2. POINTS TO REMEMBER
• No spelling or grammar errors
• Stay close to the word limit prescribed
• Structure your thoughts and coherently express them (spend a few
minutes on making rough notes initially if needed)
• Stay within the theme of the topic
3. How to write essays in the ICSE English exam ?
• How to write essays in the ICSE English exam ?
• The key to tackling the essay section in the ICSE paper is staying
within the bounds already established. The absolute basics are –
keep your grammar and spellings in order. Each error, however tiny,
has a cascading effect not just in lowering the marks, but also
creating a wrong impression in the mind of the examiner. In a
subjective area like essays, this is quite important.
4. What points should I keep in mind while attempting essays in the ICSE
English exam ?
• What points should I keep in mind while attempting essays in
the ICSE English exam ?
• Sticking close to the prescribed word limits is another important
point. While you are not expected to count the words you have
written, you need to be over the minimum limit set. Again, do not
write more than necessary because you end up wasting precious
minutes and more importantly, you expose yourself to more
chances of spelling or grammatical errors.
5. • Types of Essays in ICSE
• Descriptive
• Narrative
• Argumentative
• Story Writing
• Picture Composition
6. • Narrative essay: In these types of essay questions, you are
expected to narrate an experience or an event. You can write from
the perspective of an observer or you could put yourself in the
shoes of a central character. Again, the basics of writing coherently
and sequentially are key. The examiners want to see how well you
can stitch your thoughts together and express them in a few words
within the time limit. As a tip, you may benefit from jotting down a
few rough thoughts in the first few minutes, putting them in a
coherent sequence and then begin writing the essay.
7. • Imaginative essay: For imaginative themes and topics, the
examiners want to see how you interpret the topic and where you
can take it. Remember that this is not a creative writing
competition, but an English examination, meant to test your grasp
of the language. Keep the basics of grammar, spellings and the
word and time limits in mind.
8. • Argumentative essay: In argumentative essays, the aim is to
provide your opinion based on facts and logic based on your life
experiences. Your aim is to be convincing with the thoughts and
opinions you will end up expressing.
• Descriptive essay: Like a narrative essay topic, you are expected
to describe a scene or an event from a third person perspective or
as a central character involved in the scene or event. Once you
select a topic like this on, spend a few minutes structuring your
thoughts and then start off writing.
9. • Original short story: This is a common type of essay topic which you can choose
to interpret as you like. The aim from the examiner’s perspective is to spark off
a chain of creative thought and see how well you can express that in a written
form. Bear in mind the basics of time management and word limits in the
examination setting. A lot of students find this form of essay writing very easy
while a lot of other students see this as typically too abstract to attempt.
• Picture composition: A picture composition is defined by the bounds of the
image in the exam paper and the how you interpret it. You can try to do an
objective narration of the situation shown in the picture and your thoughts
around it. You can also try and weave in the image as a part of a short story.
Unless you are comfortable attempting this form of essays, you might be better
off attempting some more topics.
10. • Question 1.
• Write a composition of (300 – 350 words) on any one of the topics given below:
• (a) Write an original short story in which two children and their Grandfather are the
main characters.
• (b) Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) must be installed in every classroom. Give your
views either for or against this statement.
• (c) Your class had to conduct a Morning Assembly. Write an account of how you prepared
for it, what your role was and what you gained from the experience.
• (d) Summers are becoming hotter with each passing year. Write a description of one
such very hot day. What did you see and hear as you walked outside? How were birds
and animals affected ?
• (e) Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of what it
suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture or you may
take suggestions from it; however, there must be clear connection between the picture
and your composition.
