ISC 2023 English Language Question Paper for Class 12

About this paper

This is the ISC Class 12 English Paper 1 (Language) from the 2023 board examination, code 1223-801A. It carries 80 marks and lasts three hours, with an extra fifteen minutes for reading only. All four questions are compulsory. Question 1 is a composition of about 400–450 words on any one of six subjects, for 20 marks. Question 2 asks for an article of about 300 words on noise pollution and a proposal of not more than 150 words for a Food Club. Question 3 tests sentence transformation, suitable words and verb forms, five marks each. Question 4 is a comprehension on a passage adapted from David Michie's The Dalai Lama's Cat Omnibus, with vocabulary, short answers and a summary of about 100 words. This copy has the questions only.

Exam

ISC Class 12

Subject

English Language

Year

2023

Paper code

1223-801A

Maximum marks

80

Time allowed

3 hours + 15 min reading

Questions

4

Pages

5

Answers included

No, questions only

Paper pattern

• Question 1

  20 marks

  Composition of about 400–450 words on any one of six subjects

• Question 2

  25 marks

  Article of about 300 words on noise pollution (15 marks) and a proposal of not more than 150 words (10 marks)

• Question 3

  15 marks

  Sentence transformation, filling blanks with a suitable word, and verb forms, five marks each

• Question 4

  20 marks

  Comprehension on a passage from The Dalai Lama's Cat Omnibus: vocabulary, four short answers and a summary of about 100 words

Topics covered

• Descriptive and narrative composition
• Argument and reflection
• Short story writing
• Article writing
• Proposal writing
• Sentence transformation
• Phrasal verbs and prepositions
• Verb forms
• Reading comprehension and vocabulary
• Summary writing

Questions from this paper

1. You had to cycle home through the town on the day of a festival. Describe the sights, the sounds and the mood of the people around you, and your feelings at the end of the ride.
2. A college degree is needed to succeed in life. Argue for or against this statement.
3. One cannot always get what one wants, and sometimes it is for the best. Present your reflections on this statement.
4. Write an original short story that begins: "My mother stopped suddenly at the doorway and stared in amazement at…"
5. As editor of your school magazine, write an article of about 300 words on noise pollution: its causes, its effects on living creatures, and measures to reduce it.
6. What did the favourite treat of creamy pudding do to the narrator, and how did the journalist react when the narrator flew past her face?