CBSE Class 10 Boards: Understand Your Way Around English Grammar

English grammar is the foundation of efficient communication and plays a critical role in Class 10 board exams. This is where you can score, but it can be a tricky subject as well. As the board exams approach, here are some essential tips for CBSE Class 10 students

Careers360 studied the English grammar section of CBSE boards of the last three years 2023, 2022, and 2019. The examination year of 2021 was excluded because that year, the board exams were cancelled due to Covid lockdown. We analysed the syllabus, the type of questions asked and have provided tips for students in the section.

Syllabus

The syllabus of English grammar for the Class 10 boards exam as per the CBSE official notification includes:

• Determiners: Determiners are words that help specify or modify a noun. Examples include "a," "an," "the," "this," and "my."

• Tenses: Tenses simply means the time when an action occurs. They include past, present, and future tenses.

• Modals: Modals are words like "can," "must," and "should" that add meaning to sentences. They convey abilities, obligations, and possibilities.

• Subject–verb concord: Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule that states that the verb or verbs in a phrase must match the subject's number, person, and gender.

• Reported Speech: Reported speech, also known as indirect speech, is used to convey what another person has said. Learning how to convert direct speech into reported speech is a useful ability for accurately reporting conversations and quotations.

But how are these questions asked in the examination, what is the focus and pattern with respect to different topics and what is the difficulty level?

Also Read:Understand How Diagrams Can Add Value To Your Answers In Exams

Previous Year’s Questions And Difficulty Level

Determiners

Type Of Questions: Questions in the Class 10 CBSE board are basically about choosing the correct article (a, an, the) or demonstrative (this, that, these, those) to complete a sentence. There are a few questions about knowledge of quantifiers (some, any, much, many, few, little) in sentences. Another set of questions involves identifying the error type of questions where the student has to identify a wrong determiner used in a sentence and replace it with the correct one.

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Tips For Students: The students have to develop a basic understanding of articles(a, an, the) and demonstratives (this, that, these, those). Reading articles, books and newspapers also gives students an understanding of how determinants are generally used in articles.

Examples:

Question 1:She was ___ ready for the interview nor wanted to take the job. (neither/either)

Solution 1:She was neither ready for the interview nor wanted to take the job.

Question 2:Ramesh bought ________. ice-cream for the family, (some, many)

Solution 2: Ramesh bought some ice-cream for the family.

Tenses

Types of Questions: The questions related to the topic of tenses are a fill-in-the-blank type of question. The student has to fill in the blanks or choose from the options given that form the correct tense (present, past, future, continuous, perfect) in sentences. The students get questions to directly transform sentences from one tense to another without transforming the actual meaning. Identifying the error is a common type of question where the student has to point out the usage of a verb in the form of a sentence.

Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult

Tips for Students: You need to understand the basic concepts and forms of all sentences. While attempting the question in the exam students should first identify the context of the action in the sentence. Understand the various tenses (present, past, future, continuous, perfect) and their forms.

Examples:

Question 1: The climate control comment by an activist ________on social media yesterday.

a)blow up b) blew up c)i s blown d) will be blown

Solution 1: The climate control comment by an activist blew up on social media. yesterday.

Question 2: After (a) ________a week in the cottage, he decided that he didn't really enjoy (b) _________in the countryside and began (c) ________as an excuse for (d) ________the cottage.

(a) (i) spending (ii) have spent (iii) spent (iv) spends

(b) (i) to living (ii) lived (iii) living (iv) lives

(c) (i) to thinking (ii) to thought (iii) thought (iv)to think

(d) (i) sold (ii) selling (iii) sells (iv) sale

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Solution 2: After spending a week in the cottage, he decided that he didn't really enjoy living in the countryside and began to think as an excuse for selling the cottage.

Modals

Types of Questions: Questions related to modal verbs are around filling in the relevant option (can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must) based on the context.

Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate

Tips For students: It's important for students to familiarise themselves with modal verbs (can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must) and their uses.If they develop an understanding of when to use modals for permission, obligation, possibility, etc.

Examples:

Question 1:The advertisement read, “If you smoke, statistically your story________ end 15% before it should.

a) Must b) Should c) Will d) Ought to

Solution 1: The advertisement read, “If you smoke, statistically your story will end 15% before it should.”

Question 2: Caution! You ________ not enter. Only employees are allowed beyond this point.

a) need b) must c) could d) might

Solution 2: Caution! You must not enter. Only employees are allowed beyond this point.

Subject-Verb Concord

Types of Questions: In this section, you need to answer questions where you have to ensure that the subject and verb in a sentence agree in terms of number and person. Questions on identifying errors related to subject-verb agreement are also frequently asked.

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Tips For Students: These questions test the understanding of basic grammar rules. The students should know the rules of subject-verb agreement, especially in terms of number and person.

Examples:

Question 1:Let’s meet another day since neither Kavi nor Samantha ________ free today as they have tennis practice.

a) were b)are c) be d) is

Solution 1:Let’s meet another day since neither Kavi nor Samantha is free today as they have tennis practice.

Question 2:Neither the teachers nor the principal (was/were) present at the meeting

Solution 2:Neither the teachers nor the principal was present at the meeting.

Reported Speech

Types of Questions: Here, you have to transform direct speech into reported speech (indirect speech). This involves changing pronouns, tenses, and sometimes reporting verbs while not changing the original statement's meaning.

Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult

Tips for Students: The students should know the changes in pronouns, tenses, and reporting verbs with changes in narration. There are different rules for different forms of sentences-questions, and commands. Students should keep this in mind.

Examples:

Question 1: Neha:I’m really looking forward to the picnic tomorrow.

Namitha: Yes, after a long time we will be meeting our friends and teachers.
Neha told Namitha _____________ looking forward to the class picnic________. Namita agreed that after a long time_________ friends and teachers.

Solution 1: Neha told Namitha that she was really looking forward to the class picnic the next day. Namita agreed that after a long time they would be meeting their friends and teachers.

Question 2: Doctor: Do you feel down from time to time, Mr Gopalan?

Patient: Yes, I don't stay in a good mood.

The doctor, while trying to figure out the patient’s ailment, asked about his well being, to which the patient affirmed______________.

Solution 2:The doctor, while trying to figure out the patient’s ailment, asked about his well-being, to which the patient affirmed that he does not stay in a good mood.

Language requires consistent practice. Students need to regularly complete sample questions and exercises. Solving grammar books or watching YouTube videos for in-depth explanations of these topics also helps.

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The students should analyse the pattern and check why they answered certain questions incorrectly. This increases their chances of scoring well in the examination.