English LanguageICSE Class 8 · Chapter 3

ICSE Class 8 Composition and Creative Writing: Types, Plans and Model Essays

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

In ICSE Class 8 composition you write an original piece of about 250-300 words, usually in four or more paragraphs: a narrative, descriptive, argumentative or anecdotal essay, a story, a personal narrative, a feature, a dialogue or a poem. CISCE wants you to plan, draft, revise and edit, so ideas are organised and the language is precise.

What Composition and Creative Writing is about

Composition is the longest piece of writing in Class VIII English. The CISCE curriculum asks you to write:

paragraphs of about 250-300 words and compositions of four or more paragraphs on a given topic;
original prose or poetry that is imaginative, descriptive, narrative, argumentative or anecdotal;
personal narratives, anecdotes, stories, poems, features and dialogues;
narratives that recount a well-elaborated event;
essays that take a stand on an argumentative topic and defend it logically.

It also names the process approach: planning, writing, revising, editing and rewriting. In an exam you cannot rewrite everything, but you can spend five minutes planning and five minutes checking.

School papers usually give a choice of topics: one narrative, one descriptive, one argumentative, one story with a given opening or ending, and one picture. This mirrors Question 1 of the ICSE English Language paper in Classes IX and X, where the composition is 300-350 words. Learning to choose the right topic and plan it well is half the work.

Weightage: CISCE publishes no question paper or weightage for Class VIII English; your school sets and marks the composition. It is usually the highest-scoring single question in a school English Language paper.Source: CISCE Curriculum for Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII), RDCD 2016, English (Class VIII)

Key concepts

Know the type before you write

Each type has a different job:

Narrative: tells events in order, usually in the past tense, often in the first person ('Describe a day when...', 'Narrate an incident...').
Descriptive: paints a person, place or scene with the five senses; little action.
Argumentative: takes a clear stand for or against a statement and defends it with reasons.
Discursive or reflective: weighs both sides or explores an idea before concluding.
Story: characters, a problem (conflict), rising tension, a climax and a resolution; often begins or ends with given words.
Anecdote or personal narrative: a short true incident from your life with a point or lesson.
Feature: a lively, informative piece for a magazine with a title and a human angle.
Dialogue: a conversation set out with names and colons.

Mixing types loses marks: a descriptive essay that becomes a story drifts from the question.

Worked example

Identify the type: 'Your school has decided to ban junk food in the canteen. Do you agree? Give reasons.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

'Do you agree?' asks for a stand.
'Give reasons' asks for a defence.

Answer: Argumentative: state your stand clearly in the first paragraph and defend it with reasons in the body.

Plan before you write

Spend about five minutes on a plan:
1. Underline every part of the topic ('Describe a crowded railway station at night': the night matters).
2. Brainstorm ideas quickly in key words.
3. Choose the best three or four and put them in order.
4. Assign paragraphs: introduction, two or three body paragraphs, conclusion.
A plan keeps you on topic and stops you running out of ideas halfway.

Worked example

Plan four paragraphs for 'Describe a crowded railway station at night.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Introduction: arrival, first impression.
Sights under the lights; sounds and smells; people and feelings.
Conclusion: departure, lasting image.

Answer: P1: arriving at 11 p.m., the station glowing like an island of light. P2: sights: yellow lamps, sleeping porters, glowing boards. P3: sounds and smells: announcements, tea vendors, diesel. P4: the train pulls out; the station shrinks into the dark.

Paragraphs with a purpose

Each paragraph does one job and starts with a topic sentence that tells the reader what it is about. The introduction catches attention (a question, a vivid scene, a bold statement) and makes the topic clear. Body paragraphs develop one idea each, with details or examples. The conclusion rounds off: it reflects, sums up or gives a final image, and never introduces a new argument. Link paragraphs with transitions: 'Later that evening...', 'On the other hand...', 'Most importantly...'.

Worked example

Write a topic sentence for a body paragraph arguing that school uniforms reduce peer pressure.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

State the paragraph's single idea.
Make it link to the stand.

Answer: 'Uniforms also protect pupils from the pressure to compete over expensive clothes.'

Show, don't tell

Strong writing shows feelings and scenes through details instead of naming them. 'I was scared' tells; 'My palms were wet and I could hear my own heartbeat' shows. Use the five senses, precise verbs ('trudged', 'darted' instead of 'walked') and a few well-chosen adjectives. Figurative language helps, but one fresh simile is better than five tired ones ('as cold as ice').

Worked example

Rewrite to show, not tell: 'The market was very busy and noisy.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Pick sights and sounds.
Use active verbs.

Answer: 'Vendors bellowed prices over the clang of steel pots, while shoppers squeezed between carts piled high with mangoes.'

Arguing logically

For an argumentative composition:
1. Introduction: state your stand in one clear sentence.
2. Two or three body paragraphs: one reason each, supported by an example, fact or consequence.
3. Counter-argument: admit the opposite view briefly and answer it ('Some argue that... However...').
4. Conclusion: restate the stand in fresh words.
Avoid sitting on the fence; the curriculum asks you to take a stand and defend it.

Worked example

Give a counter-argument and rebuttal for the stand 'Online classes can never replace school.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Opposite view: online classes save travel and allow learning anywhere.
Answer: school gives friendships, sport and hands-on work.

Answer: 'Some argue that online classes save travel time and let pupils learn from anywhere. However, a screen cannot replace the friendships, teamwork, sport and laboratory work that only a real school offers.'

Revise, edit, rewrite

In the last five minutes, check:

Content: Did I answer every part of the topic? Is anything off-topic?
Organisation: Clear paragraphs? Logical order?
Language: tense consistency (past for narratives), subject-verb agreement, spelling, punctuation, especially apostrophes and full stops between sentences.
Length: about 250-300 words; much shorter usually means thin content.

Cross out neatly with one line; do not rewrite the whole essay.

Worked example

Find and correct the error: 'Yesterday we go to the zoo, and my brother feeds the monkeys.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

'Yesterday' needs the past tense.
Both verbs must change.

Answer: 'Yesterday we went to the zoo, and my brother fed the monkeys.'

Composition and Creative 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.

Planning before writing

Imagine you must give a two-minute toast at your cousin's birthday dinner, and you start speaking without thinking.

What is likely to happen, and what would a plan change?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Without a plan: you ramble, repeat yourself, forget the best story.
With a plan: an opening joke, one story, a wish, a raised glass.

Answer: A one-minute plan turns a ramble into a clear, memorable toast. A composition plan does the same: it fixes the order and stops you running dry.

Memory hook: Five minutes of plan saves fifteen minutes of muddle.

Arguing with reasons

Suppose you want your parents to let you go on a school trek, and you say only 'Everyone is going!'

Why might this fail, and what would work better?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

'Everyone is going' is pressure, not a reason.
Better: safety measures, teachers present, what you will learn, how you will keep in touch.

Answer: Parents, like examiners, are persuaded by reasons and evidence, plus an answer to their worry (safety). That is the shape of an argumentative composition.

Memory hook: Stand, reasons, answer the worry.

Show, don't tell

Imagine two friends describe the same horror film: one says 'It was scary'; the other describes the creaking stairs and the shadow behind the door.

Whose description makes you want to watch it, and why?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

'Scary' is a label; you feel nothing.
Details let you picture and feel the fear yourself.

Answer: Specific details make the listener experience the feeling. Descriptive and narrative compositions earn their marks the same way.

Memory hook: Labels tell; details sell.

Topics in this chapter

Composition: Types, Planning, Paragraphs and Argument

How the school exam asks Composition and Creative Writing

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

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Narrative	'Narrate an incident when you helped a stranger', 'Describe a day you will never forget.'	First person, past tense, events in order with one clear high point and a closing reflection.
Descriptive	'Describe a busy market on a festival day', 'Describe a person you admire.'	Senses, precise words, a clear viewpoint moving through the scene; little plot.
Argumentative	'Social media does more harm than good. Do you agree?'	Clear stand, reasons with examples, one counter-argument answered, firm conclusion.
Story with a given line	'Write a story that begins: "The parcel had no sender's name..."' or 'ends with "...and that is why I never open the attic."'	Use the exact line where asked; build a conflict, rising tension, climax and resolution that lead to it.
Picture composition	A photograph is given; write a story, description or account suggested by it.	Link the picture clearly to your composition (not just a mention); any interpretation is fine if the link is strong.
Feature, dialogue or poem	'Write a feature for your school magazine on...', 'Write a dialogue between...', 'Write a short poem about...'.	Follow the form: a title and lively hook for a feature; names and colons for a dialogue; images and line breaks for a poem.

Tricks to remember Composition and Creative Writing

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

TUPP
Type, Underline, Plan, Paragraph: decide the type, underline the topic, plan, then write in paragraphs.
Use it when: The first five minutes of any composition.
Five senses checklist
See, hear, smell, touch, taste: try to use at least three in a descriptive essay.
Use it when: Descriptive compositions.
Story mountain
Opening, problem, rising action, climax, resolution: climb up and come down.
Use it when: Stories with a given opening or ending.

Composition and Creative Writing: exam-level solved questions

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

Example 1: Model narrative composition · 15 marks · Long answerExam level

Narrate an incident when you learnt the value of patience. (About 250-300 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Plan: P1 hook and setting; P2 the problem; P3 the struggle and turning point; P4 the result and lesson.
First person, past tense, show feelings through details.
End with a reflection that names the lesson without preaching.

Answer: The seed packet promised 'Sunflowers in eight weeks!' in bright yellow letters. Last summer, I tore it open, pressed six seeds into a pot on our balcony and waited for a miracle by the next morning.

No miracle came. For four days the soil lay flat and brown. I poked it with a pencil, watered it three times a day and even moved the pot into the sun at noon, then back into the shade at four. My grandmother watched all this from her chair, smiling. 'Plants grow at their own speed, not yours,' she said. I was sure she was wrong.

On the sixth day, I gave up. I pushed the pot behind the curtain and went back to my video games. My grandmother quietly took over, giving the pot a small cup of water every evening. A week later she called me to the balcony. Two pale green loops had pushed through the soil, curled like question marks. I felt foolish and thrilled at the same time.

After that, I did things her way: a little water at sunset, no poking and no moving. The stems grew taller each week, and by the end of the holidays one sunflower stood almost as tall as I was, its golden face turned towards the morning light.

I still keep that empty seed packet in my desk. Whenever I want quick results, whether in mathematics or in learning the guitar, I remember the six days I nearly gave up, and the two green loops that taught me that good things grow quietly. (261 words)

Example 2: Argumentative plan · 6 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

'Homework should be banned for pupils up to Class VIII.' Write the introduction and the outline of the rest, taking a clear stand.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Choose a side you can support: against the ban (homework, in limited amounts, helps).
State the stand in the introduction.
Two reasons with examples; one counter-argument answered; conclusion.

Answer: Introduction: 'Every evening, millions of school bags are opened at kitchen tables across India. Some say this ritual should end, but I believe homework, in sensible amounts, is too valuable to ban.' Body 1: practice fixes learning (a new maths method is forgotten unless practised). Body 2: it builds independence and time management (planning a project over a week). Counter-argument: too much homework causes stress and leaves no time for play; rebuttal: the answer is limiting homework to short, purposeful tasks, not banning it. Conclusion: 'Homework should be lighter and smarter, not abolished.'

Example 3: Descriptive opening · 5 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

Write the opening paragraph (about 80 words) of a composition: 'Describe the first rain of the monsoon in your neighbourhood.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Start with a sense, not 'Rain is a natural phenomenon'.
Use sight, sound, smell and touch.
Set a mood: relief and joy.

Answer: The first sign was the smell: a sudden, earthy sweetness rising from the dry ground as the sky turned the colour of slate. Then came the sound, a soft patter on the tin roof of the corner shop that grew into a roar within seconds. Children burst out of doorways, arms flung wide, faces tilted upward. Even old Mr Sharma, who complained about everything, stood smiling on his balcony as fat drops darkened his white kurta. Summer had finally surrendered.

Example 4: Story with a given ending · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Outline a story that ends with: '...and from that day on, Tara never laughed at the old watchman again.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The ending suggests Tara mocked the watchman and later learnt his worth.
Build conflict: Tara and friends tease him for being slow and old.
Climax: an emergency where he saves the day.
Resolution leads to the exact given line.

Answer: Opening: Tara and her friends nickname the colony's old watchman 'Snail' because he walks slowly with a stick. Rising action: one evening a power cut plunges the colony into darkness while Tara's little brother is missing from the park. Climax: the watchman, who knows every corner of the colony, calmly searches with his torch and finds the boy trapped behind a locked shed, comforting him until help arrives. Resolution: Tara learns that he once served in the army and has quietly protected the colony for thirty years. She apologises, and the story closes with the given line.

Example 5: Dialogue · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

Write a dialogue of eight to ten exchanges between you and a friend who wants to skip a class test by pretending to be ill.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Names and colons; no quotation marks.
Each speaker sounds natural; the conversation has a turning point.
End with a decision.

Answer: Aryan: I'm going to tell Ma I've got a stomach ache tomorrow.
Me: Tomorrow? That's the science test.
Aryan: Exactly. I haven't revised a single page.
Me: But Ms Rao said anyone who misses it has to take a harder one next week.
Aryan: Seriously? I didn't know that.
Me: And your mother will take you to the doctor. Then what?
Aryan: Okay, that's a bad plan. But I still don't know the chapter on cells.
Me: Come over after lunch. We'll make a quick chart of the cell parts together.
Aryan: You'd do that?
Me: Of course. Two hours of work beats a week of worrying.
Aryan: Deal. I'll bring the snacks.

Example 6: Fix a weak paragraph · 4 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Improve this paragraph from a composition titled 'A visit to a hill station': 'It was very nice. We saw many nice things. The weather was nice and we had nice food. Everyone was very happy.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Diagnose: 'nice' four times, no details, telling not showing.
Replace with specific sights, weather, food and feelings.

Answer: 'Mist drifted between the pine trees as our bus climbed the last bend, and the air smelt of wet earth and woodsmoke. That afternoon we walked to a waterfall that roared over black rocks, and in the evening we warmed our hands around steaming bowls of momos at a tiny roadside stall. Even my little sister, who had grumbled through the whole journey, fell asleep smiling.'

Where the marks are

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

Composition of about 250-300 words (school paper). CISCE sets no Class VIII marking scheme; this split follows the content-organisation-expression-accuracy criteria schools commonly use. (15 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: relevant to every part of the topic, ideas developed with details	5
Organisation: paragraphs, logical order, introduction and conclusion	3
Expression: vocabulary, sentence variety, figurative language, tone suited to type	4
Accuracy: grammar, spelling, punctuation	3

Where students lose marks in Composition and Creative Writing

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

Mistake: Writing the wrong type
Pupils read 'Describe' and then tell a long story.
Do this: Underline the instruction word: describe, narrate, argue, write a story.
Usually costs: Content marks for relevance.
Mistake: Ignoring part of the topic
Pupils write about 'a railway station' when the topic says 'at night'.
Do this: Underline every element of the topic and tick each off in your plan.
Usually costs: Content marks.
Mistake: Tense shifts in narratives
Pupils drift into the present tense when the action gets exciting.
Wrong working
I opened the door and suddenly a dog jumps at me.
Right working
I opened the door and suddenly a dog jumped at me.
Do this: Keep narratives in the past tense; check every verb at the end.
Usually costs: Accuracy marks.
Mistake: Sitting on the fence in an argument
Pupils list both sides and never decide.
Do this: State your stand in paragraph 1 and restate it at the end; give the other side only to answer it.
Usually costs: Content and organisation marks.
Mistake: Story with a given line used loosely
Pupils change the given words or stick the line on without leading to it.
Do this: Copy the line exactly where it is asked for, and make the plot lead naturally to it.
Usually costs: Relevance marks; sometimes the whole composition is judged off-topic.

Practice questions on Composition and Creative Writing

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 · MCQExam level
Which opening is best for a descriptive composition on 'A storm at sea'? (a) 'A storm is a disturbance of the atmosphere.' (b) 'I am going to describe a storm.' (c) 'The sky blackened, and the first wave slammed against the hull.' (d) 'Storms are of many types.'
Hint
Which one shows a scene?
Answer
(c): it plunges the reader into the scene with vivid verbs ('blackened', 'slammed').
Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerExam level
List the five stages of the process approach to writing named in the CISCE curriculum.
Hint
P, W, R, E, R.
Answer
Planning, writing, revising, editing and rewriting.
Q3 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Write a plan (four paragraphs, key words only) for 'Describe a person who has influenced you.'
Hint
Appearance is less important than character and influence.
Answer
Model plan: P1: who (e.g. my swimming coach), first meeting. P2: appearance and manner: whistle, calm voice, early every morning. P3: character shown through an incident: stayed after practice to help me overcome fear of deep water. P4: influence: discipline, courage; how I act differently now.
Q4 · 15 marks · Long answerHarder exam level
Write a 250-300 word composition: 'Should mobile phones be allowed in school? Give your views.'
Hint
Take a stand; answer the strongest opposite point.
Answer
Value points: clear stand in paragraph 1; two or three reasons with examples (e.g. distraction, cyberbullying and cheating versus safety calls and research); one counter-argument answered; a conclusion that restates the stand, perhaps with a compromise rule (phones deposited at the office). Assessed for relevance, organisation, expression and accuracy.
Q5 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Rewrite to show, not tell: 'I was very nervous before my speech.'
Hint
What does nervousness do to your body?
Answer
e.g. 'My hands shook so much that my cue cards rattled, and my mouth felt as dry as chalk.'
Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
A picture shows an old man sitting alone on a bench with a pigeon on his hand. Suggest two different compositions that would link clearly to the picture.
Hint
One story, one descriptive or reflective piece.
Answer
e.g. (1) A story about a lonely widower who befriends a pigeon and, through it, a neighbour's child. (2) A reflective composition on loneliness among the elderly in cities and small acts of kindness. Both must keep the old man and the bird at the centre.
Q7 · 5 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Write a short poem (8-12 lines) on 'Morning in my street', using at least one simile and one example of personification.
Hint
Images from the senses; line breaks for rhythm; rhyme is optional.
Answer
Open answer. Look for concrete images (milk van, newspapers, birdsong), a clear simile ('like...') and personification (e.g. 'the sun stretches its arms'), a sense of progression from dawn to bustle, and deliberate line breaks.
Q8 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
Explain why a conclusion should not introduce a new argument.
Hint
What does a reader expect at the end?
Answer
The conclusion should round off what has been argued; a new point at the end is left undeveloped and unsupported, which weakens the essay and confuses the reader.

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 long should a Class VIII composition be according to the CISCE curriculum?Show answer
Paragraphs of about 250-300 words; compositions of four or more paragraphs.
2.Name the five stages of the process approach.Show answer
Planning, writing, revising, editing and rewriting.
3.What is a topic sentence?Show answer
The opening sentence of a paragraph that states its main idea.
4.What tense is a narrative usually written in?Show answer
The past tense.
5.What must an argumentative composition include besides reasons?Show answer
A clear stand and a counter-argument that is answered.
6.How is a dialogue set out?Show answer
Each speaker's name followed by a colon, with no quotation marks.

Quick revision checklist

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

Can you identify the type of composition from the instruction word?
Can you plan four paragraphs in five minutes?
Can you write an opening that hooks the reader?
Can you show a feeling through details instead of naming it?
Can you state, defend and restate a stand with a counter-argument?
Can you check tense, agreement and punctuation in the last five minutes?

Composition and Creative Writing: frequently asked questions

What happens if my composition is much longer than 300 words?

Schools rarely penalise slightly longer pieces, but long essays often wander off-topic and contain more errors. Aim for 250-300 words and quality over quantity.

Can I write a poem when the question asks for a composition?

Only if the question allows it. The curriculum includes poems as original writing, but most composition questions expect prose.

Should I give my composition a title?

Copy the topic or give a short title if your teacher expects it. A feature or story benefits from a catchy title.

How do I get better at creative writing?

Read widely, keep a notebook of good phrases and ideas, and write one short piece a week, then revise it the next day with fresh eyes.

Based on: CISCE Curriculum for Upper Primary Classes (VI-VIII), English (Class VIII); CISCE RDCD: Curriculum Pre-School to Class VIII; CISCE ICSE 2028 English (01) syllabus (Classes IX and X)