Summary
Passing an examination can be very different from communicating in a language
The I.C.S.E English paper tests students' ability and knowledge of English Language and Literature
Passing an examination can be very different from communicating in a language. If you are someone who will be appearing for the ICSE exam this year then here are a few tips for both English paper 1 and 2 from Mrs Shuchismita Raha, English teacher, Vivekananda Mission School.
The I.C.S.E English paper tests students' ability and knowledge of English Language and Literature.The two papers test two distinct sets of skills.
The Language Paper- English 1 has the following components:
- Composition (narrative, descriptive, argumentative reflective and picture composition)
- Letter Writing (there is a choice between formal and informal letters)
- Notice Writing and Email writing- the two are linked
- Comprehension which includes Vocabulary, Comprehension questions and Summary
- Grammar (applied)
Adequate preparation is vital to score well in the papers.
ICSE English Language Paper 1:
- Examinees must practice grammar from previous years’ test papers. This will give them an idea of what to expect.
- They must also practice Comprehension as questions require detailed reading and reading between the lines.
- For summary they must adhere to the word limit.
-
Letter Writing seems easy but students must learn the format, forms of salutation and so on.The tone of an informal letter will vary from that of a formal letter.
- The examinees must choose the composition topic with care.They should be aware of what suits them best. Once they have chosen the topic, they have to think of what they are going to write. Digression and deviation will not do. Language used should be simple, clear and grammatically correct. Bombastic language is not required. In the argumentative composition, argumentation should be present. A clear stand must be taken at the beginning and reiterated at the end.The picture composition is scoring. They are free to treat it in any way they like but there must be a clear reference to the picture and the components in it.
ICSE English Literature Paper 2:
The Literature paper tests students on Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. In addition there are questions on Short Stories and Poetry.
English 2 demands close reading of the texts. Examinees must be aware of the sequence of events, cause and effect, character traits, motives, relationships, reasons for the various actions and utterances of the character. In addition, they should be able to place the reference to context questions in their particular context and answer questions on them. Repeated reading of the texts and discussions on the themes, tone and so on will help them to answer the questions.
Tips to keep yourself stress free:
- Examinees should be in a state of preparedness for the examination.There is no cause for unnecessary panic as this leads to mistakes.
- Read the questions well and understand what they demand.
- Pay attention to presentation and handwriting.
- Keep some time in hand to edit your answers and check for slips and errors.
- Keep your focus on the paper. You are competing with yourself, not anyone else.
- A clear head, a calm mind and unerring focus will surely help you. All the best!!
Team Edugraph hopes that these tips from Mrs Raha will be of help. Best of luck for your exams.
Last updated on 09 Feb 2023
