EnglishCBSE Class 10 · Chapter 4

From the Diary of Anne Frank Class 10: Summary, Themes and Answers

Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked

From the Diary of Anne Frank is a prose chapter in First Flight. Anne, a lonely thirteen-year-old, makes her diary a friend called Kitty, sketches her life and describes how she turned Mr Keesing's chatterbox punishments into a joke. The board tests it through extract questions, 40-50 word short answers and 100-120 word long answers.

What From the Diary of Anne Frank is about

From the Diary of Anne Frank is a prose chapter in First Flight. It is made up of entries from Anne Frank's real diary, The Diary of a Young Girl, slightly adapted. Anne was a German-born Jewish girl who later hid with her family in Amsterdam during World War II. In this chapter she explains why she keeps a diary, gives a short sketch of her life, and describes how she outwitted her maths teacher, Mr Keesing.

In the board paper this chapter can appear in Q6 as a prose extract (one of two), with 1-mark MCQ or very short parts and a 2-mark part answered in 30-40 words. It can also come in Q8 as a 40-50 word short answer worth 3 marks, and in Q10 as a 100-120 word long answer worth 6 marks, which rewards analysis, imagination and value-based thinking.

In real board papers: asked in 5 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 1.2 marks per paper. See the questions

From the Diary of Anne Frank: summary

In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.

Anne Frank, a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl, begins by saying that writing a diary feels strange. She has never written anything before. She also doubts that anyone, herself included, will later care about a schoolgirl's thoughts. Still, she feels like writing and needs to get things off her chest.

She remembers the saying that paper has more patience than people. It came to her on a dull, low day when she sat at home, chin in hands, unable to decide whether to go out. Since she will not show the diary to anyone unless she finds a real friend, she feels it makes no difference what she writes.

Then she gives the real reason: she has no friend. She explains this carefully. She has loving parents, a sixteen-year-old sister, loving aunts, a good home and about thirty people she calls friends. Yet with them she talks only about ordinary everyday things, and they never grow close. She admits it may be her own fault that they do not confide in each other. So she will not just note down facts. She wants the diary itself to be her friend, and names it Kitty.

Because Kitty would not understand her stories without background, Anne gives a brief sketch of her life. Her father married her mother at thirty-six, when her mother was twenty-five. Margot was born in Frankfurt in 1926, and Anne on 12 June 1929. Her father emigrated to Holland in 1933, and her mother, Edith, went there in September. The girls stayed with their grandmother in Aachen. Margot went to Holland in December, and Anne followed in February, when she was put on the table as Margot's birthday present. Anne went to a Montessori nursery school until six. In the sixth form her teacher was the headmistress, Mrs Kuperus, and they parted in tears. In summer 1941 Grandma had an operation, so Anne's birthday was hardly celebrated. Grandma died in January 1942. At the 1942 birthday, her candle was lit with the others.

In the entry of Saturday, 20 June 1942, Anne says her class is nervous about the teachers' meeting that will decide who moves up. Two boys, C.N. and Jacques, have bet their holiday savings on it. Anne is confident about herself and her girlfriends, except in maths.

Mr Keesing, the old maths teacher, was annoyed because she talked so much. He set her an essay, 'A Chatterbox'. Anne argued that talking is a student's trait. She said she could control it but never cure it, because her mother talked as much and inherited traits cannot be helped. He laughed, but when she kept talking he set 'An Incorrigible Chatterbox'. After two quiet lessons came a third: 'Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox'. The class roared. With help from her friend Sanne, Anne wrote it as a poem. In it, a father swan bit three ducklings to death for quacking too much. Mr Keesing took the joke well and read it to several classes. Since then he has let her talk, and he keeps making jokes.

Themes and message

Loneliness and the need for a true friend

Anne's diary begins with a surprising confession. On the surface she has everything: loving parents, a sister, aunts, a good home and about thirty friends. Yet she feels alone, because she can talk to them only about ordinary everyday things and never shares her real feelings. The chapter shows that being surrounded by people is not the same as being understood. We can infer that Anne longs for someone she can trust completely. Her honest remark that it may be her own fault shows she is thinking about the problem, not just complaining.

From the text: "I don’t have a friend." She adds that "on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend."

Writing as a way to express feelings

For Anne, the diary is a safe place for thoughts she cannot share aloud. She says she needs to get things off her chest, and she trusts paper because it listens without judging or losing interest. By naming the diary Kitty and writing letters to it, she turns writing into a conversation with a friend. This suggests that writing can help a person who feels misunderstood to sort out and release emotions. The diary is not a dry record of facts but a personal companion.

From the text: "Paper has more patience than people." She also says she does not want to "jot down the facts" the way most people would.

Wit and intelligence as a response to punishment

When Mr Keesing punishes her talking with essays, Anne does not sulk or rebel. She thinks hard and builds convincing arguments: talking is a student's trait, and she inherited it from her talkative mother. When the third topic is meant to mock her, she answers with a poem written with Sanne's help, so that the joke turns back on the teacher. The episode shows that cleverness and humour can solve a conflict better than anger. It also shows Anne's confidence and originality.

From the text: Anne says the trick was to find "convincing arguments to prove the necessity of talking", and she decides "I’d make sure the joke was on him."

Understanding between teacher and student

Mr Keesing starts as a strict teacher who is annoyed with Anne, but he changes. He laughs at her first essay, and when she replies to his teasing topic with a poem, he takes it in good spirit. He reads the poem to her class and others, lets her talk, and starts joking himself. The theme suggests that a relationship improves when both sides show a sense of humour and respect. It also supports Anne's own claim that teachers are unpredictable.

From the text: "Luckily, Mr Keesing took the joke the right way." Afterwards he gave her no extra homework and was "always making jokes these days".

Love for family and lasting memories

Though Anne feels she lacks a close friend, her brief life sketch is full of warmth for her family. She calls her father the most adorable father she has ever seen. She still thinks of her grandmother, who died in January 1942, and the family lights Grandma's candle at the 1942 birthday. Her tearful farewell to Mrs Kuperus shows she forms deep bonds with people she respects. We can infer that Anne is sensitive and values the people who care for her.

From the text: "No one knows how often I think of her and still love her." Grandma's candle was lit "along with the rest".

Characters

Anne Frank

The narrator and diary writer, a thirteen-year-old schoolgirl who makes her diary a friend named Kitty.

Lonely and introspective
Honest and self-critical
Witty and inventive
Talkative and confident
Affectionate towards her family

She admits she has no true friend among about thirty friends and says, "Maybe it’s my fault". She argues that talking is an inherited trait and answers Mr Keesing's third topic with a funny poem. She is sure she will pass, except perhaps in maths, and still thinks of her late grandmother with love.

Mr Keesing

Anne's old maths teacher who punishes her talking with essays and later becomes friendly.

Strict at first
Easily annoyed by talking in class
Has a sense of humour
Fair-minded and open to change

He set her three essays on chatterboxes after several warnings. He laughed at her first essay, took her poem the right way, read it to several classes, then allowed her to talk and kept making jokes.

Anne's grandmother

Anne's grandmother, with whom the girls stayed in Aachen; she died in January 1942.

Loving and deeply loved
A lasting presence in the family's memory

Anne's 1941 birthday was hardly celebrated because Grandma was ill. Anne says she often thinks of her and still loves her, and Grandma's candle was lit at the 1942 birthday.

Otto Frank (Anne's father)

Anne's father, who moved the family to Holland in 1933; according to the author note, he later had the diary published.

Loving and adored by Anne
Protective of his family

Anne calls him "the most adorable father I’ve ever seen". He emigrated to Holland in 1933, and the family joined him. The author note says he was the only survivor of the group and had the diary published.

Sanne

Anne's friend who is good at poetry and helps her write the third essay in verse.

Creative
Helpful and supportive

She offered to help Anne write the essay from beginning to end in verse, and Anne "jumped for joy".

How it is written

Device	Example	Effect
First-person diary form addressed to an imagined friend	The entry opens with "Dearest Kitty" and closes with "Yours, Anne", like a letter.	The reader hears Anne's private voice directly. Writing to Kitty makes the diary feel like a conversation with a trusted friend, which is exactly what Anne lacks in real life.
Humour and irony	Mr Keesing sets 'Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox' to tease Anne, but her poem turns the joke back on him.	The irony is that the punishment meant to silence her ends with Anne being allowed to talk. The humour shows her wit and keeps the tone light.
Contrast between appearance and reality	She has loving parents, a sister, aunts and about thirty friends, yet she has no one true friend.	The contrast shows that loneliness can hide behind a happy surface. It explains why she needs the diary.
Informal, conversational language and idioms	"Our entire class is quaking in its boots", "laugh ourselves silly", "plunked down", and contracted forms like I’ve and I’d.	The everyday language makes the diary sound like real speech. It shows Anne's lively, frank personality and her age.
Candid, self-reflective tone	"Maybe it’s my fault that we don’t confide in each other."	Anne's honesty about her own faults makes her believable and likeable. It shows a mature, thoughtful mind behind the playful voice.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

Paper has more patience than people.
Anne Frank (narrator): Anne recalls this saying from a dull, low day when she sat at home, unsure whether to go out.
It shows why she trusts her diary: paper listens without judging or getting bored, while people do not.
I don’t have a friend.
Anne Frank (narrator): After her reflections, Anne states the real reason she started the diary.
It reveals her loneliness, the central feeling behind the whole diary.
No, on the surface I seem to have everything, except my one true friend.
Anne Frank (narrator): Anne lists her loving family, home and about thirty friends, then explains what is missing.
It contrasts outward comfort with inner loneliness and shows she wants a friend she can confide in.
I want the diary to be my friend
Anne Frank (narrator): Anne explains that she will not just record facts the way most people do.
It explains why she names the diary Kitty and writes to it as to a person.
No one knows how often I think of her and still love her.
Anne Frank (narrator): Anne mentions that her grandmother died in January 1942.
It shows her deep love for her grandmother and her sensitive nature.
teachers are the most unpredictable creatures on earth.
Anne Frank (narrator): Anne talks about the coming meeting where teachers decide who will move up to the next form.
It shows her humour, and Mr Keesing's change from strict to friendly later proves her point.
there’s not much you can do about inherited traits.
Anne Frank (narrator): This is part of her argument in the first essay, 'A Chatterbox'. She says her mother talks as much as she does.
It shows her clever, logical reasoning in defending her talkative nature.
I’d make sure the joke was on him.
Anne Frank (narrator): Mr Keesing sets the teasing third topic, and Sanne offers to help Anne write the essay in verse.
It shows her confidence and wit. She turns a punishment into a clever reply.

From the Diary of Anne Frank in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Loneliness and the need for a true friend

Imagine you are in Class 10 in Pune. You play in the school cricket team and your class group chat is always buzzing, yet when you feel scared about the board exam, there is no one you feel you can tell.

Compare your situation with Anne's. What does her experience suggest you could do? (40-50 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Point out the similarity: many friends, but only light talk.
Use Anne's words that she cannot bring herself to talk beyond everyday things.
Suggest writing feelings down, as she did.
Add confiding in one trusted friend.

Answer: Like Anne, I am surrounded by friends yet feel alone, because we only talk about cricket and everyday things. Anne said she could not bring herself to share deeper thoughts. Like her, I could write my fears down, and also slowly confide in one trusted friend.

Memory hook: Thirty friends, zero confidants: that is Anne's kind of loneliness.

Wit and intelligence as a response to punishment

Suppose your Hindi teacher in Lucknow tells you to write a 200-word essay called 'Why I Always Forget My Homework' because you have forgotten it three times this week.

How could you respond the way Anne did, and why might this work better than sulking? (40-50 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Treat the punishment as a chance to think.
Recall Anne's argument that talking was an inherited trait.
Give honest, funny reasons and a promise to improve.
Explain that wit wins respect.

Answer: I would treat the essay as a chance, not a burden. Like Anne, who argued that talking was an inherited trait, I could give honest, funny reasons and promise to improve. Wit shows the teacher I am thoughtful, and it often wins respect instead of more punishment.

Memory hook: Punished with a pen? Answer with a smile, like Anne.

Understanding between teacher and student

Imagine your maths teacher walks into a noisy classroom, finds a funny excuse note a student has written, reads it aloud and laughs along with the class instead of scolding anyone.

Compare this teacher with Mr Keesing. What makes such a teacher-student relationship work? (40-50 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Recall that Mr Keesing read Anne's poem to several classes.
He began making jokes himself.
Humour replaces anger.
Student feels respected; discipline comes from goodwill.

Answer: Like Mr Keesing, who read Anne’s poem to several classes and began making jokes himself, this teacher shows that humour can replace anger. When a teacher accepts a student’s cleverness gracefully, the student feels respected, and discipline grows from goodwill rather than fear.

Memory hook: The teacher who laughs with you wins you over.

Love for family and lasting memories

Suppose that on Diwali your family lights one extra diya for your Dadaji, who passed away last year, and places it beside his photograph before the celebrations begin.

Link this family custom to Anne's 1942 birthday. What does it show about love for family? (40-50 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Recall Grandma's candle lit with the rest at the 1942 birthday.
Recall Anne's line that no one knows how often she thinks of Grandma.
Draw the idea: love continues after death through small rituals.

Answer: Just as Grandma’s candle was lit at Anne’s 1942 birthday, our diya for Dadaji keeps him part of the celebration. Anne wrote that no one knew how often she thought of her grandmother. Such small rituals show that love for family continues after death.

Memory hook: One extra candle, one extra diya: love keeps a place at the table.

Topics in this chapter

Anne Frank Character SketchComing soon
Why Anne Frank Calls Her Diary Kitty
Mr Keesing and the Chatterbox EssaysComing soon
From the Diary of Anne Frank Question AnswersComing soon

How the board asks From the Diary of Anne Frank

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Extract-based inference (1 mark)	In Q6, a 50-85 word extract is followed by questions such as 'What can we infer about the speaker's emotional state?' or 'State one inference about Anne from the given line', often as MCQs or one-line answers.	Read the line given and name one clear quality or feeling, such as loneliness, boredom or love for her grandmother. Then link it to a word or detail in the extract. Do not retell the extract.
Extract-based analysis (2 marks, 30-40 words)	A part asks you to explain or elaborate, for example why Anne calls her diary a friend, or how she justifies a habit.	Give two clear points in 30-40 words. Make the main point first, then the reason, using evidence from the extract. Count your words and stay within the limit.
Vocabulary, tone and idiom (1 mark)	You may be asked for the tone of an extract, a word or phrase that can replace 'ramble on' or 'heartbreaking', the meaning of an idiom like 'bring myself', a fill-in from the text, or an analogy.	Think about meaning in context, not the dictionary meaning alone. For tone, choose words like candid, humorous or reflective that fit the whole extract. Test your choice by putting it back into the sentence.
Short answer (Q8, 40-50 words, 3 marks)	Questions ask about an event or a character: how Anne turned the joke on Mr Keesing, what her relationship with her grandmother shows, or why she trusts paper.	Write 40-50 words with two or three value points: what happened, why, and what it shows about the character or theme. Use clear, accurate English, because Expression carries 1 mark.
Long answer (Q10, 100-120 words, 6 marks)	These are analytical or value-based questions. For example, you may be asked to evaluate how Anne's wit changes Mr Keesing, or to discuss whether a diary can replace a friend, or to write from Anne's or Mr Keesing's point of view.	Plan an introduction, two or three developed points with evidence from the text, and a conclusion that gives your judgement. Keep to 100-120 words. Content earns 3 marks, Expression 2 and Accuracy 1, so check spelling and grammar.
Character sketch or comparison of feelings	You may be asked about Anne's feelings towards her father, grandmother, Mrs Kuperus and Mr Keesing, and what they reveal about her.	Take each person in turn and give one feeling with textual proof. Then sum up what these feelings reveal about Anne, such as that she is affectionate, sensitive and witty.

Tricks to remember From the Diary of Anne Frank

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Why, Who, Wit: the three parts
WHY she writes (no true friend, so the diary becomes Kitty) → WHO she is (sketch of her life: father, Margot, Aachen, school, Grandma) → WIT at school (the 20 June 1942 letter: promotion bets and Mr Keesing's essays).
Use it when: Recall the order of the chapter and pick the right part for any extract question.
C, IC, QQQ: the essay ladder
Chatterbox → Incorrigible Chatterbox → Quack, Quack, Quack. Each rung is sillier than the last, and the top rung is answered with a poem (Sanne's help, father swan, three ducklings).
Use it when: Never mix up the order or titles of the three punishments.
Number line of Anne's life
36 and 25 (parents' ages at marriage) → 1926 Margot born in Frankfurt → 12 June 1929 Anne born → 1933 father to Holland → Sept mother, Dec Margot, Feb Anne → summer 1941 Grandma's operation → Jan 1942 Grandma dies → 20 June 1942 diary dedication.
Use it when: Answer factual MCQs and fill-in-the-blanks about her family sketch.
Five people, five feelings
Father = adoration; Grandma = lasting love; Mrs Kuperus = tearful farewell; Mr Keesing = annoyance turned to jokes; Sanne = joy (Anne 'jumped for joy').
Use it when: Quickly match each character to Anne's feeling for a character sketch or 'what does this show about Anne' question.

From the Diary of Anne Frank: extract-based questions

Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.

Extract 1: The class before the promotion meeting

Our entire class is quaking in its boots. The reason, of course, is the forthcoming meeting in which the teachers decide who’ll move up to the next form and who’ll be kept back. Half the class is making bets.

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
Choose the option that gives the meaning of 'quaking in its boots' as used in the extract.
(a) shivering with cold
(b) very nervous and afraid
(c) laughing loudly
(d) stamping its feet
(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
What were the teachers going to decide at the forthcoming meeting?
(3) · 1 mark · MCQ
Which option best describes the tone in which Anne narrates this scene?
(a) solemn and grieving
(b) light-hearted and amused
(c) bitter and angry
(d) fearful and desperate
(4) · 2 marks · Short answer
Anne then laughs at two boys who 'have staked their entire holiday savings on their bet'. What can you infer about Anne's own feelings about the result, compared with those of the two boys? Answer in 30-40 words.

Show the answersAnswers

(b) very nervous and afraid
They were going to decide which students would move up to the next form and which would be kept back.
(b) light-hearted and amused
Unlike the boys, Anne seems calm and amused. She laughs at their endless arguing over passing. This suggests she is fairly confident about her own promotion, though she later admits she is unsure about maths.

Extract 2: The third essay and Anne's plan

The class roared. I had to laugh too, though I’d nearly exhausted my ingenuity on the topic of chatterboxes. It was time to come up with something else, something original.

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
Choose the word closest in meaning to 'ingenuity' as used in the extract.
(a) patience
(b) inventiveness
(c) honesty
(d) anger
(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Why did Anne feel it was time to come up with 'something original'?
(3) · 1 mark · MCQ
'The class roared.' This tells us that the class
(a) protested angrily against the teacher
(b) burst into loud laughter at the essay topic
(c) cheered because the lesson was over
(d) shouted at Anne for talking
(4) · 2 marks · Short answer
Anne then decides that Mr Keesing was trying to play a joke on her, 'but I’d make sure the joke was on him.' Explain what she means. What does it reveal about her? Answer in 30-40 words.

Show the answersAnswers

(b) inventiveness
She had nearly used up all her ideas (her 'ingenuity') on the topic of chatterboxes, so she needed a fresh approach.
(b) burst into loud laughter at the essay topic
Anne means she will turn Mr Keesing’s mocking topic into a clever, funny poem, so that he, not she, ends up the target of the joke. It shows her wit, confidence and refusal to feel humiliated.

From the Diary of Anne Frank: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Grandma and the two birthdays · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

What happened to Anne's grandmother in 1941 and 1942, and how did it affect Anne's birthdays? (40-50 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Summer 1941: Grandma fell ill and needed an operation.
So Anne's birthday that year passed with little celebration.
Grandma died in January 1942.
The 1942 birthday was meant to make up for the earlier one; Grandma's candle was lit along with the rest.
Link: shows Anne's lasting love for her grandmother.

Answer: In the summer of 1941, Anne’s grandmother fell ill and needed an operation, so Anne’s birthday passed with little celebration. Grandma died in January 1942. Anne’s 1942 birthday was meant to make up for the earlier one, and Grandma’s candle was lit with the others. This shows Anne’s lasting love.

Example 2: Thirty friends, yet no friend · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Anne says there are about thirty people she can call friends, yet she writes, 'I don’t have a friend.' Explain this apparent contradiction. (40-50 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Anne has loving parents, a sister and about thirty friends.
With friends she only has a good time and talks of ordinary everyday things.
No one is close enough for her to confide in.
She lacks one true friend, not company.
She admits it may be her own fault.

Answer: There is no real contradiction. Anne has many friends, but with them she only has fun and talks about ordinary everyday things. None of them is close enough for her to share her private thoughts. What she lacks is one true friend she can confide in. She partly blames herself.

Example 3: Character sketch of Anne Frank · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Write a character sketch of Anne Frank as she appears in the chapter. (100-120 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Lonely: has family and about thirty friends but no true friend; honest enough to admit it may be her fault.
Imaginative: makes the diary a friend named Kitty instead of a record of facts.
Affectionate: calls her father the most adorable father; still thinks often of her dead grandmother.
Talkative and witty at school: argues talking is an inherited trait; answers the third essay with a poem.
Conclusion: mature and thoughtful beyond her years (interpretation).

Answer: Anne Frank comes across as a lively, thoughtful and honest thirteen-year-old. She is lonely in a deep way: though she has loving parents, a sister and about thirty friends, she longs for one true friend she can confide in, and she even admits the fault may be hers. She is imaginative, turning her diary into a friend called Kitty. She is affectionate: she calls her father the most adorable father and still thinks often of her dead grandmother. At school she is talkative and witty. Punished by Mr Keesing, she argues cleverly that talking is inherited from her mother, and finally answers him with a funny poem. Above all, she is mature beyond her age.

Example 4: The ladder of punishments · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Trace how Mr Keesing's punishments for Anne grew, and explain why the third one ended them. (40-50 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Annoyed by her talking, he set 'A Chatterbox'.
She kept talking, so he set 'An Incorrigible Chatterbox'.
Third: 'Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox'.
Anne replied with a witty poem written with Sanne's help.
He took the joke well, read it aloud and stopped punishing her.

Answer: Annoyed by Anne’s chatter, Mr Keesing set her an essay, ‘A Chatterbox’, then a second, ‘An Incorrigible Chatterbox’, and finally ‘Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox’. Anne answered with a witty poem, written with Sanne’s help. He took the joke well, read it aloud, and stopped punishing her.

Example 5: Writing as a cure for loneliness · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Your school counsellor asks you to write an article on how teenagers can cope with loneliness. Using Anne's diary as an example, explain how writing down feelings can help, and what its limits are. (100-120 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Anne felt alone despite family and friends; could not share deep thoughts.
She felt paper has more patience than people.
Naming the diary Kitty turned writing into a friendship.
Benefits: naming feelings, getting things off one's chest, self-understanding.
Limit: a diary cannot reply; Anne still longed for a real friend.
Advice: write, and also open up to one trusted person.

Answer: Anne’s diary shows that writing can be a real comfort for a lonely teenager. Anne had family and many friends, yet felt she could not share her deeper thoughts with anyone. Paper, she felt, was more patient than people: it listened without judging or interrupting. By calling her diary Kitty, she turned writing into a friendship. Writing helps us name our feelings, get things off our chest and understand ourselves better. However, a diary cannot reply or hug us. Anne herself still longed for a real friend. So, along with writing, a teenager should slowly try to open up to one trusted person, such as a parent, teacher or friend. Writing is the first step, not the last.

Example 6: Judging Mr Keesing's method · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Mr Keesing could simply have complained to Anne's parents about her talking. Was his way of handling her better? Give reasons. (40-50 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Clear stand (yes or no).
He set essays that made her think, not just scolded her.
When she replied with a poem, he took the joke well and read it to several classes.
Humour turned conflict into mutual respect.

Answer: Yes. Instead of simply scolding Anne, Mr Keesing set essays that tested her thinking. When she replied with a witty poem, he took the joke well, read it to several classes and relaxed. His sense of humour turned a conflict into mutual respect, which a complaint could not have achieved.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

Why does Anne call her diary 'Kitty', and what does this tell us about her? (40-50 words, 3 marks) (3 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: she has no true friend and wants the diary to be that friend, not a list of facts; naming it makes the long-awaited friend vivid in her imagination	1
Content: what it reveals: loneliness, imagination, need to confide (supported by the text)	1
Expression: clear, connected sentences within 40-50 words (up to 1 mark may be deducted for spelling or grammar errors)	1

Mr Keesing is unpredictable but understanding. Justify this with reference to the chapter. (100-120 words, 6 marks) (6 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: annoyed for ages by Anne's talking; sets extra essays after warnings	1
Content: unpredictable: laughs at her first essay, sets a second, then a silly third title	1
Content: understanding: takes the poem the right way, reads it to several classes, lets her talk, starts making jokes	1
Expression: organised argument with a clear opening and conclusion	2
Accuracy: correct grammar, spelling and names	1

Where students lose marks in From the Diary of Anne Frank

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Saying Anne has no friends at all
Students read 'I don’t have a friend' literally and miss her explanation.
Wrong working
Anne keeps a diary because she has no friends.
Right working
Anne has about thirty friends, but none she can confide in; she lacks one true friend.
Do this: Always add the contrast: many friends on the surface, no close friend underneath.
Usually costs: Can cost 1 of the 2 content marks in a 3-mark answer.
Mistake: Bringing in the hiding period from the author note
The note says she wrote while in hiding, but the entries in this chapter are about her school life, dated 20 June 1942.
Wrong working
Anne started the diary because she was hiding from the Nazis and felt trapped.
Right working
Anne started the diary because she felt she had no true friend and needed to get things off her chest.
Do this: Answer from the chapter's own reasons; use the author note only for background.
Usually costs: Can cost 1-2 content marks for an irrelevant reason.
Mistake: Wrong character for the poem
Students guess that Margot or Mr Keesing helped.
Wrong working
Her sister Margot helped her write the poem.
Right working
Her friend Sanne, who was good at poetry, offered to help her write the essay in verse.
Do this: Remember: Sanne = poetry; Margot = sister born in 1926.
Usually costs: Can cost 1 mark for a factual error.
Mistake: Retelling the story instead of describing character
In a character sketch, students narrate the essay episode step by step and never name a trait.
Wrong working
Mr Keesing gave Anne an essay, then another essay, then a third essay, and she wrote a poem.
Right working
Anne is witty and resourceful: when punished a third time, she turned the silly title into a clever poem.
Do this: Start each point with a trait, then give one piece of evidence.
Usually costs: Can cost 2-3 of the 6 marks (content and expression).
Mistake: Going far over the word limit in the 2-mark extract part
Students write a full paragraph for a 30-40 word answer.
Wrong working
A 70-word answer repeating the whole extract before reaching the point.
Right working
A 35-word answer: meaning of the line, plus the one trait it reveals.
Do this: Two sentences: what it means, what it shows. Count your words.
Usually costs: Can cost the expression credit and wastes time needed elsewhere.

From the Diary of Anne Frank: previous year questions

Asked in 5 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 1.2 marks per paper; 5 questions in all, counting OR alternatives. In 0 of 4 sample papers.

Counted from the real papers on our previous year papers page, not estimated. Average marks are over every board paper we hold, with an OR pair counted once. Chapter tags are ours.

Solved board questions from From the Diary of Anne Frank

Real questions from recent papers. Try each one first, then open our step-by-step solution with marks per step.

2025, set 2/4/1, Q6(A) · 5 marks · Reading comprehensionCompetency-based

Read the given extracts and answer the questions for ANY ONE of the two given.

(A) "Paper has more patience than people. I thought of this saying on one of those days when I was feeling a little depressed and was sitting at home with my chin in my hands, bored and listless, wondering whether to stay in or go out. I finally stayed where I was, brooding: Yes, paper does have more patience, and since I'm not planning to let anyone else read this stiff backed notebook grandly referred to as a 'diary', unless I should ever find a real friend, it probably won't make a bit of difference."

(From the Diary of Anne Frank)

I
In light of the excerpt, what can we infer about the speaker's emotional state?
1 mark
II
The narrator enhances the narrative technique of the extract by using:
1. (A)descriptive language
2. (B)literary allusions
3. (C)humour
4. (D)reflective
2 marks
III
Fill in the blank with the correct word from the bracket:
The narrator doesn't plan to let anyone read her diary as she doesn't have any real ________. (friend / incidents)
1 mark
IV
Why does the narrator say that 'paper has more patience than people'?
1 mark

Try it first, then show our solutionSolution

(I) The speaker is lonely, bored and low in spirits (depressed).
1 mark
(II) Option (D) reflective: she thinks over a saying and her own feelings.
2 marks
(III) friend.
1 mark
(IV) Paper listens without judging or interrupting, and she has no one she can confide in, so paper seems more patient than people.
1 mark

Answer: (I) depressed/lonely/bored; (II) D; (III) friend; (IV) paper is patient and non-judgmental

Where the marks are

(I) Emotional state (1 mark)
(II) Option D (2 marks)
(III) friend (1 mark)
(IV) Reason (1 mark)

See it in the full 2025 board paper, set 2/4/1

2025, set 2/6/1, Q10(b) · 6 marks · Long answer

The journeys of Anne Frank and Valli teach us the vital lesson that optimism and self-assurance empower women to rise above circumstances and overcome obstacles. Examine the similarities.

(Diary of Anne Frank & Madam Rides the Bus)

Try it first, then show our solutionSolution

Anne Frank stays optimistic in hiding during the Holocaust. She remains hopeful about the future and makes her diary her true friend, since she has no real friend. Valli, though young, shows confidence and determination as she sets out for the town.
3 marks
Both are self-assured and mature beyond their years. Valli plans her journey meticulously and stays independent despite limited resources. Anne answers her teacher's punishment with witty essays and wins him over.
2 marks
Both teach that optimism and self-belief help women overcome their circumstances. The answer is coherent, in correct language.
1 mark

Answer: Both Anne and Valli show optimism, self-assurance and maturity, which help them rise above their circumstances.

Where the marks are

Value points from both lessons (3 marks)
Expression and coherence (2 marks)
Accuracy (1 mark)

See it in the full 2025 board paper, set 2/6/1

Every From the Diary of Anne Frank question, by year

2025

Set 2/4/1: Q6(A) (5 marks, solved)

Set 2/6/1: Q10(b) (6 marks, solved)

2024

Set 2/1/1: Q6(B) (5 marks, solved)

Set 2/3/1: Q6(b) (5 marks, solved)

2023

Set 2/1/1: Q6(a) (5 marks)

Practice questions on From the Diary of Anne Frank

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
When Anne's mother went to Holland in September, where were Margot and Anne sent?
(a) Frankfurt, to their aunts
(b) Aachen, to their grandmother
(c) Amsterdam, to a nursery school
(d) Holland, with their father
Hint
Look at the paragraph that begins with Anne's father and his age at marriage.
Answer
(b) Aachen, to their grandmother
Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
Name the three essay topics Mr Keesing gave Anne and say why he set them. (40-50 words)
Hint
Each new essay came after Anne kept talking in class.
Answer
Value points: Anne talked too much in maths class; first essay 'A Chatterbox'; second 'An Incorrigible Chatterbox'; third 'Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox'.
Model answer: Mr Keesing was annoyed because Anne talked too much in class. As punishment, he set her three essays one after another: ‘A Chatterbox’, ‘An Incorrigible Chatterbox’ and ‘Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox’. Each came because she kept talking after the previous one.
Q3 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level
Assertion (A): Anne gives her diary the name 'Kitty'.
Reason (R): She does not want simply to jot down facts; she wants the diary to be her friend.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
Hint
Ask yourself why anyone gives a notebook a name.
Answer
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. Anne names the diary Kitty to make the long-awaited friend real in her imagination.
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How does Anne describe her father and the family's move from Germany to Holland? What does her tone reveal? (40-50 words)
Hint
Notice the informal phrase she uses about her own arrival.
Answer
Value points: 'most adorable father'; father emigrated to Holland in 1933; mother in September, Margot in December, Anne in February; 'plunked down' as Margot's birthday present; tone playful, warm.
Model answer: Anne calls her father the most adorable father she has ever seen, showing deep affection. She explains that he emigrated to Holland in 1933, followed by her mother, Margot and finally Anne, ‘plunked down’ as Margot’s birthday present. Her playful tone reveals humour and warmth.
Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How did Sanne's help and the story of the poem turn the joke back on Mr Keesing? (40-50 words)
Hint
Think about what happens to the ducklings and who punishes them.
Answer
Value points: Anne had nearly run out of ideas; Sanne, good at poetry, offered help; essay written in verse; father swan bites three ducklings to death for quacking too much (we can infer a playful dig at a strict teacher); Mr Keesing took it the right way and read it to several classes.
Model answer: Anne had run out of ideas, so Sanne, who was good at poetry, helped her write the essay in verse. The poem told of a father swan biting his three ducklings to death for quacking too much. Mr Keesing took it the right way and read it to several classes.
Q6 · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
'For Anne, writing is more than a habit; it is a way of living with her feelings.' Discuss with reference to the chapter. (100-120 words)
Hint
Cover why she starts the diary, Kitty, the essays and her memory of Grandma.
Answer
Value points: needs to get things off her chest; no true friend; paper has more patience than people; diary becomes Kitty, 'Dearest Kitty'; essays and poem show her talent and wit; remembers grandmother lovingly; inference: writing gives comfort and confidence.
Model answer: For Anne, writing is a way to understand and share feelings she cannot speak aloud. She begins the diary because she needs to get things off her chest and has no true friend to confide in. She believes paper has more patience than people, so the notebook becomes a safe listener. Instead of only noting facts, she makes the diary a friend named Kitty and writes to her as ‘Dearest Kitty’. Writing also shows her talent at school: her essays and her poem turn Mr Keesing’s punishment into a joke he enjoys. Through writing she remembers her grandmother lovingly and laughs at her classmates. We can infer that writing gives Anne both comfort and confidence.
Q7 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose Anne's class gets a new teacher who punishes talking with strict detention. Based on her character in the chapter, how might Anne respond? (40-50 words)
Hint
Recall how she handled each of Mr Keesing's essays.
Answer
Value points: she tried to keep quiet after the first warning; she does not sulk; she uses clever arguments and humour; she stays cheerful.
Model answer: Based on her character, Anne would probably not sulk or rebel rudely. She would try to keep quiet, but if punished, she would use wit, perhaps a clever written argument or poem, to defend herself, just as she did with Mr Keesing’s essays. She might also stay cheerful.
Q8 · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Imagine you are Mr Keesing. Write a diary entry on the day you read Anne's poem to the class, reflecting on what you learnt about Anne and about yourself. (100-120 words)
Hint
Stay true to the facts: the title he set, the poem's story, his reading it to other classes, and his decision to let her talk.
Answer
Value points: diary format; the third title meant to tease her; the poem's story; he took the joke well and read it to several classes; recognises her cleverness; lets her talk; reflection on himself.
Model answer: Dear Diary, Today Anne Frank finally beat me at my own game. I had set her a silly title, ‘Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox’, hoping to tease her into silence. Instead, she handed in a poem about a mother duck, a father swan and three ducklings bitten to death for quacking too much. I could not help smiling; perhaps the stern swan was me! I read it to the class with my own comments, and then to other classes too. That girl talks endlessly, but she thinks cleverly. I have decided to let her talk. A teacher should know when a joke is on him, and enjoy it.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.What name does Anne give her diary, and why?Show answer
Kitty; she wants the diary to be the true friend she does not have.
2.Which saying does Anne recall on a dull, depressed day?Show answer
'Paper has more patience than people.'
3.Where and when was Margot born?Show answer
In Frankfurt, Germany, in 1926.
4.Who was Mrs Kuperus?Show answer
Anne's teacher in the sixth form and the headmistress; they parted in tears.
5.What subject does Mr Keesing teach, and what does Anne call him?Show answer
Maths; she calls him an old fogey.
6.How did Anne argue in her first essay?Show answer
Talking is a student's trait; she would try to control it, but could not cure it since her mother talked as much, and inherited traits cannot be helped.
7.What was the poem about?Show answer
A mother duck and a father swan whose three ducklings were bitten to death by the father for quacking too much.
8.Which date does the diary entry about school carry?Show answer
Saturday, 20 June 1942.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Can you explain why Anne feels alone though she has about thirty friends?
Can you give two reasons why writing a diary feels strange to Anne?
Can you list the family's moves from Frankfurt to Holland in the right order, with months?
Can you say what happened to Grandma in 1941 and January 1942, and how the 1942 birthday honoured her?
Can you name the three essay titles in order and Anne's argument in the first one?
Can you explain 'I’d make sure the joke was on him' in two sentences?
Can you describe how Mr Keesing changed by the end, with evidence?

From the Diary of Anne Frank: frequently asked questions

Why does Anne Frank call her diary Kitty?

Anne feels she has no true friend she can confide in, even though she has about thirty friends. She does not want to write bare facts. She wants the diary itself to be her friend, so she gives it a name, Kitty, and writes to it like letters to a close friend.

Why does Anne say paper has more patience than people?

Paper listens to everything without judging, interrupting or getting bored. Anne cannot share her real feelings with people, so she trusts her diary instead. The saying came to her on a dull, low day at home.

What were the three essays Mr Keesing gave Anne?

The first was 'A Chatterbox', the second 'An Incorrigible Chatterbox', and the third 'Quack, Quack, Quack, Said Mistress Chatterbox'. Anne answered the first by arguing that talking is a student's trait inherited from her mother. She wrote the third as a poem with help from her friend Sanne.

How did Anne make the joke turn back on Mr Keesing?

Mr Keesing set a teasing topic, but Anne wrote a poem about a father swan who bit his three ducklings to death for quacking too much. Mr Keesing took the joke well and read it to several classes. After that he let her talk and stopped giving her extra homework.

Why does Anne give a brief sketch of her life?

She says Kitty would not understand her stories if she plunged straight in without background. So she describes her family, their move from Germany to Holland, her school and her grandmother's death, even though she dislikes doing it.

What kind of person is Anne Frank in this chapter?

Anne is lonely and thoughtful, and honest enough to say she may be to blame for not confiding in friends. She is also witty, talkative and confident, as the chatterbox essays show. Her love for her father and grandmother shows that she is affectionate and sensitive.

Based on: CBSE English Language and Literature syllabus 2026-27; NCERT First Flight (Reprint 2026-27), From the Diary of Anne Frank