International Foundation English Olympiad (IFEO) 2026-27
IFEO is the English olympiad that the International Olympiad Foundation (IOF) runs for Classes 1 to 12.
When is IFEO 2026-27?
Classes 1 to 5: 19 Dec 2026
Classes 6 to 12: 20 Dec 2026
Registration closed 9 Oct 2026.
Online from home (phone, laptop or PC) under parent supervision, any time 5 to 8 PM IST on exam day.
How do I register my child, and what does it cost?
Parents register online directly, or through a school link (school collects fees). Fee: ₹150 per olympiad.
What is in the paper?
35 questions (Classes 1 to 5), 50 questions (Classes 6 to 12). It takes 60 minutes. Negative marking: not published. Language: English.
What is the syllabus?
CBSE, ICSE and major state boards.
The topics, class by class, as the organiser lists them:
Class 1
SECTION A: Vocabulary & Structure: Jumbled letters · spelling · opposites · identifying words from pictures · animals and sounds · one and many · animals and their babies · rhyming words · naming words(nouns) · doing words(verbs) · articles · prepositions · describing words
SECTION B: Reading & Comprehension: Prose and Picture
SECTION C: Situational Expression: Ability to understand variation in responses to different situations like greeting, seeking permission, requesting, thanking
Class 2
SECTION A: Vocabulary & Structure: Collocations · spelling · words related to animals (sounds, babies and homes) · clothes · body parts · feelings · food · rhyming words · homophones · opposites · nouns · use of much and many · verbs · adjectives · prepositions · pronouns · singular plural · gender · articles · conjunctions (and, but) · punctuation (. ?)
SECTION B: Reading & Comprehension: Questions related to specific information and general understanding of the text – Prose/ poetry/ message/ advertisement/ invitation/notes/ picture comprehension
SECTION C: Situational Expression: Ability to understand variation in responses to different situations like greeting, seeking permission, requesting, thanking
Class 3
SECTION A: Vocabulary & Structure: Collocations · jumbled words · spelling · words related to animals (sounds, babies and homes) · clothes · body parts · feelings · food · synonyms · antonyms · one word for · homophones · nouns · verbs · simple past tense · adjectives · prepositions · basic questions · question tags · pronouns · singular plural · gender · articles · conjunctions · punctuation
SECTION B: Reading & Comprehension: Questions related to specific information and general understanding of the text – Prose/ poetry/ message/ advertisement/ invitation/notes
SECTION C: Situational Expression: Ability to understand variation in responses to different situations like greeting, seeking permission, requesting, thanking, introduction
Class 4
SECTION A: Vocabulary & Structure: Collocations · jumbled words · spelling · words related to animals (sounds, babies and homes) · clothes · body parts · feelings · food · synonyms · antonyms · one word for · homophones · nouns · verbs · simple tenses · adjectives and degrees of comparison · prepositions · basic questions · question tags · pronouns · singular plural · articles · conjunctions · punctuation · modals · proverbs · idioms
SECTION B: Reading & Comprehension: Questions related to specific information and general understanding of the text – prose/ poetry/ message/ advertisement/ invitation/notes
SECTION C: Situational Expression: Ability to understand variation in responses to different situations like greeting, seeking permission, seeking information, requesting, thanking, introduction
Class 5
SECTION A: Vocabulary & Structure: Collocations · jumbled words · spelling · words related to animals (sounds, babies and homes) · travel · character · appearance · feelings · food · synonyms · antonyms · one word for · homophones · nouns · verbs · simple and continuous tenses · adjectives and degrees of comparison · prepositions · basic questions · question tags · pronouns · articles · conjunctions · punctuation · modals · proverbs · idioms · reported speech · adverbs · phrasal verbs
SECTION B: Reading & Comprehension: Questions related to specific information and general understanding of the text – prose/ poetry/ message/ advertisement/ invitation/notes/ message/ time table
SECTION C: Situational Expression: Ability to understand variation in responses to different situations like greeting, seeking permission, requesting, thanking, introduction, apology, seeking information
Class 6
SECTION A: Comprehension & Reading: Questions related to specific information and general understanding of the text – Prose/ poetry/ message/ advertisement/ invitation/notes/ picture comprehension
SECTION B: Fundamentals of English Usage: Odd word out · Verbal Analogy · Classification · Correct Spelling · One word substitution · Jumbled words and sentences · Types of sentences · Parts of speech · Tense · Error Finding · Voice · Direct and Indirect speech · Subject-Verb Agreement · Modals · Determiners · Article · Antonyms/Synonyms · Story and Paragraph writing · Writing notices · Letter writing · Message writing · Differentiating between facts and opinion · Idioms and phrases · Functional English · One word substitute- medical Diction · Legal maxims and phrases · Important relationship ( Biology Life ,animal & young ones,Tools & action,animal & sounds )
SECTION C: Higher Order Thinking Skills: Ability to understand variation in responses to different situations like greeting, seeking permission, requesting, thanking
Class 7
SECTION A: Comprehension & Reading: Questions related to specific information and general understanding of the text – Prose/ poetry/ message/ advertisement/ invitation/notes/ picture comprehension
SECTION B: Fundamentals of English Usage: Odd word out · Verbal Analogy · Classification · Spelling Test · Jumbled words and sentences · Types of sentences · Parts of speech · Tense · Error Finding · Voice · Direct and Indirect speech · Subject-Verb agreement · Article · Modals · Determiners · Clause · Antonyms/ Synonyms · Idioms and phrases · One word substitution · Story and Paragraph writing · Writing notices · Letter writing · Message writing · Report writing · Differentiating between facts and opinion · Functional English · One word substitute- medical Diction · Legal maxims and phrases · Important relationship ( Biology Life ,animal & young ones,Tools & action,animal & sounds )
SECTION C: Higher Order Thinking Skills: Ability to understand variation in responses to different situations like greeting, seeking permission, requesting, thanking
Class 8
SECTION A: Comprehension & Reading: Questions related to specific information and general understanding of the text – Prose/ poetry/ message/ advertisement/ invitation/notes
SECTION B: Fundamentals of English Usage: Odd word out · Verbal Analogy · Classification · Spelling Test · Jumbled words and sentences · Types of sentences · Parts of speech · Tense · Error Finding · Voice · Direct and Indirect speech · Subject-verb agreement · Article · Modals · Determiners · Clause · Antonyms/ Synonyms · Homonyms · Sentence Completion · Idioms and phrases · One word substitution · Story and Paragraph writing · Writing notices · Letter writing · Message writing · Report writing · Differentiating between facts and opinion · Functional English · One word substitute- medical Diction · Legal maxims and phrases · Important relationship ( Biology Life ,animal & young ones,Tools & action,animal & sounds )
SECTION C: Higher Order Thinking Skills: Ability to understand variation in responses to different situations like greeting, seeking permission, requesting, thanking, introduction
Syllabus topics and a sample question for your child's class:
Is there a Level 2?
Not published.
When do results come, and what can my child win?
Result date not published. See them on the IOF student portal after logging in, with the certificate and report to download. Awards are sent to schools.
- International rank 1: topper trophy, medal, badge and printed certificate
- Zonal toppers (6 zones): trophy, medal, badge and printed certificate
- 90% and above: gold medal
- 80 to 89%: silver medal
- 70 to 79%: bronze medal
- Below 70%: participation e-certificate
Where can I find IFEO sample papers and previous year papers?
Sample papers to download on IOF's own website. Olympiad Owl does not share the papers themselves. Our class pages above have a free sample question each, and the app has full mock papers in the previous year paper pattern.
Anything else to know?
Not the same as a UAE olympiad organiser with a similar name.
How can my child prepare for IFEO?
A few questions a day in the real pattern, and one full timed paper a week, works better than a last-minute rush.
From IOF's own website, 26 Oct 2026.
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Every olympiad by IOF
Every olympiad date for 2026-27