Class 12 English grammar syllabus: where grammar hides in the CBSE paper

Is grammar in the class 12 English grammar syllabus at all?

Not as a separate block. The English Core paper for class 12 has three parts, and none of them is titled grammar:

In class 11 the same subject carried a section called grammar and creative writing, with gap filling based on tenses and clauses, reordering of sentences and transformation. That section disappears in class 12. So anyone searching for a class 12th grammar syllabus with chapters like voice or narration will not find it in the CBSE document, and the same is true of any class 12th English grammar syllabus printed in older guides.

Where grammar marks are actually hidden

Examiners use a marking scheme in which each writing answer gets marks for format, content and expression. Expression covers grammatical accuracy, spelling, the right word and smooth organisation. Long literature answers are also read for clear, correct English. That means a student with weak tenses or agreement loses small amounts on almost every written answer, and those fractions add up.

• Section B (18 marks): the most grammar sensitive part of the paper.
• Section C (40 marks): answers of 40 to 50 words and 120 to 150 words, where clumsy sentences make your point unclear.
• Section A: mostly comprehension, but some items need you to pick the right word form or meaning from the passage.

The exact split of expression marks for each task appears in the board's marking scheme and sample paper for the session.

Grammar points that matter for each writing task

Since nothing is tested in isolation, study grammar task by task.

Notice (up to 50 words)

• Passive voice for instructions, such as "students are informed" or "entries will be accepted"
• Future tense and modals like "must" and "should"
• Correct prepositions with dates, times and places

Formal invitation and reply (up to 50 words)

• Third person throughout, for example "the Principal requests the pleasure of"
• Present simple for fixed events; consistent tense in the reply

Letter (120 to 150 words)

• Formal register, no contractions
• Conditionals in a job application ("if given an opportunity, I would")
• Subject verb agreement in long sentences about issues

Article and report (120 to 150 words)

• Past tense and reported speech in a report
• Linking words for cause, contrast and result in an article
• Relative clauses to combine short sentences

Common errors that cost marks

1. Mixing tenses inside one paragraph of a report.
2. Missing articles: "Principal of school announced" in place of "The Principal of the school announced".
3. Agreement slips with collective nouns and "each" or "every".
4. Run on sentences in articles, joined only by commas.
5. Writing "I am interested to apply" in a letter where "I wish to apply" is cleaner.

Class 12 Hindi grammar syllabus: what NCERT and CBSE cover

Many students search for a class 12 Hindi grammar syllabus expecting the vyakaran chapters of class 10. In Hindi Core (code 302) for class 12, the 80 mark theory paper has three parts: unseen prose and poetry (18 marks), writing and media based questions from Abhivyakti aur Madhyam (22 marks), and the textbooks Aroh Part 2 and Vitan Part 2 (40 marks). There is no separate grammar part, just as in English.

Grammar still matters in the writing tasks: correct gender and number agreement, matras, punctuation and formal vocabulary in letters and reports. The NCERT books for class 12 Hindi do not contain a grammar unit; the related skills are practised through writing chapters. Hindi Elective (code 002) follows its own document, so check its latest curriculum if you study that course.

Hindi vyakaran in class 12: a summary in Hindi

कक्षा 12 हिंदी कोर (302) में व्याकरण का कोई अलग खंड नहीं है। प्रश्न पत्र 80 अंकों का है। खंड क में अपठित गद्यांश और पद्यांश 18 अंक के हैं। खंड ख में रचनात्मक लेखन और अभिव्यक्ति और माध्यम से प्रश्न 22 अंक के हैं। खंड ग में आरोह भाग 2 और वितान भाग 2 से 40 अंक के प्रश्न आते हैं। फिर भी लिंग, वचन, मात्रा और विराम चिह्न की शुद्धता हर उत्तर में देखी जाती है, इसलिए लेखन का अभ्यास रोज़ करें। अंग्रेज़ी कोर में भी कक्षा 12 में अलग व्याकरण खंड नहीं है।

A five week plan that builds grammar through writing

1. Week 1: revise tenses, articles and agreement using the class 11 grammar exercises you already have.
2. Week 2: notices and invitations, two of each, checked only for language.
3. Week 3: letters to the editor and job applications, focusing on formal phrasing and conditionals.
4. Week 4: articles and reports with a timer of 15 minutes each.
5. Week 5: one complete sample paper, then rewrite your weakest two answers.

For the full English and Hindi curricula of this class, head to the CBSE class 12 syllabus guide. To compare with the board year below, where grammar is a scored section, open the class 10 grammar syllabus. Past board papers for practice are listed on CBSE class 12 previous papers.