ICSE Class 10 English Language Question Paper 2023

About this paper

This is the ICSE Class 10 English Language (English Paper 1) question paper from the 2023 examination, paper code T23 011. It carries 80 marks, gives two hours of writing time after 15 minutes of reading time, and has five compulsory questions. Question 1 is a 300–350 word composition from five topics, including a debate on whether school examinations test intelligence, a description of the school library and a picture. Question 2 is a choice of two letters, and Question 3 asks for a notice and an e-mail about remedial classes. Question 4 is a passage from Ruskin Bond about a missing school bell, with multiple-choice word meanings, and in Question 5 the sentence-joining and transformation parts are also multiple choice. Questions only.

Exam

ICSE Class 10

Subject

English Language

Year

2023

Paper code

T23 011

Maximum marks

80

Time allowed

2 hours + 15 min reading

Questions

5

Pages

8

Answers included

No, questions only

Paper pattern

• Question 1

  20 marks

  Composition of 300–350 words on one of five topics: a story, a personal account, a debate, a description or a picture

• Question 2

  10 marks

  One letter out of two: to your grandmother about moving house, or to a cinema manager asking for a film version of a syllabus book to be shown

• Question 3

  10 marks

  A notice about remedial classes for Classes IX and X (5 marks) and an e-mail inviting a neighbouring school's pupils (5 marks)

• Question 4

  20 marks

  Comprehension passage: three multiple-choice word meanings, five short answers and a 50-word summary (8 marks)

• Question 5

  20 marks

  Grammar: verb forms in a passage, prepositions, four multiple-choice sentence joinings and eight multiple-choice transformations

Topics covered

• Composition writing
• Picture composition
• Informal letter writing
• Formal letter writing
• Notice writing
• E-mail writing
• Reading comprehension
• Summary writing
• Verb forms and tenses
• Prepositions
• Joining sentences
• Sentence transformation

Questions from this paper

1. Imagine a situation where you get an opportunity to change one thing in your school. What would it be? Why do you want to change it? How would you bring about the change?
2. 'School examinations do not test intelligence.' Express your views either for or against this statement.
3. A certain book or chapter has been included in your syllabus, and a film version is now available. Write a letter to the Manager of a film theatre near your school requesting that the film be shown, and tell him or her why it will be beneficial to the students.
4. Write a notice to be put up in your school informing the pupils of Classes IX and X about the remedial classes to be held after school hours and asking them to register their names.
5. Why did suspicion fall on the Sports Captain?
6. In not more than 50 words, describe the effects of the lost bell.