📝 Class 12 English — Important Questions 2026

Literature 40M (Flamingo + Vistas) + Writing Skills 18M + Reading 22M

Complete Chapter-wise Guide with Sample Answers & Writing Templates — Score 70+ out of 80!

📅 Board Exam 2026 — Starts 17 February!

English is the easiest subject to score 70+ if you know the pattern. The secret is simple: Literature section carries 40 marks and most answers come directly from NCERT textbooks — Flamingo (Prose & Poetry) and Vistas (Supplementary Reader). The Writing section (18 marks) follows fixed formats that you can memorize. Even the Reading section (22 marks) becomes easy with practice of comprehension techniques.

This guide gives you chapter-wise important questions from every Flamingo and Vistas chapter, ready-to-use writing templates for Article, Letter, Notice, and Report, and reading comprehension strategies — everything you need to maximize your English Board Exam score.

Also check our other Class 12 Important Questions: Physics · Chemistry · Maths · Biology

⚠️ RBSE Students Note: RBSE English paper pattern is similar to CBSE with minor variations. Focus areas remain the same — Flamingo Prose (20M) and Writing Skills (18M) together = 38/80 marks. These sections have the most predictable questions. Poetry and Vistas questions are also repeated frequently.

📊 Class 12 English Core — Paper Pattern 2026 (80 Marks)

📚 Flamingo — Prose (20 Marks) — Highest Weightage in Literature!

Extract-based (1M each) + Short Answer (2M) + Long Answer (5M) from NCERT chapters

⭐ Ch 1: The Last Lesson — Alphonse Daudet

1. 🟣 What was the impact of the order from Berlin on the people of Alsace? How did M. Hamel's last lesson become a tribute to the French language? (5M) ⭐⭐⭐ Most Expected!
   💡 Answer Hint: The order from Berlin declared that only German would be taught in Alsace-Lorraine schools. Impact on people: (1) Villagers gathered in the classroom — old Hauser, former mayor, former postmaster — showing how precious their language had become. (2) Franz regretted not learning French properly — "how clearly I understood it all now." (3) M. Hamel wore his beautiful green coat and frilled shirt — a tribute to the last class. M. Hamel's tribute: He spoke about the beauty of French language — called it "the most beautiful language in the world, the clearest, the most logical." Asked them to guard it because "when a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison." He couldn't finish — wrote "Vive La France!" on the blackboard and dismissed the class with a gesture. Theme: Language = identity, losing language = losing freedom. Always quote: "When a people are enslaved..." — this line carries marks!
2. 🟡 What changes did Franz notice in the school on the day of the last lesson? (2M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: (1) Usually noisy school was quiet as a Sunday morning. (2) No ruler rapping on table — M. Hamel was kind, not angry at Franz being late. (3) M. Hamel wore his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt, embroidered silk cap — reserved for inspection days. (4) Back benches had village elders — old Hauser, former mayor, former postmaster. (5) Everybody looked sad. These changes created an atmosphere of reverence and finality.

⭐ Ch 2: Lost Spring — Anees Jung

1. 🟣 What is the significance of the title "Lost Spring"? How does it reflect the plight of Saheb and Mukesh? (5M) ⭐⭐⭐ Most Expected!
   💡 Answer Hint: Full title: "Lost Spring: Stories of Stolen Childhood." "Spring" symbolizes childhood — time of joy, innocence, dreams. "Lost" = childhood stolen by poverty. Saheb (Seemapuri): Full name "Saheb-e-Alam" means "Lord of the Universe" — ironic because he is a ragpicker with no shoes, scrounging garbage dumps. Came from Bangladesh (storms destroyed home). Lost his "spring" — no school, no childhood games. Later gets job at tea stall — loses his carefree spirit, his "gold coin of freedom." Mukesh (Firozabad): Born into bangle-making family. Works near furnaces at 1400°C — loses eyesight by age 30. Dares to dream of becoming a car mechanic — "I will walk" shows determination. His spring is stolen by the vicious cycle of poverty, middlemen, politicians, and the caste system. Theme: Child labour, exploitation, the gap between dreams and reality. Quote: "It is his karam, his destiny" — shows hopelessness of the system.
2. 🟡 "Saheb is no longer his own master." Explain. (2M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: When Saheb was a ragpicker, he was free — he could roam wherever he wanted, play when he liked. His life was tough but he owned his time. After getting a job at a tea stall for 800 rupees and meals, he lost that freedom. He now carries a steel canister instead of a plastic bag, but his face has lost its "carefree look." The "gold coin" in his hand (the canister) is "not his" — it belongs to the tea stall owner. He traded independence for security and lost his "spring" in the process.

⭐ Ch 3: Deep Water — William Douglas

1. 🟣 How did Douglas overcome his fear of water? What does the story teach about conquering fear? (5M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: Origin of fear: Two incidents — (1) Age 3-4: Father took him to California beach, waves knocked him down, terrorized him. (2) Age 10-11: At YMCA pool, a big boy threw him into 9-foot deep end. He went down three times, nearly drowned. Developed a deep, lasting terror of water. Overcoming fear (systematic): Hired an instructor who used a rope-and-pulley system — Douglas went back and forth across the pool for months. Instructor taught him to put face in water, exhale, raise nose, inhale — piece by piece. After months, Douglas could swim. But fear remained — so he went to Lake Wentworth alone, then Meade Glacier. Each time terror returned, he "conquered it piece by piece." Lesson: "In death there is peace... terror only in the fear of death." Roosevelt's quote: "All we have to fear is fear itself." Theme: Willpower, perseverance, facing fear directly = freedom.

⭐ Ch 4: The Rattrap — Selma Lagerlöf

1. 🟣 What is the significance of the "rattrap" metaphor in the story? How does the Ironmaster's daughter transform the peddler? (5M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: Rattrap metaphor: The peddler sees the whole world as a big rattrap — it offers riches, joys, food, shelter as baits. The moment someone touches the bait, the trap closes. He himself gets trapped when he steals the crofter's 30 kronor — the money becomes his "bait" and the forest becomes his prison (walks in circles, can't escape). Edla Sorensen's role: The Ironmaster's daughter treats him with kindness and compassion even after discovering he's not Captain von Stahle. She invites him for Christmas, gives him food, warm clothes, and dignity. Her kindness becomes the force that breaks the "rattrap." Transformation: The peddler leaves a package with a rattrap as gift, returns the stolen 30 kronor, and signs the letter "Captain von Stahle" — showing he has risen to the dignity Edla believed he had. Theme: Kindness and trust can redeem even a thief. The world may be a rattrap, but human compassion offers escape.

⭐ Ch 5: Indigo — Louis Fischer

1. 🟣 How did Gandhiji's Champaran campaign become a turning point in India's freedom struggle? What were the methods and lessons? (5M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: Background: Rajkumar Shukla, a sharecropper from Champaran (Bihar), followed Gandhi everywhere begging him to visit. Peasants were forced by British landlords to grow indigo on 15% of land (tinkathia system) and surrender entire harvest as rent. When synthetic indigo developed, landlords demanded compensation from peasants. Gandhi's methods: (1) Civil Disobedience — defied the court order to leave Champaran. Said "I am disobeying not as a law-breaker but to follow the higher law of our being — the voice of conscience." (2) Self-reliance — refused help from C.F. Andrews, saying Indians must fight their own battles. (3) Systematic reform — appointed inquiry committee, got 25% refund for peasants. (4) Established schools, brought doctors. Turning point: First time civil disobedience was used in India against the British — "the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British." Lessons: Self-reliance, truth, peaceful resistance. Quote: "Freedom from fear is more important than legal justice."

Ch 6-8: Short Answer Questions (2M each)

1. 🟡 (Poets & Pancakes) Why was the office boy Subbu considered "the most charitable" and important person in Gemini Studios? (2M)
   💡 Answer Hint: Subbu was No. 2 at Gemini Studios and had a "genuine love for the boss" (Kothamangalam Subbu). He was talented — actor, poet, story-writer. He was charitable in the sense that he could always find solutions to make the boss happy. If the boss was dissatisfied with a scene, Subbu would suggest ten alternatives instantly. He had "loyalty" that was absolute — not for self-interest but genuine devotion. His one drawback: "His success had enemies."
2. 🟡 (The Interview) Why do some people consider interviews to be "an unwarranted intrusion into their lives"? (2M)
   💡 Answer Hint: V.S. Naipaul felt interviews were "a kind of intrusion." Saul Bellow believed they were like "thumbprints on his windpipe." Lewis Carroll never allowed anyone to photograph him. Rudyard Kipling wrote: "An interview is a crime punishable by law." These people felt interviews violated their privacy, distorted their opinions (by quoting out of context), and turned complex thoughts into oversimplified soundbites. Counter-view: Interviews are important because they give readers access to personalities and views they otherwise wouldn't have.
3. 🟡 (Going Places) How does Sophie's dream of owning a boutique reflect her character? Is she a dreamer or an escapist? (2M)
   💡 Answer Hint: Sophie dreams of owning a boutique, becoming a manager, an actress, a fashion designer. She fantasizes about meeting Danny Casey (Irish football star). These dreams are an escape from her working-class reality — small house, father working in a factory, limited opportunities. Jansie (realistic friend) warns her: "Where would you get the money?" Sophie is both a dreamer and an escapist — her fantasies are a coping mechanism for the gap between aspiration and reality. Theme: Adolescent fantasies vs harsh reality.

🎭 Flamingo — Poetry (10 Marks)

Extract-based (1M each) + Short Answer (2M) + Reference to Context from poems

⭐ My Mother at Sixty-Six — Kamala Das

1. 🟡 What is the significance of the mother's face being compared to a "corpse"? What emotions does the poet experience? (2M) ⭐⭐⭐ Most Asked!
   💡 Answer Hint: While driving to the airport, the poet looks at her mother sitting beside her — pale, open-mouthed, sleeping face resembles a "corpse." This simile conveys the poet's fear of losing her mother to death/old age. The "wan, pale" face contrasts with the "merry children spilling out of homes" (life vs death imagery). At the airport, she hides her pain — says "see you soon, Amma" and smiles — but inside she feels the same childhood fear of separation. Poetic device: The poem is ONE long sentence — no full stops — reflecting the continuous, unbroken flow of emotion. Theme: Aging, mortality, the pain of watching parents grow old.

⭐ Keeping Quiet — Pablo Neruda

1. 🟡 What does the poet mean by "keeping quiet"? How is it different from total inactivity? (2M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: Neruda asks for a "huge silence" — count to twelve, stop all activity for a moment. "Keeping quiet" = introspection, self-reflection, stopping the mindless rush of modern life. Not total inactivity: "I want no truck with death" — he is not advocating laziness or escapism. He wants us to pause — fishermen would stop killing whales, salt gatherers would look at their hurt hands, wars would stop ("clean wars with no survivors"). Purpose: In that silence, we would feel a "strange togetherness" and understand that our frantic activity is destroying us and nature. Theme: Introspection, peace, breaking the cycle of destruction. "Perhaps the Earth can teach us" — nature shows that apparent stillness leads to renewal.

⭐ A Thing of Beauty — John Keats

1. 🟡 How is a thing of beauty "a joy forever"? What are the things of beauty mentioned by Keats? (2M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: Keats says beauty is eternal — "its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness." It provides "a bower quiet for us" — a shelter from our suffering, hatred, and despair. Things of beauty: Sun, moon, old and young trees that provide shade for "simple sheep," daffodils in green world, clear rills (streams), forest fern cover, "grandeur of the dooms we have imagined for the mighty dead" (stories of great people). These create an "immortal drink" that pours on us from "heaven's brink." Theme: Beauty is nature's gift that counters the suffering of human existence — a permanent source of hope.

⭐ Aunt Jennifer's Tigers — Adrienne Rich

1. 🟡 Contrast Aunt Jennifer's tigers with her own life. What do the "tigers" and the "heavy wedding band" symbolize? (2M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: Tigers: "Bright topaz denizens" — prancing, confident, fearless, "sleek, chivalric certainty," not afraid of men beneath the tree. They symbolize Aunt Jennifer's desire for freedom, strength, and courage — everything she doesn't have. Aunt Jennifer: "Fingers fluttering through her wool," "terrified hands" — she is oppressed, weak, dominated. Wedding band: "Massive weight of Uncle's wedding band" — symbolizes marriage as a trap, patriarchal oppression, burden of duties. Even in death — "when Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by" — the oppression continues. But the tigers will go on prancing — art outlives the artist, her creative expression is her rebellion. Theme: Women's struggle, patriarchy, art as resistance.

An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum — Stephen Spender

1. 🟡 How does the poet contrast the world of the slum children with the outside world? What is his message to the governors and officials? (2M) ⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: Slum children: "Gusty waves" of hair, "rat's eyes," "stunted, twisted bones," "weighed-down head" — images of malnutrition, disease, despair. Their world is the classroom with "sour cream walls" and a "fog." Donations on walls (Shakespeare, map of the world) are meaningless — "Shakespeare is wicked" for these children because these images mock their reality. The map showing "beautiful valleys" is not their world — "their world is a narrow street sealed in with a lead sky." Poet's message: "Unless, governor, teacher, inspector, visitor" — break down the walls, let them run on "gold sands," let "their tongues run naked into books." Education must connect to their lives. "History is theirs whose language is the sun." Theme: Social inequality, the irrelevance of education disconnected from reality.

📗 Vistas — Supplementary Reader (10 Marks)

Long Answer (5M) + Short Answer (2M) — Usually 1 long + 2 short from these chapters

⭐ The Third Level — Jack Finney

1. 🟣 What is the third level? Is it a reality or a figment of Charley's imagination? Justify. (5M) ⭐⭐⭐ Most Expected!
   💡 Answer Hint: Grand Central Station in New York has only two levels. Charley claims to have found a third level — a portal to 1894 Galesburg, Illinois (a simpler, peaceful time). It could be real because: (1) Charley vividly describes the old-fashioned setting — brass spittoons, flickering gas lights, small Currier and Ives locomotive, men wearing derby hats. (2) Sam (Charley's psychiatrist friend) disappears and sends a first-day cover letter from 1894 Galesburg — evidence that time travel happened. It could be imagination because: (1) Sam (the psychiatrist) himself diagnoses Charley — says it's "a waking-dream wish fulfillment" — an escape from modern-day stress, insecurity, fear, and war. (2) Charley collects stamps (escapist hobby) and his grandfather's peaceful stories of 1894 fuel his fantasy. Theme: The third level represents humanity's desire to escape modern anxieties and return to a simpler time. Whether real or imagined, it symbolizes the universal longing for peace.

⭐ The Tiger King — Kalki

1. 🟡 What is the irony in the story "The Tiger King"? How does the prophecy ultimately come true? (2M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: Maharaja of Pratibandapuram was predicted at birth to be killed by a tiger. He vowed to kill 100 tigers to disprove the prophecy. He killed 99 tigers but couldn't find the 100th. Irony: (1) He bought a wooden toy tiger for his son's birthday. (2) A sliver from the wooden tiger pierced his hand → infection → surgery failed → he died. So a "tiger" (wooden) did kill him — the prophecy came true but not in the way anyone expected. Layers of irony: The king who defied astrologers, killed endangered animals, and ruled with arrogance — was killed by a toy costing "two annas and a quarter." Theme: You cannot escape destiny; pride leads to downfall; conservation warning against hunting.

⭐ The Enemy — Pearl S. Buck

1. 🟣 How does Dr. Sadao resolve the conflict between his duty as a doctor and his duty as a Japanese citizen? (5M) ⭐⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: The dilemma: During WWII, Dr. Sadao (Japanese surgeon) finds a wounded American soldier (Tom) on his beach. As a doctor, his oath demands he save the man. As a Japanese citizen, harboring an enemy is treason. Resolution steps: (1) First instinct: throw him back into the sea. But seeing the wound, the doctor in him takes over — "this man will die if I don't operate." (2) Operates successfully despite servants leaving in protest and Hana (wife) being revolted. (3) Reports to the General (patient of Sadao), who promises to send assassins — but forgets. (4) Finally, Sadao puts Tom on a boat with food, flashlight, and instructions to reach a nearby island — saves both his conscience and his patriotism. Sadao's reflection: "The best thing to do would be to put him back in the sea" — yet he cannot. His medical ethics triumph over nationalism. Theme: Humanity transcends boundaries of war, race, and nationalism. A doctor's duty to save life is above all.

Other Vistas Short Answers (2M each)

1. 🟡 (On the Face of It) How does Derry's attitude towards Mr. Lamb change during the story? (2M) ⭐⭐
   💡 Answer Hint: Initially Derry (14-year-old, acid-burned face) is defensive, bitter, withdrawn — "People are afraid of me. No one will ever kiss me." Mr. Lamb (tin leg, lives alone) changes him by talking about beauty in all things — bees, rain, weeds. He says: "It's all relative. Beauty and the beast." He doesn't pity Derry but treats him as an equal. Derry's transformation: from "I don't care" to "I'm coming back... I want to be here" — he returns to Mr. Lamb's garden even against his mother's wishes. Theme: Physical appearance doesn't define a person; loneliness can be healed by genuine human connection.
2. 🟡 (Memories of Childhood) What common experiences do Zitkala-Sa and Bama share? (2M)
   💡 Answer Hint: Both experienced discrimination and oppression as children. Zitkala-Sa (Native American girl): Forced to cut her hair at boarding school — in her culture, short hair = cowardice/mourning. She resisted by hiding under a bed but was dragged out. Hair-cutting symbolized cultural erasure. Bama (Tamil Dalit girl): Saw an elder from her community carrying a packet of vadai by its string (not touching it) to give to a landlord — because of untouchability. She first laughed at the funny sight, then felt humiliated when her brother explained. Common thread: Both were victims of racial/caste discrimination, both felt anger and humiliation, both resolved to fight — Zitkala-Sa through education, Bama through academic excellence (brother's advice: "Study hard and you can throw away these indignities").

👤 Vistas & Flamingo — Character Sketch Power Words

Long answers often ask for character analysis. Using precise vocabulary impresses examiners and shows depth of understanding. Memorize 3-4 words per character.

✍️ Writing Skills — Ready-to-Use Templates (18 Marks)

Notice/Invitation (3M) + Article/Speech (5M) + Letter (5M) + Report/Speech (5M)

📋 1. Notice Writing Template (3 Marks)

📝 2. Article Writing Template (5 Marks)

📬 3. Letter Writing Template (5 Marks)

📰 4. Report / Speech Writing (5 Marks)

📖 Reading Comprehension — Strategy & Tips (22 Marks)

Passage 1: Factual/Descriptive (12M) + Passage 2: Case-based (10M)

🏆 Score 70+ Strategy — Time Management & Attempt Order

💎 Must-Learn NCERT Quotes — Direct Lines That Earn Marks!

Examiners reward students who quote exact lines from NCERT textbooks. Memorize these key lines and use them in your long answers.

📈 Previous Year Analysis (2020-2025) — Most Repeated Chapters

🔍 Extract-Based Questions — How to Score Full Marks (10-12M)

Extract-based questions carry 1 mark each and are the easiest marks in the paper. They test whether you've read the chapter carefully. Here's the approach:

💡 Pro Tip: Most extracts come from the first half of each chapter. If time is short, focus on reading the opening pages of each Flamingo and Vistas chapter — that's where 70% of extracts are picked from!

📚 More Important Questions — All Subjects

📗 Class 10 Important Questions:

Science · Maths · SST · Hindi · English · Science One-Shot

❓ Frequently Asked Questions