CLAT English Syllabus 2026 - Important Topics, Books, How to Prepare

CLAT English Syllabus 2026 - Important Topics, Books, How to Prepare

Sukriti SahooUpdated on 14 Oct 2025, 11:42 AM IST

The Consortium of National Law Universities prescribes the CLAT English syllabus 2026 on the official website - consortiumofnlus.ac.in. The CLAT 2026 English syllabus tests the candidate’s proficiency in the English language and ability to read and comprehend complex pieces of text. In the English section, candidates will be presented with passages of about 450 words each. These passages will be drawn from contemporary or historically significant fiction and non-fiction works, written at a level that a Class 12 student can read within 5 to 7 minutes. The syllabus for CLAT English language carries 20% weightage in the CLAT syllabus 2026. Read on to get all the details of the CLAT English syllabus 2026, including important topics, preparation tips, and more.

LiveCLAT 2026 Answer Key (Out) LIVE: NLU answer key, response sheet PDF; calculate scores, marking schemeDec 10, 2025 | 11:03 PM IST

CLAT scores can be calculated using the formula below.

  • Total CLAT score = Total correct answers - (Total incorrect answers x 0.25)
Read More

This Story also Contains

  1. CLAT English Syllabus 2026 Overview
  2. CLAT 2026 English Syllabus Details
  3. Topics Covered in English Syllabus for CLAT 2026
  4. Analysis of CLAT English Syllabus 2026 of Previous Years
  5. How to Prepare for CLAT 2026 English Syllabus
  6. CLAT English Syllabus 2026 Books
CLAT English Syllabus 2026 - Important Topics, Books, How to Prepare
CLAT English Syllabus 2026 (Image by Racool_studio on freepik)

The Consortium will conduct CLAT 2026 on December 7, 2025, in offline mode. Candidates appearing for the exam must carefully go through the CLAT 2026 English syllabus as the CLAT English subject is useful for other sections of the Common Law Admission Test, which is a very reading-intensive exam.

CLAT English Syllabus 2026 Overview

Particulars

Detail

Section Weightage

20%

Number of questions

22-26

Type of questions

Passage-based multiple-choice questions

Skills tested

English language reading and comprehension skills

Infographics - CLAT English Syllabus Overview

Infographics - CLAT English Syllabus Overview

CLAT 2026 English Syllabus Details

The syllabus for CLAT English language consists of 3-4 passages of approximately 450 words each. The passages in the CLAT 2026 English syllabus are drawn from journalistic and non-fictional sources, which are then followed by multiple-choice questions based on the passages. The CLAT English section has around 22-26 questions. The maximum difficulty level of the CLAT English syllabus 2026 is of class 12 level, as with the rest of the sections in CLAT, except the CLAT Mathematics syllabus, which is of class 10th level.

What type of English is asked in CLAT?

The type of English asked in CLAT is of class 12 level. The English section focuses on evaluating the candidate’s ability to comprehend pieces of text drawn from non-fictional and news sources and answer questions based on them.

What Does CLAT English Syllabus 2026 Evaluate?

The English language section in CLAT tests the English proficiency of the candidates. The skills tested in the English section are useful for other sections of CLAT. All the sections in CLAT are reading-intensive and require the candidate to comprehend complex texts and then answer questions based on them. The CLAT 2026 English syllabus tests the following skills in the candidate-

  • Read and understand the primary idea contained in the passage, and the arguments and opinions expressed in the passage.

  • Drawing inferences from the given passage

  • Summarising the extensive text given in the passage

  • Evaluate and compare various arguments given in the passage

  • Understand word meanings and phrases within the context presented in the passage

Topics Covered in English Syllabus for CLAT 2026

Given below is a list of important topics covered in the CLAT English syllabus 2026-

  • Synonyms and antonyms

  • Identifying word meanings and phrases from the passage

  • Draw inferences and conclusions based on the passage

  • Summarise the passage

  • Understand the meaning of various words and phrases in the context in which they are used in the passage

  • Direct questions based on the information given in the passage

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Analysis of CLAT English Syllabus 2026 of Previous Years

Given below are some of the topics covered in the syllabus for CLAT English Language in previous CLAT question papers. It will help candidates assess the level of preparation required for the section.

CLAT English Syllabus: Previous Year Topics

YearTopicsDifficulty Level
2025The questions in the English section should be answered based on the details that are provided in the passage. It also includes questions on synonyms and antonyms. There are no questions on English grammar usage.

Easy

2024

To the point, literature-based questions to be answered based on the information given in the paragraph. No questions on vocabulary.

Easy

2023

Drawing inferences and conclusions, identifying sentence meanings in the context of the passage, and vocabulary-based questions

Easy but lengthy

How to Prepare for CLAT 2026 English Syllabus

Candidates can make use of the few quick preparation tips given below to prepare for the English syllabus for CLAT 2026.

  • A regular reading habit will vastly improve one’s reading speed and ability to understand the given information. It can help candidates get over with the CLAT English section quickly and devote more time to others.

  • Candidates can refer to flashcards and dictionaries to build vocabulary and boost their word power

  • Reading newspapers can make a lot of difference to candidates as it will make them comfortable with non-fiction reading and also keep them aware of the latest developments.

  • Practising with CLAT sample papers is another way to evaluate one’s preparation and take corrective measures for better performance in the actual exam.

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CLAT English Syllabus 2026 Books

Candidates can refer to the CLAT books below to prepare for the CLAT English section. The list is not exhaustive, and candidates can research more books as per their convenience and preference.

  • Objective General English by N. Khurmi and George
  • English is Easy by Chetan Anand Singh
  • High School English Grammar and Composition by Wren & Martin
  • General English by R.S. Aggarwal
  • Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis
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You may also check another subject syllabus:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the syllabus for CLAT English?
A:

The CLAT syllabus for English consists of passages testing testing the reading comprehension skills of the candidates.

Q: Is CLAT very difficult?
A:

CLAT is a difficult exam due to its low success rate and extensive and reading-intensive syllabus.

Q: Can I crack CLAT in two months?
A:

No, a thorough preparation for CLAT requires at least a year of preparation. Two months may not be enough to crack CLAT.

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Questions related to CLAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CLAT ?

Hello aspirant,

With 64.5 marks in CLAT 2026 and EWS+UP domicile, getting a top NLU may be difficult because EWS cutoffs are usually high. However, you may still have chances in the newer or mid-tier NLUs, depending on this year's overall scoring trend. NLUs like NLU Tripura, NLU Shimla or NLU Jabalpur sometimes open seats for EWS candidates at lower scores. It's best to wait for the official ranks and counselling lists, as seats shift during later rounds.

FOR REFERENCE : https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-cutoff

THANK YOU

Hello aspirant,

Getting 43 in CLAT can feel disappointing, but it doesn't define your ability. You still have AILET, and many students improve sharply in their second attempt. For AILET, focus more on English, logical reasoning and GK. In static GK, study important books, monuments, national parks, constitutional facts and major awards. For current affairs, revise the last 6-8 months covering national events, government schemes, appointments, sports and major international news. Make short notes and revise daily. With a clear plan and claim mind, you can perform much better in AILET.

FOR GUIDANCE : https://law.careers360.com/articles/ailet-preparation-tips

THANK YOU

Hello,

Here are the Expected SC Category Cut-offs (CLAT UG 2026):

  • NLSIU Bangalore: 85-87
  • NALSAR Hyderabad: 82-84
  • WBNUJS Kolkata: 80-82
  • NLU Jodhpur: 78-80
  • GNLU Gandhinagar: 76-78
  • RMLNLU Lucknow: 74-76

For more details access below mentioned link.

https://law.careers360.com/articles/clat-cut-off-2026-for-sc-category

Hope it helps.

Good Morning, Candidate,

It entirely depends on the university whether the admission for the BA LLB will be based on the 12th board or the national-level entrance exam, or both. The admission exams are below

1. Common Law Admission Test

2. All India Law Entrance Test

3. Symbiosis Law Admission Test

4. Common University Entrance Test

Thank you. Hope this information helps you.

Hello

The best way to cover the important current affairs is to read the newspaper daily. Then try to analyse the newspaper and remember the trending topics. Practice the previous year's question paper and understand the pattern of the question. Summarise all current affairs topics and understand them in brief. If you want more information about current affairs, then you will read the article How to Prepare for CLAT Current Affairs 2026 .

Thank you.