How to Score 90+ in CBSE English class 12?

The CBSE English class 12 exam is an excellent opportunity for students to score 90+ marks. Students just have to keep a few things in mind while preparing for this exam, and they will be easily able to navigate through with a good score.

Preparing for the Class 12 CBSE English exam requires focusing on the important parts of the prescribed texts. Whether it is unseen passages, poetry, or prose, we have to identify the core message and theme and mention them clearly in our answers. Here at Narayana, we believe in breaking concepts down to details for better understanding, and this is exactly what we are going to do in this blog. Here are our tips on how to score 90+ in the CBSE English class 12 exam.

1. Understand the exam pattern for CBSE English class 12 exam

To excel in any exam, the first step is to familiarise oneself with the syllabus and exam pattern. Here is the CBSE class 12 English syllabus:

• Section A – 22 Marks (12+10)

This section will contain 2 reading comprehension questions, including unseen passages.

Q.1: One reading comprehension question that will be factual, descriptive, or literary and will assess the comprehension, interpretation, and analysis skills of the students through multiple-choice questions, objective-type questions, and short-answer type questions.

Q.2: One case-based passage with inputs like statistical data or charts to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference, and evaluation through multiple-choice questions, objective-type questions, and short-answer types.

Following are some tips that will help students answer this section effectively:

• The prerequisites for excelling in unseen passages are students’ reading speed and vocabulary. One should develop a regular habit of reading, whether it is exam time or not, to improve these two skills.
• One should regularly practice solving unseen passages and figure out which types of questions need improvement.
• Students should read the entire passage at least twice—even before they look at the questions. It will provide them with a basic understanding.
• Students should highlight and underline the important facts. While writing answers, they should be conveyed clearly.
• One should look out for the cause words (due to, because, since, etc.), effect words (consequently, as a result, therefore, etc.), and purpose words (so as to, in order to, for, etc.) in the passage that will help them arrive at the answer.
• When solving a passage, one should always go in the prescribed order. Go over the pertinent passages and the questions in the correct order.
• Complete sentences should be used when responding to the questions.
• Always respond to questions in accordance with the marks given. One must try to respond with one point if the question is for a single mark. Give two points if the question has two marks.
• Section B: 18 Marks

This section contains 4 writing skill questions that test students’ grammar, sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation.

Q.3: 2 Notice writing question will be given. Students will have to answer 1 out of 2 questions. (50 words) (4 Marks)

Q.4: Two formal or informal invitation questions will be given. Students will have to answer 1 out of 2 questions. (50 words) (4 Marks)

Q.5: Two job application letter or letter to the editor questions will be given. Students will have to answer one of the two questions. (120–150 words) (5 Marks)

Q.6: Two article or report writing questions will be given. Students will have to answer 1 out of 2 questions (120–150 words) (5 Marks)

Following are some tips that will help students answer this section effectively:

• Reading the editorial section of a newspaper can be of great importance, as one will know what kind of issues are in the news these days. Even if the exam does not ask questions about these points, students will know what kind of points to focus on while writing the answer. Reading will also make students aware of the appropriate vocabulary and tone required to answer these questions effortlessly.
• Practice all types of writing skill questions, such as letters, applications, notices, and articles or reports. Not only will you get the format right, but you will also understand how to express your ideas within the given word limit effectively. The key is to convey core points without digressing or using too many words.
• One should start these questions wherever possible with a relatable quote and mention concrete data and facts.

• Section C – 40 Marks

The questions will be based on the prescribed literature text book and supplementary reading text. (multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, and long-answer questions)

Q.7: Two poetry extracts from the book Flamingo will be given. Students will have to answer 1 out of 2 questions. (6 Marks)

Q.8: Two prose extracts from the book Vistas will be given. Students will have to answer 1 out of 2 questions. (4 Marks)

Q.9: Two prose extracts from the book Flamingo will be given. Students will have to answer 1 out of 2 questions. (6 Marks)

Q.10: Short answer-type questions from prose and poetry from the book Flamingo will be asked. Students have to answer five out of the six questions. (40–50 words per question) (10 Marks)

Q.11: Short answer-type questions from Prose from the book Vistas will be asked. Students have to answer 2 out of 3 given questions. (40–50 words per question) (4 Marks)

Q.12: Two long-answer type questions from prose or poetry from the book Flamingo will be asked. Students will have to answer 1 out of 2 questions. (120-150 words) (5 Marks)

Q.13: Two long-answer-type questions from chapters of the book Vistas will be asked. Students will have to answer 1 out of 2 questions. (120-150 words) (5 Marks)

Following are some tips that will help students answer this section effectively:

• Students should make notes on character sketches, important events, and themes and revise them regularly.
• Extensive reading of the literature is the key to excelling in this section and scoring high marks in the CBSE class 12 English paper.
• Developing quick thinking skills is a result of extensive reading. Once students develop the ability to think swiftly, they gain the proficiency to seamlessly weave arguments into words and write more efficiently.

Once the students complete the prescribed syllabus books thoroughly, they will easily be able to identify significant passages, dialogues, plot twists, and lines from poems to memory, ensuring a thorough understanding of the texts.

2. Learn how to write effective answers

An impactful answer typically adheres to a three-part structure: introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction establishes the context, the body delves into the main content and arguments, and the conclusion summarises key points for a cohesive and effective response.

3. Use the additional 15 minutes given before the exam wisely

The introduction of an extra 15 minutes by CBSE(Central Board of Secondary Education) serves the purpose of assisting students in comprehensively reviewing the question papers. The intention is to allow students to analyse the set of questions and formulate a preliminary mental outline of how to approach them. It is recommended that students use this time to strategize, assess the questions they are fully prepared for, and allocate specific time limits for each section. This approach helps in effective time management during the examination.

4. Solve previous-year questions (PYQs)

There is simply no substitute for solving previous-year question papers. Solving them helps students with their time management, highlights areas that need improvement, and makes them familiar with the exam pattern. To score 90+ in CBSE English Class 12 exam, students must solve PYQs during their revision without fail.

Conclusion

Just adhere to the word limits, write short paragraphs, and use bullet points wherever possible. The English exam is a great opportunity to increase one’s overall percentage in CBSE board exams; students often tend to downplay its importance and end up scoring less, disturbing their overall aggregate. Following these simple tips, students will easily be able to score 90+ in the CBSE English board exam. We wish you all the very best for your board exams.