English LanguageICSE Class 10 · Chapter 3

ICSE Class 10 Notice Writing: Format, Creative Titles and Examples

Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Question 3(i) of ICSE English Paper 1 asks for a school notice on a given event, for 5 marks. CISCE's format has a short creative title, the event's name, one date, the time, the venue from smaller place to larger, and a line telling pupils whom to register with and by when.

What Notice Writing is about

Notice writing is Question 3 (i) of English Paper 1. The syllabus says: 'Candidates will be given a specific situation and will be required to: (a) Write the text for a notice based on given directions.' It carries 5 marks, and it is followed by Question 3 (ii), an e-mail on the same situation (see the E-mail Writing page). Both parts are compulsory.

Recent situations: an Inter School Story Writing Competition (2025), Remedial Classes after school hours for Classes IX and X (2023), a poster designing competition (2027 specimen) and an Inter House Poetry Writing Festival (CISCE's 2026 format guide).

The ICSE notice is short and set out line by line. CISCE's own sample (2027 draft marking scheme) is:

*Canvas of Creativity* / Annual Inter-School Poster Designing Competition / on 26th February 2026 / from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. / at Carnation Hall, St. Helen's School / Pupils of classes IX and X, who wish to participate, should give their names to the Vice Principal on or before 17th February 2026.

Notice what is not there: no word 'NOTICE' heading, no school name box, no signature block. The marks come from the six elements the marking scheme lists: creative title, event, date, time, venue and participation details.

Weightage: Notice writing is Question 3 (i): 5 of the 80 marks of English Paper 1, compulsory. Question 3 (ii), an e-mail on the same situation, carries another 5.Source: CISCE ICSE 2027 Specimen Question Paper, English Language (T27 011), Question 3

Key concepts

The six elements of an ICSE notice: 1. Creative title: a short, catchy phrase (CISCE examples: 'Words Worth!', 'Canvas of Creativity', 'Express Yourself', 'Visual Voices').
2. Event: its full name, e.g. 'Annual Inter-School Poster Designing Competition'.
3. Date: one date with the year, e.g. 'on 26th February 2027'.
4. Time: e.g. 'from 10.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.' (a.m. and p.m. in lower case with full stops).
5. Venue: from smaller place to larger, e.g. 'at Carnation Hall, St. Helen's School'.
6. Participation: who may take part, whom to give names to, and the last date, e.g. 'Pupils of Classes IX and X who wish to participate should give their names to the Vice Principal on or before 17th February 2027.'; Worked example
Put these jumbled details in CISCE notice order: 'Nature Club Room, Block B'; 'Seeds of Change'; 'register with Mr Bose by 10th August'; '20th August 2027'; 'Inter House Eco Quiz'; '11.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.'
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Title first: 'Seeds of Change'.
Event: 'Inter House Eco Quiz'.
Date, then time, then venue.
Participation last.
Answer: Seeds of Change
Inter House Eco Quiz
on 20th August 2027
from 11.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
at the Nature Club Room, Block B, [school name]
Pupils who wish to participate must give their names to Mr Bose on or before 10th August 2027.
The creative title: The title should catch the eye in about three words or fewer and should not repeat words from the question. The 2025 examiners criticised titles that used 'story' or 'writing' for a Story Writing Competition, vague titles that 'could refer to any competition', and 'excessively long titles'. In 2023 some candidates misunderstood 'Remedial' to mean 'Remedy' and gave headings such as 'First Aid'. Good titles use wordplay, alliteration or an invitation: 'Weave a Tale', 'Tell Tale' (2025 scheme), 'Ready to Learn', 'Refresh Revise', 'Relearn' (2023 scheme).; Worked example
Suggest two creative titles for an Inter School Science Exhibition without using 'science' or 'exhibition'.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Think of the spirit of the event: curiosity, invention, discovery.
Use wordplay or alliteration.
Keep to three words or fewer.
Answer: 'Eureka Moments' or 'Curious Minds'.
Realistic dates: Give one date for a one-day event, with the year. The 2025 scheme accepts a single date 'a week or fortnight away', and the 2025 examiners suggest a registration deadline 'ideally set 2-3 days after the notice is issued' (the 2027 scheme says 'within 2 to 3 days of writing the notice'). The 2025 examiners found event dates 'set before the exam date, too soon after it, or unrealistically later'; the 2023 examiners found registration dates 'too close to or even after the date of the event' and dates without the year. For classes held on several days (2023 Remedial Classes), give the days clearly, e.g. 'every Monday and Thursday from 3rd to 28th August 2027'.; Worked example
Your notice is written on 1st July 2027. Choose a suitable event date and registration deadline.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Event: 10-15 days later.
Registration: 2-3 days after the notice is issued, well before the event.
Answer: Event on 14th July 2027; give names on or before 4th July 2027.
Venue from smaller to larger: Name the exact room or hall, then the building or school: 'at the Main Auditorium, Delhi Public School, Sector 12'. The 2025 examiners found venues 'ranging from vague to overly broad' (such as 'in school'), and in 2023 often 'just one part of the venue' was written.; Worked example
Improve the venue line 'Venue: school'.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Name the specific place first.
Then the larger place.
Answer: 'at the Seminar Hall, second floor, Junior Block, Holy Cross School'.
Layout: lines, not paragraphs: Each element goes on its own line, centred or aligned left, as in CISCE's samples. Only the participation line is a full sentence. The 2025 examiners criticised notices 'written as one long paragraph' and an 'unnecessary paragraph after the venue'. There is no word 'NOTICE' heading in the CISCE format; you may add the school name if you like, but it earns no extra mark.; Worked example
What is wrong with: 'Our school is going to have a competition for posters on 26th February in the hall at 10 and students can come and it will be fun so register soon.'
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
It is a paragraph, not lines.
No creative title, no year, no end time, vague venue, no person or deadline for registration.
Answer: Rewrite in six lines: title; event; date with year; time span; specific venue; participation sentence with a named person and deadline.

Notice 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.

Every element answers a reader's question

Suppose a classmate reads your notice for a chess tournament and asks you, 'Which day? What time? Where exactly? How do I join?'

What does each question tell you about your notice?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

'Which day?' means the date is missing or incomplete.
'What time?' means the time is missing.
'Where exactly?' means the venue is too broad.
'How do I join?' means the participation line is missing.

Answer: A complete notice answers what, when, what time, where and how to join before anyone has to ask. That is exactly the list the CISCE marking scheme checks.

Memory hook: If a reader has to ask, a mark has been lost.

Catchy titles

Imagine your housing society is putting up a notice for a tree-planting Sunday, and the first draft title is 'Tree Planting Programme'.

Suggest a better title and explain why it works.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Avoid the event's own words.
Use wordplay or an invitation.
Keep it short.

Answer: 'Green Sunday' or 'Root for the Future': short, catchy and different from the event name, so people stop and read.

Memory hook: The title sells; the lines below tell.

Realistic planning of dates

Suppose the notice for your class picnic is put up on Monday, the picnic is on Wednesday, and money must be paid by Friday.

What has gone wrong, and how should the dates be set?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The deadline comes after the event.
Two days is too little notice.
Set the event about two weeks away and the deadline a few days after the notice.

Answer: Registration must close well before the event, and the event must allow time to plan. The ICSE examiners check this logic in every notice.

Memory hook: Notice, then deadline, then event: always in that order.

Topics in this chapter

Board Notice: Title, Dates, Venue and Examiner Errors (ICSE Class 10)

How the board asks Notice Writing

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

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Notice for a competition	'Your school is hosting a poster designing competition. Write a notice informing students about the event.' (2027 specimen); Inter School Story Writing Competition (2025).	Six elements in order; creative title without the event's own words; a single date about two weeks away; registration deadline a few days after the notice.
Notice for classes, workshops or a series	'Write a notice … informing the pupils of Classes IX and X about the Remedial Classes to be held after the school hours and asking them to register their names for it.' (2023)	Make the schedule clear (days, dates, time after school hours), name the classes eligible, and give the registration person and deadline before the start date.
Notice for a festival, camp or celebration	An Inter House Poetry Writing Festival (CISCE 2026 format guide); similar tasks for a book fair, a sports day or a charity drive.	The same six elements; for a drive or fair, the last line may tell pupils what to bring or whom to contact instead of registering.

Tricks to remember Notice Writing

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

T-E-D-T-V-P
Title, Event, Date, Time, Venue, Participation: 'Teddy Took Very Polite steps'.
Use it when: The six lines of every ICSE notice, in order.
Three words, no copy
The title has three words or fewer and copies no word of the event.
Use it when: Avoids the most common title penalty.
Small to big
Room, then building, then school: like an address read upwards.
Use it when: Venue line.

Notice Writing: board-level solved questions

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

Example 1: Competition notice · 5 marks · Short answerBoard level

Your school is organising an Inter School Photography Contest on the theme 'My City'. Write a notice informing students about the event.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Creative title without 'photography' or 'contest': 'Frame the City'.
Event: Inter School Photography Contest: 'My City'.
Date about two weeks ahead, with year; time span with a.m./p.m.
Venue smaller to larger.
Participation: classes, person, deadline a few days later.

Answer: Frame the City
Inter School Photography Contest: 'My City'
on 22nd November 2027
from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
at the Art Gallery, Senior Block, Loreto Convent School
Pupils of Classes VIII to X who wish to participate should give their names to Ms Fernandes, Art Department, on or before 11th November 2027.

Example 2: Classes notice (several dates) · 5 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Write a notice informing pupils of Class X about free spoken-English workshops to be held after school hours for four weeks, and asking them to register.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Title without 'spoken English' or 'workshop': 'Speak Up!'
Event and who it is for.
Schedule: days, date range with year, time after school hours.
Specific venue.
Registration line with a deadline before the first session.

Answer: Speak Up!
Spoken English Workshops for Class X
every Tuesday and Friday from 5th to 30th July 2027
from 2.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.
at the Language Lab, first floor, Main Building, Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2
Pupils who wish to attend should register with their English teachers on or before 2nd July 2027.

Example 3: Spotting six errors · 5 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Identify the errors in this notice: 'NOTICE / Story Writing Competition / Story Writing Competition will be held in school on 3rd. Time 10 AM. All students must come. Registration by 5th.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Check the title, event, date, time, venue and participation one by one.

Answer: (1) No creative title; 'NOTICE' is not a title, and 'Story Writing Competition' repeats the event. (2) Written as a paragraph. (3) Date has no month or year. (4) Time has no end time and 'AM' should be 'a.m.'. (5) Venue 'in school' is too broad. (6) Registration deadline (5th) falls after the event (3rd), and no person is named; 'must come' contradicts optional participation.

Example 4: Charity drive notice · 5 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Your school's Interact Club is collecting old books and clothes for a flood relief camp. Write a notice for the school notice board.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Title: an invitation to help, e.g. 'Lend a Hand'.
Event: Flood Relief Collection Drive by the Interact Club.
Dates of collection with year; time.
Collection point.
Final line: what to bring and whom to contact.

Answer: Lend a Hand
Flood Relief Collection Drive by the Interact Club
from 8th to 12th September 2027
from 8.00 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 2.00 p.m.
at the Activity Room, ground floor, Senior Wing, St. Paul's School
Pupils may bring clean clothes and old textbooks in good condition. For details, contact Arjun Mehta (Class X-A), President, Interact Club, by 7th September 2027.

Example 5: Judging titles · 1 mark · Short answerHOTS / competency

For an Inter House Debate, a student offers three titles: (a) 'Debate Competition 2027', (b) 'Battle of Words', (c) 'All students of the school are invited to take part'. Which is best and why?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

(a) repeats words from the event.
(b) is short, catchy, and avoids the topic words.
(c) is a sentence, not a title.

Answer: (b) 'Battle of Words': it is only three words, uses no word from 'Inter House Debate', and suggests the spirit of the event, which is what the examiners want.

Where the marks are

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

Notice for an Inter School Story Writing Competition (2025). The marking scheme lists the expected elements; CISCE does not print marks against each, so this split is indicative. (5 marks)

Step	Marks
Creative title that does not repeat words from the question	1
Event named fully	1
Single date with year (a week or fortnight away) and time with a.m./p.m.	1
Venue from smaller place to larger	1
Participation: who, whom to give names to, deadline a few days after issue	1

Where students lose marks in Notice Writing

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

Mistake: Title repeats words from the question
It is the easiest title to think of. The 2025 examiners criticised 'story' or 'writing' in the title of a Story Writing Competition notice.
Wrong working
Story Writing Competition
Right working
Weave a Tale
Do this: Brainstorm the spirit of the event and use wordplay or alliteration in three words or fewer.
Usually costs: The title mark.
Mistake: Unrealistic or incomplete dates
Students write the next day, a date months away, a date with no year, or a registration deadline after the event.
Wrong working
on 3rd … register by 5th
Right working
on 20th August 2027 … give names on or before 8th August 2027
Do this: Event 10-15 days after the notice; registration 2-3 days after the notice; always the year.
Usually costs: Date and participation marks.
Mistake: Vague venue
Students write 'in school' or 'in the hall'.
Do this: Name the room or hall, then the building or school.
Usually costs: The venue mark.
Mistake: Writing a paragraph
Students treat the notice like a letter. Examiners noted notices 'written as one long paragraph' and extra paragraphs after the venue.
Do this: One element per line; only the participation line is a sentence.
Usually costs: Format, and usually missing elements as well.
Mistake: No registration details
Students forget the last line, or write 'all must come'.
Do this: End every notice with who may participate, whom to give names to, and by when.
Usually costs: The participation mark.

Practice questions on Notice 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 · Short answerHarder board level
Your school is holding a Blood Donation Camp for parents and staff. Write a notice for the school notice board.
Hint
The participants are adults; the last line may ask pupils to inform their parents.
Answer
Value points: creative title (e.g. 'Gift of Life'); event; single date with year; time; venue (e.g. Medical Room and Annexe Hall, [school]); last line: parents and staff who wish to donate should register with the school nurse/a named teacher on or before a date a few days ahead.
Q2 · 5 marks · Short answerBoard level
Write a notice informing pupils of Classes IX and X about a Career Counselling Session to be conducted by a visiting expert.
Hint
Avoid 'career' and 'counselling' in the title.
Answer
Value points: title such as 'Chart Your Path' or 'Future Ready'; event (Career Counselling Session); date with year; time; venue smaller to larger; registration with a named teacher by a near date.
Q3 · 5 marks · Short answerBoard level
Write a notice about an Inter House Cookery Contest without fire for Classes VI to VIII.
Hint
Who may take part and how many per house.
Answer
Value points: title (e.g. 'Little Chefs', 'Cool Cuisine'); event; date; time; venue; participation: two pupils from each house to give names to their House Masters by a date.
Q4 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder board level
A student writes the notice date line as 'on 15th of this month'. Rewrite it correctly for a notice issued on 1st March 2027 and explain the change.
Hint
Complete date.
Answer
'on 15th March 2027'. A notice must give the full date with the month and year; the 2023 examiners noted dates in which 'the year was not mentioned'.
Q5 · 5 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Your school's library is holding a week-long Book Fair. Write a notice for the event.
Hint
Several days, so give the date range; no registration is needed, so end with useful information.
Answer
Value points: title (e.g. 'Turn the Page'); event (Annual Book Fair); date range with year; daily timings; venue; last line: books available at discounts; pupils may visit during free periods with their class teachers; contact the Librarian for details.
Q6 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Explain, with a reason each, two ways the 2023 notice on Remedial Classes lost marks according to the examiners, and how to avoid them.
Hint
Title and dates.
Answer
(1) Titles based on misreading 'Remedial' as 'remedy' or first aid: read the situation carefully and choose a title linked to learning, e.g. 'Ready to Learn'. (2) Registration dates too close to or after the event, or event dates clashing with exams: leave a clear gap, with registration a few days after the notice and the classes starting later.
Q7 · 5 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Write a notice for an Inter House Quiz on Indian Heritage, and then list the six elements you used in the margin.
Hint
Check every element against the list after writing.
Answer
Model: 'Roots and Wings / Inter House Quiz on Indian Heritage / on 9th December 2027 / from 11.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. / at the Multipurpose Hall, Senior Block, Army Public School / Each house may send a team of three; names should be given to the Activities In-charge on or before 29th November 2027.' Elements: creative title, event, date, time, venue, participation.

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.How many marks is the ICSE notice?Show answer
5 marks (Question 3 (i)).
2.What are the six elements of the CISCE notice format?Show answer
Creative title, event, date, time, venue, participation details.
3.Should the word 'NOTICE' be the heading?Show answer
No. CISCE's samples begin with a creative title; there is no 'NOTICE' heading.
4.How far ahead should the event date be?Show answer
About ten days to a fortnight after the notice, with registration closing 2-3 days after the notice.
5.How should a.m. and p.m. be written?Show answer
In lower case with full stops: 10.00 a.m., 3.00 p.m.
6.In what order is the venue written?Show answer
From smaller place to larger, e.g. hall, then school.

Quick revision checklist

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

Can you list the six elements of an ICSE notice in order?
Can you write three creative titles for a sports day without using 'sports' or 'day'?
Can you set a realistic event date and deadline for a notice written today?
Can you write a venue line from smaller to larger place?
Can you write a complete participation sentence with a person and a deadline?

Notice Writing: frequently asked questions

Is there a word limit for ICSE notice writing?

No word limit is printed. CISCE's sample notice is about 40-50 words: five short lines and one participation sentence.

Should I put a box around the notice?

CISCE's samples have no box. A box does no harm, but it earns no mark; the marks are for the title, event, date, time, venue and participation details.

Can the creative title use words from the event name?

No. The 2025 marking scheme recommends that no word from the question is used, and the examiners criticised titles that used words such as 'story' or 'writing' from the event 'Story Writing Competition'.

Do I need to sign the notice?

CISCE's format has no signature line; the participation sentence names the person to contact. You may add a name and designation, but it is not required.

Based on: CISCE ICSE 2027 English syllabus (Paper 1: English Language); CISCE ICSE 2027 Specimen Question Paper and Draft Marking Scheme: English Language (English Paper 1); CISCE Specimen Questions, English Language 2026: suggested formats for letter, notice and e-mail; CISCE Analysis of Pupil Performance 2025: English Language (examiners' comments); CISCE Analysis of Pupil Performance 2023: English Language (examiners' comments)