ICSE 2017 English Language Question Paper for Class 10

About this paper

This is the ICSE Class 10 English Language (English Paper 1) question paper from the 2017 examination, paper code T17 011. It gives two hours of writing time after 15 minutes of reading time and has four compulsory questions. Question 1 offers five composition topics of 350–400 words, among them a story about a black car parked across the road on a rainy night, a debate on whether school days are the happiest days of our lives, and a picture. Question 2 is a choice of two letters, Question 3 is a comprehension passage in which a stranger insists that Bipin Chowdhury once visited Ranchi, and Question 4 tests grammar. The bracketed marks total 80. This copy has the questions only, without answers.

Exam

ICSE Class 10

Subject

English Language

Year

2017

Paper code

T17 011

Maximum marks

80

Time allowed

2 hours + 15 min reading

Questions

4

Pages

7

Answers included

No, questions only

Paper pattern

• Question 1

  25 marks

  Composition of 350–400 words on one of five topics: a story, a debate, a personal narrative, a description or a picture

• Question 2

  10 marks

  One letter out of two: to the Municipal Commissioner about loose electric wires near the school gate, or to your grandmother about an inter-school event

• Question 3

  25 marks

  Comprehension passage: three word meanings, six short answers (2 marks each), a 60-word summary and a title with reason

• Question 4

  20 marks

  Grammar: verb forms in a passage, prepositions, joining sentences and eight sentence transformations

Topics covered

• Composition writing
• Picture composition
• Formal letter writing
• Informal letter writing
• Reading comprehension
• Vocabulary in context
• Summary writing
• Verb forms and tenses
• Prepositions
• Joining sentences
• Sentence transformation

Questions from this paper

1. Write an original short story that begins with the words: "It was raining hard that night. In my hurry to get into the house, I didn't notice the black car parked across the road. I realized something was wrong when..."
2. "School days are the happiest days of our lives." Express your views either for or against this statement.
3. A number of loose electric wires are hanging from a lamp post near the main gate of your school. Write a letter to the Municipal Commissioner explaining the problem and the danger it poses, and suggest a quick solution.
4. What strong argument did Bipin Babu give to prove that he was not in Ranchi at that time?
5. In not more than 60 words, describe the memories of the trip that Parimal Ghose evokes to prove that Bipin Babu was indeed in Ranchi.
6. Rewrite 'He was so tired that he could not stand.' using 'too'.