Create CBSE Class 11 English Core board-pattern question papers in seconds — fully aligned with the 2025-26 examination format. Every paper covers all 4 sections — Reading Comprehension, Writing Skills, Grammar, and Literature — with complete marking schemes and answer keys.
Full coverage of Hornbill (Prose + Poetry) and Snapshots (Supplementary Reader). Trusted by 5,000+ CBSE schools, coaching centres, and English teachers across India.
No sign-up required • PDF & DOCX download • Answer key included
The CBSE Class 11 English Question Paper Generator by SchoolDeck is a free AI-powered tool that helps teachers, tutors, and students create board-pattern question papers for English Core (Code 301) and English Elective (Code 101) within minutes.
Whether you need a full board exam mock paper, a unit test covering only Hornbill chapters, a half-yearly examination, or quick grammar and writing practice worksheets — this generator produces professionally formatted papers that exactly match the CBSE 2025-26 examination blueprint. It handles the precise marks split across Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Literature sections automatically.
Every generated paper comes with a detailed step-wise marking scheme and model answers, making it ideal for both formal assessment and guided self-study. Unseen passages are drawn from a rich bank of age-appropriate, thematically diverse texts — never from the prescribed textbooks — ensuring genuine comprehension testing.
Official 80-Mark Theory Paper Blueprint — Section-Wise Weightage
| Section | Area | Key Components | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Reading Comprehension | Unseen Passage 1 — Factual/Descriptive (MCQ-based, 12 marks) & Unseen Passage 2 — Literary/Discursive (Short Answer, 10 marks) | 22 |
| B | Writing Skills | Notice/Poster/Advertisement (4 marks), Formal/Informal Letter (7 marks), Article/Speech/Report/Essay Writing (7 marks) | 18 |
| C | Grammar | Gap Filling / Cloze Test, Editing, Sentence Transformation, Reported Speech, Active/Passive Voice, Modals | 10 |
| D | Literature — Hornbill & Snapshots | Reference to Context (prose + poetry), Short Answer Questions, Long Answer / Value-Based Questions from Hornbill & Snapshots | 30 |
| Total Theory Examination | 80 | ||
| Internal Assessment | 20 | ||
| Grand Total | 100 | ||
Source: CBSE Academic Session 2025-26 Curriculum for English Core (Code 301). Literature carries the highest weightage of 30 marks (37.5%) followed by Reading at 22 marks (27.5%).
The SchoolDeck generator precisely follows this 4-section structure in every paper
Two unseen passages totalling 22 marks. Passage 1 (12 marks) is factual or descriptive in nature with Multiple Choice Questions testing inference, vocabulary, and comprehension. Passage 2 (10 marks) is literary or discursive, with short-answer questions testing interpretation and language use. Passages are sourced from newspapers, journals, and world literature — never from the prescribed textbooks.
Three writing tasks with internal choice. Covers short functional writing (Notice, Poster, Advertisement — 4 marks), formal or informal letter (Job Application, Complaint, Inquiry, or Personal Letter — 7 marks), and long writing (Article, Speech, Report, or Essay on a social/topical theme — 7 marks). Model answers with step-wise marks allocation included.
Applied grammar tasks drawn from the NCERT Class 11 English grammar syllabus. Includes gap filling / cloze tests (tenses, modals, determiners), editing exercises (identifying and correcting errors in a passage), and sentence transformation (reported speech, active-passive voice, sentence combining).
Questions from both prescribed textbooks. Includes Reference to Context (prose and poetry extracts with explanations and significance — 6 marks), Short Answer Questions from Hornbill and Snapshots chapters (12 marks), and Long Answer / Value-Based Questions requiring thematic analysis, character study, and personal response (12 marks). Internal choice provided in all sub-sections.
| Section | Area | Total Marks | Internal Choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| A — Reading | 2 Unseen Passages | 22 | No |
| B — Writing | Notice + Letter + Article/Essay | 18 | Yes |
| C — Grammar | Gap Fill, Editing, Transformation | 10 | No |
| D — Literature | Hornbill + Snapshots | 30 | Yes |
| Total | 80 Marks | — | |
4 simple steps — no sign-up needed to get started
Choose CBSE → Class 11 → English Core (301) or English Elective (101). The tool auto-loads the official 2025-26 syllabus with Hornbill and Snapshots chapter list.
Choose full syllabus or specific chapters from Hornbill and Snapshots. Toggle individual sections (Reading, Writing, Grammar, Literature) for unit test customization.
Select Board Exam Pattern (full 80-mark), Unit Test, Half Yearly, Periodic Test, or Pre-Board. The AI auto-applies the correct section structure and question type distribution.
Click Generate. Review the paper and model answers on screen. Download as PDF or DOCX — with or without the answer key — ready to print.
Our question bank covers every chapter and poem from both prescribed textbooks
Poetry Questions Include
Reference to Context, explanation of poetic devices (metaphor, simile, imagery, alliteration), central theme analysis, and appreciation questions.
Built for the unique demands of CBSE Class 11 English examination format
Our AI draws from a curated bank of age-appropriate, thematically diverse unseen passages — covering science, environment, society, biography, and culture. Every paper has unique passages never repeated from prescribed textbooks.
Automatically includes inference, interpretation, and analysis-level questions as mandated by CBSE for 2025-26. Goes beyond textbook recall to test genuine English language competency.
Every writing task (Notice, Letter, Article, Essay) comes with a full model answer and marks breakdown per parameter — Format, Content, Expression, and Accuracy — matching CBSE evaluation standards exactly.
The AI ensures every paper maintains the official marks split — 22 for Reading, 18 for Writing, 10 for Grammar, 30 for Literature — automatically. No manual calculation or double-checking needed.
Extensive question bank for all Hornbill and Snapshots chapters — including value-based questions, character analysis, theme discussion, extract-based questions, and creative response prompts updated for latest CBSE patterns.
Generate Set A, B, C, and D with different unseen passages, writing prompts, and literature questions but identical difficulty and marks distribution — ideal for preventing copying in examinations.
Download the question paper and answer key/marking scheme separately as PDF or DOCX. Customise with your school name, logo, exam date, and custom instructions before printing.
Board Exam (80 marks), Pre-Board, Half Yearly, Quarterly Test, Periodic Test, Unit Test (Section-specific), and Grammar/Writing Worksheets — all with correct question structure and internal choice.
Save 3-4 hours per paper. Generate unique unit tests, periodic tests, and pre-board papers in minutes with fresh passages and writing prompts every time.
Create standardized, blueprint-compliant papers across all sections and divisions. Generate multiple sets instantly for fair, secure examinations.
Practice with unlimited board-pattern mock papers. Study model answers for writing tasks and understand exactly how marks are awarded for each response.
SchoolDeck also helps automate documentation and paper generation for the 20-mark continuous internal evaluation component:
10 Marks — Best of two written tests conducted during the academic session covering relevant syllabus portions
5 Marks — Assessed through activities like recitation, debate, creative writing portfolio, and class discussions
5 Marks — Book reading, reading log maintenance, and short written responses or book reviews
Generate ready-to-use periodic test papers for internal assessment with official marks allocation and evaluation rubrics
As per CBSE guidelines for 2025-26, approximately 50% of questions in the Class 11 English Core paper must be competency-based. These questions test a student's ability to use language purposefully in real-world contexts — reading for meaning, writing for audience and purpose, and analyzing literary texts — rather than reproducing memorised answers.
Examples of competency-based questions in Class 11 English include:
SchoolDeck's AI generator automatically maintains the correct ratio of competency-based vs. knowledge-recall questions in every paper, ensuring students are fully prepared for the actual CBSE board examination pattern.
Everything you need to know about generating CBSE Class 11 English question papers
The CBSE Class 11 English Core (Code 301) theory paper carries 80 marks divided across 4 sections: Reading Comprehension (22 marks), Writing Skills (18 marks), Grammar (10 marks), and Literature from Hornbill & Snapshots (30 marks). Internal Assessment carries an additional 20 marks, making the grand total 100.
CBSE Class 11 English Core covers two NCERT textbooks: Hornbill (the main reader with 8 prose chapters including one play, and 5 poems) and Snapshots (the supplementary reader with 8 short stories and prose extracts). The generator covers all chapters from both books.
Yes. Every generated paper includes two original unseen passages — sourced from a curated bank of thematically diverse texts (environment, science, biography, social issues, travel) — that are never taken from the prescribed textbooks. Each paper generates different passages, ensuring genuine comprehension testing.
Section B includes all CBSE-prescribed writing formats: Notice Writing, Poster & Advertisement, Formal Letters (job application, complaint, inquiry), Informal/Personal Letters, Article Writing, Speech Writing, Report Writing, and Essay/Debate Writing. Every question includes a full model answer with marks per parameter (Format, Content, Expression).
Yes. You can select individual chapters from Hornbill prose, Hornbill poetry, or Snapshots to create focused unit tests or chapter-wise worksheets. For example, generate a test covering only "The Portrait of a Lady" + "A Photograph" + "The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse" with correct marks allocation.
Yes. Section C grammar questions cover all NCERT Class 11 grammar topics: Tenses, Modals, Subject-Verb Agreement, Reported Speech, Active & Passive Voice, Determiners, Gap Filling, Editing Exercises, and Sentence Transformation. Each question includes a detailed answer with explanations.
Yes, SchoolDeck offers a free tier that lets teachers and students generate CBSE Class 11 English papers with model answers and marking schemes. Premium plans unlock unlimited paper generation, custom school branding, watermarking, bulk generation for multiple exam sets, and priority support.
As per CBSE's guidelines for 2025-26, approximately 50% of the total questions will be competency-based — testing real-world language use, inference, literary interpretation, and creative expression rather than rote memorization. SchoolDeck automatically maintains this ratio in every generated paper.
Yes. The generator supports all exam formats: Full Board Exam Pattern (80 marks), Pre-Board Mock, Half Yearly (syllabus up to mid-year), Quarterly Tests, Periodic Tests (for internal assessment), Unit Tests, and Section-specific Worksheets (Reading-only, Writing-only, Grammar-only, or Literature-only).
Yes. Every generated marking scheme follows CBSE board evaluation guidelines. Writing tasks include marks allocation per parameter (Format, Content, Expression, Accuracy). Literature answers include key points and value points expected by CBSE evaluators. Grammar answers include accepted alternatives and common error explanations.
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