ISC Class 12 Directed Writing: Feature Article, Review, Blog, Report and SOP

What Directed Writing is about

Weightage: Directed writing is Question 2(i): one compulsory piece of 250-300 words, 15 of the 80 marks of English Paper 1. With the proposal (Question 2(ii), 10 marks) the specimen advises not more than 55 minutes for Question 2.Source: CISCE ISC 2027 English syllabus (Question Two (a)) and ISC Specimen Question Paper 2025, English Paper 1

Key concepts

Amplification: every guideline point, developed

The question gives a list of points separated by dashes. Each must appear and each must be expanded with a reason, an example or a detail. The 2025 examiners reported that the point on 'inculcating discipline' was 'often omitted', that many did not grasp 'character building', and that 'a few candidates wrote generally on the importance of sports instead of focusing on and expanding the specific points'. Their suggestion: practise directed writing 'emphasising the need to expand each point from the guidelines' and discourage 'mere listing of points, digressions, and unnecessary verbosity'.

Worked example

Amplify the guideline point 'inculcates discipline' for a feature article on the importance of sports (about 50 words).

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Say what the point means.
2. Give a concrete example.
3. Link it back to the topic.

Answer: Sport is, first of all, a lesson in discipline. A swimmer who is in the pool at 5.30 every morning, whatever the weather, learns to keep a commitment when nobody is watching. Training schedules, fixed diets and respect for the referee's whistle teach young people self-control that no lecture on discipline ever could.

Feature article

A feature article explores a topic in depth for a magazine or newspaper, in an engaging but informed voice. Conventional format: an eye-catching headline, a byline ('by Riya Sen, Class XII'), an opening hook (a question, a scene, a startling fact), body paragraphs that take the guideline points in order, and a conclusion that leaves the reader with a thought or a call. Unlike a report, it can use the first person, rhetorical questions and a lively tone; unlike an essay, it addresses a specific readership (the school magazine, a city supplement).

Worked example

Write a headline, byline and opening hook for a feature article titled by the question 'The Importance of Sports' for your school magazine.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Headline: short, can play on words.
2. Byline: name and class.
3. Hook: a scene or question that leads to the first point.

Answer: Headline: 'More Than a Game: Why Every Student Needs Sport'
Byline: by Aarav Menon, Class XII B
Hook: 'Watch the school ground at 6 a.m. and you will see more than exercise. You will see young people learning, before the first bell rings, lessons that no textbook teaches.'

Book review

A book review tells readers whether a book is worth their time. Conventional format: a title for the review; the book's title, author and genre (publisher optional); a brief summary of the premise without revealing the ending; comments on characters, setting, themes and style, each supported by a detail; and a verdict with a recommendation and, often, a rating. In the 2024 film review, examiners criticised candidates who did not amplify the lead actors' performances, mistook 'setting' for the movie set, ignored the description of a favourite scene, and elaborated on the plot in detail (CISCE examiners' comments, 2024). The same faults apply to a book review: the summary must not swallow the word limit.

Worked example

What proportion of a 280-word book review should the plot summary take, and why?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. The review must cover several guideline points (characters, themes, style, a favourite episode, recommendation).
2. Each needs about 40-50 words.
3. So the summary should be one paragraph.

Answer: About 50-60 words (one paragraph, no spoilers). The rest goes to the other points and the verdict; a long retelling is the commonest way to miss guideline points.

Blog post

A blog is an online post in a personal, conversational voice. Conventional format: a title, the writer's name and date, an engaging opening that speaks directly to readers ('Have you ever…?'), short paragraphs (sub-headings are fine), personal experience and practical tips, and a closing line that invites response ('Tell me in the comments…'). It is informal in tone but still grammatically correct: no text-message spellings, no emojis, no hashtags in place of sentences. Blogs are new to the ISC list in 2027, so there is no past board paper; expect the same guideline-point structure as the other forms.

Worked example

Turn this formal sentence into a blog-style sentence: 'It is advisable for students to maintain a regular sleep schedule during examinations.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Address the reader directly.
2. Use a personal touch.
3. Keep it correct and clear.

Answer: 'Here is the tip I wish someone had given me in Class 11: guard your sleep. I used to study until 2 a.m. before tests and then stared at the paper as if it were in a foreign language. Seven hours a night changed that.'

Newspaper report

A newspaper report gives the facts of an event objectively. Conventional format: a headline (short, present tense: 'Fire Guts Market in Howrah'), a byline ('By Our Staff Reporter'), a dateline (place and date), a lead paragraph answering who, what, when, where and why or how, then body paragraphs in decreasing order of importance, with a quotation from a witness or official, and a closing line on what happens next. Write in the third person and past tense, with no personal opinion.

Worked example

Write the dateline and lead paragraph for a report on a blood donation camp held at your school on Saturday.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Dateline: place and date.
2. Lead: who organised it, what happened, when, where, and one key figure.

Answer: Pune, 14 November: More than 120 units of blood were collected at a donation camp organised by the Interact Club of Green Valley School in association with the city's government hospital on Saturday. Parents, teachers and former students queued from 9 a.m. at the school auditorium to donate.

Statement of purpose

A statement of purpose (SOP) is a formal, first-person piece an applicant writes for a college or programme. Conventional structure: an opening that states the programme and a genuine reason for interest; academic background (subjects, projects, results where relevant); experiences that shaped the choice (an internship, a club, a competition); why this programme or institution; goals after the course; and a brief, confident close. It is reflective and specific: each guideline point should be supported by something you have done, not by adjectives about yourself.

Worked example

Rewrite this weak SOP line so that it shows rather than tells: 'I am very hard-working and passionate about environmental science.'

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Replace the adjectives with an experience.
2. Show what you learnt from it.

Answer: 'For eight months in Class 11, I tested the water of three ponds near my home every Sunday for our school's eco-club survey. When one pond's dissolved oxygen fell sharply after a festival, I wanted to understand why, and that question is what draws me to environmental science.'

Word limit, register and order

The syllabus fixes 250-300 words; the board papers asked for 'about 300 words' (2025) and 'should not exceed 300 words' (2024). Keep the guideline points in the order given: it is the examiner's checklist. Match the register to the form: lively (feature, blog), evaluative (review), neutral and factual (report), formal and reflective (SOP). The examiners advise students 'not to memorise prepared answers, as these may not align with the given guidelines'.

Worked example

A question gives six guideline points and a limit of 250-300 words. How would you budget the words?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Format and opening: about 40 words.
2. Six points: about 35-40 words each, about 230 words.
3. Conclusion: about 25 words.

Answer: About 290-295 words in all. If a point needs more space, take it from the opening, not from another point.

Directed 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.

Topics in this chapter

• Amplifying Guideline Points and the Five Directed Writing Formats

How the board asks Directed Writing

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

Tricks to remember Directed Writing

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

• FBBRS: the five 2027 forms

  Feature article, Book review, Blog, Report (newspaper), Statement of purpose.

  Use it when: Know one format and one voice for each.

• Dash = paragraph

  Every dash-separated point in the question becomes at least two or three developed sentences.

  Use it when: Prevents the commonest content loss.

• Report = 5W + Q

  Lead paragraph with Who, What, When, Where, Why/How, plus at least one Quotation in the body.

  Use it when: Builds any newspaper report quickly.

• Review = T-O-C-S-V

  Title details, Outline (short), Characters, Setting and style, Verdict with rating.

  Use it when: Keeps a review balanced and within 300 words.

Directed Writing: board-level solved questions

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

Where the marks are

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

Where students lose marks in Directed Writing

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

• ✗Mistake: Omitting or merely listing a guideline point

  Students write on the topic in general. The 2025 examiners reported that 'inculcating discipline' was often omitted and that some wrote generally on the importance of sports instead of expanding the specific points.

  Wrong working

  'Sports have many benefits like discipline, teamwork, health and leadership.'

  Right working

  A separate, developed paragraph (or two or three sentences with an example) for each point.

  ✓Do this: Tick each dash-separated point on the question paper as you cover it.

  Usually costs: Content marks for each missing or undeveloped point.

• ✗Mistake: Writing a prepared answer

  Students memorise a sample article or review and reproduce it. The 2024 examiners noted pre-prepared reviews that missed required points (CISCE examiners' comments, 2024); in 2025 they advised against memorised answers that 'may not align with the given guidelines'.

  ✓Do this: Prepare formats and useful phrases, not whole answers; build each answer on the given points.

  Usually costs: Missing points and irrelevant content.

• ✗Mistake: Over-long plot summary in a review

  Retelling feels easy. The 2024 examiners reported over-elaborated plots, a missing description of the favourite scene, and 'setting' mistaken for the movie set or theme.

  Wrong working

  Two hundred words of story, then one line: 'I give it 4 stars.'

  Right working

  A 50-word, spoiler-free outline, then a paragraph each on characters, setting (time and place of the story), a favourite part and the verdict.

  ✓Do this: Budget the words before writing; summary no more than a fifth.

  Usually costs: Content marks for the points squeezed out.

• ✗Mistake: Wrong register for the form

  Students write every form like an essay. A report with opinions, a blog in stiff formal prose or an SOP full of slang all show poor 'ability to handle language appropriately in the context of the given situation' (syllabus).

  Wrong working

  Report: 'In my opinion the police were very lazy.'

  Right working

  Report: 'Residents alleged that the police arrived an hour after the first call.'

  ✓Do this: Decide the voice before writing: report (neutral, third person, past), blog (personal, direct), SOP (formal first person), review (evaluative), feature (lively, informed).

  Usually costs: Format and linguistic ability.

• ✗Mistake: Writing a speech or an essay instead of the form asked

  Speech writing was set until 2025 and some students still default to it. It is no longer in the 2027 list. The 2025 examiners asked teachers to ensure students understand 'the difference between an essay and a report'.

  ✓Do this: Read the form word in the question first: feature article, book review, blog, newspaper report or statement of purpose.

  Usually costs: Format marks and, often, content.

Practice questions on Directed Writing

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

1. Q1 · 15 marks · Long answerHarder board level

   Write a feature article in about 300 words for a city newspaper on 'Saving Our Lakes'. Guidelines: the state of lakes in Indian cities – causes of pollution and encroachment – effects on people and wildlife – successful citizen campaigns – the role of students – a call to action.

   Hint

   Headline, byline, hook; six developed points in order; a call to action at the end.

   Answer

   Expected: a headline and byline; a hook (a scene of a frothing or shrinking lake); then each point in order: the state of urban lakes; causes (sewage, construction debris, encroachment); effects (flooding, loss of birds and fish, groundwater); a citizen campaign that cleaned or protected a lake; what students can do (surveys, clean-ups, awareness); a concluding call. Every point must be amplified; listing them in one sentence each would lose content marks.

2. Q2 · 15 marks · Long answerHarder board level

   Write a review, in not more than 300 words, of a non-fiction book you have read, for your school library's display board. Include: title, author and subject – why you picked it up – the most interesting idea – the writing style – who would benefit from it – rating.

   Hint

   Non-fiction: no plot summary; focus on ideas, evidence and style.

   Answer

   Expected: title, author and subject; a personal reason for choosing it; one or two key ideas explained with an example from the book; comment on style (clear, anecdotal, technical); the readers who would benefit; a rating with a reason. The review must stay within 300 words and cover all six points.

3. Q3 · 15 marks · Long answerBoard level

   Write a blog post (250-300 words) for your school website on 'What I learnt from my first part-time volunteering job'. Points: where you volunteered and why – what a typical day looked like – a challenge you faced – a person who inspired you – what you would tell others.

   Hint

   Title, name and date; speak to the reader; short paragraphs; end with an invitation to respond.

   Answer

   Expected: blog format and voice; each of the five points developed with personal detail (for example, an animal shelter: feeding schedules, a frightened dog that would not eat, a senior volunteer's patience, advice to start small and be regular); a closing question to readers. Informal but grammatically correct.

4. Q4 · 15 marks · Long answerBoard level

   Write a newspaper report (250-300 words) on the inauguration of a solar power plant in a village in your district. Include: date and place – who inaugurated it – capacity and cost – benefits to villagers – reactions of residents – future plans.

   Hint

   Headline, byline, dateline; 5 Ws in the lead; a quotation; third person, past tense.

   Answer

   Expected: a headline in the present tense; dateline; a lead paragraph with who, what, when, where; capacity and cost (your own plausible figures, clearly stated); benefits (steady power for homes, irrigation pumps, study hours); at least one quotation from a resident or official; future plans. No personal opinions.

5. Q5 · 15 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

   Write a statement of purpose (250-300 words) for admission to an undergraduate course in psychology. Include: what draws you to psychology – a relevant experience – your strengths – why this college – your goals.

   Hint

   Show, do not tell: support every strength with an experience. Formal first person.

   Answer

   Expected: an opening that states the course and a specific reason; an experience (peer-support group, a project on stress among students) with what it taught; strengths illustrated, not merely claimed; a reason linked to the college's course or facilities (in general terms if not given); clear short-term and long-term goals; a brief close.

6. Q6 · 4 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   A candidate writing a feature article on 'The Importance of Sports' covers teamwork, health and career options in detail but omits 'inculcates discipline' and treats 'character building' in one sentence. What will the examiner do, and how should the article be fixed?

   Hint

   What does 'an exercise in amplification' require?

   Answer

   The marking scheme requires all points to be included and amplified, so content marks are lost for the missing point and the under-developed one; the 2025 examiners named exactly these two points as the ones often omitted or not grasped. Fix: add a developed paragraph on discipline (routine, punctuality, rules) and expand character building with an example (handling defeat, fair play), cutting words from the over-long points to stay within 300.

7. Q7 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   Rewrite this report sentence in the correct register: 'I think the function was totally amazing and everyone had a super fun time!!'

   Hint

   Third person, past tense, factual, no opinion or exclamation marks.

   Answer

   'The function, attended by about 400 students and parents, concluded with a cultural programme that drew sustained applause.'

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. 1.What is the word limit and marks for ISC directed writing?Show answer

   250-300 words, 15 marks (Question 2(i)).

2. 2.Which forms are listed for 2027?Show answer

   Feature article, book review, blogs, newspaper report and statement of purpose.

3. 3.Which form was dropped from the list for 2027?Show answer

   Speech writing.

4. 4.What does the marking scheme call directed writing?Show answer

   An exercise in amplification: all points to be included and amplified, marked for content and linguistic ability.

5. 5.In which person and tense is a newspaper report written?Show answer

   Third person, past tense, with no personal opinion.

6. 6.How long should the summary in a book review be?Show answer

   One short, spoiler-free paragraph of about 50-60 words.

Quick revision checklist

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

• ☐Can you write a headline, byline and hook for a feature article in two minutes?
• ☐Can you write a 5W lead paragraph for any event?
• ☐Can you name the parts of a book review and keep the summary short?
• ☐Can you switch between a blog voice and a formal SOP voice?
• ☐Can you amplify any one-word guideline point into three sentences with an example?
• ☐Do you know how many lines of your handwriting make 280 words?

Directed Writing: frequently asked questions