11 May 2026: CUET 2026 subject-wise question papers available. Download Here
CUET English Syllabus 2026: Check Topics, Exam Pattern, Weightage and Preparation Tips
Content Strategist | Updated On - Jun 11, 2026
What's New in CUET 2026?
The CUET English Syllabus 2026 (Subject Code 101) covers two core areas: Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability, tested across 50 compulsory MCQs worth 250 marks.
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CUET UG English syllabus is divided into two parts including Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability.
- CUET English Reading Comprehension section tests three passage types: Factual, Narrative, and Literary, each with a maximum length of 300 words.
- From the Verbal Ability section, questions will be asked from topics like rearranging the parts, Match the Following, Choosing the Correct Word, and Synonyms & Antonyms.
NTA released the official CUET UG English syllabus PDF on December 27, 2025, at cuet.nta.nic.in, and the exam is scheduled from May 11 to May 31, 2026.
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- CUET 2026 Syllabus: Subject-Wise PDF Download
Key Summary:
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CUET English Syllabus 2026
NTA released the official CUET English (Subject Code 101) syllabus PDF on December 27, 2025. The syllabus covers two primary areas, including Reading Comprehension and Verbal Ability.
CUET UG English Syllabus: Reading Comprehension
Three passage types appear in the paper, each with a maximum length of 300 words:
- Factual Passages present real-world information; reports, data summaries, notices, or descriptive texts. Questions test central idea identification, inference, and vocabulary in context.
- Narrative Passages tell a story or recount events in a sequence. Questions often focus on character, tone, cause-and-effect relationships, and implied meaning.
- Literary Passages are extracted from prose fiction, essays, or creative writing. These tests involve figurative language, author intent, and nuanced interpretation. Most candidates find these slightly harder than factual ones.
Reading speed and contextual vocabulary matter more than grammar knowledge when facing RC questions. A candidate who reads 3 to 5 varied passages daily will process all three types faster under exam conditions.
CUET UG English Syllabus: Verbal Ability
The syllabus lists the following specific Verbal Ability topic types:
| Topic | What Is Tested |
|---|---|
| Rearranging the Parts (Para-Jumbles) | Logical sequence of sentences or paragraphs |
| Match the Following | Matching words, phrases, or concepts to definitions or counterparts |
| Choosing the Correct Word | Fill-in-the-blank; selecting the most contextually accurate word |
| Synonyms and Antonyms | Vocabulary range; knowing precise meanings and opposites |
Grammar is not listed as a standalone topic in the official 2026 syllabus PDF, but NTA has historically included tense corrections, active-passive voice, and error spotting within the "Choosing the Correct Word" and sentence-level MCQ formats. Preparing basic grammar rules as supporting knowledge is still necessary.
CUET 2026 English Syllabus: Topic-Wise Weightage and Priority
This table is based on PYQ analysis from CUET 2022 to 2025. NTA does not officially publish question-count breakdowns per topic.
| Topic | Weightage (Questions) | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension (all three types) | 20-25 | Must-Cover |
| Para-Jumbles / Sentence Rearrangement | 6-8 | Must-Cover |
| Synonyms and Antonyms | 6-8 | Must-Cover |
| Choosing the Correct Word / Fill in the Blanks | 5-7 | High |
| Match the Following | 3-5 | High |
| Grammar-Based MCQs (Tenses, Voice, Error Spotting) | 3-5 | High |
Reading Comprehension accounts for roughly half the paper. That alone makes it the highest-priority skill to build.
CUET 2026 English Preparation Tips
You can follow the tips listed below to prepare CUET UG English subject 2026.
- RC needs daily exposure, not just exam practice; read one editorial, one short story excerpt, and one factual report each day to build speed and contextual intuition
- Para-Jumbles respond to logic, not instinct; spot opening and closing sentence signals, connective words (however, therefore, as a result), and pronoun referencing; practice in sets of 5 daily
- Vocabulary cannot be crammed; learn 10 to 15 words per day from a structured source like Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis; focus on roots so one root covers multiple words at once
- Grammar is a supporting skill, not a standalone section; revise tenses, active-passive voice, and error spotting from Wren and Martin as backup for Fill in the Blanks and Choosing the Correct Word questions
- Timed mock practice is non-negotiable — with 60 minutes for 50 questions, pacing at 72 seconds per question under real conditions must be rehearsed weekly from PYQs
CUET 2026 English In-Exam Attempt Strategy
| Sub-Task | Target Time | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| RC — Skim all three passages | 3-4 minutes | Read questions first, then find answers in passage |
| Answer RC questions (approx. 20-25 questions) | 25-28 minutes | Factual first, then narrative, then literary |
| Para-Jumble questions | 8-10 minutes | Use connectors and pronoun logic |
| Synonyms and Antonyms | 5-6 minutes | Eliminate; if two options seem right, pick the precise meaning |
| Fill in the Blanks / Match / Grammar | 8-10 minutes | Do last; contextual guessing is safer with reduced options |
| Review flagged questions | Remaining time | Attempt blanks; unattempted = 0, wrong = -1 |
Total paper: 60 minutes for 50 questions. That is 72 seconds per question. Any question taking more than 90 seconds on first read should be flagged and returned to later.
CUET 2026 English: Recommended Resources
| Resource | Best Used For |
|---|---|
| Word Power Made Easy — Norman Lewis | Vocabulary and root-word method |
| High School English Grammar and Composition — Wren & Martin | Grammar rules and exercises |
| CUET PYQs (2022–2025) | Actual exam-style RC and verbal practice |
| Any broadsheet editorial (The Hindu, Indian Express) | RC speed and comprehension range |
| NTA CUET Sample Papers | Exact question-type familiarity |
Do not buy excessive study material. The syllabus is narrow enough that practising these five resources well will cover everything that appears in the exam.
Also Check:
CUET 2026 English Syllabus FAQs
Ques. What topics are covered in the CUET 2026 English syllabus?
Ans. The official NTA syllabus for CUET English (Subject Code 101) covers two areas: Reading Comprehension with three passage types (Factual, Narrative, Literary, each up to 300 words), and Verbal Ability covering Para-Jumbles, Match the Following, Choosing the Correct Word, and Synonyms and Antonyms.
Ques. How many questions are there in the CUET 2026 English paper and what is the marking scheme?
Ans. The English paper has 50 compulsory MCQs for a total of 250 marks. Each correct answer will fetch +5 marks, while each incorrect answer will deduct 1 mark. Unattempted questions will fetch zero marks. All 50 questions need to be answered for 2026. There are no optional questions.
Ques. Is grammar included in the CUET English 2026 syllabus?
Ans. Grammar is not a part of the English 2026 syllabus. However, tenses, active and passive voices, and error spotting have been a part of the Verbal Ability question types.
Ques. When is the CUET 2026 English exam and where can the syllabus PDF be downloaded?
Ans. The exam is scheduled between May 11 and May 31, 2026. The subject-wise datesheet with the exact English paper date will be released in the second week of April 2026. The official English syllabus PDF can be downloaded directly from cuet.nta.nic.in under the CUET UG 2026 Syllabus section, Subject Code 101.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.
Ask your question
Answered Questions
a
M
Normalised score or normalization of score in CUET refers to a technique to compare applicant scores uniformly across test sessions. This process is necessary to keep CUET(conducted over multiple days and sessions with various sets of questions) fair to all test-takers.
For this purpose, CUET scores are given in percentiles rather than raw scores. A percentile score of 95, for instance, means that 95% of the applicants performed at a level that was lower or equal to that of the candidate.
Also note that CUET UG Retest 2024 was held on July 19, for the candidates who have been affected by the CBT mode issue and lodged a complaint within July 9. You can expect that the final percentiles and results will be normalised to ensure fairness.
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a
S
Parth, Student at Christ University
Yes, Christ University accepts CUET scores for UG admission into all its campuses in India. The eligibility criteria for CUET UG is that the candidates must pass their 12th in any stream from a recognized board in India or Abroad. The CUET 2024 exam was conducted by NTA from May 15 to May 24 2024, in hybrid mode.
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a
BP
Priya, student at Fergusson College
No, Fergusson College does not accept CUET scores for admissions. Fergusson College offers various UG, PG, and Doctoral courses in Arts and Science streams like- BA, BSc, BVoc, MA, MSc, and PhD.
The Fergusson College UG admission 2024 was based on merit, and it was completely online. The UG admission 2024 in Fergusson College was based on the academic scores of candidates in class 12th.
Candidates who are willing to take admission must apply online through the official website of Fergusson College. PG admission in Fergusson is based on the results of the entrance test conducted by the college.
Here are the important dates for admission 2024 to various UG courses at Fergusson College-
| Particulars | Important Dates (Admissions Closed) |
|---|---|
| Availability of Online Application Form | May 21, 2024 |
| Last day of Filling Application Form | May 30, 2024 |
| Display of Provisional Merit List | June 1, 2024 |
| Display of Final Merit List | June 4, 2024 |
| Admission dates for Arts subjects | June 7 - June 8, 2024 |
| Admission dates for Science & B.Voc subjects | June 7, 2024 |
*The 2024 UG admissions at Fergusson College have already closed.
The UG admissions 2024 are already closed, but I hope this answer will give you a basic idea of the general UG admission dates and requirements at Fergusson College.
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a
SS
Dhruv, student at DU
Candidates must check the CUET UG courses list, which is available in PDF form at https://exams.nta.ac.in/CUET-UG/images/public-notice-for-cuet-ug-2024.pdf before applying for this exam. Candidates should also check the CUET eligibility criteria according to each course. After deciding upon their desired course, the candidates can practice for the CUET exam accordingly. The CUET 2024 exam was conducted for various UG courses in Humanities, Science, Engineering, and Commerce.
The CUET 2024 course list is given below:
| Arts | Science & Technology | Commerce | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.A. in Humanities & Social Sciences | BSc in Physics/ Chemistry/ Maths/ Biology | BCom (Honors) | BBA LLB |
| B.A. in Arts (Fine/ Visual/ Performing) | BCA in Computer Science and Technology | BCom (General) | BHM in Hospitality & Travel |
| Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) | BTech CSE/ Mechanical/ Electrical/ Civil | BCom Business Administration. | BCA (IT and Software) |
| BA LLB | BE in ECE/ Electrical/ Mechanical/ Electronics Engineering | BCom Accounting and Taxation/ Statistics/ Management Accounting | BSc in Hospitality & Travel |
| BA in Hospitality & Travel | BCom in International Finance/ Accounting/ Applied Economics/ Banking & Finance | Diploma in Education (DEd) | |
| BA in Animation | BCom Marketing | BDes in Animation | |
| BCom Tourism & Travel Management | BDes in Design | ||
| BSc in Design | |||
| Bachelor of Journalism & Mass Communication (BJMC) | |||
| Bachelor of Journalism (BJ) | |||
| Bachelor of Mass Media (BMM) | |||
| BBA/BMS |
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a
SC
Bhawna, student at University of Delhi
You can check the CUET cutoff on the official website of each participating college. After the declaration of the CUET result (which was declared on 30th June 2024 for this session), the participating colleges also released their respective CUET cutoff lists online.
The cutoffs of the participating colleges are based on the performance of the students and various other factors. So, you must check the cutoff list 2024 of the participating colleges online. After doing so, you will know the colleges to which you can seek admission.
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