Maharashtra SSC English (Second/Third Language) Board Paper March 2026

Q.1 (A) Do as directed (Attempt any four) : (8 marks)

(1) Complete the following words by using correct letters : (2) (i) n_rse (ii) und_r (iii) cl_mb (iv) m_ght

(2) Put the following words in alphabetical order : (2) (i) school, paradise, change, origin. (ii) honour, humanity, humble, hinder.

(3) Punctuate the following : (2) (i) i asked my teachers why is he working outside (ii) hey i am really excited

(4) Make four words (minimum of three letters each) using the letters in the word : (2) ‘Championship’

(5) Write the related words as shown in the example : (2) [Web diagram: centre box “Listen”; the related word “Carefully” is printed in a box above it; four blank boxes are joined to the centre — one each at the top left, top right, bottom left and bottom right.]

(6) Complete the word-chain of ‘Adjectives’. Add four words, each beginning with the last letter of the previous word : (2) small → ................ → ................ → ................ → .................

Q.1 (B) Do as directed : (2 marks)

(1) Attempt any one : (1) (a) Make a meaningful sentence by using the phrase : ‘at the edge of ’ OR (b) Add a clause to the following sentence to expand it meaningfully : I know.

(2) Attempt any one : (1) (a) Add a prefix or suffix to make new words : (i) responsible (ii) continue. OR (b) Make a meaningful sentence using any one of the following words : (i) responsible (ii) continue.

Q.2 (A) Read the following passage and do the activities : (10 marks)

A1. Write answers to complete the sentences : (2) (i) However impossible things may look, there is always .......... (ii) Every fortnight a flower blooms on hibiscus plant–big, ................................. (iii) The water is gentle; rock is ........................... (iv) The flower comes to a life for ..............................

We have a hibiscus plant in our garden. Every fortnight a flower blooms on it — big, bright and tender. Through the day it smiles with the sun and dances with the wind, but as evening approaches, it starts wilting. The morning after, it withers completely and by evening it falls and becomes one with the earth again. The flower comes to life only for a day, yet it does so in full splendour. What if we too lived our life, however short, to its fullest ?

We went to a rocky beach and saw the spread of the majestic ocean and the rocks alongside, carved, sculpted and shaped by the water. Water is so gentle, rock so hard, yet, as the water flows over it everyday, for years, the rock gives in. It takes the shape that the water commands. Our problems are so colossal and we are so small, yet if we persist ...

We saw small bits of grass peeping through the small cracks in a concrete pavement. It left us thinking : however impossible things may look, there is always an opening ...

A2. Complete the following web : (2) [Web diagram: centre box “hibiscus flower”; four boxes joined to it read — “blooms .......” , “smiles .....” , “withers .......” , “falls .............” — each with a blank line below.]

A3. Find the describing words for the given nouns : (2) (i) ...................... beach (ii) ...................... problem (iii) ...................... ocean (iv) ...................... cracks

A4. Do as directed : (2) (i) It takes the shape. (Rewrite the sentence in the Present Perfect Tense) (ii) It left us thinking. (Pick out gerund from the sentence)

A5. Personal Response : (2) ‘Nature is the best teacher.’ Explain in 3/4 sentences.

Q.2 (B) Read the following passage and do the activities : (10 marks)

B1. Rewrite and state whether the following sentences are ‘True or False’ : (2) (i) The narrator heard the barking of street dogs. (ii) The narrator did not hear the disturbance. (iii) The dominant male usually does not allow another male to survive within its group. (iv) The narrator gathered a thin stick in one hand.

Suddenly, I heard a group of street dogs barking furiously in the distance. I chose to ignore the commotion thinking that the pack of dogs might have cornered a hapless pig. But soon, the barking became louder and more aggressive and the alarmed cawing of a flock of crows added to the cacophony. I also heard the disturbance approaching closer.

Curiosity got the better of me. Leaving the book aside, I rushed to the veranda to see what was going on.

I glanced towards the roof of the club house and saw something horrible. A big male langur, apparently the leader of its group, was holding a baby langur in his hands and mercilessly biting it all over with a definite intent to kill. The helpless mother of the baby and other lesser members of the langur group were scattered on the roofs of the buildings nearby watching the baby being killed.

I recalled the terrible custom in the animal clan according to which a dominant male usually does not allow another male baby or adult to survive within its group.

Without losing any time, I gathered a stout stick in one hand and hurled a piece of stone at the marauding langur. The langur was so infuriated that it hardly took any notice of my assault. But then I started throwing more stones. The dogs on their part raised their pitch of cry.

B2. Give reasons for the following : (2) The narrator rushed to the veranda because ............ (i) ........................................................................................................................ (ii) ........................................................................................................................

B3. Write antonyms from the extract : (2) (i) gathered × .............................................. (ii) mercifully × ......................................................... (iii) female × ............................................................... (iv) heed × ..................................................................

B4. Do as directed : (2) (i) The barking became louder and more aggressive : (Rewrite the sentence using ‘not only — but also’) (ii) Choose the correct ‘passive voice’ of : I recalled the terrible custom. (The options are given in the next question.)

B5. Personal Response : (2) What would you do, if you found an injured animal on the way to home ?

Q.2 (B) B4. (ii) Choose the correct ‘passive voice’ of : I recalled the terrible custom.

Q.3 (A) Read the following stanzas and do the activities : (5 marks)

A1. Write whether the following sentences are ‘True’ or ‘False’ : (2) (i) The ship is anchor’d safely. (ii) The trip is joyful. (iii) The captain hears the bells. (iv) The captain lies on the bed.

O Captain! My Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up–for you the flag is flung–for you the bugle trills;
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths–for you the shores
a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;

Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and
done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won;
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

A2. Complete the following web : (2) [Web diagram: centre box “Condition of the captain”; four cloud-shaped boxes joined to it read — “He doesn’t feel ...........” , “He has fallen .......” , “He has no ...........” , “His lips are ...........”]

A3. Find the rhyming words for the following from the poem : (1) (i) bed — ............................................ (ii) kill — ............................................ (iii) fun — ............................................ (iv) bread — ............................................

Q.3 (B) Appreciation of the poem : (5 marks)

Read the following poem and write an appreciation of it with the help of the points given below :

The Twins

In form and feature, face and limb,
I grew so like my brother,
That folks got taking me for him,
And each for one another.
It puzzled all our kith and kin,
It reached a fearful pitch;
For one of us was born a twin,
Yet not a soul knew which.

One day, to make the matter worse,
Before our names were fixed,
As we were being washed by nurse,
We got completely mixed;
And thus, you see, by fate’s decree,
Or rather nurse’s whim,
My brother John got christened me,
And I got christened him.

This fatal likeness even dogged
My footsteps, when at school,
And I was always getting flogged,
For John turned out a fool.
I put this question, fruitlessly,
To everyone I knew,
‘What would you do, if you were me,
To prove that you were you?’

Our close resemblance turned the tide
Of my domestic life,
For somehow, my intended bride
Became my brother’s wife.
In fact, year after year the same
Absurd mistakes went on,
And when I died, the neighbours came
And buried brother John.
— Henry Sambrooke Leigh

Points : Title (½) • Name of the poet (½) • Rhyme scheme (1) • Figure of speech (any one) (1) • Theme/Central idea (in 2/3 lines) (2).

Q.4 (A) Read the following passage and do the activities : (10 marks)

A1. Complete the following sentences from the passage : (2) (i) Swapnil Kusale was born on ............................... (ii) Swapnil’s father is .................................. (iii) Professionally Swapnil is working as ................................. (iv) Swapnil won the gold medal in junior category in .......................

Swapnil Kusale from Kambalwadi, Dist. Kolhapur was born on August 6, 1995, in agricultural family. In 2009, his father Suresh, a village school teacher, recognised his potential and enrolled him in Krida Prabodhini, Maharashtra Government’s premier sports programme. After a year of rigorous training, Swapnil chose shooting to specialize. At the 2015 Asian Shooting Championship in Kuwait, he won the gold medal in the 50 m rifle prone event in the junior category. At the 59th National Shooting Championship in Tughlakabad, he claimed victory in the 50 m rifle prone event. At the 61st National Championship in Thiruvananthapuram, he struck gold again.

A ticket examiner by profession with the Central Railways since 2015, Swapnil Kusale is also the recipient of the Shiv Chhatrapati State Sports Awards in Maharashtra in 2016-17.

At the 2021 ISSF World Cup in New Delhi, he secured gold in the 50 m rifle 3 [three] positions team event. His impressive trajectory continued as he earned a quota for the Paris 2024 Olympics at the 2022 ISSF World Championship in Cairo, where he also won a bronze medal in the team event.

A2. Rearrange the following events as per their occurrence in the passage : (2) (i) Swapnil won bronze medal at Paris. (ii) Swapnil was born in an agricultural family. (iii) Swapnil won gold medal at ISSF World Cup. (iv) Swapnil joined Krida Prabodhini.

A3. Match the synonyms : (2) [Match the columns — A : (i) Farming (ii) Prize (iii) Capacity (iv) Identify; B : (a) Recognize (b) Potential (c) Agriculture (d) Award.]

A4. Do as directed : (2) (i) Swapnil’s father enrolled him in Krida Prabodhini in 2009. [Frame a ‘Wh’ type question to get underlined part as an answer] (ii) Swapnil chose shooting to specialize. (Add a question tag)

A5. Personal Response : (2) Which is your favourite game ? Why ?

Q.4 (B) Summary Writing : (5 marks)

Read the passage given in Q. No. 4(A) and write a summary of it. Suggest a suitable title to the summary.

Q.5 (A) A1. Informal Letter : (5 marks) (alternative to A2)

Suppose you are Kamal/Kamlesh Kale from A-254, “River View”, Karve Nagar, Pune. Read the following advertisement and write a letter to your friend appealing him/her to visit the exhibition. Make use of the points in the advertisement. You may add your own points.

[Advertisement : “= • IMPRESSION • =”, Arts and Craft Exhibition-2025 [Exhibition cum-sale], an initiative to promote Indian Arts and Craft; Duration : 2nd to 8th May, 2025; Venue : Dr. Kane Hall, Market Road, Pune; Organised by : Youth Club, Pune; “BOOK YOUR STALL BEFORE 30TH APRIL 2025”; For booking and inquiry : President, Youth Club, Gandhi Corner, Pune, youthclub@yep.org.]

Q.5 (A) A2. Formal Letter : (5 marks) (alternative to A1)

Suppose you are Kamal/Kamlesh Kale from A-254, “River View”, Karve Nagar, Pune. Read the following advertisement and write to the President of Youth Club. Thank him/her for organising the exhibition. Ask more about the entry fee and the timing of the exhibition. You may add your own points.

[Advertisement : “= • IMPRESSION • =”, Arts and Craft Exhibition-2025 [Exhibition cum-sale], an initiative to promote Indian Arts and Craft; Duration : 2nd to 8th May, 2025; Venue : Dr. Kane Hall, Market Road, Pune; Organised by : Youth Club, Pune; “BOOK YOUR STALL BEFORE 30TH APRIL 2025”; For booking and inquiry : President, Youth Club, Gandhi Corner, Pune, youthclub@yep.org.]

Q.5 (B) B1. Dialogue writing : (5 marks) (alternative to B2)

(a) Prepare a dialogue from the jumbled sentences : (1) (i) Yes, actually it is my passion! (ii) Would you like to join Armed Forces ? (iii) I love to wear uniform and serve the nation. (iv) Why do you like to join ?

(b) Complete the following dialogue : (1) A : Who is your favourite actor ? B : ...................................................................................... A : What makes him your favourite ? B : ......................................................................................

(c) Write a dialogue between two friends about ‘Importance of Computer Education’. (3) (Write minimum three meaningful exchanges)

Q.5 (B) B2. Drafting a speech : (5 marks) (alternative to B1)

Imagine that you are going to deliver a speech on ‘Books are our real friends’ in the elocution competition. Write a speech using the following points : Source of knowledge and information. • Treasure of entertainment and fun. • Improves language skills. • Develops personality, confidence. • Add your own points.

Q.6 (A) A1. Information Transfer — Non-verbal to verbal : (5 marks) (alternative to A2)

Read the information given in the following table. Write two paragraphs based on it. Give a suitable title to it :

[Table with two columns — “Effective Communication” : (i) Use of body language and gesture. (ii) Eye contact and facial expressions. (iii) Emotional involvement. (iv) Use of proper tone. | “Ineffective Communication” : (1) Lack of interest. (2) Unknown topic. (3) Lack of attention. (4) Use of inappropriate vocabulary.]

Q.6 (A) A2. Verbal to Non-verbal : (5 marks) (alternative to A1)

Read the information given below and represent it in the form of tree-diagram. Give a suitable title to it :

Energy exists in many different forms. The two major types of energy are kinetic energy and potential energy. Kinetic energy is the energy in moving objects or mass. It includes mechanical, electrical energy etc. Potential energy is any form of energy that has stored potential, that can be put to future use. Nuclear energy, chemical energy are its examples. Leaping frog, moving car generate mechanical, while lightning or power lines are the examples of electrical energy. Nuclear fusion inside the Earth’s core or fusion of sun and stars create nuclear energy. Striking of match or the food we eat are the examples of chemical energy. Each form can be converted into the other form.

[Tree diagram template : Title — blank box at the top; Types — “Kinetic energy” and “Potential energy”; Sub-types — two blank boxes under each type; Example — one line under each sub-type.]

Q.6 (B) B1. News Report : (5 marks) (alternative to B2)

Read the following headline and prepare a news report with the help of the given points : Headline • Dateline • Lead/Introduction • Short continuing paragraph.

[Headline in a cloud : “Nav Bharat School Celebrates ‘Science Day’”]

Q.6 (B) B2. Develop a story : (5 marks) (alternative to B1)

Develop a story with the help of the given beginning. Suggest a suitable title : In the last summer vacation, I visited .........................................................

Q.7 Translation : (5 marks)

(a) Translate the following words into your medium of instruction (any four) : (2) (1) Space (2) Promise (3) Skill (4) Pretend (5) Boundary (6) Natural.

(b) Translate the following sentences into your medium of instruction (any two) : (2) (1) Take care of your health regularly. (2) Wash your hands before eating. (3) Avoid eating readymade and packaged food items. (4) Eat green vegetables and fruits.

(c) Translate the following idioms/proverbs into your medium of instruction (any one) : (1) (1) An empty vessel makes much noise. (2) Truth is always bitter.