PART-1 : RAINBOW PART-2 (Literature)

A) PROSE — Detailed Study (11 Chapters)

1. Indian Civilisation and Culture

• Features of Indian civilisation

• Spiritual vs Material culture

• Unity in diversity

• Tolerance and coexistence

• Values of Indian tradition

• Modern impact on culture

• Central idea & philosophical tone

• Short & long answer interpretation

2. Bharat is My Home

• National integration

• Duties of citizens

• Democracy and responsibility

• Brotherhood & equality

• Emotional unity of India

• Patriotic message & summary writing

3. A Pinch of Snuff

• Political satire

• Corruption & bureaucracy

• Character sketch

• Irony & humour

• Narrative technique

4. I Have a Dream

• Civil rights movement

• Equality & freedom

• Rhetorical devices (Repetition, metaphor)

• Speech writing style

• Theme & message

5. Ideas That Have Helped Mankind

• Science & human progress

• Knowledge vs superstition

• Evolution of thought

• Analytical questions

• Author’s viewpoint

6. The Artist

• Art vs money

• Creativity & society

• Character psychology

• Moral values

7. A Child Born

• Birth & human emotion

• Family relationship

• Narrative realism

• Personal reflection questions

8. How Free is the Press

• Role of media in democracy

• Freedom vs responsibility

• Public opinion

• Argumentative writing style

9. The Earth

• Environment & nature

• Man vs nature conflict

• Conservation message

• Critical appreciation

10. India Through a Traveller’s Eyes

• India’s culture & lifestyle

• Foreign perspective

• Description writing

• Cultural diversity

11. A Marriage Proposal

• Comedy & farce

• Dialogue based drama

• Character conflict

• Social satire

B) POETRY — Complete Analysis (10 Poems)

1. Sweetest Love, I Do Not Go — John Donne

Theme: True love and reassurance during separation.
Central Idea: The poet tells his beloved that his going away does not mean loss of love; distance strengthens affection.
Tone & Mood: Loving, logical, confident.
Poetic Style: Metaphysical poetry (argument-based emotional expression).

Poetic Devices

• Metaphysical conceit (sunrise & sunset comparison)

• Imagery

• Alliteration

• Logical reasoning

Message: Real love is permanent and not affected by physical distance.

2. Song of Myself — Walt Whitman

Theme: Individualism and unity of humanity.
Central Idea: Every human being is divine; the self represents the whole universe.
Tone: Celebratory and philosophical.
Form: Free verse (no rhyme or fixed meter).

Poetic Devices

• Cataloguing (long lists)

• Symbolism

• Repetition

• Parallelism

Message: All humans are equal and connected.

3. Now the Leaves Are Falling Fast — W. H. Auden

Theme: Passage of time and loneliness.
Central Idea: Life passes quickly and human relationships are uncertain.
Tone: Sad and reflective.

Poetic Devices

• Symbolism (falling leaves = aging & death)

• Metaphor

• Irony

Message: Time destroys youth and stability.

4. Ode to Autumn — John Keats

Theme: Beauty of nature and maturity of life.
Central Idea: Autumn represents fullness and peaceful completion.
Tone: Calm, musical, admiring.

Poetic Devices

• Personification

• Sensory imagery

• Alliteration

• Visual imagery

Message: Every stage of life has beauty and meaning.

5. An Epitaph — Walter de la Mare

Theme: Death and eternal rest.
Central Idea: Death brings peace after life’s struggles.
Tone: Quiet and reflective.

Poetic Devices

• Symbolism

• Simplicity of language

Message: Death is natural and peaceful.

6. The Soldier — Rupert Brooke

Theme: Patriotism and sacrifice.
Central Idea: A soldier remains a part of his country even after death.
Tone: Emotional and patriotic.

Poetic Devices

• Imagery

• Symbolism (grave as England’s soil)

Message: Love for nation is eternal.

7. Macavity: The Mystery Cat — T. S. Eliot

Theme: Mystery and humour.
Central Idea: Macavity is a clever criminal cat who escapes every crime scene.
Tone: Playful and comic.

Poetic Devices

• Repetition

• Rhyme & rhythm

• Hyperbole

Message: Intelligence often defeats authority.

8. Fire-Hymn — Keki N. Daruwalla

Theme: Fire as divine and destructive power.
Central Idea: Fire purifies but also destroys.
Tone: Spiritual and symbolic.

Poetic Devices

• Mythological references

• Symbolism

• Imagery

Message: Power must be respected.

9. Snake — D. H. Lawrence

Theme: Conflict between instinct and social education.
Central Idea: Humans fear what they don’t understand and harm nature.
Tone: Regretful and thoughtful.

Poetic Devices

• Symbolism

• Imagery

• Internal conflict

Message: Respect nature and natural instincts.

10. My Grandmother’s House — Kamala Das

Theme: Nostalgia and loss of love.
Central Idea: The poet misses the warmth of childhood and feels lonely in adulthood.
Tone: Emotional and melancholic.

Poetic Devices

• Symbolism (house = love & security)

• Imagery

• Contrast (past vs present)

Message: Childhood affection cannot be replaced in later life.

PART–2 : STORY OF ENGLISH (Detailed Explanation)

1. Old English (450 AD – 1100 AD)

Historical Background

• Began after the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain (Angles, Saxons, Jutes).

• Latin influence came from Christian missionaries.

• Also influenced by Scandinavian (Norse) language.

Features of Old English

• Highly inflected language (many grammatical endings).

• Different alphabet system.

• Very difficult for modern readers.

• Vocabulary mainly Germanic.

Literature of the Period

• Religious writings

• Heroic poetry

• Oral tradition

Important Work

• Beowulf (epic poem)

Important Characteristics

• Strong stress rhythm

• Alliteration instead of rhyme

• Compound words

Importance

Old English laid the foundation of modern English vocabulary and grammar.

2. Middle English (1100 AD – 1500 AD)

Historical Background

• Began after the Norman Conquest (1066).

• French became the language of court and administration.

• English absorbed many French and Latin words.

Features

• Grammar became simpler.

• Word endings reduced.

• Vocabulary expanded greatly.

• Beginning of standard spelling.

Literature

• Religious stories

• Romances

• Ballads

Important Writer

• Geoffrey Chaucer

Important Work

• The Canterbury Tales

Importance

Middle English shaped modern sentence structure and introduced rich vocabulary.

3. Modern English (1500 AD – Present)

Historical Background

• Renaissance brought new learning.

• Printing press invented by William Caxton (1476).

• Standardization of spelling and grammar began.

Early Modern English

• Shakespearean language

• Growth of drama and poetry

• Expansion of vocabulary

Late Modern English

• Scientific and technical terms added.

• Dictionary publication (Samuel Johnson).

Important Writers

• William Shakespeare

• John Milton

• Wordsworth

• Charles Dickens

Features

• Fixed grammar system

• Clear sentence structure

• Global expansion

Importance

Modern English became a global language for communication, science, and literature.

4. English as a World Language

Reasons for Global Spread

• British colonial expansion

• Industrial Revolution

• American economic power

• Internet and technology

Varieties of English

• British English

• American English

• Indian English

• Australian English

Characteristics

• Lingua franca (common international language)

• Used in science, trade, diplomacy

• Medium of higher education

Importance

English connects people worldwide and is essential for global communication.

5. Story of English Drama

Early Drama

• Miracle plays (religious stories)

• Morality plays (moral lessons)

Elizabethan Drama

• Golden age of English drama

• Development of tragedy and comedy

• Theatre popularity

Important Dramatist

• William Shakespeare

Later Developments

• Restoration drama

• Modern realistic drama

• Social and political themes

Importance

Drama reflects society, culture, and human emotions.

6. Story of the Novel in English

Beginning

• Novel developed in the 18th century.

• Focused on realism and common life.

Early Novelists

• Daniel Defoe

• Samuel Richardson

• Henry Fielding

19th Century Novel

• Realism and social issues.

• Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy.

20th Century Novel

• Psychological and experimental style.

• Stream of consciousness technique.

Features of Novel

• Plot

• Character

• Setting

• Theme

• Narrative technique

PART–3 : GRAMMAR & COMPOSITION

A) FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR (COMPLETE)

1. Parts of Speech (Full Usage)

• Noun (Kinds, number, gender, case)

• Pronoun (Personal, reflexive, relative, demonstrative, indefinite)

• Adjective (Degrees, order of adjectives)

• Verb (Main verb & auxiliary verb)

• Adverb (Kinds & position)

• Preposition (Correct usage)

• Conjunction (Coordinating & subordinating)

• Interjection

2. Determiners & Articles

Articles

• Definite (the)

• Indefinite (a, an)

• Omission of articles

• Special uses (unique objects, institutions, geographical names)

Determiners

• Some / any

• Much / many

• Few / little

• Several

• Each / every

• Either / neither

• Possessives

• Quantifiers

3. Tense System (Complete)

Present

• Simple present

• Present continuous

• Present perfect

• Present perfect continuous

Past

• Simple past

• Past continuous

• Past perfect

• Past perfect continuous

Future

• Simple future (shall/will)

• Going to future

• Future continuous

• Future perfect

Special Topics

• Sequence of tenses

• Conditional sentences (Type 0,1,2,3)

• Error correction

4. Voice (Active–Passive)

• All tenses conversion

• Imperative sentences

• Interrogative sentences

• Modal sentences

• Infinitive passive

5. Narration (Direct–Indirect Speech)

• Statements

• Questions

• Commands & requests

• Exclamatory sentences

• Universal truth rules

• Change of tense, pronoun, time & place words

6. Modals

• Ability (can, could)

• Permission (may, might)

• Obligation (must, have to)

• Advice (should, ought to)

• Necessity & absence (need, dare)

• Habit (used to)

7. Agreement & Concord

• Subject–verb agreement rules

• Collective nouns

• Either/or, neither/nor

• Indefinite pronouns

• Amount & distance expressions

8. Sentence Structure & Transformation

Types of Sentences

• Assertive

• Interrogative

• Imperative

• Exclamatory

Transformation

• Affirmative ↔ Negative

• Interrogative ↔ Assertive

• Exclamatory ↔ Assertive

• Degree change (positive, comparative, superlative)

• Simple ↔ Complex ↔ Compound

• Synthesis & splitting

9. Punctuation

• Capital letters

• Comma

• Semicolon

• Colon

• Apostrophe

• Quotation marks

• Hyphen & dash

10. Vocabulary

• Synonyms

• Antonyms

• One word substitution

• Idioms & phrases

• Homophones

• Word formation (prefix & suffix)

• Correct spelling

• Error correction

WRITING SKILLS (COMPOSITION)

Essay Writing (250–300 Words)

Types of Essays

• Social Issues (Population, Unemployment, Women Empowerment)

• Education (Value of Education, Online Learning)

• Environment (Global Warming, Pollution, Save Water)

• Science & Technology (AI, Internet, Space Research)

• Moral/Value Based (Discipline, Honesty, Time Management)

• Current Affairs Topics

Structure of a Good Essay

1. Introduction – Define the topic clearly.

2. Body Paragraphs – Causes, effects, examples, arguments.

3. Conclusion – Suggestion, opinion, or summary.

Important Points

• Use simple but effective vocabulary.

• Avoid repetition.

• Maintain paragraph division.

• Keep handwriting neat.

• Stay within word limit.

Letter Writing

A) Formal Letters

Used for official purposes.

Types

• Application to Principal

• Leave Application

• Job Application

• Complaint Letter

• Letter to Editor

• Request Letter

Format

1. Sender’s Address

2. Date

3. Receiver’s Address

4. Subject

5. Salutation (Sir/Madam)

6. Body (3 paragraphs)

7. Closing (Yours faithfully)

8. Signature

Key Tips

• Use polite language.

• Keep sentences short and clear.

• Mention subject clearly.

B) Informal Letters

Used for personal communication.

Types

• Letter to Friend

• Invitation

• Congratulations

• Advice

• Thank You Letter

Format

• Address

• Date

• Salutation (Dear Friend)

• Body

• Closing (Yours lovingly)

Precis Writing

What is Precis?

A short summary of a given passage in one-third length.

Steps

1. Read passage carefully.

2. Identify main idea.

3. Remove examples and extra details.

4. Write in simple language.

5. Give suitable title.

Rules

• Do not add personal opinion.

• Maintain original meaning.

• Use indirect speech.

Comprehension Passage

Skills Tested

• Understanding of text

• Vocabulary knowledge

• Inference ability

Types of Questions

• Short answer questions

• Meaning of words

• True/False

• Summary writing

Tips

• Read questions first.

• Answer in your own words.

• Do not copy full sentences unless necessary.

Paragraph Writing (100–150 Words)

Types

• Descriptive

• Narrative

• Argumentative

Structure

• Topic sentence

• Supporting ideas

• Conclusion sentence

Notice Writing

Used For

• School events

• Meetings

• Cultural programs

• Competitions

Format

• Name of Institution

• NOTICE

• Date

• Heading

• Body (event details)

• Signature & designation

Report Writing

Types

• School Event Report

• Newspaper Report

• Accident Report

• Annual Function Report

Structure

1. Heading

2. Byline

3. Date & Place

4. Main Content (What, When, Where, Why, How)

5. Conclusion