icse english language essay topics

20 Composition Topics For ICSE English Language Paper

Composition writing is a part of the ICSE English Language exam. There are various types of essays in ICSE English Language:

Narrative Essay

Descriptive essay, argumentative essay.

• Picture Composition

You can use your creativity and write the best compositions on the topics given below. Practise more and get your grades!

These essays are usually written from the first-person point of view and are mostly about a topic personal to the writer. The purpose of this composition is to narrate about a set of events or interactions as experienced by the writer. You should avoid the second person narrative.

Narrative Essay Topics:

You are asked to narrate about a time in your life when you were expected to perform well but for some reason you faltered. Narrate what exactly happened and the lessons you learned from it.

Think of an embarrassing moment in your life. Narrate your way of dealing with it and coping with the thought. How will you overcome it and forget about it?

Think about a teacher who has played an important role in your student years. How will you thank him or her and how did they impact you? Share examples.

Think about when you were stuck in a traffic jam for a long time. Narrate your experience and mention how you passed your time.

Narrate a situation where you found difficulty in travelling from one place to another. How did you manage to reach your destination and where were you going?

People often get confused between a narrative essay and a descriptive essay. However, there is a difference between the two. In a narrative essay, you narrate something. A descriptive essay requires you to provide an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Descriptive Essay topics:

• Describe your favourite place in the whole world.
• Whom do you love the most in your family? Describe how you feel with that person.
• Describe the reason you love your house and what makes it so special!
• Imagine a time when you successfully accomplished your goal. Describe the steps you followed to make it come true.
• Life revolves around people. Describe someone whom you have bonded well with and share your thoughts.

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An argumentative essay requires you to build support and evidence for an argument. Logically provide details of why you agree to a particular stance and have a solid thesis statement. Write the essay with well-researched facts. This type of essay is also a part of the ICSE English language curriculum.

Argumentative Essay Topics:

• Teenagers today are more worldly wise than their parents. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
• Plastic bags are convenient for people hence they need not be discontinued. Explain your views for or against this statement.
• Fewer and fewer people read books nowadays. Mention the reasons and give suggestions for its improvement.
• Schools must allow students to carry mobile phones. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
• Money is not always a good thing. Mention your views for or against this statement.

Picture composition

A picture composition requires you to look at a picture and then write about it. You can talk about whatever you see in the picture and use your skills to come up with a beautiful answer. ICSE students are often asked to write a picture composition. These are some wonderful images below. As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words!

Look at the following pictures below and write an account or story of what you can observe and understand by just looking at it. What are the thoughts which crop up in your mind?

Manage & Share Options

We hope that these essay topics are interesting for you. Do keep practising composition writing because practice makes perfect. Try to do at least one or two topics every week so that you are well prepared in advance.

Writing a composition is not difficult at all. As you keep practising and learning you will definitely begin to enjoy it more and more. If you need further help in your ICSE English literature and language then please reach out to Aneetta Class personal english tuitions.

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How to write good essays for ICSE Class 10 (Samples, Books, Topics)

April 14, 2018 by studymumbai Leave a Comment

As part of ICSE Class 10 board exams, students are required to write a composition (essay) of around 300 to 350 words from a choice of subjects. The idea is to see how well students can describe, explain, present ideas coherently, arrive at conclusions and suggest solutions. Here are more tips and suggestions to help ICSE students master the art of answering/writing essay questions.

How to Write a Good Essay for ICSE Class X

Lot of students look for sample essays that can come in the for class 10 ICSE exam. However, instead of trying to guess, which topics come, a better approach is to learn how to structure an essay, and so some general reading on current topics.

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Here’s how to write a good essay for ICSE. Here are some hints on how to prepare for important essay topics:

• Read newspaper headlines. Usually, the Essays seem to be based on current hot topics/burning issues
• Have some information about current incidents, in politics, sports etc
• Learn how to structure an essay.

Read: How to write essay in Competitive Exams

• You would be given multiple options of essay topics. Take some time reading those topics and pick the one you’re most comfortable with.
• You can also buy ‘last 10 years question paper’ book and go through all the essays and letters to understand the style of writing, the way introduction and conclusion should be written.

With this approach, you will surely be able to write on any topic.

Essay Topics for Class X Exam

The ICSE Class X English language exam normally provides five essay topics. Pick the topic you are most comfortable with and you think you know more about.

If you take a look at the past question papers, you will see that the Essay topics are not usually repeated. It means you don’t have to by-heart any particular essay.

What they are looking for is a decent structure, they are not keen to know whether you have a mastery of the topic.

Having said that, be aware of current incidents and controversies in India, which could be one of the essay topics.

Possible topics for ICSE Class X (just have some basic idea about these and maybe practice writing on a few of these):

In the past ‘Science and Technology in Modern Society’ or ‘Comparison of various education systems’ have been hot topics. Other likely topics include demonetization in India, world peace, democracy, advent of selfies, human rights, etc.

Here are some more topics:

Artificial intelligence -job creator or job destroyer

Feminization of agriculture

Women empowerment-men have to walk extra mile

Globalisation and climate change cause or effective

Water scarcity where the buck stops.

Appo deepo bhavo

Rule of law or human rights -which comes first

Science and ethics -antagonism or synergy.

Judicial activism overeach or under performance of other two wings

Media and rule of law -two means to an end.

Fight against poverty, pollution, terrorism

Tiger, an endangered species

Child labour

Memorable day in school

Importance of sports in school life

My favourite pet

Global warming

Importance of reading

Your ambition in life

Swachchh bharat/Plastic bags/ Hygiene

Views on Fashion or show-off

Corporal punishment in school

Views on animal cruelty in circuses

Role of mother in life

TV/Computer/Mobile-boon or bane?

Nuisance by animals in public places

Interviewing a famous person

One day experience as your favourite fictional character

Trip to a hill station

A day visit to an orphanage/old age home

Story on ‘every cloud has a silver lining’

Detective story on a stolen antique

Women empowerment(with reference to Beti Bachao Beti Padhao)

Story titled ‘The gift’.

Good Books on Writing Essays

Here are a few good books on essay writing that can give your more ideas on how to write good essays, and help you to practice better.

• CBD’s ICSE Model English Essays (by Dr A.K.Mukherjee)
• Essay writing for high school -Essay writing for high school
• Cracking the English Essays For ICSE Class 10 Board Exams (by Madhuri Shukla)

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Descriptive Essay Topics ICSE Board Exams

Here we have covered previous Year Descriptive Essay Writing Topics asked in ICSE board exams.

• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2016
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2015
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2014
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2013
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2012
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2011
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2010
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2009
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2008
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2007
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2006
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2005
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2004
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2003
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2002
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2001
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 2000
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 1999
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 1998
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 1996
• Descriptive Essay Topic ICSE 1991
• Descriptive Essay Topic – A Day When Everything Went Wrong In School
• Descriptive Essay Topic – A Visit To A Bus Station
• Descriptive Essay Topic – The Scene At The Railway Station
• Descriptive Essay Topic – An Entertainment Programme Organised On Teacher’s Day
• D escriptive Essay Topic – You Have Just Returned From A Cyclone-Affected Area
• Descriptive Essay Topic – A Visit To A Historical Place
• Descriptive Essay Topic – A Visit To A Hill Station
• Descriptive Essay Topic – The Most Exciting Day In My Life

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Descriptive Writing for Class 10 ICSE Format, Topics, Examples, Samples

August 18, 2020 by Sastry

Descriptive Writing: A description is a piece of writing that elaborates a person, place, thing, feeling or state of mind. This outlines the understanding of a person about the thing to be described. It encompasses the factual details in a vivid manner. The person who is describing must know all the concerned facts about the thing to be described. The language should be kept simple so that the message can be conveyed in an easy way. In the examination, word limit for the descriptive composition is 300-350 and it consists of 20 marks weightage.

Looking for an easy way to Learning of  English Grammar Exercises for Class 10 ICSE . You have to learn basic English Grammer topics like Tenses Verbs, Nouns, etc… In this article, we will review the best English Grammer Topics and compare them against each other.

Points to be Kept in Mind While Writing a Description

• Make sure that you note down some ideas before you begin describing it.
• Use clear and concise language.
• Remember, if you are describing something, you need to be appealing to the senses of the reader. Explain how the thing smelled, felt, sounded, tasted or looked.
• Describe emotions or feelings related to your topic. This will connect you with the reader on a deeper level.
• Leave the reader with a clear impression. It should evoke a strong sense of familiarity and appreciation in the reader.
• Always present an organised and logical description.

Sample Description 1

Question 1. There has been heavy rain in your city/town. You went to school but found that it was closed because of the rain. Describe the sights and sounds near the school and narrate how you finally reached home and spent the rest of the day. Answer: It had been raining very heavily since last night. The whole night it was raining and pouring, lightening striking and sound of thunder terrifying us. Next day, the streets and roads had flooded but still I decided to go to school as I never wanted to miss it. I got ready, took a raincoat and left for my school. At some places, the water was knee deep and very few people could be seen at the roads.

While going to school I saw that there was water everywhere. The roads had disappeared under the water and one could cross it only by walking through it. I did so. I saw no student of my school on the way but Mr Sharma was going. He teaches Maths at our school and rarely takes leave. Though the rain had stopped, water drops were falling from the tree leaves as if it were raining. The sky had again become dark with heavy clouds suggesting that it could rain anytime again, so I started walking fast.

When I reached school, I found a big notice announcing that the school was closed for that day as water had entered the ground and the classrooms as well. There were some other students who had ventured to reach school inspite of all odds. Anyway as there was no school, we all decided to enjoy the day. As there was water all around, we made paper boats and floated them in the ground.

There were some vehicles on the road which were trying to make way in spite the road being submerged in water. We enjoyed the water splashed by these moving vehicles and cheered up. Far off I could hear the sound of frogs and some birds who were sitting on the branches of tree, chirping and feeding their young ones. It was fun wading through the water, sometimes falling down also.

After enjoying for two hours, I reached home. My mother was terrified to see me all wet and asked me to change immediately so that I might not catch cold. She prepared hot coffee and hot sandwiches to start with. As I was very hungry, I ate all that my mother had offered. As there was no school, I requested my mother to allow me to play games on my ipad. She allowed me to play for one hour and then I was told to read some book. My mother prepared some pakoras and samosas and it was enjoyed the most by me. It was a really enjoyable day and a welcome break from boring routine of attending school every day.

Sample Description 2

Question 2. Describe your visit to a slum area and express your concern how poverty has affected our society. Answer: Poverty is one of the major problems in India. It is the root cause of many socio-economic problems including population explosion, unemployment, child labour, rising graph of crimes etc. In order to survive, a person needs proper food, clothing, shelter, healthcare and education. Thus, poverty is a state when a person fails to acquire these minimum levels of subsistence and in turn suffers from malnutrition or starvation.

In my visit to a slum near my college, I saw that 90 per cent of the residents of the slum can barely manage the meal for one time. They had just two pairs of clothes and they wore them every day. Their kids defecated in the same clothes and remained in them the whole day. Areas around the slum were very dirty and unhygienic.

Poverty has been an inevitable problem since time immemorial. From late 19th century through early 20th century, under British colonial rule, poverty in India intensified, peaking in 1920s. Over this period, the colonial government, de-industrialised India by banning the production of garments and other finished products manufactured by artisans in India. The problem of poverty persists because of a number of loopholes in the system.

The encouragement of non-governmental organisations and private sector individuals in tackling poverty is imperative, as the state cannot do anything alone. Poverty is more of social marginalisation of an individual or group in the society rather than inadequacy of income to fulfil the basic needs. Economic growth will not reduce poverty unless it is inclusive.

Poor Welfare Programmes introduced by the government plays a major role to eradicate poverty from the society. The Government of India has launched some schemes namely MGNREGA, Gramin Awas Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, Garib Kalyan Yojana etc aiming at uplifting the life of the poor, which are seen as a sure shot method to counter the problem of poverty.

Descriptive Writing Exam Practice Worksheets

Question 1. You had been waiting outside the examination hall. Describe what you saw and the sounds you heard when you arrived at the place. What were your feelings? Describe how the scene changed once you entered the hall and the examination started. Answer: Examinations sap the examinees of energy and make them sleepless for nights. But then, it has not so far been possible to devise a better way of judging their ability. So, they are a necessary evil which all students have to undergo.

It is strange that an examinee’s ability has to be judged in just three hours. Obviously, there is no better way to judge ability. All who study know that they will have to appear in the examinations one day. They have had to work hard for months together. As the crucial day arrives, they reach the examination hall in tension.

A few minutes before the start of the first paper of my Board examination, I saw a strange scene outside the examination hall. An eerie silence prevailed there. The examinees were carrying their books and notes in their hands which they had already mugged up and were now trying to recall all they had mugged up.

Most of the examinees were not inclined to talk to anybody. But a few, sitting or standing in groups of two or three, were seen discussing some points. I did not form a group, but stood alone to wait for the Supervisor to turn up.

Even the dullest students appeared to be great scholars outside the examination hall. They were poring over their books most attentively. Some of them may have been thinking of devising some means of copying or how to behave if they were caught copying.

Most of the students reached the examination hall well before time. They looked at the notice-board to find out their room and even tried to locate their seats. Some of them brought to the notice of the superintendent where they found a discrepancy from what they had been informed about earlier. A few examinees reached the hall late and entered in a state of great excitement. The supervisor was lenient and accommodated them.

As soon as the bell rang, all the students entered the hall. Finally, I entered the hall. Unlike other students, I went inside with all the materials required for the exam and said my prayers. This brought peace to my agitated mind and I completed the paper successfully.

Question 2. You witnessed a cruel side of humans towards animals. Write a detailed write up about animal cruelty and why it should be stopped. Answer: While returning home from my morning walk today, I saw a few men throwing stones at a pregnant bitch. I went there and asked what the matter was, to which they replied that the bitch comes and sits in front of their house and cries, so they were shooing her away because her crying disturbs them. I requested them not to throw stones at her anymore but they didn’t listen to me.

One stone hurt her womb making her fall down and howl in pain. This infuriated me and I threatened to call the police. As a result, they stopped hitting the bitch. I rushed to the bitch to see whether she is fine or not, but by the time I reached there the bitch had passed away. I felt really sad and helpless that day.

There have been numerous incidents of animal cruelty. An animal that is used to roam around freely cannot live in a cage or a small enclosure.

There is no doubt that a great deal of cruelty to animals is due to our mindset that animals are happy as long as they are well fed. Everything on this Earth has a well defined purpose, thus, there is need to have strong laws for protecting the rights of animals. Only then, they can be saved from man’s greed and selfishness and the balance of nature can be maintained.

How can we humans be so insensitive after all, that we find pleasure in hurting the innocent animals, who cannot fight for themselves, that are incapable of speech and are absolutely helpless in front of a man’s strength. From a very young age, children should be taught how to be compassionate towards the animals and how to respect the rights of other living things and love all the creations of nature.

More NGOs and healthcare centres for animals should be set up, as it would help in treating the sick and stray animals that have no one else to look after them.

There can be thousands of ways to protect the animals but that would happen only if we pledge to do something for them and stop all cruel activities which involve the maltreatment of animals. It is never too la.te for a great beginning. We, the people of this nation, can take a step towards this noble cause and contribute for the betterment of the animals in our country.

Question 3. Describe your favourite hobby and state why you love to do so. Answer: A hobby is something we do out of love and not under any compulsion. It is always joyful and satisfactory when one’s hobby becomes one’s profession, but not everytime one can make it possible. My favourite hobby is reading novels. It is said “Reading is to mind, what exercise is to the body”. I truly believe that books have contributed extensively in making me a better person.

In a time when the computers and mobile phones are ruling the roost, people have let go off their reading habits. People are so busy that they hardly get time to give a thought to pen and paper. However, those who developed reading as a hobby are aware of the countless advantages associated with it.

My habit of reading developed at an early age, when my mother read out stories to me from the story books. As I heard the stories, I got completely involved in them and as I grew up, I began the practice of reading. I used to imagine everything I read. And slowly and gradually it became an undistractable passion of me.

In my readings, I have been a thing who has won nations, I have been an angel helping the needy and I have travelled the farthest of the universe and have met millions of aliens. Additionally, once I start to read the novel, the only motive is to reach the end of the novel because it makes me wonder what might have happened at the end. When I read, I can exactly relate the authors feelings, experience and his intention in delivering the message.

My reading is not limited to any particular genre. I read everything from Shakespeare to Arundhati Roy, for that matter, I also like reading newspaper. “If book is well written, I always find it too short,” exclaimed Jane Austen and such is the case with me. So, everyone in today’s world should instil the reading habits in themselves as that would not only improve their language but would also help them in becoming a better person.

Question 4. You went to Egypt for a trip and visited the Great Pyramid of Giza. Describe the Great Pyramid of Giza. Answer: The longest of Egypt’s many ancient pyramids, the Great Pyramid of Giza, is situated 16 kilometres East of Cairo in the Giza plains. The base of the pyramid is 70 square metres in area. However, the apex is missing and there is no historical record of one having ever existed.

There is no surviving record as to when, how or by whom the Great Pyramid was constructed. It has usually been accepted that it was built sometime in the third millennium BC but many modern scholars mention that at that time the engineering skills of the Egyptians were inadequate for such a gigantic undertaking. Moreover, the design of the pyramid incorporated certain mathematical formulae that were unknown at that time.

Apart from the mystery of its origins, the Great Pyramid possesses mysterious properties. Modern visitors have noticed the mummified remains of small animals which had evidently wandered into it.

Despite the strangely humid atmosphere of the king’s . chamber, the bodies had not decayed but had been preserved through dehydration. This observation gave rise to the idea that the pyramid shape itself has played a part in the marvellous preservation of the mummified bodies.

Recently, much research has been done on the physical properties of the shape of a pyramid and great many experiments have been carried out with pyramids of various sizes and materials, ranging from proper models, a few centimetres high to outdoor constructions of wood and plastic, large enough for a person to sleep in.

Most amazing results have been recorded as food is preserved, milk turns to yoghurt, plants grow more quickly, blunt razors are sharpened, toothache is cured and those who meditate, attain an exalted state of consciousness when living in a pyramid. It seems that a special energy field is created by the pyramid shape and this accumulates towards the apex.

Question 5. Recently you visited ‘Bandhavgarh National Park’. Describe your visit. Answer: Recently, during autumn break, my family planned to visit Bandhavgarh National Park which is one of the popular parks situated in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. My father planned everything and had booked two rooms in a resort situated near the park. We went by our own car as it is more convenient for family outings.

We started our journey early morning around 5 am and in between we stopped only for breakfast and lunch. At round 6:15 pm, we reached the resort. We decided to rest for the night and go around the park the next day. Bandhavgarh has one of the highest density of Bengal Tigers known in the world and a famous natural hub for white tigers. Our very first three hour drive in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve had converted us into total tiger devotees.

The next day, our chance sighting of a large male tiger, named Charger, the undisputed hero of Bandhavgarh, was the highlight of our entire trip. We realised that our guide Dewan, was a terrific tiger tracker. His mind worked like that of a tiger.

It was he who helped us spot Charger. It was a massive creature, royal in stature, assured of itself, walking with a care-a-damn attitude and a full ‘ stomach. Charger demonstrated his masculanity as he marked his territory at regular intervals. Over the next two days, we happened to see Charger twice again.

On the last day, on the elephants back, we were taken very close to yet another tigeress and her two full grown cubs.

Four days, ten individual tigers, sixteen sightings, we could not ask for more. Bandhavgarh had more to it than just tigers. During the safari drive, we got opportunities to watch three species of vultures, lesser adjutant and woolly-necked storks, the resident brown fish owl, green pigeons, peacock and peahens of all shapes and sizes and the famous malabar pied hornbills. The total number of bird species recorded in the area is nearly 25. It was an experience of life-time and worth the effort. I will cherish those memory for a long time to come.

Question 6. Describe an early morning walk through your city or town in winter. Give details of the smells, sights, sounds and feelings you experienced. Answer: A morning walk is very rewarding. It is only at this time in the cities when the roads are not crowded. There is hardly any traffic. One can enjoy the walk in the lap of nature. As one walks, one’s worries and anxieties vanish away. The sheer delight of the movement is enough to make the day.

I go for morning walk with my friends to a nearby park where we take two or more rounds of the walking path. As we set out from our home, we see the street deserted except for a few walkers like us. There are couples in track suits and sports shoes walking briskly along. There are also groups of elderly men gossiping and laughing among themselves. Youngsters are seen wearing ear phones and jogging to their favourite songs.

In the quietness of the morning, I can hear the chirping of the birds, parrots and pigeons. They are seen flying from one branch of a tree to another. Amidst the sheet of thin white fog, the colourful flowers in the park give solace to the heart and a feast to the eyes. The fragrance of the sweet smelling flowers fills my mind with freshness.

The pure fresh air of the morning devoid of the poisonous gases exhaled by the innumerable vehicles running to and fro in the city streets gives a boost to the body to battle the day’s hectic schedule. Gradually, penetrating through the dense fog, the first rays of the sun glim and shine across the park.

Now, the body begins to respond well to the movements of the limbs and the flow of fresh, cool air one breathes. The momentum now sets in and the legs appear to walk effortlessly. One feet glides over the other as if trying to be the first to land ahead.

An hour later, it is time to stop as the empty stomach demands attention. By the time we return from our walk, many tea-stalls and sweet shops are open making fresh sweets and snacks. We stop at our favourite shop where we indulge in hot tea and samosas. Words are insufficient to describe the feelings one undergoes during winter morning walks and the experience of indulging in hot and tempting snacks after that.

Question 7. You were on a school trip and were on your way back to the hotel late night when your school bus, full of children, broke down in a deserted place. Describe what you saw and experienced as you looked around. How was the problem solved? Answer: We had been looking forward to our school trip from the very first day in class X. Every year, our school plans tours lor every class and it is always a special affair. This year, we went to Nainital for three nights and four days. We left for Nainital late in the night. We reached our hotel in the morning and after breakfast, our teachers advised us to take some rest. After some rest, we got ready and gathered for lunch. After lunch, we left for local sight seeing. We also did some shopping from the local markets. It was evening then and our teachers gathered us for dinner.

We dined at a local restaurant which was famous for its food.

It was dark when we left for our hotel where we were staying. Singing songs, we had hardly reached half way when suddenly the bus broke down. It was 11 pm and we were in a deserted place.

The driver left the bus to find a garage so that he could get it fixed. The hills and trees outstretched on both the sides. It was quite frightening.

Our teachers were also worried but they kept themselves calm and instructed us to remain quiet and not to make any noise, as it may draw attention of anti-social elements. At a distance of 200 metres; we saw some light, for there were lamps burning. We all moved towards it with some hope. On reaching there, we saw a group of friends who were camping there. They were singing, dancing and enjoying themselves around the bonfire. When we approached them and explained our unpleasant state, they were ready to help us.

They asked all the students to use their tents. We all had such a nice time dancing, singing and sharing some of our school experiences with them. It became the most memorable trip ever.

Then noodles were prepared and everyone enjoyed their late night noodles around the bonfire. We were awake until the first rays of the sun indicated that it was morning. The bus was redeemed and so we all bade our goodbyes to the lovely people who helped us and made our trip an exciting adventure to be cherished life-long.

Question 8. People play a very important role in our lives. Describe in vivid detail, any one person and show how he/she has been a very special influence in your life. Answer: When reflecting on personal influences in my life, no one has had a greater impact than my father. He is and always continues to be a role model for me. He always stands by my side. Whenever I fall down, he encourages me to stand up by myself and on my own feet.

I have always admired his open mind, compassion and sense of understanding. He is a very reserved man but has a great sense of humour and always knows how to put a smile on my face. One good lesson my dad has taught me is that you most likely won’t have the answer to everything but that is what life is for, to learn from your mistakes and find those answers you are looking for. From him, I also learned that to make people hear you, you need to speak.

My father has always taught me the right behaviour. I still remember the day when my father sat next to me and said, “Hey son, the most important thing to help you to become a successful person is your honesty. Never lie to anyone and never lie to yourself.” After saying that, he slowly explained the value of honesty. He told me that every bad situation in the world began with a lie. When a person steals something, he lies to the law, or when a husband cheats on his wife, he lies to his life. I always think back on these words whenever I am in trouble.

In every aspect of my life, my father continuously pushes me to excel. Whenever I feel like giving up, or have a question or a concern, I know I can always call on him for advice. His teachings are a cure for my selfishness. He taught me to consider everyone as a part of my family and to love people by sharing and giving.

From him, I have learned that sometimes you have to put other’s needs ahead of your own but not to the point that they start taking advantage of you. His strength seems to be unbreakable during hard times and he is extremely determined to accomplish anything he sets his mind on.

I hold great esteem for how he stands up for what he believes in and never backs down. I am, what I am because of him and whatever I will achieve in my life will be credited to him.

Question 9. Think of a time when you achieved a personal goal. Say why the goal was important to you and how you achieved it. Describe how you felt on achieving it. Answer: All members of my family were extremely ecstatic when I showed them my appointment letter mentioning my selection for the post of aeronautical engineer in HAL in Mumbai. I was proud to be among the elite ten who had been selected from thousands of applicants from across the country. It was indeed a matter of great pride and a dream comes true for me.

Ever since I was a child, I had nurtured this personal goal of becoming an aeronautical engineer. As a child, I had a special fascination for planes and what made them fly, their mechanisms and everything related to them. I would sit for hours drawing figures of planes and pondering over their dimensions and the laws governing propulsion. Planes and helicopters became an obsession with me, so much so that I would often dream of flying one. I knew that the path I had chosen for myself was beset with difficulties and many hurdles which required great perseverance.

I silently let this great dream grow within me. At times, I realised that it was futile to chase a goal which was beyond my grasp. But, the speech of my Principal on our farewell changed all that and filled me with such inspiration that I instantly knew that I had to achieve my dream of becoming an aeronautical engineer. I wanted to prove myself, my family and to the world that I could do it.

After years of hardwork and sweat, today I proudly stand with my appointment letter in my hand and thank God for a fabulous Principal, who initiated the entire process of achieving this goal, who always stood by me and for my wonderful parents who supported me in whatever I did and for having believed in me. I also realised that, there is no shortcut to success.

Question 10. A school carnival or fete is a great occasion for fun with friends. Describe one such event in your school. Answer: The word carnival’ itself brings forth tremendous excitement in the hearts of kids and adults alike. The word spells enjoyment and an occasion of fun with friends and family. Every alternate year, our school organises a carnival for students, their families and friends.This year, our school organised the carnival in the month of December and aptly called it the ‘Christmas carnival’. A lot of preparations and hard labour went into making this carnival a successful event.

This year, we had fifteen game stalls and seventeen food stalls. The junior and senior students were divided into groups and deployed at each stall in such an organised manner that they not only got an opportunity to shoulder the responsibility of the stall but also got time to visit other stalls and enjoy the carnival along with their friends.

Amongst the game stalls, the most popular ones were Nine Pins, Ring the Duck, Shoot the Basket, Test of Strength etc. However, the greatest attraction was The Golden Goal stall where one had to kick a football into a three foot ring suspended in the air. The stall grossed the highest amount of money amongst the game stalls.

A large variety of fast food items were served at the various food stalls. There was a perpetual rush at the Chaat stall, the Pakoras stall and the Dosa stall. The coffee stall also turned out to be a huge favourite. As the evening progressed and the chill increased, everybody wanted to grab a cup of coffee. The people also enjoyed many rounds of‘Housie’ while many of the senior students interacted with the crowds in the guise of clowns and other cartoon figures and hold the interest of little kids.

The carnival came to an end late in the evening with the prizes for the ‘Lucky Draw’ being announced. The first prize was a LCD Television and was won by a student of class VI. The second prize was a 230 litre refrigerator and the third prize was a Samsung Washing Machine. There were also ten consolation prizes which consisted of ten Titan wrist watches. This year, the carnival was a grand success with a record breaking fifteen thousand people attending the event, hats off to our dedicated team of teachers and the able guidance of our Principal.

Question 11. The waiting room at a railway station presents a wonderful opportunity to observe human behaviour. Describe an experience when you reached early to catch a train and had to spend some time in the waiting room with different kinds of people. Answer: The waiting room of a railway station is one of the best places to observe human behaviour closely. I was enroute Delhi to Kolkata but due to an unfortunate misunderstanding, was forced to switch trains at Lucknow. The time gap was two hours between both trains, hence, I had no other option, but to take refuge at the waiting room of the railway station.

As I entered the waiting room, a foul smell tickled my nostrils but soon I became accustomed to it. The announcement of the arrival of a train caused some seats to get vacant and I quickly occupied one to make myself comfortable. Opposite to me, a family of five was busy haggling over some petty issue.

Apparently, the wife had forgotten to complete some household chores before leaving and the husband was scolding her for the same. Their three children, the eldest being not more than eight years old, were chasing each other around the waiting room and the mother was screaming her head off trying to control them.

On another bench, sat an elderly couple who were hardly talking to each other. They seemed to be too lost in a world of their own, probably weighed down by the worries of this relentless world. Suddenly, the old lady said something which brought a smile to the otherwise serious face of the gentleman and he keenly began to observe the three little ones playing with each other.

Another newly married young couple sat in the farthermost corner of the room talking in hushed voices to each other. Fortunately, the next announcement was for their train and they were replaced by a contingent of women hockey players who were returning from a match.

By their upbeat mood and excitement, one could easily guage that they had won their match and were now eager to get back home. It was indeed a very interesting two hour wait. Isn’t it strange that when a person sits idle, he notices a variety of human behaviour which normally a troubled mind would have overlooked? Such was the case with me and believe me, I enjoyed every moment of it till the arrival of my train was announced.

Question 12. A village fair is very different from a city one. It is usually held annually and is connected with a religious festival or harvest. The purpose of such fairs is usually trade and to exhibit and sell village handicrafts. Describe one such fair. Answer: A village fair is very different from one in a city. The village folk seek entertainment in fairs and festivals. It is usually held annually and connected with a religious festival or harvest time. The purpose of such fairs is usually trade and to exhibit and sell village handicrafts. The shopkeepers open temporary stalls in such fairs. The magicians and jugglers also entertain people and make money.

Punjab is a land of vibrant people who celebrate festivals and other occasions with great zeal and zest. Baisakhi is one such occasion as it marks the beginning of the harvesting of crops, signifying reaping the fruit of their labour. Last year, I went to visit my maternal uncle in Punjab. I was overjoyed to see the fair which was spread over a large tract of open land. The stalls were tastefully decorated with ribbons and buntings. Young girls in beautiful bright dresses were being irresistibly drawn towards the stalls where bangles of all colours were displayed.

The great attraction of the fair was the wrestling bouts being held in a big open ground surrounded by the spectators. Big prizes had been announced for the wrestlers winning over their respective rivals.

There was a vast variety of sights that attracted the attention of the visitors. A motor cyclist was running his vehicle on the walls of a pucca pit. A magician was showing his tricks. There was a snake charmer, a monkey show and a bear dance. Children were specially interested in buying balloons and toys.

The shopkeepers who had put up their stalls of eatables were having a hay day. Pakoras and jalebis could not be missed by anybody as they are the favourite with the Punjabis. However, the greatest attraction of the fair was ‘Bhangra’, the folk dance of Punjab, which was being performed enthusiastically by a few young boys.

The cattle fair was a sight not to be missed since the best breeds of cattle-the cows, bulls, horses, buffaloes etc were brought for sale. In this way, fairs show the rich cultural heritage of a state to the people in the stands.

Question 13. You are a spectator at a cricket match. Trouble erupts suddenly in the stadium and you witness a riot. Give a vivid description of the scene. Answer: Last week, I went to see a cricket match between India and Pakistan. There was a great rush. Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat. The first few overs of the match were quite uneventful, as both the Pakistan opening batsmen were playing defensively. The breakthrough for India came at last, when one of the openers was bowled out. The next batsman was caught out as soon as he tried to score.

Even the next four batsmen were played out very quickly- two were bowled out and the other two were caught. However, their captain took a stand with the help of his other team mates but unfortunately the batsmen at the other end went down one after another.

The Indian supporters started dancing whenever any Pakistani player was out. The Pakistani supporters could not take it and displayed violent emotions. They began to shout anti-Indian slogans. Some of them even threw stones and plastic bottles on the Indian fielders standing near the boundary. It took just a few minutes for the entire stadium to transform into a battle ground. The scene was so unpleasant that people who did not want to indulge in this fight were also pushed to take sides.

Most of the spectators were young and energetic and therefore were catalysed to participate in the ensuing battle. The players tried to appeal to the crowds to subside this maddening battle but it seemed that the supporters were ready for a game of their own. It was absolutely chaotic to see such senseless fighting among them. The situation soon turned into communal riots.

The police took the players immediately to the pavilion. Many people were injured and 20 were killed. People ran here and there to save their lives. After a long tussle with the spectators, tear gas and water canon had to be resorted to in order to control the mob. This unexpected happening left the organisers in utter shock. A few spectators were arrested by the police. After two hours, the situation came under control. I can’t forget that dreadful scene. I came back with a sign of relief that I was safe.

Question 14. Describe in detail the view from your bedroom window. Does your room overlook a park? A busy street? What are the sights, sounds arid smells that you would typically see, hear and experience at different times of the day? Answer: My bedroom is the zone of maximum comfort for me. The mere sight of my bed, study table, almirahs etc, dispels all my fatigue and freshens me up. The view from the window is very beautiful. My window overlooks a park. The park has tall and wide trees, which attract a myriad variety of birds like parrots and white pigeons.

The grass and bushes are neatly trimmed and the little plants bear flowers in many colours. There is a jogging track too built inside it. Indeed, just one look outside the window has such a soothing effect on me, which is beyond description.

In the morning after waking up, I see people, under the curtains from the window, running and jogging on the track. I also hear the sounds and hoots of birds. Besides, the breeze of dawn coupled with the aroma of trees, prepares me to kickstart my day on a positive note. I however, enjoy the evening view the most.

When I return home in the evening, the sweet smell of the trees and the sight of little kids playing in the park rejuvenate my soul. The rays of the setting sun are scattered all over the sky giving it the most radiant look. The birds are seen returning to their homes and there is a pleasant and calm aura all around.

I gaze at all the trivialities and activities that are visible from my window while taking my evening snacks and tea. Sometimes my sister joins me and we chat and discuss about the various things and the people we see in the park. We also miss the regular visitors of the park if they do not turn up. The comfort that one draws at one’s home is unmatched by all the luxuries of expensive hotels and buildings. Even more comforting is that little corner which one calls one’s bedroom.

Therefore, the window of my room and the view of the park are seemingly little things but together, they make up an integral part of my daily routine.

Question 15. You walk home from school one afternoon to find the door unlocked and on entering you are shocked to see the house in total disarray. You call out but get no answer. Describe in detail what you saw, the reason behind your house being in total disarray and how you found your family. Mention also, how the experience ended and what impact it had on your life. Answer: I was returning home from school in the afternoon. When I reached home, I found the door unlocked. I went inside and was shocked to see the house in total disorder. I called my mother who used to be at home but nobody answered. When I entered the drawing room, the whole furniture was turned up side down. Every bag and almirah was emptied throwing everything on the floor. It seemed that the whole house was searched for something. What was more disturbing and strange was that nothing was stolen, even the i-phones and i-pods on the desks, not even the wallet of my mother which contained lots of money.

As I was worried about my mother and the younger brother, I enquired all my mother’s friends and our relatives. She was at one of her friends house. Hearing about the incident. My mother arrived home in ten minutes and was equally horrified to see the house in such a condition.

My mother informed me that she had gone to meet her friend who had got a lottery of one crore. She might have not locked the house properly in a hurry. Later, after much investigation, it was found that some small children were playing outside and they were chased by some monkeys.

In panic, the children seeing the door unlocked, entered the house to hide but monkeys followed them. There was a long hide and seek game being played between the children and the monkeys. The monkeys were responsible for throwing everything out of the closets and drawers and furniture was turned upside down by these children.

Somehow children managed to hide themselves in the store adjacent to our bedroom. Monkeys leaving the house open, went outside the house. We all breathed a sigh of relief that there was no theft or robbery in the house. It took at least two hours to set the house again in order.

It was really an unforgettable day in my life as I got really scared looking at the condition of my house and my family member not present in the house. But, I thanked God that my mother’s mistake has resulted in saving small children from being bitten by the monkeys.

SELF ASSESSMENT

1. Describe why you believe in friendship between man and woman based on your own experience.

2. Provide details on the house you’re living in. Would you like to change something about it, move away to another location, or stay without fixing anything and why?

3, Some students want to describe the rooms they are living in at campus. Share ideas how the college/ university/community could unite to make this place better.

4. Help your readers picture the best day of your life using vivid descriptions, different examples, original comparisons and more attributes of the talented essay writer.

5. Describe the introductory day in any of the existing educational institution-school, college, or university- using the entire spectrum of emotions.

6. While on a picnic you and your friends decide to go sailing. Unfortunately, your boat collapses in a violent storm. However, all of you manage to swim safely. Give a vivid account of the incident.

7. Describe an object which you believe has once saved your life or prevented other adverse consequences for you or one of your close people.

8. Find appropriate words to describe something you wanted so bad that you were ready to steal it due to the fact you did not have enough money to buy it.

9. Pick one of the recent technological innovations. Make a description explaining why this particular thing plays an important role in the development of modern society.

10. You have lived in your ancestral house since birth. The house is to be sold so that flats may be built. Narrate the circumstances that led to this decision and describe your feelings about moving out of this house.

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ICSE English Compositions: Understanding the 5 Types

by AlmondBooks Support on Sep 27, 2022

ICSE English language examination test students on five different composition types , which includes  descriptive , narrative , argumentative , story writing , and  picture composition . In this post, we'll describe all these essay types in more detail so students can clearly understand the comparison between them and compose better essays in their ICSE exams.

Please read the following extract from the most recent ICSE syllabus before we study the essay types.

Types of Essays in ICSE

• Descriptive
• Argumentative

Story Writing

• Picture Composition

Descriptive Essays

A Descriptive Essay provides a detailed description of a specific subject. The purpose of such an essay is to evoke an image in our minds by appealing to our senses. As a result, a descriptive essay engages at least one of our five senses (touch, smell, taste, hearing, and sight).

One should have a clear picture of the subject after reading a descriptive essay, whether it’s a historical episode, a geographical location, or a work of art.

Narrative Essays

A Narrative Essay, like a descriptive essay, it asks you to share an experience rather than advance an argument or provide evidence to support an opinion. This experience can be personal and real from your own life (for example, telling the story of your first big achievement), or it can be imagined (for example, telling the story of how you would face a situation).

A narrative essay allows writers to share their personal experiences. It is similar to a short story; the only difference is that it has a proper structure. A good narrative essay also progresses to a meaningful conclusion that goes beyond a list of events and details.

Argumentative Essays

An Argumentative Essay is a type of writing that uses facts and logic to persuade the reader of a particular point of view. Even though many types of essays try to get the reader to agree with a certain point of view, argumentative essays use a lot of hard evidence to show that their argument is the best.

The goal of argumentative essays, like persuasive essays and other types of essays, is to persuade the reader of a particular point of view. The method of persuasion is what distinguishes an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay uses factual evidence and unarguable logic to demonstrate that its thesis is correct.

The idea is that an argumentative essay disproves or invalidates opposing theories to prove that its thesis is correct. As a result, argumentative essays discuss other opposing points of view as well as the writer’s own thesis. It’s difficult to declare one viewpoint “true” while ignoring all others.

Story Writing is a type of fictional writing that is written in a more straightforward manner and has its own natural flow. Character (typically a Protagonist and Antagonist), setting, plot, conflict, and theme are the five elements of story writing. Through story writing, you share the experience of characters in a physical setting with a plot that makes it story-worthy, a conflict that causes a riff or character relationship core, and finally, the theme of the story as in what the story wants to share. The story has to be original and must not be an imitation of any novel or movie.

Picture Compositions

Picture Composition, in general, fosters perception expertise in students and improves their capacity to dissect and expound on a given image. Students get ideas by observing the image, and they express their ideas through all-around shaped sentences.

A picture essay (or composition) is usually divided into three parts in which a student is asked to describe the picture, make a story out of it, or express and elaborate on the thoughts and feelings implied by the picture. A picture can be a photograph, a scene from an action movie, a quote written over a picture or a sketch of a famous person. The things shown in the picture should not be itemized.

You must be able to distinguish between different essay types in your ICSE English exam to pick the right topic and organize your thoughts and ideas correctly. With this list of 25 trending essay topics , you can practice the most important ICSE English essay topics.

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