On a reader’s request, here are some last-minute tips for writing your ICSE Class 10 English Literature Board Exam paper:
* Make sure to stick to the topic and answer only what has been asked in the question. Do not write the summary of the chapter/poem/act or points which are not at all required.
* While attempting the essay-type question, do not write the summary of the chapter/poem. Make sure your answer is detailed and do not hesitate to write even a small point that you feel is relevant to the question asked. According to us, your essay-type question should be approximately 3 to 4 pages long. Although I stress on the fact that quantity does not matter, while writing this answer you should have a minimum word limit that fits 3 pages. All the same, do consult your school teacher regarding the same.
* If you have been asked whether or not you agree with a given statement, make sure you write ‘yes‘ or ‘no‘, ex. the question is “Do you agree with the author that…?” and your answer should include, “Yes, I agree that…” or “No, I do not agree that…”. You may elaborate further after stating your agreement/disagreement.
* Write in a paragraph style form. Do not write in points in your English II paper.
* Make sure your handwriting is legible. 😀
* Leave a few lines before and after every answer so that you have space to fit in additional points in case you leave anything out and remember to write them later.
* Names of authors and/or poets are generally not asked, but it will help you to mention the name while writing your answers, ex. “If by Rudyard Kipling is an enlightening poem that…”
* Start a new answer on a new page. Do not worry about wasting paper. It helps your paper look neat. However, there is no need to leave a whole page blank if you have merely used the first couple lines, but then again, there’s no reason why you can’t!
These are some tips and pointers I feel can prove helpful when you write your ICSE English Literature Board Exam Paper. Keep visiting for more such tips for your upcoming board exams! 🙂
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Note: An updated and detailed version of this post is available on Quora in answer to the question, “Are there any tips for scoring 90+ in English literature ICSE boards 2018?”
Also see other posts on how to prepare for the ICSE 2019 Board Exams:
ICSE English I: Last-minute Tips before Board Exams
ICSE Biology: Last-Minute Tips before Board Exams
How to Write Your ICSE Board Exam Papers (TIPS)
Helpline for ICSE Students (Class 10) 
Should one write it’s name as signature in notice or letter?
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Hi Vikas,
You have to write a name to sign off in a letter. However, you are not supposed to sign off with a name in a notice.
Please go through the guidelines and samples for email, notice, and letter writing as officially published by the CISCE. They are available here for you to access: https://icsehelpline101.wordpress.com/resources/syllabus-2019/
Hope this helps. Let us know if you have further questions. Thanks for stopping by, and do keep visiting!
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List of specific questions and doubts expected to be answers and solved:
Eng 1:
1)Word limit in Letter Writing.
2)Name of the school & address (mentionedin the letters) shows the identity however the board tries in every way to keep it hidden from the examiner.Any problems with that ?If so,any solution?
3)Is’ Respected Sir ‘(forbidden in some books)allowed in Salutation?
4)Box type or Block Form & Traditional or Zigzag Patter are allowedfor letter writing ,as I’ve learnt.Different books and schools are deliberately changing and eithing using semi block or a mixture of the all.Allowed in the exam?
5)Sendee’s address to be in case a student,holding a resignation,is writing,on behalf of all the student, any letter to the Principal ?
The latest Pattern for letter writing uploaded and removed later on are also confusing.
6)Variety of patterns and styles for e-mail & notice writing ,adopted by different publishers making the answers quite confusing for the students.Any solutions?
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Hi Asok,
Thank you for your comment. We will do our best to help solve your queries in the least possible time. Expect a reply here with the answers within ten days.
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Hi Asok,
You will find an answer to most of your questions by going through the specimen for email and notice writing as well as guidelines for email, notice, and letter writing provided by the CISCE as applicable for the 2019 ICSE Board Exams.
They are available here for you to access easily: https://icsehelpline101.wordpress.com/syllabus-2019/
Check out all the three new links that we have included on the above page. We would recommend you follow what has been mentioned in the CISCE’s guidelines and specimens, as the same have been officially published on their website.
Do get back to us in case of any confusion. We will do our best to help. Keep visiting!
P.S. Do also stay connected via our Twitter handle, where we urge our readers to help answer questions such as yours.
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About the newly launched format of letter on the cisce
site…The format of letter which you have posted is to be same applied in the exam?
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Hi Vinayak,
Please clarify to which format posted by us you are referring.
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I want to ask that for the question answers can we use a couple of good and uncommon words and clauses and make it a bit different and impressive or should we use simple and common words. Please reply.
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Hi Adrita,
Thanks for stopping by!
For language papers, try to keep the language simple and understandable, but do make sure that you use appropriate vocabulary. You may use certain phrases/idioms, but don’t use informal or slang words. To be on the safe side, stick to relevant vocabulary but take it easy on the idioms, especially if you haven’t used them or heard them being used before.
Hope this helps! Let us know in case you have further questions. All the best, and do keep visiting. 🙂
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How should I write an answer to get full marks in it? Simple or hard english.
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Is there any rule to write answer in present tense for dramas like merchant of Venice
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Hi there,
We are not aware of any such rule. However, we shall get back to you if we ever come across such information in the future.
Thank you for stopping by!
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How much pages are required for a composition?? Are 2 pages enough including the outline??
please tell??
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hey I have aa dbt..actualy my signature in hallticket and in answer booklet is not actually same..bcz i slightly changed my sign..
so am little tensed..will they evaluate my paper?
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Pranitha,
Please contact your teachers at school and intimate them of the same. We are not aware of the exact requirements and steps to be taken in case of discrepancies.
Hope this helped! If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Keep visiting, and good luck for your exams! 🙂
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So the board exam for English 2 is just a few days away . I just wanna be 100% sure that questions from chapters asked in 2016 will not appear in 2017 paper.I mean to say no chapter from where questions have been asked last year , will again be asked.?????
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In English-II we are supposed to include the keywords in our answers.
But I don’t understand what are the keywords for a particular answer.
Can u please help?
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Hi Chaitanya!
Keywords are certain words that the examiner might be looking for, such as character traits of a particular character from the story/drama; important dates, names, or places; and other words that highlight the essence of the answer. Talk to your English II teacher to get better guidance regarding the keywords that are relevant to your syllabus. Or, you may go through sample answers of past papers and underline or make note of words that are frequently repeated.
Hope this helps! If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. 🙂
Thanks for visiting and stay connected!
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thanks blogger
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It’s a pleasure, Dhruv! 🙂
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While attempting the essay-type question,what we should write the whole chapter or the points which are relevant and in which tense
please help me boards are only few days away
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Dhruv,
Always answer according to what has been asked. Do not write the summary or the whole chapter. Make sure you stick to the relevant points that are in context with what is being asked! You receive marks for writing what has been asked of you, not for writing what you know. As for the tense, that depends on how the question has been framed. Answer according to what you deem appropriate.
Hope this helps! If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. 🙂
Good luck! Stay connected. 🙂
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Hi, I am very nervous for icse literature! I have gone through the plays! But I am still in nervousness for poemss!! Plzz suggest ne some tips!
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Himanshu,
Hi there! Worry not, my friend. 🙂
Exams are bound to bring with them a wave of stress and nervousness. It’s perfectly all right. Trust in yourself, keep revising, go through past question papers, go through your English workbook questions, make sure you know all the poets’/authors’ names, brush up on the symbolism used in poems, make sure you have the themes and characters down, and I think after all this, you can pretty much relax. 🙂 But, of course, keep revising.
Hope this helps! If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Good luck! Stay strong, be positive, and keep visiting. 🙂
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I’m appearing in boards this year and I have not yet completed my English syllabus please help me to prepare that
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Dhruv,
Hi there!
You will find useful tips and websites under “English I” and “English II” in the drop down box titled Categories/Subjects on the right side and bottom right of the blog’s desktop page.
Do go through those tips and websites as they will help you in your necessary preparation!
Hope this helped! If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Keep visiting! 🙂
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I know this isn’t the right place to ask, but I couldn’t find an appropriate post, so, do you happen to have any tips for the icse french paper? It is set in a manner similar to the language paper!
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Hi there!
Sorry, but we hadn’t opted for French during our tenth grade and neither did our school offer the same. Hence, we are not the right people to help you. Hopefully, you will find something else that is useful for you on our blog!
Thanks for visiting, et bonne chance! 🙂
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Hi, I’m sorry for posting here but I couldn’t find the appropriate post, but would you happen to have any tips for icse french? Any helpful websites and such? Because our french paper is very similar to the English language paper, and our essay accounts for 20 marks. Please help? And thank you so much for this site
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Hi there!
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you liked our blog!
Sorry to say this, but we hadn’t opted for French during our tenth grade and neither did our school offer the same. Hence, we are not the right people to help you. Hopefully, you will find something else that is useful for you on our blog!
Thanks for visiting, et bonne chance! 🙂
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Should i give the description of the characters also when it is asked like this”who said this to whom”..or only writing the name is sufficient.
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Mainik,
In my opinion, descriptions of the characters are not really necessary. It is better to be straightforward, mentioning who the person is and how he or she is related to the other person in question or to any other character in the play.
Hope this helped! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
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hey there..boards are just a day ahead..i m feeling very nervous..my only worry is dat m vry lazy so the day before exam i should not waste my time and instead concentrate on studying…will u plzz give me tips to have a better concentration??
and ty for your earlier answer..vry useful!! 🙂
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Reblogged this on Helpline for ICSE Students (Class X – Class 10) and commented:
2015 – Here’s a ‘last-minute guide’ to writing your English II paper!
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Hey i had a doubt…… Plz tell me how much to write for a specific answer. I mean if a question is for 3 marks how much shld be the content…i feel dat v r misguided so pls help
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Archana,
I am assuming that you wish to ask this question in relation to ‘English Literature.’
In English, though there is no specified rule regarding the quantity of content you have to write, I would suggest that an answer to a three-mark question should ideally be of four to five sentences or approximately eight lines. If the answer has to be to the point, for example when you have to mention who is saying the dialogue and to whom and what happens later in the act, the answer can be brief – one line for the former and three to four lines for the latter part of the question.
Hope this helps! If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
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