ICSE Class 10 Papers English: Question Paper PDFs

If you are looking for icse class 10 papers english to practice with, this page gives you all 19 PDF files for Class 10 English: Paper 1 (Language) and Paper 2 (Literature in English). Every paper here follows the ICSE two-hour English exam format. Use the table below to pick the exact year and paper, then read on for how the pattern has shifted, which questions repeat, and where students lose marks.

Paper 1 and Paper 2 PDFs Available for Class 10 English

What this material covers inside: Paper 1 tests composition writing, comprehension and grammar. Paper 2 tests the prescribed drama, prose and poetry texts through extract-based and essay-type questions.

The table groups every file by year and paper number. Pick Paper 1 for language and composition practice, or Paper 2 for literature. Each file is the original question paper set for that year.

Download ICSE Class 10 English Question Papers PDF

These are the 19 question papers PDFs hosted on icseboard.org for ICSE Class 10 English, organised by subject. Each section below explains what those papers cover before the download table.

This set covers ICSE Class 10 English Paper 1 (Language) and Paper 2 (Literature in English) across multiple exam years, including 2018, 2020 and more recent papers. Paper 1 papers open with a fifteen-minute reading period and ask students to write a composition, alongside comprehension and grammar sections. Paper 2 papers test the prescribed drama, prose and poetry texts through extract-based and essay-type questions.

How the Paper 1 and Paper 2 Pattern Has Changed Across the Years

Paper 1, the English Language paper, kept a two-hour duration in every paper checked here (2017 to 2023). But the internal structure changed partway through this range.

The advised timing shifted with the marks. The 2017-18 papers advise spending 35 minutes on Question 1. The 2019-2023 papers advise only 30 minutes, matching the lower [20] weight.

The 2023 paper is the only one here that prints a total score directly: Maximum Marks: 80. Earlier papers in this set do not show a total-marks line in the excerpt checked, so confirm the marks on the specific PDF you download rather than assuming.

Every Paper 1 in this set gives 15 minutes of reading time before writing starts. That time is separate from the two hours allowed for answers.

Paper 2, Literature in English, is also a two-hour paper in every year checked. Its attempt rule is stricter than Paper 1’s, and it tightened after 2018.

The 2022-23 paper in this set is a school-level First Comparative Examination, not a CISCE council paper. It is useful as extra practice, but treat it as a pre-board test, not a final exam paper.

Across every year checked, The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare is the Section A drama extract, appearing in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and the 2022-23 comparative paper. If your school studies this play, expect the extract-based, three-mark-per-part style shown in the excerpts to repeat.

For the current syllabus and any circulars on the exam pattern, check the official CISCE website. For the prescribed literature texts, the Class 10 book PDFs page lists commonly used editions; editions differ by school, so check your booklist first.

Practising the Recurring Question Types: Two Worked Examples

Here is how to use these papers for exam preparation: work through the two examples below in timed conditions, then compare your answer against the format and marks notes above.

Worked Example 1: Composition (Paper 1, Question 1 style)

Prompt: Write a short story (300-350 words) that ends with the line: “I finally understood why she had stayed silent all along.”

• Plan the ending first. Decide who “she” is and what she was hiding before you write the opening line.
• Keep to three or four paragraphs: a setup, a turning point, and the reveal that leads into the closing line.
• Stay inside the word range. A 2019-2023 style paper marks this question out of [20], and going far short or long costs marks.

Worked Example 2: Extract-Based Literature Question (Paper 2, Section A style)

Prompt: An original two-line exchange: “Have you told your father yet?” asked Meera. “Not yet,” said Arjun, looking away. “I don’t know how to begin.”

1. Who is speaking, and what is the relationship between Meera and Arjun? [3]
2. What does Arjun mean by “I don’t know how to begin”? [3]
3. What happens immediately after this exchange in the scene? [3]

For each part, name the characters and situation first. Then point to the exact line before explaining it. A [3]-mark part usually needs one line of identification and two or three lines of explanation, not a full paragraph.

Reading the Mark Tags and Avoiding Answer Mistakes

The bracketed numbers next to each question, such as [3], [20] or [25], tell you how much detail that part needs. Treat them as a budget for your answer.

• [3] marks (literature extracts): identify the speaker and context in one line, then explain in two or three more lines. Long paragraphs here waste time without adding marks.
• [20] or [25] marks (composition): needs a full piece with a clear beginning, middle and end, written inside that year’s word limit.

Common mistakes students make while studying and answering these papers:

• Writing the composition well past the word limit. A 300-350 word answer stretched to 500 words does not earn extra marks and costs time on later questions.
• Skipping the 15-minute reading time and writing immediately, which often means missing part of a question or picking the wrong option.
• In Paper 2, answering more than the allowed extra questions from one set text when a year’s rule restricts you to two. Check that year’s attempt rule before starting.
• In extract questions, answering from memory instead of pointing to the actual line in the extract. This loses marks even when the general idea is correct.

For other Class 10 subjects and their papers, visit the ICSE Class 10 resource page.

Frequently Asked Questions About These English Papers

How many English paper PDFs are on this page?
There are 19 PDF files covering ICSE Class 10 English Paper 1 (Language) and Paper 2 (Literature), across the years listed in the table above.

Is Paper 1 always four questions or five questions?
It depends on the year. The 2017 and 2018 papers ask for all four questions with a [25]-mark composition. The 2019, 2020 and 2023 papers ask for all five questions with a [20]-mark composition.

How long are these papers?
Both Paper 1 and Paper 2 are two-hour papers in every year in this set (2017-2023), plus a separate 15 minutes given only for reading the question paper, not for writing.

Do these PDFs include solved answers?
No. These are the original question papers only. Use them for timed practice, then check your own answers against your textbook or teacher.

Which literature text comes up most in Paper 2?
Among the years checked here, The Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare is set as the Section A drama extract most often, appearing in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and the 2022-23 comparative paper.

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.