The CBSE Class 1 English syllabus for the 2026-27 academic year is based on Mridang, the NCERT textbook introduced under NEP 2020 and NCF 2023. Designed for six and seven year old learners, the syllabus moves away from rote learning and focuses on stories, poems, picture-based activities, and the gentle introduction of grammar in real-life contexts.
Parents often search for the Class 1 English syllabus to understand what their child will study through the year, which chapters are in Mridang, and what grammar and vocabulary are covered. This page lays out the full CBSE Class 1 English syllabus 2026-27 in one place, including unit-wise chapters, grammar topics, language skills, assessment style, and answers to common questions.
The Class 1 English curriculum replaces the older Marigold and Raindrops books with the single, updated Mridang coursebook. It is organised around four themes that children naturally relate to: family, the world around them, food, and seasons. Each chapter blends reading, listening, speaking, and writing in a short, colourful format.
CBSE Class 1 English Syllabus 2026-27: Quick Snapshot
Board: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
Class: 1
Subject: English
Prescribed Textbook: Mridang (NCERT)
Curriculum Framework: NEP 2020 and NCF for Foundational Stage 2023
Medium: English
Academic Year: 2026-27
Total Units: 4
Total Chapters: 9
Assessment Style: Continuous, activity-based, no formal board exams
Unit-Wise CBSE Class 1 English Syllabus
The Mridang textbook for Class 1 English is divided into four thematic units and a total of nine chapters, combining poems, stories, and picture-based lessons. The table below shows the full unit-wise Class 1 English syllabus for CBSE 2026-27.
| Unit | Theme | Chapters |
| Unit 1 | My Family and Me | Two Little Hands (Poem)Greetings |
| Unit 2 | Life Around Us | Picture TimeThe Cap-Seller and the MonkeysA Farm (Poem) |
| Unit 3 | Food | Fun with PicturesThe Food We Eat |
| Unit 4 | Seasons | The Four SeasonsAnandi’s Rainbow |
Class 1 English Chapters Explained
Unit 1: My Family and Me
The first unit introduces children to language through familiar topics: their body, their family, and the way people greet each other.
- Two Little Hands: A rhyming poem that talks about the hands, feet, and eyes and the actions they perform, such as clapping, tapping, and seeing.
- Greetings: Introduces greetings used at different times of the day, including Namaste, Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening, and Good Night, along with polite words like please and thank you.
Unit 2: Life Around Us
This unit takes children beyond the home and into the world outside, using pictures, stories, and a cheerful poem about farm life.
- Picture Time: A picture-based chapter that helps children observe, describe, and speak simple sentences about what they see.
- The Cap-Seller and the Monkeys: A well-loved folk story about a cap-seller who outsmarts a group of monkeys to get his caps back, introducing storytelling and basic problem solving.
- A Farm: A poem describing a grandpa’s farm and the animals living on it, including cows and hens, along with the sounds they make.
Unit 3: Food
Food is a relatable and sensory-rich topic, used here to expand vocabulary and build short sentences.
- Fun with Pictures: A picture comprehension chapter where children describe scenes using simple words and sentences.
- The Food We Eat: A comic-style chapter that shows children talking about their lunch, helping young learners name common foods and form simple sentences about what they eat.
Unit 4: Seasons
The final unit introduces the idea of change in nature and the different seasons of the year.
- The Four Seasons: Describes the four main seasons in India, summer, monsoon, winter, and spring, with simple examples that children can spot in daily life.
- Anandi’s Rainbow: A gentle story about a little girl named Anandi who sees a rainbow and colours the flowers in her garden in rainbow colours, reinforcing colour names and imagination.
Class 1 English Grammar Syllabus 2026-27
The Class 1 English grammar syllabus is introduced in a gentle, informal way through stories and activities rather than strict rules. The table below covers the core grammar topics a CBSE Class 1 student is expected to be comfortable with by the end of the academic year.
| Grammar Topic | What It Covers |
| Naming Words (Nouns) | Names of people, animals, places, and things around the child. |
| Action Words (Verbs) | Words that show what someone or something is doing, such as run, eat, and sing. |
| One and Many | Singular and plural forms, usually formed by adding s, such as cat and cats, or book and books. |
| A and An | Choosing the correct article based on the first sound of the next word. |
| This, That, These, Those | Pointing to things that are near or far, in singular and plural form. |
| Opposites | Simple opposite pairs such as big and small, hot and cold, day and night. |
| Rhyming Words | Identifying words that sound alike, such as cat and bat, or sun and fun. |
| Capital Letters and Full Stops | Starting sentences with a capital letter and ending with a full stop. |
Language Skills Developed in Class 1 English
Beyond chapters and grammar, the CBSE Class 1 English curriculum focuses on the four core language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Vocabulary builds naturally across these skills as children move through the Mridang textbook.
| Skill | Learning Outcomes |
| Listening | Following simple instructions, enjoying rhymes and short stories, and responding to questions. |
| Speaking | Reciting poems, greeting others, describing pictures, and taking part in short conversations. |
| Reading | Letter recognition, phonics, sight words, and reading simple sentences with pictures. |
| Writing | Tracing, forming letters correctly, writing basic words, and building short sentences. |
| Vocabulary | Words for family, body parts, colours, food, animals, seasons, and everyday surroundings. |
Class 1 English Assessment and Exam Pattern
CBSE does not conduct formal board examinations at the foundational stage. Assessment in Class 1 English is continuous and activity-based, with teachers observing children through daily classroom tasks, short oral activities, and simple worksheets. Common assessment formats are listed below.
| Assessment Area | Typical Activity Type |
| Oral Recitation | Reciting poems such as Two Little Hands and A Farm with correct rhythm. |
| Picture Description | Looking at a picture and speaking or writing a few lines about it. |
| Reading Aloud | Reading short sentences or a paragraph from Mridang with the teacher. |
| Writing Practice | Tracing, matching words to pictures, filling blanks, and short sentence writing. |
| Listening Tasks | Following a short story or instruction read out by the teacher and answering simple questions. |
Schools may conduct periodic assessments in the form of simple worksheets and oral activities, but the focus remains on language readiness rather than marks.
Prescribed Textbook: Mridang by NCERT
The only prescribed textbook for Class 1 English under the CBSE 2026-27 curriculum is Mridang, published by NCERT. It is aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for the Foundational Stage 2023. Mridang replaces the older Marigold and Raindrops books and integrates stories, poems, and picture-based learning into a single coursebook.
Key features of the Mridang textbook for Class 1 English:
- Four thematic units based on everyday experiences.
- A mix of poems, prose, and picture comprehension chapters.
- Age-appropriate vocabulary and sentence patterns.
- Activities that build phonics, reading readiness, and oral expression.
- Colourful illustrations that make learning enjoyable for six and seven year olds.
How to Prepare for Class 1 English at Home
Class 1 English learning works best when school lessons are supported by simple habits at home. A few practical tips for parents of Class 1 students in the CBSE 2026-27 session:
- Read aloud from a picture book for ten to fifteen minutes every day.
- Revise Mridang chapters by asking your child to narrate the story or poem in their own words.
- Encourage picture description using storybooks, posters, or photographs.
- Practise tracing and writing letters, simple words, and short sentences in a notebook.
- Play rhyming games, word matching, and opposite pairs to reinforce grammar informally.
- Speak in short English sentences during meal time, bath time, and play time.
- Avoid over-correction. Confidence and expression matter more than accuracy at this stage.
Related CBSE Class 1 Resources
Parents and teachers looking for more Class 1 CBSE resources for the 2026-27 session often explore the following alongside the English syllabus:
- CBSE Class 1 Maths syllabus 2026-27
- CBSE Class 1 Hindi syllabus 2026-27
- Guide to CBSE Class 1 Syllabus 2026-2027
FAQs on CBSE Class 1 English Syllabus 2026-27
1. What is the prescribed textbook for CBSE Class 1 English in 2026-27?
The prescribed textbook for CBSE Class 1 English for the 2026-27 academic year is Mridang, published by NCERT. It is the updated coursebook aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 and replaces the older Marigold and Raindrops books for Class 1.
2. How many chapters are there in the Class 1 English Mridang textbook?
The Mridang textbook for Class 1 English has nine chapters organised into four thematic units: My Family and Me, Life Around Us, Food, and Seasons. The chapters include a mix of poems, stories, and picture-based activities.
3. What are the units in the CBSE Class 1 English syllabus 2026-27?
The Class 1 English syllabus is divided into four units. Unit 1 is My Family and Me, Unit 2 is Life Around Us, Unit 3 is Food, and Unit 4 is Seasons. Each unit contains two or three chapters that combine reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
4. What grammar topics are covered in CBSE Class 1 English?
Class 1 English grammar focuses on the basics. Children learn naming words, action words, singular and plural, the use of a and an, this and that, these and those, simple opposites, rhyming words, and the use of capital letters and full stops. Grammar is introduced through examples and activities rather than formal rules.
5. Is the CBSE Class 1 English syllabus difficult for young children?
No. The syllabus is designed for six and seven year olds and uses pictures, rhymes, and short stories to keep learning enjoyable. The focus is on building comfort with the language, not on memorising rules or writing long answers.
6. Are there formal exams in CBSE Class 1?
No. CBSE follows a continuous and activity-based assessment approach at the foundational stage. Class 1 students are assessed through classroom participation, oral activities, picture description, reading practice, and simple worksheets. There are no formal board exams.
7. How can parents support Class 1 English learning at home?
Parents can read aloud every day, speak in short English sentences during routine moments, practise tracing and writing letters, encourage picture description, and play simple word games like rhymes and opposites. Short, consistent practice is more effective than long study sessions.
8. What vocabulary does a Class 1 student learn in English?
A Class 1 student learns vocabulary related to family members, body parts, greetings, colours, numbers, common foods, animals, farm life, seasons, weather, and everyday objects at home and school.
9. Where can I download the CBSE Class 1 English syllabus PDF for 2026-27?
The CBSE Class 1 English syllabus is based entirely on the NCERT Mridang textbook, which is available as a free PDF on the official NCERT website. The chapter list and themes shown on this page reflect the same syllabus followed by all CBSE affiliated schools for 2026-27.
