English — Syllabus & Chapters

The complete syllabus for English — every chapter you need to study, and how the exam paper is structured.

What you will study (chapters)

Chapter 1: Aural Comprehension of Seen and Unseen Texts
Chapter 2: Listening to Talks, Presentations and Lectures
Chapter 3: Note-Making and Summarising from Oral Input
Chapter 4: Collaborative Discussions and Group Interaction
Chapter 5: Class-Level Debates and Topic-Based Speaking
Chapter 6: Planned Oral Presentations with Multimedia Support
Chapter 7: Reading Literary and Non-Literary Texts
Chapter 8: Factual, Inferential and Evaluative Comprehension
Chapter 9: Understanding Themes across Self, Family, Community and Nation
Chapter 10: Reading about World Cultures, Adventure, Sports and Adolescence
Chapter 11: Interpreting Newspapers, Magazines, Articles and Advertisements
Chapter 12: Recognising Author Purpose, Tone and Context
Chapter 13: Appreciating Language Use in Different Registers
Chapter 14: Paragraph Writing and Coherent Sequencing of Ideas
Chapter 15: Narrative and Descriptive Writing
Chapter 16: Story Writing with Plot, Character and Setting
Chapter 17: Informal Letter Writing
Chapter 18: Notice, Message and Invitation Writing
Chapter 19: Article, Report and Speech-Based Writing
Chapter 20: Drafting, Revising, Editing and Presenting Written Work
Chapter 21: Phrases and Clauses in Simple, Compound and Complex Sentences
Chapter 22: Active and Passive Voice
Chapter 23: Synonyms, Antonyms and Analogies in Context
Chapter 24: Figurative Language and Literary Devices
Chapter 25: Age-Appropriate and Domain-Specific Vocabulary
Chapter 26: Contextual Grammar for Accurate Speaking and Writing
Chapter 27: Prose, Short Stories and Narrative Forms
Chapter 28: Poetry, Rhythm, Imagery and Sound Devices
Chapter 29: Drama, Dialogue and Performance-Based Reading
Chapter 30: Biography, Autobiography, Travel Writing and Speeches
Chapter 31: Theme, Character, Setting and Plot Appreciation
Chapter 32: Independent and Extended Reading for Language Enrichment

Frequently asked questions

How many chapters are there in English?

The English syllabus has 32 chapters, listed in full above. Cover the high-weightage chapters first using the exam pattern as a guide.

How do I know which English chapters carry the most marks?

Compare the chapter list above with the exam pattern and the last few years of question papers — the topics that appear most often and the units with the highest marks are where to focus first. Always confirm weightage against the official syllabus for your exam year.

Has the English syllabus changed this year?

Boards occasionally revise the syllabus or remove topics for a session. Always download the official syllabus for your exact exam year from the official ICSE & ISC portal rather than relying on an older copy or a social-media list.

How can I prepare for English faster?

Begin with the most-frequently-asked topics and the last few years of question papers, then test yourself under timed conditions. If you want guided help, you can use the free AI study tutor for English — practise past-paper questions and get instant feedback — or a focused English study guide that condenses the syllabus into the topics that matter most — both are free to start.