Download the CBSE Class 12 English Core Sample Paper 2027 PDF with its marking scheme (solutions) – the official CBSE sample question paper (SQP) for the 2026-27 session, the paper to practise for the CBSE Class 12 board exam 2027. It is an 80-mark, 3-hour paper with 13 questions in 3 sections. The pattern is the same as the 2026 sample paper. The 2026 and 2025 sample papers are also here. Students also call it the CBSE 12th English Core model question paper 2027 or model test paper – it is the same official CBSE paper.
CBSE Class 12 English Core Sample Paper 2027 PDF Download
Open a paper to read it online or download the PDF. The marking scheme has the answers, with the marks for each step.
| Year | Document | Download |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | CBSE Class 12 Sample Paper 2027 for English Core | View PDF |
| 2027 | CBSE Class 12 Sample Paper 2027 Solution (Marking Scheme) for English Core | View PDF |
| 2026 | CBSE Class 12 Sample Paper 2026 for English Core | View PDF |
| 2026 | CBSE Class 12 Sample Paper 2026 Solution for English Core | View PDF |
| 2025 | CBSE Class 12 Sample Paper 2025 for English Core | View PDF |
CBSE 12th English Core Model Question Paper 2027 – Quick Facts
| Board | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) |
| Class | Class 12 |
| Subject | English Core (code 301) |
| Session | 2026-27 – for the board exam 2027 |
| Marks and time | 80 marks, 3 hours |
| Questions | 13 questions in 3 sections |
| Solutions | Yes – official CBSE marking scheme |
| Older papers | 2026, 2025 |
| Released by | CBSE (cbseacademic.nic.in) |
CBSE Class 12 English Core Sample Paper 2027 – Read Online
CBSE Class 12 English Core Paper Pattern 2027
How the 2027 sample paper is set (from the paper itself) – 80 marks, 3 hours, 13 questions:
| Section | Questions | Type | Marks each | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A – Reading Skills | 1 | Factual passage (Geminids meteor shower, 417 words) – 10 sub-questions: MCQ, complete-the-sentence and short answers (two of about 40 words) | 12 | 12 |
| A | 2 | Case-based passage (UPI growth data, 333 words) – 8 sub-questions: MCQ, fill-in-the-blank, short answers (two of about 40 words) | 10 | 10 |
| B – Creative Writing Skills | 3–4 | Notice (Q3) and formal invitation / reply (Q4), about 50 words, one of two options each | 4 | 8 |
| B | 5–6 | Letter to the editor or job application with bio-data (Q5); article or report (Q6), 120–150 words, one of two options each | 5 | 10 |
| C – Literature | 7 | Poetry extract (Flamingo) – 6 one-mark sub-questions, one of two extracts | 6 | 6 |
| C | 8 | Prose/play extract (Vistas) – 4 one-mark sub-questions, one of two extracts | 4 | 4 |
| C | 9 | Prose extract (Flamingo) – 6 one-mark sub-questions, one of two extracts | 6 | 6 |
| C | 10 | Short answers, any 5 of 6 (40–50 words, 2 marks each) – Flamingo prose and poetry | 2 (any 5 of 6 parts) | 10 |
| C | 11 | Short answers, any 2 of 3 (40–50 words, 2 marks each) – Vistas | 2 (any 2 of 3 parts) | 4 |
| C | 12–13 | Long answers, one of two each (about 120–150 words) – Q12 Flamingo, Q13 Vistas | 5 | 10 |
| Total | 13 | 80 |
Choice: No choice in the two reading passages; one of two options (A/B) in every writing task (Q3–Q6), every extract (Q7–Q9) and both long answers (Q12, Q13); any five of six in Q10 and any two of three in Q11.
- All 13 questions are compulsory; write the correct question number and part thereof in the answer sheet.
- Adhere to the prescribed word limit while answering the questions.
- Section B note: all names and addresses used in the questions are fictitious.
Unit-wise Marks in the English Core Sample Paper 2027
Marks for each unit (as printed in the paper):
| Unit | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Skills (factual passage + case-based passage) | Q1, Q2 | 22 |
| Creative Writing Skills (notice, invitation/reply, letter to editor/job application, article/report) | Q3, Q4, Q5, Q6 | 18 |
| Literature – Flamingo (prose and poetry) | Q7, Q9, Q10, Q12 | 27 |
| Literature – Vistas | Q8, Q11, Q13 | 13 |
What Is New in the English Core Sample Paper 2027?
Compared with the 2026 sample paper (session 2025-26):
- No change in pattern – same 13 questions in three sections (Reading 22, Creative Writing 18, Literature 40), 80 marks, 3 hours, same writing tasks (notice, invitation/reply, letter/job application, article/report) and the same Literature layout (poetry extract 6, Vistas extract 4, Flamingo prose extract 6, 5-of-6 short answers, 2-of-3 short answers, two long answers).
- Reading passage 1 changed from a literary passage (an extract from Dickens’ Great Expectations, 448 words) to a factual passage (Geminids meteor shower, 417 words); the 2026-27 marking scheme labels it ‘Factual Passage’.
- Reading passage 2: the 2025-26 paper used a survey passage with a bar graph and printed alternatives for visually impaired candidates; the 2026-27 passage (UPI growth, from PIB) gives the data in the text only and has no visually impaired alternatives.
- Paper footnote changed from ‘the assessment scheme of the Academic Session 2024-25 will continue in the current session i.e. 2025-26’ to ‘There is no change in the Question Paper Design and Assessment Pattern for Academic Session 2026-27’.
- Paper length: 12 pages in 2026-27 vs 15 pages in 2025-26.
Questions from the English Core Sample Paper 2027
Two questions from the 2027 paper, to show the level:
- Section A – Reading (Q1 VI), 1 mark: Which of the following best explains why the Geminids are frequently studied by scientists? A. Their activity has shown a steady increase over time. B. Their meteors travel at extremely high speeds. C. Their observation requires specialised equipment. D. Their radiant shifts position across the sky.
- Section C – Literature (Q13 A), 5 marks: The meeting between Derry and Mr Lamb marks a turning point in Derry’s life. Discuss how Mr Lamb’s outlook challenges Derry’s fear-driven self-image and shapes his understanding of self-worth beyond physical limitations. (about 120–150 words)
CBSE Class 12 English Core Marking Scheme 2027 (Solutions)
The 2026-27 marking scheme gives answer keys with short justifications in brackets for the MCQs and suggested value points for reading and literature answers (described as guidelines – students may use their own expression), plus model 120–150-word answers for Q12 and Q13. Writing tasks are marked on a rubric: Format 1, Content 2, Accuracy 1 for 4-mark tasks; Format 1, Organisation 1, Content 2, Accuracy 1 for 5-mark tasks, with format checklists for notice, letters, bio-data and report. Check your answers against it after you solve the paper.
English Core Marking Scheme 2027 – Read Online
How to Score Well – Tips from the 2027 Paper
- Reading Q2 asks you to work with numbers given in the text (e.g. compare percentage growth of UPI volume and value) – practise quick calculations and quoting figures as evidence.
- Several reading and literature questions ask about tone, a writer’s purpose or the effect of a phrase (‘pathetically pled’, ‘fiery misery’, ‘a bower quiet for us’) – practise explaining language choices, not just meaning.
- In writing tasks format carries a full mark: for a notice put it in a box with issuing body, NOTICE heading, date and signatory; use ‘Yours truly’ for a letter to the editor and ‘Yours sincerely’ for a job application, which needs a separate bio-data.
- Q12 asks you to connect two texts (e.g. Keeping Quiet with Going Places, or Indigo with Poets and Pancakes) – prepare cross-text themes such as silence vs imagination and challenging authority.
- Keep to the word limits printed in each question: about 40 words for the 2-mark reading answers, 40–50 for Q10–Q11, about 50 for notices/invitations and 120–150 for letters, articles, reports and long answers.
- Solve the 2027 paper in one sitting with a timer, check it with the marking scheme, then solve the 2026 paper a few days later.
More Class 12 English Core Papers and Study Material
Practise past board papers, or plan your revision with the syllabus and important questions for Class 12 English Core:
CBSE Class 12 English Core Sample Paper 2027 – FAQs
Is the CBSE Class 12 English Core Sample Paper 2027 out?
Yes. CBSE has released the Class 12 English Core sample paper 2027 for the 2026-27 session with its marking scheme – both are in the table on this page, free.
Is the CBSE Class 12 English Core Sample Paper 2027 available with solutions?
Yes. The official CBSE marking scheme is the solution – it gives the answers and the marks for each step. Download it from the table above or read it online on this page.
Has the CBSE Class 12 English Core paper pattern changed for 2027?
No. CBSE says there is no change in the question paper design for 2026-27. The 2027 sample paper keeps the 2026 pattern – 80 marks, 3 hours, 13 questions in 3 sections. Small changes: Reading passage 1 changed from a literary passage (an extract from Dickens’ Great Expectations, 448 words) to a factual passage (Geminids meteor shower, 417 words); the 2026-27 marking scheme labels it ‘Factual Passage’.; Reading passage 2: the 2025-26 paper used a survey passage with a bar graph and printed alternatives for visually impaired candidates; the 2026-27 passage (UPI growth, from PIB) gives the data in the text only and has no visually impaired alternatives..
How many marks and questions are in the CBSE Class 12 English Core Sample Paper 2027?
It is a 80 marks, 3 hours, 13 questions paper – Section A – Reading Skills: 1 (12 marks); Section A – Reading Skills: 2 (10 marks); Section B – Creative Writing Skills: 3–4 (8 marks); Section B – Creative Writing Skills: 5–6 (10 marks); Section C – Literature: 7 (6 marks); Section C – Literature: 8 (4 marks).
Which units carry the most marks in the English Core sample paper 2027?
In the 2027 sample paper: Literature – Flamingo (prose and poetry) (27 marks), Reading Skills (factual passage + case-based passage) (22 marks), Creative Writing Skills (notice, invitation/reply, letter to editor/job application, article/report) (18 marks).
Is the CBSE 12th English Core model question paper 2027 the same as the sample paper?
Yes. CBSE calls it the sample question paper (SQP); students also search for it as the 12th English Core model question paper or model test paper – it is the same official paper on this page.
Will the board exam paper be the same as the sample paper?
No – the CBSE Class 12 board exam 2027 has different questions, but it follows the same pattern as the sample paper: the same sections, marks and question types.