ICSE Class 10 German Previous Year Question Papers

This page has the class 10 german previous year question papers you need for board exam practice — all 10 PDFs from the validated set below, covering both German (Second Language) and German (Group III Elective) papers from 2017 to 2025. Each file is the paper as it was printed, with the original instructions, mark tags in brackets, and the actual composition and letter topics that were asked that year.

Use the guidance sections after the table to understand how the paper is built and scored before you start writing practice answers.

Download ICSE Class 10 German Question Papers PDF

These are the 10 question papers PDFs hosted on icseboard.org for ICSE Class 10 German, organised by subject. Each section below explains what those papers cover before the download table.

This set has 10 previous year ICSE Class 10 German question papers from 2017 to 2025, covering both the German (Second Language) course and the German (Group III Elective) course. Each paper opens with the same instructions — reading time, attempt all questions, and marks shown in brackets — followed by a composition question and a letter or email question with topic choices in German. Use them to practise writing full-length answers within the actual time limit before your exam.

How the ICSE German Paper Pattern Differs: Second Language vs Elective

Not every German paper in this set follows the same pattern. From 2023 onward, the papers state the format directly at the top, and it splits into two distinct courses.

The 2017-2019 Second Language papers keep the same three-hour format and the same two-question structure, but their composition question is worth 20 marks instead of 15 — the paper header in those years does not print a word-count target either. Every paper, in every year, tells you to attempt all questions — there is no choice-of-question relief anywhere in this set.

Every paper also repeats the same instruction: you get 15 minutes of reading time before you are allowed to write. Use that time to pick your composition topic, not to start drafting sentences.

Composition and Letter Topics That Repeat Across the Years

Question 1 is always a composition with a choice of topics, and Question 2 is always a letter or an email — that two-part structure holds across all ten papers. Within that structure, a few themes come back repeatedly:

• Internet and technology — internet shopping or internet pros and cons appeared in 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2025.
• Environment — environmental protection and global warming were composition options in 2023 and 2024.
• A person you admire — a favourite teacher, sportsperson, or famous personality was offered in 2024 and 2025.
• Pets (Haustiere) — offered in both 2018 and 2023.
• Personal-experience letters/emails — a trip, a birthday, pocket money, or a visiting exchange partner, asked every single year as Question 2.

If you only have time to practise a few compositions before revising, prioritise the internet/technology theme and the person-you-admire theme — they show up most often in this set.

Writing a Composition and Letter the Way Examiners Score Them

The [15] and [20] tags in the brackets tell you how much a question is worth, and that should shape how much you write and how carefully you check it.

• A 15-mark composition (Second Language, 2023-2025) needs roughly 200 words: a clear opening line naming your topic, two or three developed paragraphs, and a short closing line.
• A 20-mark composition (Elective, or Second Language before 2023) needs roughly 250 words and more developed detail in each paragraph — the extra 5 marks reward range of vocabulary and accuracy, not just length.
• A letter or email is marked out of 15 in every year. It needs the correct format — date, salutation (Liebe/Lieber), a body that actually answers what the prompt asks, and a proper closing (Viele Grüße, your name).

Here is an original practice prompt modelled on the recurring themes above, not copied from any paper in this set:

Schreibe eine E-Mail an deine Brieffreundin. Erzähle ihr, wie du deine Sommerferien in deiner Stadt verbracht hast, und was dir am meisten gefallen hat. (ca. 150 Wörter)

Practise writing a full answer to a prompt like this in the exact time you’d have on the real paper — the point is timing and format, not memorising one answer.

Mistakes Students Make When Practising These German Papers

Watching students work through these papers shows the same errors again and again:

• Ignoring the word-count target. Writing 100 words for a 15-mark composition or 400 words for a 15-mark one both cost marks — length signals how developed the answer should be.
• Skipping the letter format. Forgetting the date, salutation, or closing on Question 2 loses easy marks that have nothing to do with grammar.
• Answering only one part of the topic. Several prompts ask two things (for example, describe an experience and give an opinion) — answering just the first half is incomplete.
• Drafting sentences during reading time. The rules state you cannot write for the first 15 minutes — use that time only to choose your topic and plan.
• Mixing up Second Language and Elective requirements. A 250-word Elective composition answer is not the same target as a 200-word Second Language one — check which course you are preparing for before you set a word target.

Using These Papers Alongside Your German Textbook and Class Notes

These question papers work best as a rehearsal tool, not a first-read source for grammar or vocabulary. Build vocabulary and sentence structure from your class textbook first, then use these papers to practise applying it under time pressure.

For wider Class 10 study material beyond German, the Class 10 resources page lists other subjects, and the ICSE books PDF section covers CISCE-aligned textbook material by subject. Second Language and Elective German are offered differently from school to school, so confirm with your teacher which course applies to you, and check the official CISCE syllabus documents for the current examination scheme.

Frequently Asked Questions About These Class 10 German Papers

How many German papers are in this collection?
There are 10 previous year question paper PDFs in this set, spanning 2017 to 2025 across both German (Second Language) and German (Group III Elective).

Do I have to write my answers in German?
Yes. Both the composition and the letter/email question must be answered in German — the paper prints the topic choices in both English and German, but your written answer is in German.

What is the difference between Second Language and Elective German?
Based on these papers, Second Language is an 80-mark, three-hour paper; Elective (Group III) is a 100-mark, two-hour paper with a longer composition target (about 250 words instead of 200).

Are these papers solved?
No. These are the original question papers only, for practice — there are no solutions included.

Can I use one year’s paper to predict the next year’s topics?
Not exactly, but themes do repeat — internet/technology and admired-person topics have each appeared in multiple years in this set, so they’re worth practising specifically.

More ICSE study material on this site

• Class 10
• Class 10 Books
• ICSE Books PDF Free
• ICSE Books

Reference: CISCE-aligned ICSE Class 10 textbook material.