SECTION A : READING SKILLS
CHAPTER-1
UNSEEN PASSAGES
Revision Notes
Reading section comprises unseen passages to Scanning and Summarising. They should also
be comprehended by the students. The word remember the 5 Rs (read, respond, record,
‘comprehension’ actually means the ability to recite and review) which enables them to
understand something. To test the students’ actively study and comprehend the texts.
reading skills, two types of passages have been Some Useful Tips
included in the syllabus :
1. Read the passage carefully and thoroughly.
Type 1 : Discursive Passage (400–450 words) :
Reading should be done with speed and
A passage which involves the opinion of a
quickness.
person through reasoning is called a discursive
2. Focus on the relevant details and underline
passage. This passage includes opinions which
them.
are generally argumentative, persuasive or
3. Read the questions carefully and go back to
interpretative.
the passage to find the answers.
Type 2 : Case-based factual Passage (200–250
4. The answers are generally in a logical
words) : A passage which focuses completely
sequence.
on details or facts is called a factual passage.
5. To find answers to the vocabulary-based
This passage generally includes instructions,
questions like synonyms, etc., replace the
reports or descriptions.
word with the meaning. If you find that it is
How to score maximum marks in the same in meaning, the answer is correct.
Comprehension Passages? 6. To find the correct option in Multiple Choice
Questions, go through all the options. Re-read
• The skill of obtaining maximum marks in the passage and then tick the correct option.
Comprehension Passage can only be mastered 7. The incorrect options are called distractors.
by consistent practice. Before answering the These distractors appear to be so convincing
questions the students need to go through that in their hurry or carelessness, students
the 3Ss of the reading process, i.e., Skimming, often mark them as correct answers.
SECTION B : WRITING SKILLS WITH GRAMMAR
CHAPTER-2
GRAMMAR
Tenses
Topic-1 Concepts Covered Indefinite Continuous, Perfect and Perfect continuous forms of
Present Past & Future Tense and their Usage
Revision Notes
Present tense : (iii) Universal facts/General truth : The sun rises
in the east.
1. Indefinite (Simple) Tense
Keywords : daily, never, always etc.
HV- Helping verb Verb :
MV- Main verb HV- Do (Plural Subject)/Does (Singular Subject)-
Usage : Negative & Interrogative.
(i) Habitual actions : He gets up early in the MV- 1st form (Plural Subject), I form + e/
morning. es(Singular Subject)- Affirmative sentences.
(ii) Scientific facts : Water boils at 100o Sentences
centigrade. NB- No ‘s/es’ with ‘do/does’
,2 Oswaal CBSE Chapterwise & Topicwise Revision Notes, ENGLISH LANG. & LIT., Class-X
2. Continuous (Progressive, Imperfect) Tense 3. Past Perfect Tense
Usage : Usage :
(i) Action taking place at the time of speaking. An action completed in the past before a said
l I am teaching ‘The Rime of the Ancient time or another action.
Mariner’ by S.T. Coleridge at present. l The patient had died before the doctor came.
(ii) Action continued over a period of time in the Keywords : before, when, as soon as etc.
present. Verb :
l I am working on a science project nowadays. HV- had (earlier past)
Keywords : nowadays, at present, these days MV- III form (earlier past) & II form (Past)
etc. 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense
Verb : Usage :
HV- is, am, are An action being done continuously for the said
MV- 1st form + ing period in the past.
3. Present Perfect Tense She had been reading for two hours when I
Usage : reached her house.
Just completed an action. Keywords : since, for
l I have completed my homework just now. Verb :
Keywords : Recently, Just now HV- had been
Verb : MV- 1st form + ing
HV- Has (Singular Subject)/ Have (Plural Subject)
MV- III form
Future Tense :
4. Perfect Continuous Tense 1. Future Indefinite (Simple) Tense
Usage : Usage :
Action started somewhere in the past but being Refers to simple action which is yet to take place.
done now. I will go to Surat tomorrow.
Keywords : tomorrow, next, coming etc.
Example
Verb :
l I have been living in Baroda for the last two years.
HV- will, shall (Modals)
l She has been studying in this school for two years. MV- I form
Keywords : Since, for NB- 1- 1st Person (I, We) - shall
Verb : 2nd & 3rd Person (You, He/ She, It, They)-will
HV- Has been (Singular Subject)/ have been 2. Future Continuous Tense
(Plural Subject) Usage :
MV- 1st form + ing A progressive future action.
Since- Point of time At this time tomorrow, she will be doing her
For- Period of time homework.
Keywords : tomorrow at this time etc.
Past Tense :
Verb :
1. Past Indefinite (Simple) Tense
HV- will, shall (Modals) + be
Usage : MV- I form + ing
Action done in remote past.
3. Future Perfect Tense
Example
Usage :
l I went to Mathura yesterday.
Refers to an action which will be completed at
l I did not go to Mathura yesterday.
the said time in future.
Keywords : - yesterday, last, etc.
e.g., I will have prepared supporting material by
Verb : Saturday.
HV- Did Keywords : after, by, etc.
MV- II form (Affirmative sentences) Verb :
NB- 1-HV ‘did‘ is used in negative & interrogative
HV- will, shall (Modals) + have
sentences.
MV- III form
2. With HV ‘did‘, 1st form of MV.
4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense
2. Past Continuous Tense
Usage :
Usage :
An action which will begin before a definite time
An action done progressively in the past.
in the future and will just end up at that time or
Example
may continue even after that.
l He was working on a project, when I last
When I reach my school at 08:30 a.m. tomorrow,
visited him.
the teacher will have been giving remedial classes.
Keywords : those days, etc.
Keywords : Since, for, after three years, etc.
Verb :
Verb :
HV- was, were
HV- will, shall (modals) + have been
MV-1st form + ing
, Oswaal CBSE Chapterwise & Topicwise Revision Notes, ENGLISH LANG. & LIT., Class-X 3
MV- I form + ing 3. By using – Present Continuous tense
Future Time Reference l The PM is leaving for America next week.
1. By using – will/shall 4. By using – Going to :
l I‘ll go to Agra tomorrow. l I am going to take bath.
2. By using – Simple Present tense 5. By using – about to :
l What time does the match begin? l The train is about to come.
Modals
Topic-2 Concepts Covered Modal Auxiliaries - can, could, may, might, will, shall, should, ought
to, must have to used to.
Revision Notes
Modals are the auxiliaries that are used to convey (e) Will & Shall __________ To express future
a special idea. time, to express determination, promise and
Modal Verbs Function/Idea conveyed threatening, to make requests
(a) Can __________ Ability, Permission (informal) (f) Should, Ought to __________ Moral
(b) Could __________ Past of Can obligation, to express advice
(c) May _________ Possibility, Permission (Formal) (g) Must, have to __________ Social obligation
(d) Might __________ Past of May (compulsion), duty, necessity
(h) Used to __________ To express past habit.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Topic-3 Concepts Covered The relationship between the subject and verb; The subject and verb
must agree in two ways; Tense and Number.
Revision Notes
A verb must agree with its subject in number and Note: when one of the nouns or pronouns joined by
person, i.e., the verb should be of the same number and ‘or, nor’ is in the singular and the other on the plural,
person as the subject. the subject should be placed near the verb;
Mohan likes sweets. John or his brothers are to blame.
Children like sweets. 4. If two subjects joined by, ‘or, nor’ are of different
1. Two or more singular subjects joined by ‘and’ take persons, the verb agrees in person with the subject
a plural verb; nearest to it;
He and his brother were absent. Either you or he is telling a lie.;
Note: 5. If two nouns are joined by ‘with or as well as’
When two subjects are regarded as the verb agrees with the first noun, i.e. if the first
representing one idea, then the verb is noun is singular, the verb must be singular, even if
singular; the second noun is plural;
Slow and steady wins the race. Raman as well as his friend has won the prize.
If two singular nouns refer to the same person 6. A collective noun takes a singular or a plural verb
or thing, the verb must be singular; according to the sense;
The poet and philosopher is dead. [Here ‘poet’ The jury [=men of the jury] were divided in
their opinion.
and ‘philosopher’ refer to the same person.]
The jury [=one body] has elected its leader.
2. If two singular nouns joined by ‘and’ are preceded
7. ‘Either, neither, each, every one, many a’ must be
by ‘each’ or ‘every’, the verb is singular;
followed by a verb in the singular;
Every man and every woman in the village
Either of the two candidates is suitable.
was terrified.
Each one of these men is reliable.
3. Two or more singular subjects connected by ‘or,
8. When a plural noun denotes some specific quantity
nor’, either .............. or, neither .............. nor, take a
or amount considered as a whole, the verb is
singular verb; generally singular;
Either Ashok or Ranjit is the culprit. One lakh rupees is a good sum. (not are)
, 4 Oswaal CBSE Chapterwise & Topicwise Revision Notes, ENGLISH LANG. & LIT., Class-X
9. Similarly, with titles of books and names of should be avoided:
sciences The behaviour of the children was excellent
The Arabian Nights is an interesting book. [Here the verb will agree with ‘behaviour’ not
10. A relative pronoun always agrees in number and children]
person with its antecedent; The quality of the mangoes was (not were)
I am a woman who works (not work) for good.
children’s welfare. 12. Some sentences begin with ‘there’ or ‘here’. In
11. Errors of Proximity (nearness): these sentences the subject comes after the verb
Often the verb is made to agree in number with a and the verb agrees with the subject;.
noun near to it instead of its proper subject. This Here is a rabbit.
There is one girl behind the door.
Determiners
Topic-4 Concepts Covered Types of determiners: 1. Articles; (i) Indefinite Article; (ii) Definite
Article; 2. Demonstratives.; 3. Possessives; 4. Quantifiers; 5. Distributives;
Revision Notes
What are determiners? (b) (b) Demonstratives : this, that, these, those
Determiners are the words which are used before (c) Possessives : my, our, your, his, her, its, their
nouns to determine or fix their meaning. (d) Quantifiers : some, any, much, many, all,
Types : both, little, few, several, less, one, two, etc.
(a) Articles : a, an and the (e) Distributives : each, every, either or neither
....... nor etc.
Articles
Definite Indefinite
(The) (a/an)
(a) (i) Indefinite articles (a/an) European, a university, a mango, etc.]
Usage: An - used before singular countable nouns
1. Used before singular countable nouns. beginning with vowel sound.
2. Represents a class or kind in general. [Example- an Indian, an hour, an umbrella, an
e.g., - A cow gives us milk. honest boy (silent _ ‘h‘)]
↓ (ii) Definite article (the) – used before both
(Every Cow) countable and uncountable nouns.
A - used before singular countable nouns Usage :
beginning with consonant sound. 1. When we talk about something for
[Example- a one-eyed man, a unique place, a the second time in the same context or
anything qualified by a phrase.
(i) I met a girl at the gate of the school. The girl was weeping.
(Second time reference)
(First time reference)
(ii) The book which is on the table is mine.
(Phrase)
2. Used before superlatives e.g., Mount Everest.
She is the tallest girl of the class. 5. Used before the names of satellites,
3. Used before the names of water bodies i.e. planets, stars.
- rivers, seas, oceans e.g., The moon, the earth, the sun.
The Ganges, The Arabian Sea, The Pacific 6. Used before the names of monuments and
memorials.
Ocean, etc.
e.g., The Red Fort, The Taj Mahal.
Note : not used before the names of lakes.
7. Used before the names of states/countries
e.g., Dal Lake. that have a common noun in their name.
4. Used before the names of mountain e.g., the USA, the UAE, the UNO, the UK.
ranges. 8. Used before the names of scriptures.
e.g. The Himalayas. e.g., The Ramayan, The Quran, The Guru
Note : not used before the names of peaks. Granth Sahib, The Bible.