Article Writing Class 12: Format, Model Articles and Marking Scheme
Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked
Article writing is one of two options in Q6 of Section B in the CBSE Class 12 English Core paper (the other is a report). You write a descriptive and analytical article of 120-150 words on a given topic for a magazine or newspaper, for 5 marks (format 1, organisation 1, content 2, accuracy 1), with a title and byline.
What Article Writing is about
An article is a piece of writing for a newspaper, magazine or school publication that presents information, views and analysis on a topic of general interest. The CBSE syllabus describes the task as 'descriptive and analytical in nature, based on verbal inputs'.
In the CBSE Class 12 English Core paper it appears in Question 6, Section B, as one of two choices (the other being a report). Word limit: 120-150 words.
Marks (5): Format 1 (title and the writer's name, the byline), Organisation 1, Content 2, Accuracy 1.
Structure: a catchy title, a byline ('By Aanya Sharma'), an introduction that hooks the reader and states the issue, body paragraphs that describe and analyse (causes, effects, examples, both sides where relevant), and a conclusion with suggestions or a call to action.
Typical topics: doom-scrolling and social media, water conservation, preserving cultural heritage, the vanishing of quiet moments, volunteering by young people, mental health, sports in schools, climate change.
Weightage: Section B (Creative Writing Skills, 18 of the 80 theory marks): Q6, 5 marks (format 1, organisation 1, content 2, accuracy 1), one of two with the report.Source: CBSE English Core (301) syllabus and sample paper 2026-27
In real board papers: asked in 2 of the 2 board papers we hold (2026 to 2026), on average 5 marks per paper. See the questions
Key concepts
- Format: title and byline
- Title: short, relevant and catchy (often given in the question; if not, create one). Write it centred or at the top.
- Byline: 'By' + the writer's name given in the question (e.g. By Ankit Verma, Class XII).
- No address, date, salutation or closing (an article is not a letter).
These two elements carry the format mark.
Worked example
Write a title and byline for an article by Aanya/Ankit on doom-scrolling among teenagers.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Catchy, relevant title.
- Byline with given name.
Answer: 'Scroll Less, Live More' / By Ankit
- Introduction: hooking the reader
Open with something that catches attention and states the topic:
- a question ('When did you last sit without your phone?'),
- a striking observation ('Every summer, our taps run dry a little earlier.'),
- a short scene or quotation (well known, accurately quoted).
Then state the issue in one sentence. Keep the introduction to 2-3 sentences.
Worked example
Write an opening for an article on water conservation.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Striking observation.
- State the issue.
Answer: 'Every summer, buckets queue up a little earlier at our street's water tanker. India's water crisis is no longer a distant threat; it is knocking at our doors.'
- Body: description and analysis
The content marks reward depth:
- Describe the situation with examples.
- Analyse: causes, effects, who is affected, and (where relevant) both sides.
- Use the points given in the question (verbal input) and expand them.
- One idea per paragraph; use linkers ('Firstly', 'Moreover', 'However', 'As a result').
- Avoid invented statistics; general examples are safer.
Worked example
Give two causes and two effects of excessive social media use among teenagers.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Causes: algorithm-driven feeds, fear of missing out.
- Effects: poor sleep, anxiety and low concentration.
Answer: Causes: endless algorithm-driven content and fear of missing out. Effects: late nights and poor sleep; anxiety from constant comparison.
- Conclusion: suggestions and call to action
End with:
- practical suggestions for individuals, families, schools or authorities, and
- a memorable closing line (an appeal, a hopeful thought or a return to the title).
Do not introduce new problems in the conclusion.
Worked example
Write a closing line for an article on preserving cultural heritage.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Appeal to youth.
- Hopeful note.
Answer: 'Our heritage is not a museum piece; it lives only when we, the young, choose to carry it forward.'
- Style and word limit
- Tone: semi-formal to formal, engaging; can use 'we' and rhetorical questions.
- Language: varied sentences, precise vocabulary, no slang or SMS language.
- Length: 120-150 words in about four paragraphs (intro, two body, conclusion).
- Plan for two minutes: title, three or four points, a closing line.
Worked example
A student writes a 300-word article. What should be cut?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Remove repetition and long examples.
- Keep one example per point.
Answer: Cut repeated ideas and extra examples, keeping the introduction, two key analytical points and a short conclusion within 150 words.
Article Writing 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.
Writing for an audience
Suppose you are asked to write about road safety for your school magazine read mostly by students of Classes VI to XII.
How should you shape the article for this audience?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Use relatable examples (cycling to school, crossing roads).
- Simple, lively language.
- Practical tips.
Answer: Use examples from students' daily lives, a lively title, clear language and practical tips like wearing helmets and using zebra crossings.
Memory hook: Know your reader before you write.
Hook
Imagine two articles on water: one starts 'Water is very important', the other 'Our taps ran dry for three days last May.'
Which opening is better and why?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Specific, vivid openings catch attention.
- General statements are dull.
Answer: The second, because a vivid, specific opening makes readers want to continue.
Memory hook: Hook first, facts next.
Balanced analysis
Suppose an article on social media lists only its harms.
How could it be more analytical?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Acknowledge benefits too.
- Weigh both and conclude.
Answer: It should mention benefits (learning, connection) along with harms, then argue for balanced use.
Memory hook: Analyse, don't just attack.
Topics in this chapter
Article Writing: key facts
- Marking scheme
- Format 1 + Organisation 1 + Content 2 + Accuracy 1 = 5
- CBSE English Core (301), Q6.
- Format
- Title + Byline (By name)
- No address, date, salutation or closing.
- Structure
- 1.Hook and issue
- 2.Description and causes
- 3.Effects and analysis
- 4.Suggestions and closing line
- About four paragraphs, 120-150 words.
How the board asks Article Writing
The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.
| Question type | How it is asked | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Social issue | Doom-scrolling, mental health, fast-paced living, peer pressure. | Describe, analyse causes and effects, suggest balanced solutions. |
| Environmental issue | Water crisis, plastic, climate change, for a magazine like 'Nature'. | Use any given input; causes, effects, steps for individuals and authorities. |
| Cultural or youth theme | Preserving heritage; young volunteers; sports in schools. | Explain importance, current challenges, how youth can contribute. |
Tricks to remember Article Writing
Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.
'T-B-H-B-C'
Title, Byline, Hook, Body (describe and analyse), Conclusion (suggest and close).
Use it when: Full structure.
Four paragraphs
Intro (issue) → Why (causes) → So what (effects) → Now what (solutions).
Use it when: Organisation mark.
Article vs report
Article = views and analysis with a byline; report = factual account of an event with heading, byline, date and place.
Use it when: Choosing the right format in Q6.
Article Writing: board-level solved questions
Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.
Example 1: Doom-scrolling · 5 marks · Long answerBoard level
As Aanya/Ankit, a teenager, write an article in 120-150 words on the effects of doom-scrolling on young people and how to overcome it.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Title and byline.
- Hook.
- Causes and effects.
- Solutions and closing line.
Answer: Scroll Less, Live More
By Ankit
It is midnight, and thousands of teenagers are still awake, thumbs flicking through an endless stream of reels and news. This habit, called doom-scrolling, is quietly harming young minds.
Apps are designed to keep us hooked. Their algorithms feed us one more video, one more alarming headline, and the fear of missing out keeps us going. The result is late nights, tired mornings and poor concentration in class. Constant comparison with picture-perfect lives also breeds anxiety and low self-esteem.
The solution is not to give up technology but to use it wisely. Setting screen-time limits, keeping phones out of bedrooms, turning off needless notifications and replacing an hour of scrolling with sport, music or reading can make a real difference. Parents and schools can model and teach these habits.
Let us scroll less and live more.
Example 2: Water conservation · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Write an article in 120-150 words for 'Nature' magazine on the need to conserve water in India. You are Mansi/Manas.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Title and byline.
- Issue.
- Causes.
- Measures and appeal.
Answer: Every Drop Counts
By Manas
Every summer, the queue at our street's water tanker forms a little earlier. India's water crisis is no longer a distant warning; it is part of daily life in many towns and villages.
The causes are largely man-made. We waste water through leaking pipes and careless habits, over-pump groundwater for farms and factories, and pollute rivers and lakes with sewage and waste. Rapid urbanisation has paved over the soil that once soaked up rain.
Conservation must begin at home: fixing leaks, using buckets instead of hoses and reusing water for plants. Housing societies and schools can harvest rainwater, and farmers can adopt drip irrigation. Governments must protect water bodies and enforce pollution laws.
Water cannot be manufactured. If each of us saves a little every day, we can ensure that our taps, and our children's, do not run dry.
Example 3: Preserving cultural heritage · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Write an article in 120-150 words on the role of youth in preserving India's cultural heritage in an age of globalisation.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Title, byline.
- Challenge of globalisation.
- Why heritage matters.
- What youth can do.
Answer: Keeping Our Roots Alive
By Hina Aziz
In a world of global brands and streaming platforms, it is easy for young Indians to know more about foreign trends than about their own folk songs, crafts and festivals.
Globalisation has many benefits, but it also threatens to replace local languages, arts and traditions with a single, uniform culture. Many traditional crafts are dying because few young people learn them, and old monuments suffer from neglect and vandalism.
Yet heritage gives us identity and a sense of belonging. Young people can keep it alive by learning their mother tongue, joining heritage walks, supporting artisans by buying handmade products and using social media to share local stories. Schools can organise visits to museums and invite folk artists.
Heritage is not a museum piece. It lives only when we, the young, choose to carry it forward.
Example 4: The vanishing moments of silence · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
You are disturbed by how quiet, relaxed moments are vanishing from fast-paced modern life. Write an article in 120-150 words titled 'The Vanishing Pause'.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Title given; byline.
- Observation.
- Causes and effects.
- Ways to reclaim silence; closing.
Answer: The Vanishing Pause
By Aanya
When did you last sit quietly, without a screen, a deadline or a notification? For many of us, the answer is: we cannot remember.
Modern life moves at high speed. Tuition, assignments, social media and constant connectivity fill every gap in our day. Even waiting at a bus stop is spent scrolling. We have forgotten how to do nothing.
This loss has a price. Without moments of quiet, the mind never rests; stress builds up, creativity fades and we rarely reflect on who we are or where we are going.
We can reclaim the pause. A short walk without earphones, ten minutes of silence before sleep, a meal without phones or a weekly hour in nature can calm the mind and spark new ideas.
In a noisy world, silence is a gift we must give ourselves.
Where the marks are
How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.
Article (120-150 words, 5 marks) (5 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Format: title and byline. | 1 |
| Organisation: introduction, developed body paragraphs and conclusion, with coherence. | 1 |
| Content: relevant description and analysis using the input; suggestions. | 2 |
| Accuracy: grammar, spelling and appropriate style. | 1 |
Where students lose marks in Article Writing
The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.
Mistake: Missing title or byline
Do this: Always write a title and 'By ...' at the top.
Usually costs: Format mark.
Mistake: Writing it like a letter or speech
Wrong working
Dear readers, ... Thank you.
Right working
Title, byline, then paragraphs, no greetings or sign-off.
Do this: Articles have no salutation or closing formula.
Usually costs: Format and organisation.
Mistake: Only description, no analysis
Do this: Add causes, effects and suggestions.
Usually costs: Content marks.
Mistake: One long paragraph
Do this: Use four short paragraphs with linkers.
Usually costs: Organisation mark.
Mistake: Ignoring the input points in the question
Do this: Include and expand every point given.
Usually costs: Content marks.
Article Writing: previous year questions
- Asked in 2 of the 2 board papers we hold (2026 to 2026), on average 5 marks per paper; 2 questions in all, counting OR alternatives. In 3 of 3 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.
Every Article Writing question, by year
- For 2027
Sample paper 2026-27: Q6(A) (5 marks)
- 2026
Set 301/1/1: Q6(A) (5 marks)
Set 301/5/1: Q6(a) (5 marks)
- For 2025
Sample paper 2024-25: Q6(A) (5 marks)
- For 2024
Sample paper 2023-24: Q6(A) (5 marks)
Practice questions on Article Writing
Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.
Q1 · 5 marks · Long answerBoard level
Write an article in 120-150 words for your school magazine on the importance of young adults volunteering in their local community.
Hint
Need, benefits, how to start.
Answer
Model points: title (e.g. 'Hands that Help') and byline; need (elderly, environment, education); benefits to community and to the volunteer (skills, empathy, confidence); ways to begin (NGOs, RWA drives, school clubs); closing appeal.
Q2 · 5 marks · Long answerBoard level
Write an article in 120-150 words on 'Mental Health Matters: Breaking the Silence among Teenagers'.
Hint
Stigma and support.
Answer
Model points: title, byline; stress from studies, social media, peer pressure; stigma prevents seeking help; signs to notice; role of parents, teachers, counsellors, helplines; self-care habits; closing line.
Q3 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Write an article in 120-150 words on the importance of sports in schools, arguing against reducing games periods before board exams.
Hint
Physical and mental benefits.
Answer
Model points: title, byline; trend of cutting games periods; benefits: fitness, stress relief, teamwork, focus; balance between study and play; suggestion: protect at least two games periods a week; closing.
Q4 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Write an article in 120-150 words on how small daily choices can reduce our carbon footprint.
Hint
Transport, energy, food, waste.
Answer
Model points: title, byline; climate change link; choices: public transport, cycling, switching off appliances, reducing food waste, less plastic, planting trees; collective effect; closing line.
Q5 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Write an article in 120-150 words on whether artificial intelligence tools help or harm students' learning. Present both sides and your view.
Hint
Balanced analysis.
Answer
Model points: title, byline; benefits (instant explanations, practice, accessibility); risks (copying, less thinking, errors); need for honest use and teacher guidance; your reasoned view; closing line.
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 is the word limit?Show answer
120-150 words.
2.What makes up the format of an article?Show answer
A title and a byline.
3.What does 'descriptive and analytical' mean here?Show answer
Describing the situation and examining causes, effects and solutions.
4.Which is the other option in Q6?Show answer
Report writing.
5.How are the 5 marks split?Show answer
Format 1, organisation 1, content 2, accuracy 1.
Quick revision checklist
The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?
- Can you write a catchy title and byline?
- Can you open with a hook?
- Can you analyse causes and effects?
- Can you end with suggestions and a strong closing line?
- Can you keep to 120-150 words in four paragraphs?
Article Writing: frequently asked questions
Is article writing in the CBSE Class 12 English 2026-27 syllabus?
Yes. Article or report writing, descriptive and analytical, 120-150 words, is Q6 of Section B for 5 marks.
What if the title is not given?
Create a short, relevant, catchy title of your own.
Can I use 'I' and 'we' in an article?
Yes, an article can use the first person and rhetorical questions, but keep the tone suitable and avoid slang.
Should I add statistics?
Use figures only if given in the question; otherwise rely on examples and analysis.
Based on: CBSE English Core (301) syllabus 2026-27; CBSE English Core sample question paper and marking scheme 2026-27