The Class 10 English Exam Pattern for 2026 plays an important role in helping students to understand how the board paper is structured and how marks are distributed across different sections. As the students know the section-wise weightage and chapter-wise marks, they can prepare with better focus, manage their time well, and score higher with confidence. Because the English paper evaluates reading, writing, grammar, and literature skills, understanding the pattern becomes the first step toward a strong preparation plan.
CBSE Class 10 English Weightage 2026 Overview
The Class 10 English Exam Pattern for 2026 follows a simple and balanced structure. The paper is divided into three main parts i.e.Reading Skills, Writing Skills with Grammar, and Language Through Literature. Hence, each section checks a different set of skills, and together they add up to 80 marks.
To understand how marks are allocated across all subjects, students can also check the CBSE Class 10 marks distribution 2026 for better exam planning.
CBSE Class 10 English Weightage 2026 Overview
| Section | Marks |
| Reading Skills | 20 |
| Writing Skills with Grammar | 20 |
| Language through Literature | 40 |
| Total | 80 |
Moreover, this clear distribution helps students plan their study approach by giving more time to high-weightage sections without ignoring the others.
CBSE Class 10 English Exam Pattern 2025–26 (80 Marks Theory)
The English paper focuses on Reading, Writing & Grammar, and Literature.
| Section | Type of Questions | Marks |
| Reading (20 Marks) | Discursive passage | 10 |
| Case-based factual passage with visual input | 10 | |
| Writing & Grammar (20 Marks) | Grammar questions | 10 |
| Formal Letter Writing | 5 | |
| Analytical Paragraph Writing | 5 | |
| Literature (40 Marks) | Extract-based (Drama/Prose) | 5 |
| Extract-based (Poetry) | 5 | |
| Short Answer Questions – First Flight | 12 | |
| Short Answer Questions – Footprints Without Feet | 6 | |
| Long Answer Questions – First Flight | 6 | |
| Long Answer Questions – Footprints Without Feet | 6 | |
| Total | 80 |
Hence, students must prepare extracts, comprehension skills, formal writing, and literature-based long answers.
CBSE Class 10 English Communicative Exam Pattern 2025–26 (80 Marks Theory)
The CBSE Class 10 English Communicative Exam Pattern 2025–26 will follow the same assessment structure as before, so ensure a balanced evaluation of Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Literature skills. Moreover, students will be attempting 12 questions across four sections, and this format allows them to demonstrate comprehension, expression, grammatical accuracy, and literary understanding. Hence, this clarity in structure helps students plan their preparation strategically and score higher.
Section-Wise Question Marks Distribution (English Communicative)
| Section | Question Numbers | Details | Marks |
| A. Reading Skills | Q1–2 | Two passages (discursive & factual/case-based) with comprehension Qs | 22 |
| B. Writing Skills | Q3–6 | – Q3: Application (3 marks) – Q4: Factual description (4 marks) – Q5: Letter to editor (choice-based, 7 marks) – Q6: Article writing (choice-based, 8 marks) | 22 |
| C. Grammar | Q7–9 | – Q7: Fill in the blanks (3 marks) – Q8: Omission (4 marks) – Q9: Transformation (rearranging/reporting – 3 marks) | 10 |
| D. Literature | Q10–12 | – Q10: Extract-based (2 out of 3 extracts, 8 marks) – Q11: Short answer Qs (5 out of 6, 10 marks) – Q12: Long answer Q (choice-based, 8 marks) | 26 |
| Total | Q1–12 | 80 |
Class 10 CBSE English Chapter-Wise Weightage 2026
The chapter-wise marks is an important factor which plays a major role in the Class 10 English Exam Pattern, as each chapter from the textbooks contributes differently to the final score. Hence, students must focus on each chapter in proportion to its weight in the exam.
Class 10 CBSE English Chapter-Wise Weightage
First Flight (Prose)
| Chapter | Marks |
| A Letter to God | 2 |
| Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom | 2 |
| Stories About Flying | 2 |
| From the Diary of Anne Frank | 2 |
| Glimpses of India | 2 |
| Mijbil the Otter | 2 |
| Madam Rides the Bus | 2 |
| The Sermon at Benares | 2 |
| The Proposal (Play) | 2 |
| First Flight Poems | |
| Dust of Snow | 1 |
| Fire and Ice | 1 |
| A Tiger in the Zoo | 1 |
| How to Tell Wild Animals | 1 |
| The Ball Poem | 1 |
| Amanda | 1 |
| The Trees | 1 |
| Fog | 1 |
| The Tale of Custard the Dragon | 1 |
| For Anne Gregory | 1 |
| Footprints Without Feet Supplementary Reader | |
| A Triumph of Surgery | 2 |
| The Thief’s Story | 2 |
| The Midnight Visitor | 2 |
| A Question of Trust | 2 |
| Footprints Without Feet | 2 |
| The Making of a Scientist | 2 |
| The Necklace | 2 |
| Bholi | 2 |
| The Book that Saved the Earth | 2 |
| Grammar and Writing Skills | 20 |
| Total Marks | 80 |
First Flight (Poems)
| Poem | Marks |
| Dust of Snow | 1 |
| Fire and Ice | 1 |
| A Tiger in the Zoo | 1 |
| How to Tell Wild Animals | 1 |
| The Ball Poem | 1 |
| Amanda | 1 |
| The Trees | 1 |
| Fog | 1 |
| The Tale of Custard the Dragon | 1 |
| For Anne Gregory | 1 |
| Footprints Without Feet Supplementary Reader | |
| A Triumph of Surgery | 2 |
| The Thief’s Story | 2 |
| The Midnight Visitor | 2 |
| A Question of Trust | 2 |
| Footprints Without Feet | 2 |
| The Making of a Scientist | 2 |
| The Necklace | 2 |
| Bholi | 2 |
| The Book that Saved the Earth | 2 |
| Grammar and Writing Skills | 20 |
| Total Marks | 80 |
Grammar and Writing Skills: 20 Marks
This section brings a significant share in the Class 10 English Exam Pattern, as it checks accuracy, structure, reasoning, and application ability.
CBSE Class 10 English Internal Assessment Marks Distribution 2025
Along with the 80-mark theory paper, the internal assessment adds the remaining 20 marks. Additionally, these marks focus on practical language skills that help students become confident English users.
| Components of Internal Assessment | Marks |
| Listening and Speaking Skills | 5 |
| Art-integrated Projects (Role Play, Skit, Dramatization etc.) | 5 |
| Portfolio / Written Work | 5 |
| Subject Enrichment Activities | 5 |
| Total Marks | 20 |
How to Prepare for Class 10 English Board Exam 2026
Because the Class 10 English Exam Pattern is clear and predictable, students can plan a strong preparation strategy by following a structured approach. For expert guidance, subject-wise preparation, and board-focused study support, students can also rely on SPM & Lalan’s Coaching for Class 10 exam readiness.
Useful Preparation Tips
- First, try to make a clear understanding of the complete syllabus and highlight all high-weightage sections.
- Second, prepare short notes for grammar rules, vocabulary, literary devices, and chapter summaries.
- Regularly practice the comprehension passages regularly to improve speed and accuracy.
- Moreover, practice letter writing and analytical paragraphs frequently to strengthen writing skills.
- Solve previous year papers and CBSE-approved sample papers to understand question trends. Along with English practice, students should also solve the CBSE Class 10 Maths Sample Paper 2025–26 to strengthen overall board exam preparation.
- Try to allocate more time to reading and literature, as they account for 60 marks.
- Lastly, do revision of each chapter, poem, and grammar topic multiple times to avoid losing marks in easy areas.
Conclusion
The Class 10 English Exam Pattern for 2026 gives students a clear and structured roadmap that helps them prepare in a more focused manner. With well-defined section-wise marks, chapter-wise weightage, and a balanced spread across reading, writing, grammar, and literature, the exam offers a fair chance to score well. When students understand what to study and how much each part contributes, they prepare with better clarity and confidence. A calm approach, regular practice, and strong revision can help every student perform well in the English board exam.
FAQs
Q1. What are the total marks for the Class 10 English Board Exam 2026?
The total marks for the Class 10 English Board Exam are 80 for theory and 20 for internal assessment.
Q2. How many marks are allocated for internal assessment?
The internal assessment carries 20 marks.
Q3. Which chapters have the highest weightage in Class 10 English?
The literature section carries the highest weightage with 40 marks, covering all prose, poems, and supplementary chapters.
Q4. How can students use weightage to prepare effectively?
Students can focus more on high-mark sections like reading, writing, and literature while still revising the remaining chapters regularly.
