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Important Questions: CBSE Class 6 Science Chapter 10 Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics

Chapter 10 Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics introduces Class 6 students to the foundational concepts that distinguish living organisms from non-living things. CBSE examiners consistently frame questions around plant structures, photosynthesis intuition, animal feeding habits, and respiration. This page presents 18 carefully curated important questions grouped by marks weightage, complete with model answers that mirror NCERT language and the latest CBSE blueprint.

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Key takeaways

✓Chapter 10 Living Creatures carries 5-7 marks in CBSE Class 6 Science annual exams, usually split across 1-mark MCQ, 2-mark, and one 3-mark question.
✓NCERT emphasises five core topics: plant parts (roots, stem, leaves, flowers), photosynthesis intuition, animal feeding (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores), life cycles, and respiration in plants and animals.
✓1-mark questions test definitions (herbivore, photosynthesis) and identification of plant parts; 2-mark questions ask for differences or simple explanations.
✓3-mark questions require labelled diagrams (flower parts, root systems) or three-point descriptions (characteristics of living things).
✓5-mark case-based questions present a real-world scenario (a pond ecosystem, a garden observation) and ask multiple sub-questions on feeding habits, respiration, and life processes.
✓Common mistakes include confusing omnivores with carnivores, writing 'breathing' instead of 'respiration', and forgetting to label all parts in diagrams.
✓CBSETUTOR.ai offers 24×7 AI-powered doubt solving with photo upload for just ₹999/month (all classes 6-12) with a 3-day free trial to practise unlimited questions.

Chapter Overview and Marks Weightage in CBSE Exams

Living Creatures: Exploring their Characteristics is a medium-weightage chapter in the CBSE Class 6 Science syllabus, typically contributing 5-7 marks to the annual examination. The 2024 and 2025 board papers have shown a preference for one MCQ (1 mark), one or two short-answer questions (2 marks each), and one structured question (3 marks) that often demands a labelled diagram. Occasionally, a 5-mark case-based integrative question appears in the comprehensive assessment, linking plant parts, photosynthesis, and the food chain. The chapter builds the scaffold for later biology topics in Classes 7-10, so examiners test conceptual clarity rather than rote recall. Students should be ready to differentiate herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores with examples, describe photosynthesis in simple terms, name and draw plant parts accurately, and explain respiration without confusing it with breathing. The NCERT textbook devotes roughly eight pages to this chapter, with three in-text activities and two end-exercises that form the core question pool.

Expected weightage: 5-7 marks across 3-4 questions in the annual exam
Question distribution: 1 MCQ (1 mark), 1-2 VSA/SA (2 marks each), 1 diagram-based or descriptive (3 marks)
Occasional 5-mark case study in the comprehensive or mid-term paper
Five core NCERT topics: plant parts, photosynthesis intuition, herbivores-carnivores-omnivores, life cycles, respiration

1-Mark Questions: MCQs and Very Short Answer (VSA)

One-mark questions test quick recall of definitions, examples, and simple identification. CBSE often uses MCQs for this chapter in the objective section of the question paper. These questions appear straightforward but can be tricky if you confuse similar terms like 'breathing' versus 'respiration' or mix up herbivore examples. Always read the stem carefully and eliminate obviously wrong options first. Below are eight representative 1-mark questions with answers exactly as NCERT defines them. Practice writing answers in one sentence or a single phrase, because examiners award zero marks if you write a full paragraph when the question demands a term or example. Time management is crucial: spend no more than 30 seconds per 1-mark question during the exam to reserve time for longer answers and diagram labelling.

Q1. Which part of the plant absorbs water and minerals from the soil? (a) Stem (b) Leaves (c) Roots (d) Flowers — Answer: (c) Roots
Q2. Name one herbivore. — Answer: Cow (or goat, rabbit, deer—any one valid example from NCERT)
Q3. What is the process by which green plants make their own food called? — Answer: Photosynthesis
Q4. True or False: Carnivores eat only plants. — Answer: False (Carnivores eat only animals/meat)
Q5. Give one example of an omnivore. — Answer: Human (or bear, crow, rat—any one NCERT example)
Q6. Which gas do animals take in during respiration? — Answer: Oxygen
Q7. Name the part of the plant that conducts water from roots to leaves. — Answer: Stem
Q8. What do we call animals that eat both plants and animals? — Answer: Omnivores

2-Mark Questions: Short Answer Type

Two-mark questions require two distinct points or a single point with an example and brief explanation. CBSE mark schemes award 1 mark per valid point, so if you write only one sentence you will lose a mark even if that sentence is correct. Common 2-mark patterns include 'Differentiate between X and Y', 'Give two characteristics of living things', 'Why do plants need leaves?', and 'Name two life processes in animals'. Always structure your answer as two bullet points or two numbered sentences to make marking easier and ensure you cover both marks. Below are five high-probability 2-mark questions with model answers that follow NCERT terminology. Pay special attention to the language: use 'respiration' not 'breathing', 'photosynthesis' not 'making food by sunlight', and spell scientific terms correctly because CBSE has started deducting 0.5 marks for repeated spelling errors in biology answers.

Q9. Differentiate between herbivores and carnivores. (2 marks) — Answer: (i) Herbivores eat only plants (example: cow, goat). (ii) Carnivores eat only animals or meat (example: lion, tiger).
Q10. Why do plants have roots? Give two reasons. (2 marks) — Answer: (i) Roots absorb water and minerals from the soil. (ii) Roots anchor the plant firmly in the ground.
Q11. Write two characteristics of living things. (2 marks) — Answer: (i) Living things respire to release energy. (ii) Living things grow and reproduce.
Q12. What is photosynthesis? Why is it important? (2 marks) — Answer: (i) Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants make their own food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. (ii) It is important because it provides food for the plant and releases oxygen into the air.
Q13. Name two life processes seen in animals. (2 marks) — Answer: (i) Respiration (ii) Reproduction (Accept also: nutrition, excretion, growth—any two valid NCERT life processes)

3-Mark Questions: Diagram-Based and Descriptive

Three-mark questions are the backbone of CBSE Class 6 Science scoring. They typically ask you to draw and label a diagram (flower parts, root system, leaf structure) or to describe a concept in three clear points. For diagram questions, CBSE allocates 1 mark for neatness and correct shape, 2 marks for accurate labelling of at least four parts. Use a sharp pencil, draw in the centre of your answer space, and write labels horizontally with a ruler-drawn pointer line. Never write labels inside the diagram or in a spiral around it. For descriptive 3-mark questions, structure your answer into three numbered points; each point should be a complete sentence. Below are four representative 3-mark questions with model answers and diagram tips. Practice drawing the flower diagram at least five times before the exam because it appears almost every year in CBSE Class 6 papers, and students often mislabel the sepal or petal, losing easy marks.

Q14. Draw a labelled diagram of a flower showing sepal, petal, stamen, and pistil. (3 marks) — Answer: [Diagram: Draw a simple open flower with four petals, green sepals at the base, stamens (thin stalks with knobs) in the centre, and one pistil (thicker central structure). Labels must point clearly to each part.] Award: 1 mark for neat diagram, 2 marks for correct labels.
Q15. Describe three characteristics that all living things share. (3 marks) — Answer: (i) All living things respire to obtain energy from food. (ii) All living things grow and increase in size over time. (iii) All living things reproduce to produce offspring of their own kind.
Q16. Explain how leaves help a plant. Give three points. (3 marks) — Answer: (i) Leaves carry out photosynthesis to prepare food for the plant. (ii) Leaves have tiny pores (stomata) through which gases are exchanged. (iii) Leaves release excess water into the air through transpiration.
Q17. What is respiration? How is it different from breathing? (3 marks) — Answer: (i) Respiration is the process in which living organisms use oxygen to break down food and release energy. (ii) Breathing is simply taking in air (oxygen) and giving out air (carbon dioxide). (iii) Respiration happens in every cell of the body; breathing happens only in lungs or gills.

5-Mark Questions: Case-Based and Integrative

Five-mark case-based questions integrate multiple concepts from the chapter and test your ability to apply knowledge to a new scenario. CBSE introduced this format in 2021 to encourage higher-order thinking. A typical case presents a short paragraph describing a garden, pond, or forest ecosystem, followed by four or five sub-questions worth 1 mark each that add up to 5 marks total. You might be asked to identify herbivores and carnivores from the passage, explain a life process, draw a simple diagram, or classify animals by feeding habit. Read the case carefully and underline key organisms mentioned; then tackle sub-questions one by one, writing answers in the sequence given. Even if you are unsure about one sub-question, attempt the others because each carries independent marks. Below is one full case-based question with model answers for all sub-parts. Practice at least three such cases from the NCERT exercise and previous years' papers to build confidence in cross-topic reasoning.

How CBSE Frames Questions from This Chapter

CBSE question setters follow a predictable blueprint when designing questions for Chapter 10. They favour application-based scenarios over direct recall, so instead of asking 'What is photosynthesis?', they present a diagram of a leaf and ask 'Which process occurs in this part of the plant?' or give a list of animals and ask you to group them by feeding habit. Diagram-based questions almost always appear: expect to label a flower, a root system, or a simple plant showing roots, stem, leaves, and flower. The mark scheme rewards precision; writing 'Root' instead of 'Roots' or misspelling 'Pistil' as 'Pistol' can cost you 0.5 marks. Another common pattern is the true-false-with-correction format: 'True or False: All animals prepare their own food. If false, correct the statement.' Many students write only 'False' and lose the correction mark. CBSE also loves to integrate Chapter 10 with Chapter 9 (The Living Organisms) in case-based questions, so revise both chapters together. Finally, examiners insert 'tricky' options in MCQs—for instance, listing 'bear' among herbivores to test whether you remember it is an omnivore. Always cross-check your NCERT examples before the exam.

Application over recall: scenarios, grouping tasks, and 'identify from the diagram' questions dominate
Diagram questions: flower labelling, root-stem-leaf structure—practice drawing neatly and labelling horizontally
True/False with correction: always provide the corrected statement if the answer is False
Integration with Chapter 9: case studies may combine characteristics of living things with plant/animal examples
Tricky MCQ options: CBSE includes near-correct answers (e.g. 'omnivore' among carnivore choices) to test conceptual clarity

Common Mistakes Students Make and How to Avoid Them

Every year, CBSE examiners report the same recurring errors in Chapter 10 answer scripts. The most frequent mistake is confusing 'breathing' with 'respiration'; students write 'Animals breathe to get energy', which is incorrect—the correct term is 'respire'. Another widespread error is incomplete labelling in diagrams: forgetting to mark the sepal in a flower diagram or missing the root-hair in a root diagram costs 1 mark instantly. Many students also mix up herbivore and omnivore examples—writing 'crow' as a herbivore or 'bear' as a carnivore. NCERT clearly classifies crow and bear as omnivores, so memorise the standard examples for each category. In 2-mark questions, students often write a single long sentence instead of two distinct points, and examiners award only 1 mark. Always number or bullet your points. Spelling errors are rising: 'fotosynthesis', 'omnivor', 'pistill'—each misspelling can lose 0.5 marks if repeated. Finally, students skip the unit or category in short answers; writing just 'oxygen' instead of 'Oxygen gas' or 'Roots' instead of 'Root system' may seem minor, but CBSE mark schemes penalise vagueness. Practising model answers verbatim from NCERT and maintaining a neat, well-structured answer format will eliminate most of these mistakes.

Breathing vs. Respiration: Use 'respire' when describing energy release; 'breathe' refers only to the act of inhaling and exhaling air
Incomplete diagram labels: Always label at least four parts clearly in any diagram question, using a ruler for pointer lines
Mixing up feeding categories: Memorise NCERT examples—Cow/Goat (herbivore), Lion/Tiger (carnivore), Human/Bear/Crow (omnivore)
Single-sentence answers for 2-mark questions: Write two distinct points, numbered or bulleted, to secure both marks
Spelling errors: Photosynthesis, omnivore, herbivore, carnivore, pistil, stamen—practice writing these terms correctly
Vague terms: Write 'Oxygen gas' not just 'oxygen'; 'Root system' not just 'roots' in formal answers

Class 6 Science Chapter 10 Solutions and Additional Practice

Beyond the NCERT end-exercise, students should solve questions from the 'In-text Questions' scattered across Chapter 10. NCERT embeds three mini-activities in the chapter: observing different leaves, classifying animals by food habit, and listing plant parts. Each activity has 2-3 discussion questions that often reappear in school unit tests and CBSE sample papers. The official NCERT Exemplar for Class 6 Science includes five additional MCQs and two long-answer questions on living creatures; these are slightly harder than textbook exercises and excellent for Olympiad or scholarship exam preparation. Many CBSE schools set their periodic tests directly from Exemplar questions. CBSETUTOR.ai provides instant step-by-step solutions to every NCERT and Exemplar question via photo upload. Students can snap a picture of any question from their textbook or worksheet, and the AI tutor delivers a detailed explanation in seconds, available 24×7 at a flat fee of ₹999 per month for all classes 6 to 12. A 3-day free trial lets you test unlimited questions before committing. For offline practice, maintain a separate notebook for diagram practice—draw each diagram five times until you can label it perfectly without referring to the book. This muscle memory pays off in the exam hall when time is tight.

NCERT in-text activities: Three practical tasks with discussion questions—revise these for unit tests
NCERT Exemplar: Five extra MCQs and two long-answer questions on living creatures—solve these for deeper practice
Diagram notebook: Draw and label flower, root, and leaf diagrams repeatedly until you achieve neat, exam-ready sketches
CBSETUTOR.ai: Upload any Chapter 10 question via photo, get step-by-step solutions instantly, ₹999/month for Classes 6-12, 3-day free trial available

Revision Strategy and Time Management for Chapter 10

Allocate two focused study sessions of 45 minutes each to master Chapter 10. In the first session, read the NCERT text page by page, underlining key definitions (photosynthesis, respiration, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore) and making a two-column chart: 'Term | NCERT Definition'. In the second session, solve all end-exercise questions on paper without looking at solutions, then self-correct using the NCERT answer key or CBSETUTOR.ai explanations. One week before the exam, dedicate 30 minutes to diagram practice: draw the flower, root, and a complete plant (root-stem-leaf-flower) five times each. On the night before the exam, revise your two-column chart and skim the common-mistakes list on this page. During the exam, budget your time as follows: 1-mark questions should take 30 seconds each, 2-mark questions 2-3 minutes, 3-mark questions 4-5 minutes, and 5-mark case-based questions up to 8 minutes. If a question seems unfamiliar, skip it and return after completing all others; CBSE does not deduct marks for wrong answers in descriptive sections, so always attempt every question even if you are unsure. Write neatly, draw diagrams in pencil with a ruler, and underline key terms (photosynthesis, herbivore) in your answers to catch the examiner's eye. These small habits can add 2-3 bonus marks through better presentation.

Session 1 (45 min): Read NCERT, underline definitions, create a Term-Definition chart
Session 2 (45 min): Solve all end-exercises on paper, self-correct with answer key or AI tutor
One week before exam: 30 minutes of diagram drawing practice—flower, root, complete plant (5 times each)
Night before exam: Revise Term-Definition chart and common-mistakes list
Exam time budget: 1-mark=30 sec, 2-mark=2-3 min, 3-mark=4-5 min, 5-mark case=8 min
Presentation tips: Pencil diagrams, ruler for labels, underline key terms, attempt every question

Frequently asked questions

How many marks does Chapter 10 Living Creatures carry in CBSE Class 6 Science annual exam?+

Chapter 10 typically carries 5-7 marks in the CBSE Class 6 annual exam, distributed across one 1-mark MCQ, one or two 2-mark short-answer questions, and one 3-mark diagram-based or descriptive question. Some years include a 5-mark case-based integrative question.

What are the most important diagrams to practice for Chapter 10?+

Practice three diagrams: a labelled flower (sepal, petal, stamen, pistil), a root system showing main root and root hairs, and a complete plant with roots, stem, leaves, and flower. The flower diagram appears almost every year in CBSE Class 6 Science papers.

What is the difference between breathing and respiration for CBSE exams?+

Breathing is the physical act of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide through lungs or gills. Respiration is the chemical process inside body cells that uses oxygen to break down food and release energy. CBSE expects the term 'respiration' when discussing energy release.

How should I classify animals as herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore?+

Herbivores eat only plants (examples: cow, goat, deer). Carnivores eat only animals or meat (examples: lion, tiger, cat). Omnivores eat both plants and animals (examples: human, bear, crow). Memorise these NCERT examples because CBSE uses them in MCQs and case studies.

Why do I lose marks even when my answer is correct?+

Common reasons include writing only one point in a 2-mark question (you need two points), incomplete diagram labels, spelling errors in scientific terms, or vague language. Always structure answers into numbered points, label every part of a diagram, and use precise NCERT terminology.

What is photosynthesis, and how should I explain it in exams?+

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants make their own food using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. It occurs in the leaves. In exams, write: 'Green plants prepare food through photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide; they release oxygen as a by-product.'

Which part of the plant absorbs water and minerals?+

Roots absorb water and minerals from the soil. They also anchor the plant firmly in the ground. CBSE often asks this as a 1-mark MCQ or as part of a 2-mark 'two functions of roots' question.

How can CBSETUTOR.ai help me practice Chapter 10 questions?+

CBSETUTOR.ai offers 24×7 AI-powered doubt solving. You can upload a photo of any Chapter 10 question from your textbook, worksheet, or sample paper, and receive step-by-step solutions instantly. The service costs ₹999/month for all classes 6-12 and includes a 3-day free trial with unlimited question uploads.

What are common mistakes in diagram-based questions?+

Students often forget to label all required parts (e.g. missing sepal in flower diagram), draw labels inside the diagram instead of using pointer lines, use a pen instead of pencil, or write labels at an angle. Always use a sharp pencil, ruler-drawn horizontal labels, and point clearly to each part.

Are NCERT in-text questions important for CBSE exams?+

Yes. NCERT embeds three in-text activities in Chapter 10 with discussion questions. Many CBSE schools and periodic tests lift questions directly from these activities. Solve every in-text question along with the end-exercise to ensure complete coverage.

What is the best way to remember herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore examples?+

Create a three-column chart: Herbivore (Cow, Goat, Deer), Carnivore (Lion, Tiger, Cat), Omnivore (Human, Bear, Crow). Write this chart on a flashcard and revise it daily. CBSE MCQs often test whether you can correctly classify animals, especially tricky ones like bear (omnivore, not herbivore).

How much time should I spend on a 3-mark diagram question in the exam?+

Allocate 4-5 minutes for a 3-mark question. Spend 2 minutes drawing the diagram neatly in pencil, 1.5 minutes labelling all parts with a ruler, and 1.5 minutes reviewing that every required label is present and correctly spelled. Do not rush; neat diagrams earn full marks.

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