ICSE Class 10 Question Paper 2025 English Paper 1

ENGLISH LANGUAGE
(ENGLISH PAPER – 1)

Maximum Marks: 80

Time allowed: Two hours

1. Answers to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.

2. You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.

3. This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.

4. The time given at the head of this Paper is the time allowed for writing the answers.

5. Attempt all five questions.

6. The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].

7. You are advised to spend not more than 30 minutes in answering Question 1 and 20
minutes in answering Question 2.

Instruction for the Supervising Examiner

Kindly read aloud the Instructions given above to all the candidates present in the
Examination Hall.

This paper consists of 10 printed pages and 2 blank pages.
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© Copyright reserved.

Question 1
(Do not spend more than 30 minutes on this question.)
Write a composition (300 - 350 words) on any one of the following: [20]

(i) Write an original short story in which a poor tailor wins an award which
changes his/her life.

(ii) Your friends once played a harmless prank on you. Give an account of what
happened, your response to the prank and what you learnt from the experience.

(iii) Describe what you see and hear as you move about the corridors and
compound during your school break time. How does the scene change after
the bell rings?

(iv) ‘More collaboration, less competition is the need of the hour’.
Express your views either for or against this statement.

(v) 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 a clear
connection between the picture and your composition.

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Question 2 [10]
(Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.)
Select any one of the following:

(i) Your grandmother has taught you a special skill. Write a letter thanking her.
Explain how you will use that skill and why it is important to you.

(ii) There is no bus stop in your locality. Write a letter to the Municipal
Commissioner of your town/city complaining about the problem. Offer
possible solutions.

Question 3

(i) Your school is hosting an Inter School Story Writing Competition. Write a [5]
notice informing the students about the event.

(ii) Write an email to a famous person inviting him/her to be the Judge on the [5]
occasion.

Question 4

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:

A little later, when he went to the pump to wash, he saw the school children
pouring by with their satchels across their shoulders. They all wore the same
clothes – grey shorts or skirts and light blue shirts or blouses – faded and
mended, and they all had their hair oiled and combed down very flat. Some
went by in laughing, racing groups, others had to be led by their mothers or
grandparents to the school building. This reminded him of his sisters in the
village.

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The boys in the kitchen now looked at him with less hostility. Jagu seemed
pleased with Hari too, and sometimes handed him a glass of tea in the middle
of the day. When he had a few moments to spare, Jagu sat down at one of the 10
long wooden tables, drummed loudly on it and sang a song in a dialect Hari
did not know. When he caught Hari listening and smiling, he smiled back.
Then Hari knew that he too had a village somewhere that he called home. It
was just that he was a silent, hardworking, worried man and had no time and
no gift for speech.

It was the watch mender, Mr. Panwallah, who was truly a benefactor, the
kindest and most helpful of all. One afternoon, during those hot, still hours
when there were no customers for a change, Hari was standing in front of the
eating house, idly watching the traffic because he was too tired to do anything
else, and Mr. Panwallah called to him to come and sit beside him on the bench 20
behind the counter in his shop.

“Want to help?” he asked. “Want to learn how to make a clock tick? I’m just
going to open this big grandfather clock sent to me for repair – you’ll be able
to see the workings plain. Don’t often get a piece like this anymore – wall
clocks, yes, and electronic gadgets – but you don’t often come upon a
grandfather clock like this. It’s a real piece of luck, being able to show you
one of this size. Look,” he said, swinging open the door at the back and
revealing the machinery to a fascinated Hari who felt as if the door had opened
into a new and strange house. Mr. Panwallah showed Hari what was wrong
with it, what had made it stop. “Interesting, isn’t it? How would you like to 30
learn? Tell you what – I’ll take you on as an apprentice. You don’t have much
to do between two and four, do you? Of course you will have to ask Jagu first.
I can pay you a little, not much, and you can help me for two hours a day.
Perhaps I can make a watch mender of you.”
— Village by the Sea, Anita Desai

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(i) For each word given below choose the correct meaning (as used in the [2]
passage) from the options provided:

1. satchels (line 2)

(a) snatching

(b) scarves

(c) school bags

(d) sweaters

2. spare (line 10)

(a) share

(b) offer

(c) thin

(d) extra

(ii) Which word in the passage is the opposite of ‘closed’? [1]

(a) behind

(b) fascinated

(c) opened

(d) revealing

(iii) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words:

(a) How were the school children dressed? [2]

(b) In what way was Jagu kind to Hari? [2]

(c) What did the song tell Hari about Jagu? [2]

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(d) Which sentence in the passage tells us that Jagu was not a talkative man? [2]

(e) Why were there no customers at that time of the day? [1]

(iv) In not more than 50 words describe how Mr. Panwallah introduced Hari to [8]
watch mending.

Question 5

(i) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in [4]
brackets. Do not copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word or
phrase appropriate to the blank space.
Example:
One day we (0) ___________ (lift) the box up.
Answer: (0) lifted

We (1) __________ (find) a dead mouse (2) __________ (lie) among our
treasures. It (3) __________ (be) an exciting discovery. A boy took it up by
its tail and (4) __________ (wave) it in front of our faces.

“What shall we do with it?” he (5) __________ (cry). “It stinks!” someone
(6) __________ (shout).

“Throw it out of the window quick!”

He (7) __________ (hesitate). They all (8) __________ (look) at me.

(ii) Fill in the blanks with appropriate words. [4]

(a) My best friend, John is named __________ his grandfather.

(b) A grey mist hung __________ the fields.

(c) The little girl spoke __________ against the bully.

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(d) They accused him ___________ theft.

(e) The police got the fire ___________ control.

(f) There is a bridge ___________ the river.

(g) The driver jumped __________ the car.

(h) I have not seen my uncle __________ last summer.

(iii) Choose the correct option to make one complete sentence without using and, [4]
but or so.

1. These are fresh mangoes. I bought them yesterday.

(a) These are fresh mangoes which I bought yesterday.

(b) These mangoes were fresher when I bought them yesterday.

(c) These are fresh mangoes which were bought yesterday.

(d) These are fresh mangoes brought by me yesterday.

2. The debating teams were very happy. They were declared joint
champions.

(a) The debating teams were very happy as they have been declared
joint champions.

(b) The debating teams are very happy as they are declared joint
champions.

(c) The debating teams were very happy as they had been declared
joint champions.

(d) The debating teams will be very happy as they will be declared
joint champions.

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3. The rain came down. All the people ran away.

(a) When the rain came down, all the people ran away.

(b) When it rained, the people ran away.

(c) The rain had come down all the people ran away.

(d) The rain having come, all the people ran away.

4. The disciple was wise. The teacher did not trust him.

(a) Although the disciple was wise yet the teacher trusted him.

(b) Although the disciple was not wise the teacher trusted him.

(c) Although the disciple is wise, the teacher trusted him.

(d) Although the disciple was wise, the teacher did not trust him.

(iv) Choose the correct option and rewrite the sentence according to the instruction [8]
given after each.
1. The teacher said, “Come early tomorrow, the examination begins at eight
o’clock.”
(Begin: The teacher told us to………)

(a) The teacher told us to come early the next day as the examination
would begin at eight o’clock.

(b) The teacher told us to come early tomorrow as the examination
begins at eight o’clock.

(c) The teacher told us the examination will begin at eight o’clock so
come early tomorrow.

(d) The teacher told us to come by eight o’clock as the examination
will begin early the next day.

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2. Rahul not only plays the guitar but also the drums.
(Use: ‘as well as’)

(a) Rahul plays the guitar as well as the drums.

(b) Rahul plays the guitar as well the drums.

(c) Rahul plays the guitar as well as he does the drums.

(d) Rahul play’s the guitar and the drums as well.

3. She said she would not be available.
(Add a question tag)

(a) Didn’t she say that she would not be available?

(b) She said she would not be available, did she?

(c) She said she would not be available, didn’t she?

(d) She said she would not be available, wouldn’t she?

4. This is the most beautiful painting in the exhibition.
(Begin: No other……)

(a) No other painting is as beautiful as this exhibition.

(b) No other painting in this exhibition is beautiful.

(c) No other painting is beautiful as this painting in the exhibition.

(d) No other painting in the exhibition is as beautiful as this one.

5. I prefer aerobics to yoga.
(Use: ‘rather’)

(a) I would rather do aerobics to yoga.

(b) I would rather do aerobics than yoga.

(c) I would rather prefer aerobics than yoga.

(d) I would rather do yoga than aerobics.

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6. The coach taught the children the rules of the game.
(Begin: The rules………)

(a) The rules have being taught by the coach to the children.

(b) The rules of the game have been taught by the children to the coach.

(c) The rules of the game is taught by the coach to the children.

(d) The rules of the game were taught by the coach to the children.

7. No sooner did the film star arrive than the crowd cheered.
(Begin: As soon as………)

(a) As soon as the film star arrived then the crowd cheered.

(b) As soon as the film star arrives the crowd starts cheering.

(c) As soon as the crowd cheers the film star arrives.

(d) As soon as the film star arrived the crowd cheered.

8. School bags are often too heavy for students to carry.
(Use: ‘so’)

(a) School bags are so heavy students cannot carry them.

(b) School bags are often so heavy that students cannot carry them.

(c) School bags are often so heavy for students to carry.

(d) School bags are heavy so students cannot carry them.

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