📘 HBSE Class 11 English Half Yearly Sample Paper 2025 | HBSE Solved Paper by Principal Sir
Principal Sir explains the complete Class 11 English (Core) Half Yearly Sample Paper 2025 (HBSE Pattern) with answers — including Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Writing Skills, and Literature. Perfect for students preparing for September exams!
🏫 HBSE Half Yearly Assessment – September 2025
Class 11 – English (Core)
HBSE Sample Paper (Solved)
Time: 3 Hours | Marks: 40
Section A: Reading Skills (10 Marks)
Q1. Reading Comprehension (10 Marks)
Passage:
Social media has transformed communication by making it faster and more interactive. It allows people to connect instantly, share ideas, and express opinions across the world. However, excessive use of social media can lead to addiction, distraction, and mental stress. Experts recommend balancing screen time with real-world interactions to maintain mental health and productivity. Students should learn to use social media responsibly and focus on meaningful communication.
Questions and Answers:
a. What has transformed communication?
👉 Social media has transformed communication.
b. What are its main benefits?
👉 It enables instant connection, sharing of ideas, and expression of opinions.
c. What are the negative effects of excessive use?
👉 It may cause addiction, distraction, and mental stress.
d. What do experts recommend?
👉 They recommend balancing screen time with real-life activities.
e. What should students focus on while using social media?
👉 They should focus on responsible and meaningful communication.
f. The word “interactive” means —
✅ (b) Involving communication between people.
g. The opposite of “excessive” is —
✅ (a) Moderate
h. Mental stress affects —
✅ (b) Productivity
i. Social media allows people to connect —
✅ (a) Instantly
j. The passage advises us to use social media —
✅ (c) Responsibly
Section B: Grammar (5 Marks)
Attempt any five.
i. She is good at singing.
ii. I have been waiting for an hour.
iii. If it rains, we will stay at home.
iv. He said that he was reading a novel.
v. Neither of the answers is correct.
vi. The film was very interesting.
Section C: Writing Skills (5 Marks)
Option 1: Letter
To
The Editor,
The Tribune, Chandigarh.
Subject: Increasing road accidents in your area.
Sir/Madam,
Through your newspaper, I wish to draw attention to the rising number of road accidents near our school due to reckless driving and lack of speed breakers. I request the authorities to install proper signs and enforce traffic rules strictly.
Yours faithfully,
Rohan Mehta
Student, ABC Sr. Sec. School, Jhajjar
✅ OR
Option 2: Notice (School Event)
ABC Sr. Sec. School, Jhajjar
NOTICE
Date: 10 Sept 2025
Subject: Science Exhibition
All students are informed that a Science Exhibition will be held on 20th Sept 2025 in the school auditorium. Interested students can register with their science teacher by 15th Sept. Attractive prizes will be given to the best exhibits.
(Signed)
Cultural Secretary
Section D: Literature (10 Marks)
Prose: “The Portrait of a Lady” – Khushwant Singh
a. Who is the narrator’s grandmother described as?
👉 A kind, religious, and old lady who always prayed and cared for her grandson.
b. What shows her deep faith?
👉 Her daily prayers and feeding of sparrows show her devotion.
c. What was her reaction when the narrator went abroad?
👉 She did not show any emotion, only prayed quietly.
Poem: “A Photograph” – Shirley Toulson
a. What does the photograph show?
👉 The poet’s mother as a child, standing on the beach with her cousins.
b. What contrast does the poem present?
👉 Between past happiness and present loss.
c. What emotion dominates the poem?
👉 Nostalgia and sorrow.
Section E: Short Answer (3 Marks)
Q. How did the grandmother spend her day?
She spent her day praying, spinning the wheel, and feeding sparrows. She lived a simple, peaceful, and spiritual life.
✅ OR
What feelings does “A Photograph” evoke in the poet?
It evokes sadness and longing as she remembers her mother’s childhood and realises how time takes away everything.
Section F: Long Answer (7 Marks)
Q. Discuss the relationship between the narrator and his grandmother in “The Portrait of a Lady.”
The narrator and his grandmother shared a deep emotional bond. She took care of him in his childhood and accompanied him to school. Though modern education created a distance later, her love remained unchanged. Even when he went abroad, she prayed for his well-being. Her selfless affection and devotion left a lasting impression on the narrator.
✅ OR
Explain the theme of time and loss in the poem “A Photograph.”
The poem highlights how time changes everything. The photograph captures a happy moment from the past, but the poet’s mother and that time are gone forever. It reflects the inevitable passage of time and the pain of irreversible loss, showing how photographs preserve memories when people are no longer with us.
