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ICSE Class X Board Exam 2023 : English Paper 1 (English Language)

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Alakh Pandey
St. Francis De Sales (SFS) Public School, Electronic City, Bangalore

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November 2023 ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright, Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations All rights reserved. The copyright to this publication and any part thereof solely vests in the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations. This publication and no part thereof may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed or stored in any manner whatsoever, without the prior written approval of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations. Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) MISSION STATEMENT The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations is committed to serving the nation's children, through high quality educational endeavours, empowering them to contribute towards a humane, just and pluralistic society, promoting introspective living, by creating exciting learning opportunities, with a commitment to excellence. ETHOS OF CISCE Trust and fair play. Minimum monitoring. Allowing schools to evolve their own niche. Catering to the needs of the children. Giving freedom to experiment with new ideas and practices. Diversity and plurality - the basic strength for evolution of ideas. Schools to motivate pupils towards the cultivation of: Excellence - The Indian and Global experience. Values - Spiritual and cultural - to be the bedrock of the educational experience. Schools to have an 'Indian Ethos', strong roots in the national psyche and be sensitive to national aspirations. FOREWORD The Analysis of Pupils Performance document for ICSE (Class X) and ISC (Class XII) Examinations stands out as a unique and indispensable resource. Over the years, it has evolved to become a valuable tool for schools, shedding light on both the strengths and challenges faced by candidates as they navigate these Examinations. We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Research Development and Consultancy Division (RDCD) of the CISCE for their painstaking efforts in creating this analysis. Furthermore, our gratitude goes out to the examiners who have generously provided feedback on candidates performance during the examinations, along with suggestions for teachers and students to enhance their curriculum. We hope that the schools find this document to be of value. We also invite schools to share their sincere thoughts on its utility and quality. Sangeeta Bhatia Deputy Secretary November 2023 i PREFACE The Analysis of Pupil Performance documents have been prepared by the CISCE since the year 1994, with the objective to facilitate the teaching-learning process by providing subject/ paper wise feedback to teachers regarding performance of students at the ICSE and ISC Examinations. With the aim of ensuring wider accessibility to all stakeholders, from the year 2014, the ICSE and the ISC documents have been made available on the CISCE website www.cisce.org. These documents are being released after a two-year gap, understandably caused by the challenges in conducting examinations during the pandemic. The documents for the ICSE and ISC Examination Year 2023 include a detailed qualitative analysis of the performance of students in various subjects. The Analysis of Pupil Performance document for ICSE for the Examination Year 2023 covers the following subjects - English Language, Literature in English, History and Civics, Geography, Mathematics, and Computer Applications. The subjects covered in the ISC Analysis of Pupil Performance document for the Year 2023 are English Language, Literature in English, Mathematics, History, Accounts, and Physics. The relevance of this question-by-question analysis lies in the valuable insights into the performance of candidates on each question in the subject paper. The Comments of Examiners section is based on inputs provided by examiners from examination centers across the country. It comprises of question wise feedback on the performance of candidates in the form of the common errors made by candidates. The Suggestions for Teachers section along with, provides pedagogical interventions that teachers can utilize to rectify/ reduce these errors. The criteria used for marking each question has been provided for both teachers and students to understand in the Marking Scheme section. Certain topics in the question paper that were found to be challenging or confusing for the majority of the candidates have been listed, along with general recommendations for candidates to prepare for the subject paper to perform better in the examination. I humbly acknowledge and appreciate the pivotal contributions of all the ICSE and the ISC examiners who have enriched the document with their valuable insights on each question. My gratitude and best wishes to the RDCD team of Dr. Manika Sharma, Ms. Parul Kohli and Ms. Mansi Guleria, who have worked tirelessly towards the meticulous preparation and timely release of this document. We are sanguine that this document will empower teachers to support their students towards efficacious preparation for the upcoming ICSE/ ISC Examinations. Bhawna Taragi Deputy Head - RDCD November 2023 ii ENGLISH LANGUAGE (PAPER-1) Question 1 (Do not spend more than 30 minutes on this question.) Write a composition (300 - 350 words) on any one of the following: (i) Write an original short story in which two children and their school teacher are the main characters. (ii) Imagine a situation where you get an opportunity to change one thing in your school. What would it be? Why do you want to change it? How would you bring about the change? (iii) School examinations do not test intelligence. Express your views either for or against this statement. (iv) You are a regular visitor to your school library. Describe your library. Give details of the familiar sights. What do you see and feel as different students come in and check out the books? Why is this place so important? (v) Study the picture given below. Write a story or a description or an account of what it suggests to you. Your composition may be about the subject of the picture, or you may take suggestions from it; however, there must be a clear connection between the picture and your composition. 1 [20] Comments of Examiners Suggestions for teachers (i) Stories lacked creativity. Many candidates wrote a first-person narrative instead of a short story. Some candidates seemed to have lifted language and story elements from popular children s authors. A few candidates were unable to understand the meaning of 'original' in the given topic. Characters were inadequately developed. In some cases, the dialogues used had no role to play in carrying the story forward. In the essays of some candidates, the story lacked a neat ending. They were rambling or left incomplete. Passages were lifted from the comprehension, merely changing the names of the characters. Punctuation, spelling, grammatical and syntactical errors were made. Short scripts and essays that by far exceeded the prescribed length were common. Paragraphs were not drawn. Discuss the format of short story writing. Lay stress on the importance of writing an original story in every story writing practice session. Explain how to bring in a hint as to the theme, the main character/s and the setting in the introduction. Practice plot development and dialogue writing. Discuss character sketching as particular to the short story format. Give adequate practice of writing a logical or open-ended or cliffhanger endings through brainstorming sessions. Explain the difference between short story and narrative writing. Encourage narration of short stories in class to kindle students imagination. Facilitate Group discussion in the class. Mind mapping on any given topic has to be taught and practiced in the class. Emphasize the importance of identifying highlights in a question. Specify in class that all the parts of the question must be addressed. Advise students to read the question carefully and to distinguish and differentiate between parts. Explore the common points between a descriptive and a narrative form. Encourage logical and linear pattern of thinking and presentation. Introduce the writing of rough drafts to help in planning. Focus on one change (or as the question demands) rather than writing more than one and straying from the question. Explain the importance of working within set word limits. (ii) Common errors made by most of the candidates included: Misinterpretation of the topic. Instead of changing one thing about the school, candidates wrote about having to change the school. Instead of one specific change they would like to see, candidates wrote about their own behavioural changes, or listed several changes and did not then address the remainder of the question. The plan on how to bring about the change was largely missing. Essays often exceeded the word limit. Some candidates wasted time in elaborate introductions. A few candidates imagined they had to pose as the Principal of the school in order to implement the change. Impractical changes were suggested with little thought given to planning/implementation. 2 (iii) In the argumentative format, some candidates argued both sides of the question. They did not take a definitive stance. Logical reasoning to support their point of view was often missing. Repetitive arguments were common. These arguments in turn were not backed up by adequate illustration, analogy or example. Insufficient number of arguments were presented. The tone at times was aggrieved, rather than objective and persuasive. Suggestions for teachers Discuss the structure of an argumentative essay. Explain how to start with a hook , an interesting anecdote or idea. Stress upon the necessity of planning to think of 3 to 4 main points to build the arguments around these points, using examples to illustrate and strengthen. Teach to avoid repetition. Stress upon the importance of a strong stance either for or against and give practice in writing the same. Train students to conclude with an interesting idea or by summarising the argument or idea. Debates should be included in class in order to train the students to firmly state their view and take a clear stand. Explain the structure of descriptive essay writing. Discuss the difference between a simple listing and rich description. Discuss layers as for example in character sketch. Give sufficient exercises in picture composition by showing different pictures and videos to students and asking them to write compositions based on the picture. Discuss what the picture suggests/the core element and thereby arrive at the theme or central idea. Discuss how a story, a description or an account can be built on the picture. Discuss the varied possibilities of approaching a picture composition as an account, a narrative, a story, or a description. Teach students how to avoid itemising the objects seen in the picture. (iv) This seemed to be the most popular choice. Even students with superior linguistic ability made the mistake of merely listing the familiar sights yellow walls, brown shelves, etc. The flow and weave of descriptions making the library that one quiet room in a building full of the hustle and bustle of noisy activity, was missing. What was felt was not clearly brought out. The reactions of different candidates was not touched upon. Descriptions were not adequately vivid or evocative. Why respecting the school library or developing reading as a habit is important was not brought into focus. Some candidates wrote about the benefits of reading without providing a description of the library. The candidates were not clear about the components of a descriptive essay. (v) Most candidates started with This picture shows us that followed by a listing of the elements in the picture. A connection between the picture and the composition was lacking in most cases. The picture was not taken as the central theme or title idea. A clear connection was missing in some cases. Poor linguistic ability and frequent grammatical errors compounded the problem. Few candidates were sometimes unable to form a composition and instead copied the question or comprehension passage. Colloquialisms, informal language, contractions, short forms were used. 3 MARKING SCHEME Question 1 (i) The story must be original. All three characters should have a definite role. (ii) Only one change required what change. Why necessary, benefits. How - A plan on how to bring about the change is to be included. E.g., Change in timing or Write a letter, take an opinion poll (iii) Views either for or against are to be accepted. The candidate should take a clear stand and give valid reasons for whatever stand he / she takes. Credit to be given for a cohesive well-constructed logical argument and ideas based on logical reasoning and personal experience. (iv) Brief description of library, shelves, books, magazines, quiet, hush, librarian, students entering browsing, reading. Importance of reading in a student s life. (v) Accept a wide interpretation. Any relevant ideas taken from the picture should be accepted. However, a mere itemization / listing / description of the picture is to be penalized. Question 2 (Do not spend more than 20 minutes on this question.) Select any one of the following: (i) You have had to shift to a new house recently. Write a letter to your grandmother telling her what you miss about your old house. Tell her also what you like about your new house and what you plan to do to make it comfortable for yourself. (ii) A certain book / chapter has been included in your syllabus. You have heard that a film version is now available. Write a letter to the Manager of a film theatre near your school, requesting that the film be shown. Tell him / her why it will be beneficial to the students. 4 [10] Comments of Examiners Suggestions for teachers (i) Format: The address was incomplete, date was incorrect, or year was not given. Various incorrect combinations of dear grandfather/friend/parent were used in the salutation. The comma was missing after salutation / subscription. In the subscription, many candidates wrote Yours faithfully, Yours truly, Your s lovingly, ABC . The surname was added to the first name in many cases. Mixed formats were used by some candidates. Content: Some candidates did not analyse the question and wrote about what they missed about their old school instead of home. They also wrote about what they liked about themselves, their friends, the surroundings, new school instead of writing about their new home. Many candidates failed to mention what they missed about their old home or how they planned to make the new home comfortable. Points were jumbled up together. Often a single point was described in detail whereas the others were just mentioned. Expression: Many candidates seemed to find it easier to write the letter than the composition. Some however copied the points from the topic instead of making an attempt to develop the points themselves. Teach the correct format (address, date, salutation, and subscription). Drill students to read the question carefully to understand the points they need to elaborate upon. Students should be taught to develop the points adequately. Conduct classroom activities to improve language, structure and expression. Emphasize on tone appropriate to content. Teach students the difference between formal and informal letter. Encourage reading and discussion to improve language dexterity. Clearly explain the key aspects of the letter like format, body and expression. Address adequately the importance of identifying key elements in a topic the premise, the problems, the solutions, etc. Explain the necessity of using precise language such that specific information asked for or required by the letter is included. Ensure that students avoid flat faulty language, use of contractions, short forms, informal or colloquial language. Read out examples of good formal letters to give the students an understanding of how formal language may be employed effectively. Explain the difference between formal and informal language. Apart from grammar practice, encourage students to read to improve their language skills. (ii) Format: Common errors made by candidates in this part were: No to address was given; or the designation and/or organization were missing from the address. Some candidates wrote the school name or XYZ. The date was incomplete or in numbers throughout. Instead of the examination date other dates were given (for example a date in March or April). Incorrect Salutation- Many candidates did not use the word Sir or Madam. Respected Sir/Madam or Ma am was used by many candidates. In the Subscription: Yours sincerely was commonly used instead of Yours faithfully or truly. Sometimes Yours affectionately was used and the first name given without a surname. Your s was written with an apostrophe. Content: Candidates frequently forgot to name the book or chapter. There was no specific show asked for. Why seeing the film would help the students was not explained. Some candidates wrote 5 about the fun element of going to watch a movie with friends from school rather than the learning experience. Expression: Language as required in a formal letter was not used. Informal language and faulty sentence construction was common. MARKING SCHEME Question 2 (i) FRIENDLY LETTER: FORMAL LETTER: Address From address Date Date Salutation To address X Salutation Subscription Subscription First name Name + surname/ one initial + surname Format (Friendly/Informal letter) Content What you miss e.g., Friends, locality, gardens, space, quiet (Any 2) What you like e.g., New, fresh, gardens, locality space, own room. (Any 2) What you plan to do e.g., Decorate, plant, paint (Any 1) Expression (ii) Language, syntax, vocabulary Format (Formal letter) Content Name of book / chapter. e.g., Boy with Striped Pyjamas Request to show - Please arrange/ show/have morning matinee / holiday. Why beneficial to students e.g., Clearer understanding, come alive, depth etc. Expression Language, syntax, vocabulary 6 Question 3 (i) Write a notice to be put up in your school informing the pupils of Classes [5] IX and X about the Remedial Classes to be held after the school hours and asking them to register their names for it. (ii) Write an email to the Principal of a neighbouring school inviting their pupils to attend the classes if they so wish. Give all details of the classes to be held. Comments of Examiners (i) In writing the notice, the following errors were observed: The creative title was missing. The candidates did not comprehend the meaning of the word Remedial and misunderstood it to mean Remedy and therefore wrote the creative heading as First Aid or etc. Some candidates wrote Interschool Remedial Competition or of it being held as part of the school s golden jubilee celebration or thought it was associated with sports. Inappropriate / incorrect or a long title was given, e.g., Celebration of xyz school Remedial Classes/ Born to be Fit Forever. The notice details were given in a paragraph. Candidates did not adhere to the format. Date of the event was either too far ahead to be relevant or the same date of the examination was given as the date of the event, while the date of the event should have been at least 10 to 14 days after the notice. The date for registration was either too close to or even after the date of the event. Position of details was interchanged, details of time, date, venue were incomplete. For example, in the date, the year was not mentioned, the venue was not specific or just one part of the venue was written instead of both. Suggestions for teachers Explain why a creative title is needed and how to write a phrasal title. Explain why the event needs to be clearly mentioned. Explain the necessity of giving the required information - date, venue (both smaller and larger locations) and time of the event correctly. Explain why the target audience/reader needs information regarding details such as where/with whom to register and by which date. Also point out why there should be a gap between this date and the date of the event. Make the students practice composing creative titles to go with common events/competitions such as singing, music, drawing, dancing, elocution, debate, sports, swimming, etc. Familiarise students with the elements of an official email id. Instruct students to copy the event name into the subject box. Explain why in the opening sentence, only the request/ invitation should be mentioned. Explain why details of the event need to be given in the email and why these should match with the notice details. Explain to the students the necessity of a polite closing of the mail. 7 [5] (ii) In writing the email, the following errors were observed: Suggestions for teachers Incorrect Email ids were given. The word Principal was spelt Train students to write salutation and principle and no other letters etc. to subscription as written in the formal distinguish it were inserted. letter. Personal email ids were given. Show students an actual email, id etc. Subject was not written. Explain to them the components of an The opening sentence was not clear email id personal /particular name/etc. and did not touch upon the topic. + @ + the provider. The closing sentence was missing in Clarify the difference between the role many cases. In many scripts, the of the host and that of the invitee opening and closing sentences through demonstration or role play. overlapped with the content. Salutation and subscription: many candidates wrote Respected sir/ Ma'am which is incorrect salutation or just thank you and the name as subscription. In a few cases, date, venue, time were not mentioned. The date of the examination was written instead in the body of the mail. In some letters, the notice and email dates did not match. While the invitation was meant for pupils, some candidates invited the Principal of the neighbouring school to attend the Remedial classes. MARKING SCHEME Question 3 (i) Creative Title e.g., Ready to Learn, Refresh Revise, Relearn Event: Remedial Classes/Registration for Remedial Classes Date: e.g., 10 15 March 2023 (Accept single date or several dates) Time: e.g., 2.00 p.m. 5.00 p.m. (after school hours) Venue: smaller place to larger Participate: All pupils who wish to avail of/ have been nominated for/etc. the remedial class/es should give their names to the Vice Principal/etc. on or before (ii) E-mail id Subject Salutation Opening sentence Closing sentence Subscription Expression All details of the notice are to be included in the e-mail. 8 Question 4 Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: That huge bell never stopped ringing. It got us out of bed, it summoned us for meals, it rang between class periods, it sent us unwillingly to bed. One morning it failed to ring, or rather, there was no bell to ring. Someone had removed it, and it wasn t found till late in the afternoon. What a glorious day! As there was no bell to rouse us, everyone got up late, and there was no morning PT. Some of us missed breakfast too. The teachers got confused and mixed up their classes. How could the school manage without it? Confusion reigned. Of course, no one owned up. It could have meant expulsion. Some suspicion fell on the Sports Captain because of our aversion to morning PT, but nothing 10 could be proved. No one was very anxious to find the bell we were quite happy without it but it was finally discovered hanging from a branch of one of the trees. It may have been Mr. Sharma, surmised Brian. Mr. Sharma, our Maths teacher, was known to walk in his sleep. And sleepwalkers did funny things sometimes. It could be Mool Chand himself, suggested Cyrus Satralkar. Mool Chand was the school chowkidar, who also had the job of banging the brass bell at appointed times. Why would he throw it away? 20 He must be as fed up with ringing it as we are of hearing it. This was my theory. Perhaps he wants a rise in salary. The identity of the culprit remained a mystery. Happily, the senior Hockey team went on a winning spree against all corners, and our month-end exits were restored. But soon there was another sensation. A girl was admitted to our class! The boys were scandalized. No girl had ever studied in our school before. We 9 protested. What s the problem? asked Mr. Knight, our class master. Haven t you seen 30 a girl before? But but. Sir Tata was our spokesman. How will we concentrate on our studies? When did you ever concentrate on your studies, Tata? Are we going co-ed, sir? Adams wanted to know. Not at all, said Mr. Knight. This is a special case. She is the school accounts manager s daughter, and he can t afford the Girls school fees. So, I m sure you ll make her feel very welcome. The accountant was a popular man who also ran the school s tuck shop and allowed most of us a certain amount of credit. All our objections faded away. 40 At first, Sunita, our new entrant, was a bit of a distraction because, although she was very shy and demure, she had lovely curly hair, bright eyes, pink cheeks and a smile for everyone. All the boys were very polite and attentive to her and Brian in particular was always ready to help her. Collection of Stories, Ruskin Bond (i) For each word given below choose the correct meaning (as used in the passage) from the options provided: 1. summoned (line 1) (a) totalled (b) ordered (c) requested (d) shout 2. aversion (line 10) (a) hatred (b) fear (c) politeness (d) creation 10 [3] 3. restored (a) helped (line 25) (b) returned (c) permit (d) victory (ii) (iii) Answer the following questions briefly in your own words: (a) Why did no one confess to having removed the missing bell? [1] (b) Why did suspicion fall on the Sports Captain? [2] (c) What made Brian think that it was Mr. Sharma? [2] (d) Which sentence in the passage tells you that Mr. Knight thought poorly of Tata s academic performance? [2] (e) Why was the accountant a popular man? [2] In not more than 50 words describe the effects of the lost bell. Comments of Examiners (i) 1.Vocabulary: Several candidates interpreted the meanings without contextual reference. Summoned was mistakenly identified as requested by some from the MCQ. Candidates mistook summoned to be the sum total of something and wrote words outside the options provided as the meaning. Some candidates wrote the incorrect letter against the answer and vice-versa. A few candidates did not attempt all three answers. 2. aversion was seen as politeness by some, as fear by many. 3. restored was interpreted as victory . (ii) Suggestions for teachers (a) Many candidates wrote a general answer here they were happy the bell had gone missing. Some missed the focus or fear of expulsion point. Many wrote punishment which word is not adequate as a substitute for expulsion . Some candidates wrote 11 Encourage students to read the passage carefully and to note the meaning of the words as used in context. Point out how if the incorrect word is used or form of the word is used, it would not fit in the passage. Encourage students to practise vocabulary exercises and look up words in a dictionary on a regular basis. Teach students to read and make notes of words rich in meaning or connotation, similar sounding words, words with similar meanings. Adequate practice in MCQ format must be provided. Train students to identify the key aspects of a question. Students often do not understand the demand of the question. Understanding with reference should be taught. [8] about the advantages of not having a bell. They wrote at length on the thrill of finding the bell lost. (b) Most of the candidates answered this correctly. However, some missed out the word PT and just wrote hatred for morning thereby proving the answer incorrect. (c) Most of the candidates answered this correctly. However, some interpreted the word funny to mean comical rather than strange and mixed up the meaning slightly. Some candidates identified the word sleepwalker but did not complete the thought or sentence. (d) Those candidates who lost marks here either misquoted or left out the vital question mark at the end or wrote the answer in a paragraph. Several candidates quoted more than one sentence from the passage and did not highlight the correct sentence. Some candidates wrote the sentence in indirect speech. (e) Majority of the candidates answered this correctly. Quite a few wrote tuck shop as truck shop . (iii)Several candidates did not keep to the word limit. They used more than 50 words to write the pr cis. Many candidates left out articles to reduce the word count. Some wrote the summary of the entire passage/ part of the passage. Grids were often not drawn and rough summaries not made. Word count was not given. Long-winded phrases and sentences were used where shorter, more precise wording would have been more effective. Some candidates were able to identify and write only 2 to 3 points. Chronological order was not followed. Some marks were lost for expression. Candidates focused more on use of the morning bell. 12 Suggestions for teachers Give adequate practice to the students to use keywords from the given passage. Train students to infer the answer instead of lifting sentences from the passage. If one sentence needs to be quoted, the student must be trained to read to identify that particular sentence, and to then transfer/copy it verbatim to the answer script. Train the students to pick one appropriate sentence from the passage if a sentence has to be quoted from the passage. Students should be clearly told what quoting means. Students should be trained to highlight the most appropriate quote if he/she wishes to write more associated quotes. Teach students to comprehend the question and grasp which part of the passage needs to be included in the summary. Make the students practice writing the summary with the help of a grid. Teach the students to put together many points as a whole and leave out irrelevant details. Ensure that students follow the sequence of events as mentioned in the passage. Train the students to look for words or ideas that stand out - these could be naming or doing words - around which ideas have been built and then incorporate these words as main points into the summary. MARKING SCHEME Question 4 (i) 1. 2. 3. (b) ordered (a) hatred (b) returned (ii) (a) Feared expulsion (b) because of hatred for morning PT [+ nothing could be proved] (c) He walked in his sleep + sleepwalkers did funny things. (d) When did you ever concentrate on your studies, Tata? To be quoted entirely No marks to be given if written in own words, or partially quoted. (e) He ran the school tuck shop / allowed them credit. (iii) Points: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. No bell to rouse Everyone got up late No morning PT Some of us missed breakfast Teachers got confused Mixed up classes [Full credit of just these 1st 6 given] Suspicion fell on the Sports Captain Speculation - it could have been Mr Sharma, Mool Chand reasons Question 5 (i) Fill in each of the numbered blanks with the correct form of the word given in brackets. Do not copy the passage but write in correct serial order the word or phrase appropriate to the blank space. Example: (0) One night four college students _______ (be) out partying late and did not study for the test scheduled for the next day. Answer: were In the morning, they (1) ____________ (think) of a plan. They (2) _________ (make) themselves look dirty with grease and dirt. Then they (3) ___________ (go) to the Dean and (4) __________ (say) they (5) _________ (go) out to a wedding last night and on their way back the tyre of their car 13 [4] burst and they had to push the car all the way back. The Dean thought for a minute and said that they could have the re-test after three days. They (6) ____________ (thank) him and said they would be ready. On the day of the test, they were made to sit in separate rooms. They agreed as they (7) ___________ (prepare) well. But they (8) _________ (get) a rude shock! (ii) Fill in the blanks with appropriate words. [4] (a) A bird ___________ hand is worth two in the bush. (b) The boy is crazy ___________ football. (c) She was tired __________ fighting and struggling all the time. (d) He opted __________ of the race. (e) We borrowed the bikes ___________ our uncle. (f) The police station is ________ the right. (g) I looked at the stars ________ the telescope. (h) There was an accident __________ the crossroads. (iii) Join the following sentences to make one complete sentence without using and, but or so. Choose the correct option. 1. 2. 3. He jumped up. He ran away. (a) He jumped up before he ran away. (b) Jumping up, he ran away. (c) He ran away after jumping. (d) He ran away because he jumped up. He has failed many times. Still, he hopes to succeed. (a) He succeeds after he failed many times. (b) Despite of failing, he hopes to succeed. (c) In spite of many failures, he hopes to succeed. (d) He failed many times even though he hopes to succeed. Do not be a jeweller. Do not be a goldsmith. (a) Be neither a jeweller nor a goldsmith. (b) Be both a jeweller and a goldsmith. (c) Either be a jeweller or a goldsmith. 14 [4] (d) 4. Be a jeweller as well as a goldsmith. A cottager and his wife had a hen. The hen laid an egg every day. (a) Everyday, a hen laid an egg for a cottager and his wife. (b) A cottager and his wife had a hen who laid an egg every day. (c) The cottager and his wife had an egg every day because they had a hen. (d) (iv) A cottager and his wife had a hen which laid an egg every day. Re-write the following sentences according to the instructions given after each. Make other changes that may be necessary, but do not change the meaning of each sentence. Choose the correct options. 1. He said to me, I don t believe you. (Begin: He said ) (a) He said he doesn t want to believe in me. (b) He said that he didn t believe me. (c) He said that he didn t believe in me. (d) He said I don t believe you. 2. Some boys were helping the wounded man. (Begin: The wounded ) (a) The wounded man was helping some boys. (b) The wounded man were helping some boys. (c) The wounded man was being helped by some boys. (d) The wounded boys were helping the man. 3. He is as wise as Solomon. (Use: wiser ) (a) Solomon was wiser than he is. (b) He and Solomon are wiser. (c) Solomon was the wisest. (d) Solomon was not wiser than he is. 15 [8] 4. If the boys do not reach the school on time, they will be punished. (Begin: Unless ) (a) Unless the boys reach the school on time, they will not be punished. (b) Unless the boys are punished, they will not reach the school on time. (c) Unless the school punished the boys, they will not reach on time. (d) Unless the boys reach the school on time, they will be punished. 5. As soon as he reaches home, his friends call him. (Begin: Hardly ..) (a) Hardly does he reach home when his friends call him. (b) Hardly had he reached home than his friends called him. (c) Hardly, he reaches home, his friends call him. (d) Hardly when he reaches home than his friends call him. 6. She is weak, but she is courageous. (Begin: Despite ) (a) Despite of being weak she is courageous. (b) Despite being weak, she is courageous. (c) Despite being courageous, she is not weak. (d) Despite weak, she is courageous. 7. We will never forget what we saw. (Begin: Never .) (a) Never forget what we see. (b) Never will we forget what we had seen. (c) Never will we see what we forget. (d) Never will we forget what we saw. 8. Jaswant s grandfather is too old to take up this job. (Use: .so . ..that ) (a) Jaswant s grandfather is so old that he could not take up this job. 16 (b) Jaswant s grandfather is so old that he cannot take up this job. (c) Jaswant s grandfather is so old that he could take up this job. (d) Jaswant s grandfather is so old that he can take up this job. Comments of Examiners (i) A number of candidates did not perform well in this part of the question. Some of the commonly occurring errors were as follows: (1) thought was written as thinked (5) went was a common incorrect answer (7) prepared was a common incorrect answer Children confused simple past with past perfect. (ii) Common errors observed in the choice of prepositions were as follows: (a) at used instead of in (b) for instead of about colloquial usage (d) out of phrase written in full or from instead of out (f) near written instead of on or to (g) from used instead of through (h) towards , from written instead of at or near (iii) MCQ format for synthesis: 1. before and after concepts pulled into the sentence where not required. 2. mistakes made due to carelessness in reading, thinking despite of is correct etc. 3. seems to indicate a lack of familiarity with either-or , neither-nor terms. 4. The hen who option used most frequently instead of which . Suggestions for teachers 17 Teach verb forms and tenses in detail and ensure students work out the verb form required logically themselves. Use a table to help the students see and understand the path and conversion easily. If prepositions show relationships, demonstrate using teaching aids (and common everyday examples) how choosing the appropriate preposition is not difficult. Adverbs and phrasal verbs should be taken up in class. Explain the importance of reading the entire sentence before deciding upon the preposition. Teach the rules of synthesis of sentences. Regularly practice combining sentences without using and , but or so . Teach students to spot errors in sentences in order to choose the correct option. Teach students that two clauses are made mutually exclusive by the use of the subordinating conjunction though , although etc and not inter-dependent as in a causal sentence. Train students to look for causal identifiers or mutually exclusive clause hints. Teach when to use Neither-nor ; either-or Have oral practice as a regular feature of the grammar class. (iv) Common errors made by candidates in this part (in selecting from options in MCQ s) were: 1. Some candidates did not understand the conversion rules involved when changing from direct to reported speech. Mistakes were also made in choosing the tense of the sentence. 2. There was some confusion in who helped whom here. 3. The use of past tense with Solomon seemed to confuse many candidates. 4. Most candidates substituted will not be punished for will be punished . 5. Most candidates thought than should be used instead of when with Hardly . 6. Candidates chose Despite of . 7. Most of the candidates chose the simple past tense instead of past perfect. 8. Many candidates chose could not instead of cannot . Suggestions for teachers 18 Teach students Logical thinking. Revise the rules for transformation of sentences. These rules must be thoroughly understood along with the logic that goes into the forming of such rules. Reading of questions, instructions and options very carefully is imperative teachers and facilitators must point this out. Adequate drill-exercise-practice must be given to ensure the students are comfortable with and can easily apply these rules to their day-to-day work. Provide adequate practice on Active and Passive Voice, Degrees of Comparison, Direct and Indirect Speech, use of the adverb too , Hardly-when , tensechange with transformation etc. Adequate practice in MCQ format must be provided. MARKING SCHEME Question 5 (i) (ii) (iii) [0. were] 1. thought 2. made 3. went 4. said 5. had gone 6. thanked 7. had prepared 8. got (a) in (b) about (c) of (d) out (e) from (f) on/to (g) through (h) at/near 1. (b) Jumping up, he ran away. 2. (c) In spite of many failures, he hopes to succeed. 3. (a) Be neither a jeweller nor a goldsmith. 4. (d) A cottager and his wife had a hen which laid an egg every day. (iv) 1. (b) He said that he didn t believe me. 2. (c) The wounded man was being helped by some boys. 3. (d) Solomon was not wiser than he is. 4. (d) Unless the boys reach the school on time, they will be punished. 5. (a) Hardly does he reach home when his friends call him. 6. (b) Despite being weak, she is courageous. 7. (b) Never will we forget what we had seen. 8. (b) Jaswant s grandfather is so old that he cannot take up this job. 19 GENERAL COMMENTS Topics found difficult/ confusing by candidates (a) Topics/ Concepts found Difficult Essay writing Most candidates found it difficult to monitor the number of words 300 to 350, it was either a short script or the essay exceeded the word limit. Students not well versed in the language copied the question or copied the entire passage given in Q4. Letter Writing Most candidates could not comprehend the meaning of doing something to make oneself feel comfortable in a new home. In the informal letter, too many points were written for one part while the other/s may not have been touched upon at all. The formal letter saw inept or immature handling and understanding of basic information to be preffered or how to make specific requests. The language suitable for a formal letter has not been understood by many candidates. Notice Writing The topic was not understood. The format was not written correctly by some candidates. The Notice was written in the form of a paragraph. The connection between the notice and email was not understood. Email A few candidates could not frame an opening sentence that clearly stated the reason for writing the email. The connection between the notice and email was not understood. Comprehension The vocabulary question posed a challenge for many candidates. Questions based on analysis/ understanding were not always understood by many candidates. Some of the answers in part (b) seemed to be incomplete or veering off in the wrong direction because the candidates were not familiar with certain terms. Most candidates found it a challenge to quote a sentence from the passage in answer iv). The Summary was understood and written quite well. Grammar The question related to Prepositions was the most challenging. Lack of adequate practice was evident in the marks scored in the Grammar section. The rules of grammar were not clear to many candidates. It was clear that inadequate reading (as a habit) was a root cause for many of the errors. (b) Topics/Concepts between which candidates were confused Composition the concept of change in part (ii) of Question 1. Letter informal - the likes/dislikes etc. between the two homes; in the formal letter - candidates did not understand that writing a certain chapter without giving a specific name or merely echoing the details given in the topic is inadequate. Notice-email what remedial classes are and who the host is. Comprehension vocabulary-oriented even in part b. Grammar tenses, structure etc. In MCQs the candidates were confused by the distractors. 20 Suggestions for candidates Inculcate reading as a regular habit. Practise higher order thinking and analytical reasoning. Use logic and linear thinking patterns. Explore inclusive and wider reach in self-tutoring. Avoid use of short forms, abbreviations, colloquial language. Listen, absorb, read, and apply. Take the initiative to question teachers and clarify doubts. Consult dictionaries, the encyclopaedia and reference material. 21

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