CBSE Class 12th English Exams 2025: How to attempt the paper? Section-wise strategy, important chapters

CBSE Class 12 students will appear for the English exam on March 11. Before appearing for the exam one should be armed to the teeth. English, though often considered a scoring subject, requires structured revision and strategic answering techniques, especially in the last few days. With proper focus, revision, and strategy, you can maximize your performance:

— Students often overlook practicing Reading Comprehension, underestimating its value. Practicing Reading Comprehension for the Board Exam enhances analytical skills, vocabulary, and understanding of text structures. It improves coherence, idea organization, and clarity in the writing section as well. Strong comprehension skills enable students to craft well-structured responses, ensuring better expression, logical flow, and accuracy in essays, letters, and reports. A student is suggested to practice Inference-based questions, vocabulary usage, and tone analysis.

— The Writing section generally includes – Notice Writing, Invitations & Replies, Letter Writing (Editorial & Job Application), Article Writing, and Report Writing. To write a good piece of writing in an exam, practice writing at least two pieces per day. Set a timer and attempt each type within the given word limit. Review and refine your answer after writing. Make your writing engaging and factually accurate. Use simple yet impactful language to express your ideas. Add quotes, statistics, or real-life examples (especially for articles/speeches). Maintain a logical flow of ideas.

— Preparing for the Literature section in exam requires a strategic approach that includes understanding themes, character analysis, literary devices, and critical appreciation. The literature section includes Flamingo (Prose & Poetry) and Vistas (Supplementary Reader).

Please note that CBSE generally focuses on theme-based and analytical questions, so a thorough understanding of the texts is crucial. Read each lesson carefully to grasp the plot, themes, characters, and messages. Focus on important dialogues, quotes, literary devices used in poetry and references that may be asked in the exam.

For poetry, understand the tone, literary devices, and underlying message. Solve all NCERT textbook questions, including the ‘Think as You Read’ and ‘Talking about the Text’ sections. Practice previous year’s board exam questions (at least 5-10 years) to understand the pattern and frequently asked themes.

In Class 12, the English exam typically includes questions from a variety of sections, including Literature and Language. Some of the most frequently asked topics in the literature section are:

Flamingo (Prose) – Important Chapters
1. The Last Lesson – Alphonse Daudet (Themes of patriotism, loss of language)
2. Lost Spring – Anees Jung (Child labor, poverty)

3. Deep Water – William Douglas (Overcoming fear)
4. The Rattrap – Selma Lagerlöf (Compassion and redemption)
5. Indigo – Louis Fischer (Gandhian ideology and Champaran Movement)
6. Poets and Pancakes – Asokamitran (Cinema industry insights)

Flamingo (Poetry) – Important Poems
1. My Mother at Sixty-Six – Kamala Das (Aging, fear of loss)
2. Keeping Quiet – Pablo Neruda (Silence, introspection, peace)
3. A Thing of Beauty – John Keats (Nature’s beauty, eternal joy)
4. Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers – Adrienne Rich (Feminism, oppression)

Vistas (Supplementary) – Important Chapters
1. The Third Level – Jack Finney (Time travel, escapism)
2. Journey to the End of Earth- Tishani Doshi (Eye Opening Facts on Global Warming)
3. The Enemy – Pearl S. Buck (Humanity over nationalism)
4. Memories of Childhood- Zitkala-Sa and Bama (Oppression, Discrimination, and
resistance, Loss of Identity)

Important Play
? On the Face of It – Susan Hill (Deals with self-acceptance, kindness towards differently-abled individuals)

1. How to handle difficult or confusing questions?
When confronted with a tough question, it’s important to stay calm. Break the question into smaller parts and try to understand what it’s asking. If a question seems confusing, begin by brainstorming ideas that relate to the topic, even if they are general, and then refine them
based on the text. For example, if asked about a character’s motivations, first write a brief overview of the character’s role, followed by their actions that support the interpretation.

2. What can be a good attempt in English?
A good attempt in the English exam requires clarity, coherence, and relevance. Make sure each answer is structured with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Always link your points back to the text. Additionally, be precise and concise — avoid unnecessary elaboration. If time is tight, prioritize questions based on the marks assigned and ensure you leave time for revision.

In a nutshell, effective revision, strategic planning, and calmness during the exam will go a long way in ensuring you perform your best in the Class 12th English exam.

Senior Academic Coordinator, HOD English, GD Goenka High School