ISC Class 12 English Language Paper Pattern
ISC Class 12 English has two papers. Paper 1, English Language, is 80 marks in three hours and has just four compulsory questions: composition, directed and proposal writing, functional grammar and comprehension. Project work adds 20 marks.
- 80marks, theory paper
- 3 h + 15 minwriting time and reading time
- 20 marksproject work
Paper 1 (Language): 80 marks
| Question | What it is | Marks | Time to spend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Composition: one essay or story from a choice of six topics (narrative, descriptive, reflective, argumentative) | 20 | 45 minutes |
| Question 2 | Directed writing (15 marks), such as a letter or article, and proposal writing (10 marks) | 25 | 55 minutes |
| Question 3 | Functional grammar: sentence transformation (5), prepositions and phrasal verbs (5) and verb forms in a passage (5) | 15 | 30 minutes |
| Question 4 | Comprehension: a passage with vocabulary and analytical questions | 20 | 50 minutes |
| Total | four questions, all compulsory | 80 | 180 minutes |
Layout and suggested times as printed on the 2026 board paper.
What the question paper says
- Answer all four questions. The paper advises how long to spend on each: 45, 55, 30 and 50 minutes.
- Begin each answer on a fresh page.
- In the multiple-choice questions of Question 4 write only one option as the answer.
- You get 15 minutes of reading time; writing is not allowed during it.
Project work
Project work carries 20 marks in addition to the 80-mark theory paper: 10 marks for evaluation by the teacher and 10 marks for evaluation by the visiting examiner. The projects are set out in CISCE’s English syllabus.
Open real English Language papers
- ISC English Language 2026 Question PaperBoard paper
- ISC English Language 2026 Improvement PaperImprovement
- ISC English Language 2025 Question PaperBoard paper
- ISC English Language 2025 Specimen PaperSpecimen
- ISC English Language 2025 Improvement PaperImprovement
- ISC English Language 2025 Competency Focused Questions (CFQ)Practice
- All English Language papers
Common questions
How many marks is ISC Class 12 English Language Paper 1?
80 marks in three hours, with 15 minutes of reading time. Project work is another 20 marks.
How many questions are in the ISC English Language paper?
Four compulsory questions: composition (20 marks), directed writing and proposal writing (25 marks together), functional grammar (15 marks) and comprehension (20 marks).
How much time should I spend on each question of ISC English Language?
The 2026 paper advises not more than 45 minutes on Question 1, 55 on Question 2, 30 on Question 3 and 50 on Question 4.
What kinds of writing does the ISC English Language paper ask for?
A composition (a story, description, argument or reflection), directed writing such as a letter or article, and a proposal.
Keep reading
Checked against the printed instructions of the 2026 board papers and the 2027 specimen papers, and CISCE’s ISC 2027 syllabus. Last checked 2026-10-16.