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In ‘The Necklace’, Madam… (Class 10 English 2026, Q11A)

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EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2026, set 2/5/1 · 6 marks · Long answer

CBSE Class 10 English 2026: question 11(A)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, paper 2/5/1, section C, question 11(A), for 6 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q11(A) · 6 marks · Long answerThe Necklace

In ‘The Necklace’, Madam Loisel spends years repaying a debt for a necklace that was never valuable. How does this irony expose the illusion of wealth and the consequences of chasing appearances? (in about 100-120 words)

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 2/5/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

Start with why she borrowed the necklace.

Hint 2

Describe her life during the repayment years.

Hint 3

Explain the irony of the paste necklace and the moral drawn.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. Madame Loisel's obsession with appearances leads to her downfall. To seem rich at the ball, she borrows a diamond necklace from Madame Forestier and, after losing it, buys an expensive replacement by taking heavy loans.

    2 marks

  2. She spends ten years in hardship and drudgery, moving from a comfortable home to a life of necessity, losing her youth and beauty. The irony is that the original necklace was only paste, so the suffering was real but the wealth was false.

    2 marks

  3. This exposes how pride and superficiality bring misery, and shows that true worth lies in contentment and honesty, not in show.

    1 mark

  4. Expression and accuracy: a coherent, correct 100-120 word answer.

    1 mark

Answer: The fake necklace shows the illusion of wealth: her vanity cost her ten years of real suffering.

Where the marks are

  • Borrows necklace to appear rich, loses it and repays (1 mark)
  • Years of hardship and loss of youth (1 mark)
  • Irony that the necklace was fake (1 mark)
  • Expression (2 marks)
  • Accuracy (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

  • Chapter: The Necklace (notes, formulas, where marks are lost and every past question)
Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from The Necklace, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2026 board paper, set 2/5/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.