How to prepare for CUET English Paper 2026? Guide to Maximize your CUET Score
Common University Entrance Test 2026 ( CUET )
Exam On - 11 May '26 - 31 May '26
CUET English exam will be conducted between May 11 and May 31 in CBT mode. Candidates preparing for the CUET UG English exam 2026 must know the syllabus. Read this article to get CUET English preparation strategy to score well on the entrance test.
CUET English Exam Preparation Tips
Preparation Strategy for CUET English Exam: Candidates taking English as a language from Section 1 of the Common University Entrance Test must prepare well to score competitive marks in the exam. According to CUET UG statistics, English is the most opted subject by students. The CUET English exam is expected to have a moderate difficulty level. The English question paper includes a total of 50 questions from reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and verbal ability. Candidates get 60 minutes to complete their exam.
The National Testing Agency will schedule CUET 2026 from May 11 to May 31. The exact CUET 2026 exam dates will be announced by NTA at cuet.nta.nic.in. Check out this article to get some preparation tips for the CUET English paper. Also, find out the CUET 2026 Syllabus and important topics for English on this page. Find important vocabulary words to practice for exam.
Download: CUET UG Information Bulletin PDF
- CUET English Exam Pattern 2026
- CUET English Syllabus 2026
- CUET English Important Topics
- CUET English Topic-Wise Weightage
- Preparation Tips for CUET English 2026
- Recommended Books for CUET 2026 English Exam
- CUET English Vocabulary (Most Repeated Words)
CUET English Exam Pattern 2026
The National Testing Agency lays down the CUET UG exam pattern for all subjects and sections. Check out the table below for the CUET English Exam Pattern:
| Particulars |
Details |
|---|---|
| CUET Exam Conducting Body |
National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Examination Mode |
Computer-Based Mode |
| Medium of Exam |
13 languages - English, Hindi, Urdu, Assamese, Bengali, Odia, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam |
| Maximum Marks |
250 per subject |
| Number of questions |
50 questions (all compulsory) |
| Exam Duration |
60 minutes |
| Type of questions |
Multiple Choice Questions |
| Marking Scheme |
+5 for each correct answer -1 for each incorrect answer 0 for unattempted questions |
| CUET English Mapping for Courses |
Bachelor of Arts - English (Honours) |
Must Read: Stream-wise Best UG courses options through CUET: Engineering, Science, Commerce, Arts
CUET UG total marks is 250 Marks for each subject. Candidates can choose up to five CUET subjects. Each subject paper has 50 questions which will total to 250 marks for each subject. For every correct answer, candidate will get 5 marks. The CUET total marks will be uniform for all 37 subjects. The Total CUET subjects marks can vary depending on the number of subjects chosen by candidates.
- If three CUET subjects chosen: 750 total marks
- If four CUET subjects chosen: 1000 total marks
- If five CUET subjects chosen: 1250 total marks
Applicants must select CUET UG 2025 exam centre city from the dropdown, based on their permanent and contact address state/country. Candidates must not choose the state/country far from their permamnent address. Choose the CUET exam centre which is convenient to reach on time.
CUET English Syllabus 2026
According to the exam pattern, no optional questions will be given in the test paper, and candidates must attempt all the questions. With no choice in the questions, candidates must study more thoroughly to ensure they can answer as many questions in CUET exam as possible within 60 minutes. To prepare well for the exam, start by understanding the CUET 2026 English Syllabus given below:
- Reading Comprehension: There will be three types of passages (maximum 300-350 words):
- Factual
- Narrative
- Literary
- Verbal Ability
- Rearranging the parts
- Choosing the correct word
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Vocabulary
Download CUET English Syllabus PDF
Candidates preparing for CUET 2026 English exam can download the PDF from direct link given below.
| CUET English 2026 Syllabus PDF Link |
Also Read:
CUET English Important Topics
The CUET English paper includes 50 questions, all of which are compulsory. Candidates get 60 minutes to complete the exam in CBT mode. Candidates must give importance to below topics while preapring for English exam.
| CUET English Important Topics | Sub-Topics |
|---|---|
| Vocabulary |
|
| Grammar |
|
| Reading Comprehension |
|
Check Out: How to Score 180+ in CUET English 2026?
The difficulty level of the CUET exam varies between moderate and tough. Since the CUET UG exam is held for multiple subjects and slots, the difficulty level of the exam varies from subject to subject. Sometimes, the difficulty level may also vary for different slots. While for the well-prepared candidates, the difficulty level will be low, for the underprepared students, the level of difficulty will be on the higher side.
Yes, 700 is a good score in CUET. This score can help candidates place in top colleges of Delhi University, banaras Hindu University and Allahabad University. 700 score is considered to a CUET good score creating a percentile of 95+.
On analysing the CUET UG cut off for the academic year 2025-26, scoring above 700 marks can be considered a good score in CUET UG. Candidates scoring above 700 may fall in the category of 95+ percentile. Candidates can get admission to top central universities like University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and other universities in the desired course. Given below is the range that is considered good for admission:
- Very Good Score: 700 and above
- Good Score: 650 and above
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CUET English Topic-Wise Weightage
Candidated preparing for CUET 2026 English must check this table to know which topics have more weightage in CUET English Question Paper.
| Topics |
Expected number of questions |
|---|---|
| Comprehension |
15 |
| Parts of speech |
3-4 |
| Para jumbles |
3-4 |
| Synonyms and antonyms |
2-3 |
| Active/passive voice |
3-4 |
| Fill in the blanks |
3-4 |
| Incorrect/correct statement |
3-4 |
| Phrases and meaning |
5-6 |
Also Read: CUET English Most Repeated Questions
Preparation Tips for CUET English 2026
Preparing for the CUET English exam requires a well-structured approach that covers all aspects of the syllabus, from reading comprehension to grammar and vocabulary. Candidates planning to take the Common University Entrance Test for English must ensure to follow CUET preparation tips 2026 given below.
1. The first step of preparing for the CUET English exam is to understand its syllabus and exam pattern. According to official syllabus released by National Testing Agency, CUET English paper includes questions from reading comprehension, English vocabulary (such as synonyms, antonyms), grammar (such as tenses, subject-verb agreement), and verbal ability.
2. Practice as many RCs as you can. With good practice, you can learn how to grasp information while reading a paragraph and can easily find answers. Start with simple and short RCs. Once you master them, practice complex reading comprehension, in case the difficulty level for these questions increases.
3. Everyone must know the basics of grammar topics. However, do not overestimate yourself and go through the basic rules and aspects of the grammar topics such as verbs, active-passive voice, conjunctions, prepositions, etc.
5. Improve your vocabulary. According to the previous year's student reaction and exam analysis, vocabulary-based questions are the most difficult ones for them. The CUET English paper sometimes includes foreign vocabulary words. Do not cram, but try to understand how to derive the meaning of a word using the root words.
6. Practice from CUET previous years’ papers to improve your speed in the exam. While solving past papers, give yourself 60 minutes and see whether or not you are able to complete the exam on time.
Recommended Books for CUET 2026 English Exam
To perform well in the English test, candidates must practice CUET mock tests. Here is a list of some recommended books for students to prepare for the CUET English Section.
- Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
- Objective General English by S.P. Bakshi
- High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin
- English Language Comprehension Skills by Arihant Experts
- CUET 2025 English Guide by Oswaal Books
- Reading Comprehension for Competitive Exams by Disha Experts
- Idioms, Phrases, and Proverbs with Usage by Oxford
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CUET English Vocabulary (Most Repeated Words)
Students preparing for English exam can check below to get important vocabulary words that were there in past CUET English question papers.
| CUET Important Vocabulary Words | ||
|---|---|---|
| Opportune | Ardent | Portend |
| Puerile | Disconcerting | Nadir |
| Iniquitous | Tranquil | Zenith |
| Belligerent | Placate | Impertinent |
| Obstentatious | Invective | Repugnant |
| Pageantry | Languish | Sagacious |
| Impetuous | Conceited | Impudent |
| Foreign Words | ||
| Deja vu | Ad hoc | Prima facie |
| Ad valorem | Alma mater | Ad infinitum |
| Aide-memoire | Raison detre | Ad interim |
| Joie de vivre | Bete noire | Vis-a-vis |
| Status quo | Piece de resistance | Faux pas |
| Verbatim | En masse | Savior-faire |
| Expose | Rapport | Liaison |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
No, there is no set criteria of marks obtained in the CUET exam. The students must appear and clear the exam as part of eligibility for IMS Noida MCA course. They must meet the minimum eligibility criteria to get admission in the MCA course.
C
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Hi.Yes, JMI is offfering Bsc.Biotechnology through CUET in the year 2026 Jamia Milia Islamia BSc admission is done based on scores in the JMI entrance exam. For BSc in Biotechnology admission is done based on a valid score in the CUET exam. The final selection depends upon the performance in the p
Scholar-Level 17
Answered 3 days ago
Hi.Admission in various academic programmes in Doon University is based on marks obtained in the University Entrance Test. All applicants, including applicants belonging to reserved category, are Required to appear in the Entrance Test. If the received applications for the entrance test will be le
Scholar-Level 17
Answered 3 days ago
No, the CUET-UG 2026 registrations have been closed for the CPJ College BBA admissions. The last date to register for the CUET-UG registrations was scheduled on January 31st 2026.
Candidates who failed to register within the aforementioned dates must now wait for the CUET-UG 2027 registrations to beg
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, CUET-UG is a mandatory entrance exam for any candidate who wishes to gain admissions into the CPJ College BBA course. There are no other entrance exams mentioned by the institute whose scores it accepts for BBA admissions.
The admission timeline for the BBA course also follows the schedule of th
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Candidates who are willing to apply through Common University Entrance Test scores, must fill the CUET UG application form and select General Test as subject to qualify for admission process. Candidates can apply through CUET 2024, 2025 and 2026 scores for IIMB DBE admissions 2026.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 days ago
No, the CUET-UG registrations for the CPJ College BBA LLB (hons) admissions have been closed for the academic year 2026. The last date to apply for the CUET-UG 2026 was scheduled on January 31st.
Candidates who failed to register before the aforementioned date are required to wait for the CLAT-UG 202
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
No, CUET-UG is not a mandatory entrance exam for CPJ College BBA LLB (hons) admissions. Candidates who wish to apply for the BBA LLB (hons) course can also appear for the CLAT-UG to qualify for CPJ College admissions as well.
However, it is mandatory for candidates to appear for one of the aforementi
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Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
No, St. Xavier's College Ranchi does not accepts CUET score for BCom. The college conducts an Entrance Test for Admissions for the students. Date and mode for entrance test is announced in college page. Students wanting to take admissions need to fill the application form released by the college.
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Contributor-Level 8
The CUET UG English syllabus includes topics given below
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English Course Admission
CUET General Aptitude Test Syllabus