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 Yesterday
CUET UG 2026 exam city will be alloted based on candidate's permanent or present address mentioned on Aadhar card. Once the official CUET UG intimation slip is released, candidates cannot request for change in exam city or centre.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
CUET UG 2026 exam duration for each subject is 60 minutes. National Testing Agency will announce the CUET slot timings soon. NTA decides the number of slots and timings based on number of candidates applied for the exam. It is expected that CUET exam will be held in three slots on each day.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
To know the alloted CUET exam centre, candidates must download the CUET advance intimation slip and admit card. NTA will issue the CUET advance city slip in last week of April 2026 and hall tickets will be released 2-3 days before the exam date.
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
CUET UG 2026 examination will be held across 306 cities in India and 15 cities outside India. The examination will be held in computer based mode between May 11 and May 31, 2026. Candidates could select the CUET exam city preference while filling the CUET application form. The examination centre wi
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
For Delhi University admission through CUET UG, candidates must select the subjects studied in class 12th and those that meet the preferred DU UG course requirements. CUET subject mapping is an important criterion for admission to Delhi University. The key requirements for CUET subjects vary by cour
D
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
Common University Entrance Test syllabus is released by National Testing Agency, the conducting body. NTA issues the CUET UG syllabus with the release of official examination notification. Candidates preparing for CUET UG exam can download the subject-wise CUET syllabus PDF. NTA has released the CUE
N
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
CUET English question paper focuses on reading comprehension, gramar and vocabulary. Based on previous year question paper analysis of CUET English, candidates can check the list of top 10 important topics for English language section in CUET UG:
- Reading Comprehension
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Idioms & Phr
S
Contributor-Level 6
Answered Yesterday
Common University Entrance Test syllabus for Delhi University consists of three sections- Language, Domain subjects and General Aptitude Test. The syllabus for CUET domain subjects is entirely based on NCERT curriculum. Candidates can check the subject-wise CUET UG syllabus at cuet.nta.nic.in. NTA h
K
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 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
The CUET UG English syllabus includes topics given below
Know more about -
English Course Admission
CUET General Aptitude Test Syllabus