Pair of Mustachios	Mulk Raj Anand
	3	The Rocking-horse Winner	D.H. Lawrence
	4	The Adventure of the Three Garridebs	Arthur Conan Doyle
	5	Pappachi’s Moth	Arundhati Roy
	6	The Third and Final Continent	Jhumpa Lahiri
	7	Glory at Twilight	Bhabani Bhattacharya
	8	The Luncheon	William Somerset Maugham
Poetry	1	The Peacock	Sujata Bhatt
	2	Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds	William Shakespeare
	3	Coming	Philip Larkin
	4	Telephone Conversation	Wole Soyinka
	5	The World is Too Much With Us	William Wordsworth
	6	Mother Tongue	Padma Sachdev
	7	Hawk Roosting	Ted Hughes
	8	For Elkana	Nissim Ezekiel (The Limerick)
	9	Refugee Blues	W.H. Auden
	10	Felling of the Banyan Tree	Dilip Chitre
	11	Ode to a Nightingale	John Keats
	12	Ajamil and the Tigers	Arun Kolatkar
Essays	1	My Watch	Mark Twain
	2	My Three Passions	Bertrand Russell
	3	Patterns of Creativity	S. Chandrasekhar
	4	Tribal Verse	G.N. Devy
	5	What is a Good Book?	John Ruskin
	6	The Story	E.M. Forster
	7	Bridges	Kumudini Lakhia

Prescribed Book: Hornbill

Section	Chapter No.	Chapter Name	Author
Prose	1	The Portrait of a Lady	Khushwant Singh
	2	We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together	Gordon Cook & Alan East
	3	Discovering Tut: the Saga Continues	A. R. Williams
	4	The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role	Nani Palkhivala
	5	The Adventure	Jayant Narlikar
	6	Silk Road	Nick Middleton
Poetry	1	A Photograph	Shirley Toulson
	2	The Laburnum Top	Ted Hughes
	3	The Voice of the Rain	Walt Whitman
	4	Childhood	Markus Natten
	5	Father to Son	Elizabeth Jennings
Writing Skills	1	Note-making	—
	2	Summarising	—
	3	Sub-titling	—
	4	Essay-writing	—
	5	Letter-writing	—
	6	Creative Writing	—

Prescribed Book: Snapshots

Section	Chapter No.	Chapter Name	Author
Prose (Supplementary Reader)	1	The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse	William Saroyan
	2	The Address	Marga Minco
	3	Mother’s Day	J.B. Priestley
	4	Birth	A.J. Cronin
	5	The Tale of Melon City	Vikram Seth

Section-wise English Core Class 11 Syllabus2025-26

Section A: Reading Skills (26 Marks)

Two unseen passages (factual/literary/case-based with visuals). Word limit: 600–750 words.
One note-making + summary passage (~200–250 words). Note-making = 5 marks, summary = 3 marks.

Section B: Grammar & Creative Writing (23 Marks)

Grammar (7 marks): Gap filling (tenses, clauses), sentence re-ordering/transformation.
Creative Writing (16 marks): Short tasks like classified ads (50 words), posters (50 words), letters, speeches, debates.

Section C: Literature (31 Marks)

Questions will come from all three prescribed NCERT books:

Hornbill (Textbook in English for Class XI) – Prose and Poetry
Snapshots (Supplementary Reader) – Short stories and prose
Woven Words (Anthology) – Prose, Poetry, and Short Stories

Internal Assessment (20 Marks)

Listening: 5 marks
Speaking: 5 marks
Project Work: 10 marks
Total = 100 marks

The Class 11 English Core Syllabus 2025-26 is carefully designed by CBSE to build strong skills in reading, writing, grammar, and literature. With three prescribed NCERT books — Hornbill, Woven Words, and Snapshots — the updated syllabus gives students a balanced exposure to prose, poetry, essays, and creative writing. For students, downloading the CBSE syllabus term 1 for class 11 English core PDF ensures better exam preparation and improved language ability.

This structured approach makes the subject easier and scoring— preparing students not just for exams but also for effective communication in real life.

FAQs on Class 11 English Core Syllabus – 2025‑26 Overview

1. What is included in the class 11 English core syllabus 2025-26?

The syllabus includes updated English Core Class 11 Syllabus 2025‑26 details—covering three NCERT books: Hornbill, Snapshots, and Woven Words. It has sections on unseen passages, reading, creative writing, grammar, and literature, along with listening, speaking, and project-based internal assessment.

2. How is the CBSE English Core Class 11 term 2 syllabus structured?

For Term 2 English Core Class 11 Syllabus, the format remains aligned with Term 1: Section A (Reading Comprehension), Section B (Creative Writing & Grammar), and Section C (Literature using prescribed NCERT books). Each section contains clear weightage, making it easier for the students to prepare for exams.

3. From where can I download the CBSE syllabus term 1 for Class 11 English core pdf?

You can download the Class 11 English core syllabus 2025-26 from the NCERT official website or Vedantu's —it's a free, easy-to-access resource that includes full curriculum, mark distribution, and section details.

4. Why should students refer to the English Core Class 11 syllabus?

Referring to the syllabus that includes three NCERT books (Hornbill, Snapshots, Woven Words) ensures you're preparing for the exam in the right direction. These books focus on improving comprehension, critical thinking, and match perfectly with the CBSE exam patterns.

5. Has the English core syllabus class 11 been updated recently?

Yes. The Class 11 English Core Syllabus 2025‑26 has been updated by CBSE. The changes include three prescribed NCERT books, an updated syllabus structure, and new exam patterns that focus on language, comprehension, and writing skills.