English LanguageISC Class 12 · Chapter 1

ISC Class 12 English Composition: Topic Types, Planning and Model Answers

Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Question 1 of ISC English Paper 1 asks for one composition of 400-450 words from a choice of six topics, for 20 of the 80 marks. The six are usually descriptive, narrative, argumentative, a one-word topic, reflective and an original short story. Spend about 45 minutes: plan, write in paragraphs, then check.

What Composition is about

Composition is Question 1 of ISC English Paper 1 (Language) and carries 20 of the 80 marks, a quarter of the paper. The 2027 syllabus asks for 'a composition on one of a number of subjects': you choose one topic from six, and 'the required length of the composition is 400 – 450 words'. The same paper is set for English (801) and for the new Modern English (891).

The syllabus says the choice 'will normally include narrative, descriptive, reflective, argumentative/ persuasive, expository topics and original short story'. ('Discursive' topics, listed until 2026, have been replaced by argumentative/persuasive and expository ones.) The 2024 and 2025 board papers and the 2025 specimen all followed the same six-slot pattern:

1. Descriptive (a situation with several parts to describe: what you saw, what you did, how you felt).
2. Narrative (a first-person experience: what happened, what you did, what you learnt).
3. Argumentative: 'Argue either FOR or AGAINST the given statement.'
4. One-word topic ('Music', 'Friendship', 'Life'): any type of composition connected with the word.
5. Reflective: 'Present your reflections on this statement.'
6. Original short story that begins or ends with given words.

The syllabus names two marking criteria: (a) the quality of the language (range and appropriateness of vocabulary and sentence structure, syntax, grammar, punctuation and spelling) and (b) organisation of the composition as a whole and in individual paragraphs. The CISCE marking schemes add a content requirement for each type: every sub-part of a descriptive or narrative topic, at least four distinct arguments for an argumentative one, and plot, setting, characters and a logical ending for a story. The specimen advises not more than 45 minutes on this question.

Weightage: Composition is Question 1: one topic from a choice of six, 400-450 words, 20 of the 80 marks of English Paper 1 (25% of the paper). Advised time: not more than 45 minutes.Source: CISCE ISC 2027 English syllabus (Paper I: Theory, Question One) and ISC Specimen Question Paper 2025, English Paper 1

Key concepts

Fix the context: answer every sub-part of the rubric: ISC descriptive and narrative topics are long rubrics with three or four parts. The 2025 library topic asked what you saw, how you brought about a change, the excitement of the reopening and how you felt when children began to visit. The 2025 examiners reported that 'many candidates failed to include crucial keywords such as library, neglected condition, and reopening day' and 'overlooked essential sub-sections'. Their first suggestion to teachers was to 'understand and fix the context as given in the rubric' and give 'equal weight' to every sub-part. Number the parts on the question paper and give each its own paragraph.; Worked example
Break the 2025 topic into parts: 'You depended on technology to complete an important task. However, it failed you at a crucial moment. Narrate what happened, your attempts to fix it and the lessons you learnt from this experience.'
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Part 1: the important task and why you depended on technology for it.
Part 2: the failure at the crucial moment (what happened).
Part 3: your attempts to fix it (the marking scheme says at least one attempt must be elaborated; help from someone else is accepted).
Part 4: the lessons you learnt, in the first person.
Answer: Four parts, so at least four body paragraphs after a short opening. The examiners said most candidates 'focused primarily on the word technology and failed to discuss their attempts to fix the issue', which cost them content marks.
Descriptive and narrative topics: first person, past tense: The specimen answer key says both the descriptive and the narrative topic 'must be written in past tense and in first person'. A descriptive composition builds pictures through the senses (sights, sounds, smells, people's reactions) and moves in a clear order. A narrative composition tells one experience from beginning to end: the situation, what you did, how it turned out, and its effect on you. The 2024 examiners noted candidates who neglected one required part (reading to the elderly) while writing at length about another (interactions and impact), and others who drifted into general discussion (COVID-19 in a wedding topic).; Worked example
Rewrite as vivid description: 'The railway platform was very crowded and noisy when our train was late.'
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Choose two or three senses.
Use precise nouns and strong verbs instead of 'very'.
Keep the past tense and the first person.
Answer: By the time the board flickered and changed our departure to 'Delayed: 2 hrs', Platform 6 had become a small town. Porters in red shirts threaded trolleys through a maze of suitcases, a tea vendor rattled his kettle against his cups, and the announcer's voice, half lost in the echo, apologised to us all in three languages.
Argumentative composition: one stand, at least four arguments: The marking scheme demands 'At least FOUR distinct arguments' and the specimen key says 'sitting on the fence is not permitted': state your stance 'preferably in the first paragraph' and, once stated, it 'cannot be changed'. In 2025 an implied stance was accepted, but a stated one is safer. The 2025 examiners told teachers to discourage argumentative compositions written 'as debates' or ending 'with a moderate or balanced stance', and noted candidates who confused 'role model' with 'model'. Define the key words of the statement, then give four or five arguments, one per paragraph, each with an example. You may answer one opposing view, but only to knock it down.; Worked example
'Film stars are good role models for youngsters' (2025). What must you define before arguing AGAINST it, and what are four distinct arguments?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Define 'role model': a person whose values and conduct young people copy, not a fashion model and not a film.
Argument 1: a screen image is constructed by scripts, stylists and publicists, so youngsters copy a character, not a person.
Argument 2: endorsements of unhealthy products and unrealistic body images.
Argument 3: fame is not achievement in a field youngsters can enter on merit; scientists, athletes and teachers show the link between effort and success.
Argument 4: private conduct of some stars (reckless driving, public quarrels) is widely reported and normalised.
Answer: Define 'role model' first, then four separate paragraphs on constructed image, endorsements, fame versus achievement and conduct, each with an example, and a conclusion that restates the stand AGAINST. Writing about films rather than film stars is off-topic.
One-word (expository) topic: any form, clearly connected: For a one-word topic such as 'Music' (2024) or 'Friendship' (2025), the marking scheme allows 'any type of composition', even a short story, 'as long as it is connected with the word'. A story must still have plot, setting, characters and a logical conclusion. The 2025 examiners' suggestion is to answer expository topics 'comprehensively by addressing the what, where, when, why, and how aspects'. The 2024 examiners reported candidates who wrote whole songs in a vernacular language, copied the comprehension passage, or summarised a prescribed text instead of composing.; Worked example
Plan an expository composition on 'Silence' using the what/where/when/why/how frame.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
What: silence as absence of noise, and as a choice not to speak.
Where and when: a library, a hospital corridor, the minute's silence at a memorial, the hour before an examination.
Why it matters: concentration, respect, listening, rest for the mind.
How to find it in a noisy life: switching off notifications, walks without earphones, pausing before replying in anger.
Answer: Five paragraphs (one per aspect, plus an opening that defines the word in a fresh way) give a complete, connected expository composition of about 430 words.
Reflective composition: your views, with examples: 'Present your reflections on this statement' asks what you think and why. The specimen key says candidates 'may be for or against the topic or even sit on the fence', must substantiate views 'by citing examples', and that 'a short story cannot be written'. The 2025 scheme wanted 'any four main ideas' focused on both key words ('clothes' and 'a person'). The examiners found weak or irrelevant examples and digressions into 'the history of clothing'. Short anecdotes from life are allowed as examples; a story is not.; Worked example
List four main ideas for 'You become what you read' (specimen 2025).
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Reading shapes vocabulary and the way we think and argue.
Characters we admire become models of courage or kindness.
A diet of rumours and outrage online makes us suspicious and angry.
But we are also more than our reading: experience, family and choice shape us; reading is a strong influence, not a mould.
Answer: Four ideas, each with a concrete example (a novel that changed a habit, a news feed that changed a mood), and a reflective close. A balanced view is allowed here, unlike in the argumentative topic.
Original short story: given words, plot, setting, characters, logical ending: The story must begin or end with the given words, and 'the words given in the question CANNOT be changed' (specimen key). It needs 'plot, setting, characters, and the ending must be a logical one'. The 2025 examiners found stories with no logical link to the closing sentence and key words (he/she, window, smile) missing; they asked teachers to have students 'use named characters and develop the plot towards a crisis or resolution to distinguish a narrative essay from a short story', and to discourage 'stories that end in a dream'. Plan backwards from a given ending: who is 'he', why is he at the window, why is he smiling?; Worked example
Plan a story ending: 'He stood looking out of the window, with a smile on his face.' (2025)
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Character: Mr Iyer, a retired music teacher who lost his voice after an illness.
Setting: a small flat above a lane in Chennai; a music school opposite.
Conflict: he believes he has nothing left to give; he refuses visitors.
Crisis: a girl from the school knocks with a broken veena and a competition in three days.
Resolution: he teaches her by hand gestures and notation; on the competition evening he hears her play from across the lane.
Answer: Every key word of the ending is set up: 'he' is named, the window faces the school, and the smile comes from hearing the girl play. The last line then follows logically.
Planning, paragraphing and the 400-450 word limit: The specimen key says 'The prescribed word limit must be adhered to. The essay should neither exceed the prescribed word limit nor fall short of it.' Spend about 5 minutes choosing and planning, 33 minutes writing and 7 minutes checking. Seven paragraphs of about 60 words, or six of 70, give 420 words. The 2025 examiners asked teachers to have students 'present their ideas in separate paragraphs' with 'a clear beginning, middle, and end'. Know how many of your handwritten lines make 430 words before the exam.; Worked example
Your handwriting averages 12 words a line. How many lines should your composition fill?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
Lower limit: 400 ÷ 12 ≈ 33 lines.
Upper limit: 450 ÷ 12 = 37.5 lines.
Answer: Aim for 34-37 lines. Stop near 37; a 600-word essay breaks the instruction and eats into the 55 minutes you need for Question 2.

Composition 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.

Choosing the topic you can develop fully

Suppose the six topics in your paper are a descriptive one about a flood relief camp, a narrative about losing your phone on a school trip, an argument on uniforms in college, the one word 'Bridges', a reflection on 'Comfort is the enemy of progress', and a story ending with given words. You love stories but no plot comes to mind.

How should you choose in the first five minutes?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Spend 30 seconds per topic jotting the parts or ideas you could write.
Count: can you fill six paragraphs with distinct content?
Check every sub-part (for the descriptive and narrative ones) or four arguments (for the argumentative one).
Commit and never switch topics after ten minutes.

Answer: Choose the topic for which a full six-paragraph plan appears in a minute. The phone-on-a-school-trip narrative, which you can draw from real experience, may beat a story you have no plot for.

Memory hook: Choose the topic you can plan, not the topic you like.

Arguments with one stance persuade

Imagine you are asking your school principal to allow a student-run canteen stall on Fridays, and you say, 'There are many advantages and some disadvantages; both sides have a point.'

Why will this fail, and how does the argumentative structure fix it?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

There is nothing to agree with: no stance.
State the request clearly: allow the stall on Fridays.
Give four reasons: entrepreneurship, healthier snacks, funds for the library, responsibility.
Answer the main worry (hygiene) with a plan, and restate the request.

Answer: A clear stance supported by four distinct reasons and a rebuttal of the main objection is how real proposals and ISC argumentative compositions persuade.

Memory hook: If it would not convince your principal, it will not convince your examiner.

Organising a long piece into paragraphs

Suppose you are writing a 450-word post for your residents' association newsletter about the new park, covering its condition, the volunteers, the inauguration and what residents can do next.

How would you organise it so that readers follow it easily?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

One short opening paragraph with the main point.
One paragraph for each of the four parts, in a logical order.
A one-paragraph close with a call to residents.

Answer: Six paragraphs, one idea each, in the order of the brief: the same organisation an ISC examiner rewards in a multi-part descriptive topic.

Memory hook: One part of the brief, one paragraph.

Topics in this chapter

Planning the Composition: Topic Types, Rubrics and Marking

How the board asks Composition

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

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Descriptive topic with several sub-parts	'The children's library in your locality was in a neglected condition… What did you see there and how did you bring about a significant change? Describe the excitement on the reopening…' (2025); a wedding after the pandemic: family, venue, food, celebrations (2024).	Number the sub-parts, give each one a paragraph, keep the key words of the rubric in your answer, and write in the first person and past tense with sensory detail.
Narrative: a personal experience	Technology failing at a crucial moment, your attempts to fix it and the lessons learnt (2025); reading to the elderly at a senior citizens' home (2024); guiding juniors when a monkey entered the campus (specimen).	First person, past tense; a clear beginning (the situation), middle (what you did, step by step) and end (outcome and lesson). Elaborate the part the rubric stresses, such as the attempts to fix the failure.
Argumentative: FOR or AGAINST	'Film stars are good role models for youngsters' (2025); 'Cooking should be made a compulsory subject in the higher classes' (2024); 'Parents should not influence their children when choosing the subjects…' (specimen).	Define the key terms, state one stance in the first paragraph, give at least four distinct arguments with examples, rebut one opposing point if useful, and restate the stance. Never change sides or end on a balanced note.
One-word topic	'Music' (2024), 'Friendship' (2025), 'Life' (specimen).	Choose the form you write best (expository, reflective, narrative or a story). If expository, cover what, where, when, why and how. If a story, include all story elements. Keep every paragraph tied to the word.
Reflective statement	'Clothes define a person' (2025); 'A person should be judged by the way they treat their subordinates' (2024); 'You become what you read' (specimen).	Give your considered views (for, against or balanced), at least four main ideas, each supported by an example from life. No short story.
Original short story with given words	Ending with 'He stood looking out of the window, with a smile on his face.' (2025); beginning with 'She was still on the phone giving out instructions when…' (2024).	Use the given words exactly, build named characters, a setting and a plot that rises to a crisis and resolves logically into (or out of) the given words. No dream endings.

Tricks to remember Composition

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

The six ISC slots: D-N-A-O-R-S
Descriptive, Narrative, Argumentative, One-word, Reflective, Story.
Use it when: Practise one of each so no slot surprises you in the paper.
4 for argument, 4 for reflection
Argumentative: at least four distinct arguments and one fixed stance. Reflective: at least four main ideas, each with an example; fence-sitting allowed, stories not.
Use it when: Check your plan before writing either type.
PSCL for stories
Plot, Setting, Characters (named), Logical ending tied to the given words.
Use it when: Tick all four in your plan before the first sentence.
Five Ws for one-word topics
What, Where, When, Why, How: one paragraph each.
Use it when: Gives a complete expository composition when a one-word topic leaves you blank.

Composition: board-level solved questions

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

Example 1: Argumentative: full model answer (about 430 words) · 20 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

'Social media influencers do more harm than good to young people.' Argue either FOR or AGAINST the given statement. (400-450 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Define the key term 'influencer' and state the stance (FOR the statement) in the first paragraph.
Argument 1: the business model is persuasion for money, often undisclosed.
Argument 2: curated perfection damages self-image.
Argument 3: misinformation on health, money and education spreads faster than correction.
Argument 4: the culture of instant fame devalues patient effort.
Rebut the main opposing point (some influencers educate) and restate the stance.

Answer: An influencer is not simply a person who is popular online. An influencer is someone whose income depends on persuading followers to buy, believe or behave in particular ways. Seen in that light, I firmly believe that social media influencers do far more harm than good to young people.

First, the relationship is built on hidden selling. A sixteen-year-old who watches a 'morning routine' video thinks she is seeing a person's life; in fact she is often watching an advertisement for a serum, a protein powder or a phone. Even when a post is labelled as sponsored, the label is small and the friendship-like tone is large. Young people are being sold to by people they trust as friends, and they rarely ask who is paying for the recommendation or how much the influencer earns from every purchase made through a discount code.

Secondly, influencers present a life that no one actually lives. Filters smooth skin, travel is sponsored, and only the best of a hundred photographs is posted. Teenagers compare their ordinary Tuesday with someone else's edited holiday and conclude that they are not good enough. Counsellors in schools increasingly speak of anxiety linked to this constant comparison.

Thirdly, influencers spread confident misinformation. A fitness personality without any training recommends skipping meals; a 'finance guru' promises quick returns from risky trading apps. Because the advice comes from a familiar face, young followers act on it before checking. The correction, if it comes, never travels as far as the original reel.

Fourthly, the influencer culture teaches that fame is the goal and that it can be instant. Practising the violin for ten years, studying for a medical entrance or training as a carpenter looks dull beside a video that 'went viral' overnight. When attention becomes the measure of worth, patient effort loses its value, and a generation begins to judge every hobby, friendship and achievement by the number of views it might attract.

It is true that some creators teach coding, explain science or share honest stories about mental health. They deserve credit. But they are a small, quiet minority in an industry whose loudest voices are paid to sell, and good content does not cancel the harm of the system that surrounds it.

Influencers have turned friendship into a marketing channel and young people into a market. Until audiences learn to see the advertisement behind the smile, and until the rules on disclosure are strict and enforced, influencers will continue to do more harm than good to the young people who follow them most closely.

Example 2: Descriptive: plan and key paragraphs for a multi-part rubric · 20 marks · Long answerHarder board level

You visited a weekly village market for the first time with your grandfather. Describe the sights, sounds and smells of the market, the people you met and what you bought. How did the visit change the way you think about shopping in a mall? (400-450 words)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Sub-parts: (1) sights, sounds and smells; (2) the people you met; (3) what you bought; (4) how it changed your view of mall shopping.
Paragraph 1: arrival with grandfather; first impression.
Paragraphs 2-3: the market through the senses, moving from the entrance to the centre.
Paragraph 4: two people met (a potter, a woman selling greens) with a line of dialogue each.
Paragraph 5: what you bought and the bargaining.
Paragraph 6: the change in your view of mall shopping (reflection, not a lecture).

Answer: Sensory paragraph: 'The market did not begin; it simply grew out of the dust. Tarpaulins in blue and orange sagged over heaps of brinjals, chillies and green bananas, and somewhere a transistor radio fought a losing battle with a hundred voices calling prices. The air smelt of crushed coriander, wet earth and the sweet smoke of a jalebi pan.'

Reflection paragraph: 'In the mall near our flat, nobody had ever told me where the tomatoes came from or asked after my grandfather's knee. At the haat, every purchase came with a name and a story. I still go to the mall, but I no longer think of it as the only way to shop, or the best.'

All four sub-parts appear, each with its own paragraph, in the first person and past tense.

Example 3: Short story: building logically to given closing words · 20 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Write an original short story that ends with the words: '…and for the first time in years, the old clock struck twelve.' (400-450 words). Give the plot outline and the final paragraph.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Characters: Ananya, a Class 12 student; her grandfather's friend, Mr D'Souza, a retired watch repairer.
Setting: a hill-town house in Shillong; a large wall clock silent since her grandmother's death.
Conflict: the family plans to sell the house; Ananya wants the clock to work once before it goes.
Rising action: she finds Mr D'Souza; his hands shake; she becomes his hands as he directs her.
Climax: on the last night, a spring snaps; they improvise with a part from his own watch.
Resolution: at midnight the clock strikes; the closing words follow logically.

Answer: Final paragraph: 'Ananya wound the key twice more, exactly as he had shown her, and stepped back. Mr D'Souza did not move. In the dark hall, the pendulum swung once, twice, steadily, and the minute hand crept up to meet the hour hand. The whole house seemed to hold its breath, and for the first time in years, the old clock struck twelve.' The given words are unchanged and every element (the clock, its silence, the time) has been set up earlier.

Example 4: Reflective: four main ideas with examples · 20 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

'Failure is a better teacher than success.' Present your reflections on this statement. Give your plan and your opening paragraph.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Idea 1: failure shows exactly where we went wrong; success hides weaknesses.
Idea 2: failure builds resilience (example: a cricketer dropped from the team who works on his footwork).
Idea 3: but repeated failure without guidance only discourages; failure teaches only those who reflect.
Idea 4: success teaches too, by showing what works and giving confidence; the best learners study both.
Close: a personal view that failure is the stricter teacher, success the kinder one.

Answer: Opening: 'When I scored poorly in my first chemistry test in Class 11, I read every red mark on that paper three times. When I scored well in the next one, I glanced at the total and put it away. That small contrast sums up the statement: failure makes us look closely, success lets us look away.' A reflective composition may hold a nuanced view, but it must give at least four clear ideas with examples, and it must not turn into a story.

Example 5: Spotting what a weak argumentative opening gets wrong · 20 marks · Long answerBoard level

A candidate begins: 'Cooking is a very important life skill. Everyone should know how to cook. In this essay I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of cooking.' The topic was 'Cooking should be made a compulsory subject in the higher classes. Argue either FOR or AGAINST.' Identify three faults and rewrite the opening.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Fault 1: it discusses cooking as a life skill, not as a compulsory subject in the higher classes (the 2024 examiners reported exactly this).
Fault 2: 'advantages and disadvantages' signals sitting on the fence.
Fault 3: no stance is stated.
Rewrite: name the key terms (compulsory, subject, higher classes) and state one stance.

Answer: Rewrite (AGAINST): 'Few would deny that every young person should be able to cook a simple meal. But making cooking a compulsory subject in Classes 11 and 12, with its own periods, practicals and marks, is a different matter. I am firmly against the proposal: the senior years are already crowded, the skill is better learnt at home and in co-curricular clubs, and compulsion would turn a joy into one more examination.'

Where the marks are

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

Composition (400-450 words), one topic from six. Indicative split only: CISCE publishes no numerical split for Question 1; the syllabus names two criteria (quality of language; organisation) and the marking schemes set the content each topic type must cover. (20 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: every sub-part of the rubric covered; four distinct arguments or ideas (argumentative, reflective); plot, setting, characters and a logical ending (story)	8
Organisation: paragraphs with one idea each, logical sequence, clear beginning, middle and end	4
Language: range and appropriateness of vocabulary and sentence structure, correct grammar and consistent tense	6
Mechanics: spelling and punctuation; keeping to 400-450 words	2

Where students lose marks in Composition

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

Mistake: Leaving out a sub-part of the rubric
Students read the first sentence of a long rubric and start writing. In 2025 many omitted the steps taken to change the library and their feelings when children returned; in 2024 many writing about reading to the elderly neglected the reading itself (CISCE examiners' comments, 2024 and 2025).
Wrong working
Three paragraphs on the dusty, neglected library and one line: 'Then we cleaned it and it reopened.'
Right working
One paragraph each on what you saw, the steps you took (a meeting, permission, a book drive, repairs), the reopening day, and your feelings when children began to come.
Do this: Number every sub-part on the question paper and tick it off in your plan.
Usually costs: Content is the largest part of the 20 marks; a missing sub-part can cost several marks however good the language.
Mistake: Sitting on the fence in an argumentative composition
Students think a balanced view looks mature. The marking scheme forbids it and the 2025 examiners reported 'ambiguous or repetitive points' and candidates who 'failed to state their stance clearly'.
Wrong working
'Thus film stars can be good role models and bad role models; it depends on the person.'
Right working
'For these reasons, I remain convinced that film stars are not the role models our youngsters need.'
Do this: Write the stance in the first and last paragraphs; mention the other side only to rebut it.
Usually costs: Fails the content requirement for the type; organisation suffers too.
Mistake: Fewer than four distinct arguments
Candidates repeat one argument in different words. The 2024 examiners reported 'ambiguous statements or moderate views' on the cooking topic and noted that 'several points were repetitive'.
Wrong working
Paragraph 2: 'Cooking keeps us healthy.' Paragraph 3: 'Home food is nutritious.' (the same point)
Right working
Four different grounds: health and nutrition; independence when living away for college; reduced food waste; respect for those who cook at home.
Do this: List four or five headings in your plan and check that no two say the same thing.
Usually costs: Content marks for the missing arguments.
Mistake: A short story that does not lead to (or start from) the given words
Students write a prepared story and attach the given line. The 2025 examiners said the most common error was 'the absence of a logical link to the closing sentence', with 'he/she, window, and smile' missing.
Wrong working
A story about a football match, then: 'He stood looking out of the window, with a smile on his face.'
Right working
A story in which the window, the person and the reason for the smile are all set up, so the closing line is the natural end.
Do this: Plan backwards from the given words; never alter them.
Usually costs: Content (plot, logical ending) and organisation.
Mistake: Writing a story for a reflective topic, or a narrative essay for a story
Students confuse types. The specimen key says a short story cannot be written for the reflective topic; the 2025 examiners noted candidates who 'treated the task as a narrative essay' when a short story was asked.
Do this: Reflective: views plus examples (anecdotes allowed). Story: named characters, setting, plot to a crisis and resolution.
Usually costs: Content marks for not meeting the type's requirement.
Mistake: Far over or under 400-450 words
Long essays seem impressive; short ones come from poor time management. The specimen key says the essay 'should neither exceed the prescribed word limit nor fall short of it'.
Do this: Know your words per line; plan six or seven paragraphs of 60-70 words.
Usually costs: Penalty for ignoring the instruction, and time lost for Question 2.

Practice questions on Composition

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

Q1 · 20 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Your school's annual exhibition had to be organised in just one week after the original date was brought forward. Describe the preparations, the problems your team faced and how you solved them, and the scene on the day of the exhibition. (400-450 words)
Hint
Four sub-parts: preparations, problems, solutions, the day itself. First person, past tense.
Answer
Expected: the announcement and the team's reaction; preparations (division of work, materials, late evenings); at least two problems (a model that failed, a power cut, a missing permission) and how each was solved; a vivid description of the exhibition day (visitors, sounds, your feelings). Each sub-part needs its own paragraph; leaving out the solutions or the day itself loses content marks.
Q2 · 20 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
'Examinations test memory, not intelligence.' Argue either FOR or AGAINST the given statement. (400-450 words)
Hint
Define 'memory' and 'intelligence' first. Four distinct arguments; no balanced ending.
Answer
FOR: questions reward recall of definitions and model answers; time pressure favours rote learners; little scope for original projects; coaching trains pattern recognition, not thinking. AGAINST: application and case-based questions cannot be memorised; competency-based items are increasing; organising an answer under time pressure is itself intelligence; memory is a part of intelligence, not its opposite. Whichever side, state it in the first paragraph and keep to it.
Q3 · 20 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Write an original short story that begins with the words: 'The message had been sent to the wrong person.' (400-450 words)
Hint
Who sent it, to whom, what did it say, and what did the wrong person do? Named characters, a crisis and a logical resolution.
Answer
Expected: the story begins with the exact words; named characters; a setting; a plot in which the misdirected message causes a problem or an unexpected kindness, rising to a crisis and resolving logically. No dream ending and no unrelated plot after the opening line.
Q4 · 20 marks · Long answerBoard level
Patience
Hint
One-word topic: any form connected with the word. If expository, cover what, where, when, why and how.
Answer
Expected: a composition clearly connected with patience, for example an expository piece (what patience is; where it is tested: queues, traffic, learning an instrument; why it matters; how to build it) or a story whose plot turns on patience. If a story, it must have plot, setting, characters and a logical ending.
Q5 · 20 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
'Our choices, not our circumstances, decide who we become.' Present your reflections on this statement. (400-450 words)
Hint
Reflective: your view (for, against or balanced) and at least four main ideas, each with an example. No story.
Answer
Possible ideas: choices made in hardship (a student studying under a street light); circumstances that limit choice (poverty, illness, discrimination); small daily choices (habits, company) compound over years; the role of family, teachers and luck in widening choices. A balanced conclusion is allowed in a reflective composition, but each idea needs a concrete example.
Q6 · 20 marks · Long answerHarder board level
You helped your neighbour, an elderly widow living alone, learn to use a smartphone for online payments and video calls. Narrate how you taught her, the difficulties she faced and how the experience affected both of you. (400-450 words)
Hint
Three sub-parts. Elaborate the teaching step by step; avoid moralising about children leaving parents alone.
Answer
Expected: the situation (why she needed to learn), the teaching (patient steps, large fonts, practising a payment of ₹10), her difficulties (fear of fraud, forgetting the PIN, small buttons) and the effect on both (her first video call with a grandchild abroad; your new patience and respect). The 2024 examiners warned against moralising that ignores the rubric; keep to the experience.
Q7 · 4 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
A candidate's story for the ending 'He stood looking out of the window, with a smile on his face' is about a boy who wins a cricket match and then wakes up to find it was a dream; the last line is added after he wakes. Explain why it would score poorly and suggest two changes.
Hint
What did the 2025 examiners say about dream endings and the link to the closing sentence?
Answer
The examiners asked teachers to discourage stories that end in a dream and found that the most common fault was the absence of a logical link to the closing sentence: here the window and the smile are tacked on. Changes: (1) make the event real and resolve it logically; (2) set up the window and the reason for the smile earlier, so the final line is earned.

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 are the length and marks of the ISC composition?Show answer
400-450 words, 20 marks; one topic from a choice of six.
2.How many arguments does the marking scheme demand in an argumentative composition?Show answer
At least four distinct arguments, with one clear stance that is not changed.
3.Can you sit on the fence in a reflective composition?Show answer
Yes. The specimen key allows for, against or a balanced view, but a short story cannot be written.
4.In which person and tense should descriptive and narrative compositions be written?Show answer
First person, past tense (specimen answer key).
5.Can a short story be written on a one-word topic?Show answer
Yes, if it is connected with the word and has plot, setting, characters and a logical ending.
6.What is the advised time for Question 1?Show answer
Not more than 45 minutes.

Quick revision checklist

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

Can you name the six composition slots of the ISC paper?
Can you break any multi-part rubric into numbered sub-parts?
Can you write four distinct arguments for and against a statement in five minutes?
Can you plan a story backwards from given closing words?
Do you know how many handwritten lines make 430 of your words?
Can you keep a narrative in the past tense throughout?

Composition: frequently asked questions

What is the word limit for ISC Class 12 composition?

400-450 words. The specimen answer key says the essay should neither exceed the limit nor fall short of it, so plan six or seven paragraphs and know your words per line.

Are discursive topics still set in ISC 2027?

The 2027 syllabus no longer lists discursive topics. It lists narrative, descriptive, reflective, argumentative/persuasive, expository topics and an original short story.

Can I use a title for my composition?

A short title does no harm, but the question does not ask for one and marks come from content, organisation and language.

Is a balanced conclusion allowed in an argumentative composition?

No. The marking scheme says sitting on the fence is not permitted; state your stance early, keep to it and restate it at the end.

Can I refer to a prescribed literature text in my composition?

Only if it fits the topic. The 2025 marking scheme accepted references to 'There Will Come Soft Rains' in the technology narrative, but the 2024 examiners criticised candidates who merely summarised a prescribed text for the one-word topic 'Music'.

Based on: CISCE ISC 2027 English (801) syllabus: English Language, Paper I; CISCE ISC Specimen Question Paper 2025: English Paper 1 (Language), with answer key; CISCE ISC Analysis of Pupil Performance 2025: English Language (examiners' comments); CISCE ISC Analysis of Pupil Performance 2024: English Language (examiners' comments)