ICSE Class 10 Half Yearly Tests Chemistry: PDFs & Guide
ICSE Class 10 half yearly tests chemistry papers are the best way to check how ready you are before the real exam. This page gives you both chemistry papers in the collection — the half-yearly paper and the second-term paper — as direct PDF downloads, plus guidance on how to use them.
Download ICSE Class 10 Chemistry Half-Yearly Tests PDF
These are the 2 half-yearly tests PDFs hosted on icseboard.org for ICSE Class 10 Chemistry, organised by subject. Each section below explains what those papers cover before the download table.
This set has the two chemistry papers in the collection: the 2016-17 half-yearly examination and the 2025-26 second-term examination, both worth 80 marks with a compulsory 40-mark Section A. The 2017 paper uses fill-in-the-blanks, balanced equations and observation questions on hydrocarbons, periodic trends and metal reactions, while the 2026 paper opens with 15 multiple-choice questions covering electrolytic conduction, alloys and organic naming. Use both for timed practice ahead of your school's own half-yearly test.
| Paper | Download |
|---|---|
| Second Term Chemistry (2026) | Download PDF |
| Half-Yearly Chemistry (2017) | Download PDF |
Chemistry Half-Yearly Paper Pattern: Marks, Time and Sections
Both papers carry 80 marks and open with a compulsory Section A worth 40 marks. Beyond that, the two papers differ in a few details, which matters if you’re timing your practice.
| Paper | Time Allowed | Maximum Marks | Section A Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half-Yearly (2016-17) | 2 hrs 15 min | 80 | Fill in the blanks [5], balanced equations [5], and observation questions [5] |
| Second Term (2025-26 session) | 2 hrs | 80 | 15 multiple-choice questions worth 1 mark each (15 marks), plus assertion-reason items |
Notice the time allowed drops from 2 hours 15 minutes in the 2017 paper to 2 hours in the 2026 paper, even though both are 80-mark papers. Practice under the shorter limit so you’re not caught out.
Topics That Repeat Across the 2017 and 2026 Papers
A few topics show up in both papers, which tells you where to spend your revision time:
- Organic reactions and naming: hydrocarbon addition/substitution reactions appear in 2017; IUPAC naming of formic acid (methanoic acid) appears in 2026.
- Metal and alloy chemistry: electroplating and galvanizing of iron appear in 2017; electrolytic conduction and the composition of brass appear in 2026.
- Acids, bases and salt reactions: silver nitrate with dilute hydrochloric acid, and sodium hydroxide with ferrous chloride, appear in 2017; cupric chloride with ammonium hydroxide, and amphoteric oxides, appear in 2026.
These three areas are worth revising first, since both papers draw questions from them.
How to Use These Papers for Exam Preparation
Downloading the PDF is only the first step. Here is a routine that actually helps before your own half-yearly test:
- Attempt Section A under a strict time limit — 45 minutes for the 40 marks, since it’s meant to be quick recall and short working.
- Check your answers against your chemistry notebook, not just memory, especially for balanced equations.
- Mark every question you got wrong and re-derive the correct equation or definition yourself, rather than just reading the right answer.
- Repeat the paper a second time after two or three days to see if the same mistakes recur.
For the syllabus itself, keep a copy of your Class 10 textbook open beside the paper — editions differ by school, so check your booklist for the exact chapter numbering.
Worked Practice Questions Based on Recurring Question Types
These are original practice questions written in the same style as the real papers, not copies of them.
Equation-style question (like the 2017 paper): Write a balanced equation for the reaction between zinc metal and dilute sulphuric acid, and name the gas produced.
Answer: Zn + H₂SO₄ → ZnSO₄ + H₂. The gas is hydrogen; it gives a pop sound with a burning splint.
Assertion-reason question (like the 2026 paper): Assertion (A): Aluminium oxide is an amphoteric oxide. Reason (R): It reacts with both acids and bases to form salts.
Answer: Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.
Triad-based question (from periodic properties): Chlorine, bromine and iodine form a Dobereiner’s triad. If chlorine’s atomic mass is 35.5 and iodine’s is 127, find the expected atomic mass of bromine.
Answer: (35.5 + 127) ÷ 2 = 81.25. This is close to bromine’s real atomic mass, which is near 80.
Marking Scheme Tips: What Examiners Expect Per Mark
The mark tags in brackets, like [5] or [1], tell you exactly how much detail to write:
- [1]-mark fill-in-the-blank or MCQ: only the exact term or option is checked — no explanation needed or rewarded.
- [5]-mark equation sets: each equation must be fully balanced with correct formulas; an unbalanced equation usually loses the mark even if the reactants and products are right.
- Observation-based questions: state what you would actually see — a colour change, a gas, or a precipitate — not just the chemical reason.
- Assertion-reason questions: you must judge both statements and their relationship; marking only one statement correct is not enough.
Common Mistakes Students Make While Attempting This Paper
These come up repeatedly in half-yearly chemistry papers:
- Confusing addition and substitution reactions — saturated hydrocarbons undergo substitution, unsaturated ones undergo addition.
- Mixing up electroplating (decorative, thin coating) with galvanizing (protective zinc coating on iron).
- Leaving equations unbalanced, or forgetting state symbols where the question specifically asks for them.
- Writing the chemical reason instead of the visible observation when a question asks “what do you observe.”
- Skipping the periodic table basics like Dobereiner’s triads, which still appear as short-answer questions.
The official CISCE board sets the syllabus these papers are aligned to; you can check syllabus updates directly at cisce.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many chemistry half-yearly papers are on this page?
There are two: the 2016-17 half-yearly paper and the 2025-26 second-term paper.
Do these PDFs include solutions?
No. These are the exam papers themselves, not solved answer sets. Use them for timed practice and check your own working against your textbook and notes.
What should I revise before attempting these papers?
Periodic properties (atomic size, metallic character, ionisation potential), electrovalent and covalent bonding, and acids, bases and salts reactions come up directly in these papers.
Is the second-term paper the same length as the half-yearly paper?
No. The 2017 half-yearly paper allows 2 hours 15 minutes; the 2026 second-term paper allows 2 hours. Both are worth 80 marks.
Which textbook should I study alongside these papers?
Use whichever CISCE-aligned chemistry textbook your school has chosen — editions differ by school, so check your booklist. You can browse general options on the Class 10 books page, and see other subjects on the Class 10 hub.
More ICSE study material on this site
Reference: CISCE-aligned ICSE Class 10 textbook material.