ICS (Intermediate in Computer Science) English (Compulsory) Syllabus

What is 'rhyme scheme' and how is it marked?

The pattern of rhyming lines in a poem, labelled with letters such as ABAB or AABB for matching end sounds.

What are the three main tenses in English, and what does each express?

Present (current/habitual actions), Past (completed actions), and Future (actions yet to happen).

Name the four aspects/forms each tense can take.

Simple, Continuous (Progressive), Perfect, and Perfect Continuous.

What is the structure of the Present Perfect tense?

Subject + has/have + past participle (V3), e.g., 'She has finished her work.'

What is the structure of the Past Continuous tense?

Subject + was/were + verb-ing, e.g., 'They were playing cricket.'

What signal words commonly indicate the Present Perfect tense?

already, just, yet, ever, never, since, for, recently.

What are the four kinds of sentences by function?

Declarative (statement), Interrogative (question), Imperative (command/request), and Exclamatory (strong feeling).

What are the four kinds of sentences by structure?

Simple, Compound, Complex, and Compound-Complex.

Define a 'complex sentence'.

A sentence with one independent (main) clause and at least one dependent (subordinate) clause.

What is the general rule for changing Active Voice into Passive Voice?

The object becomes the subject, the verb changes to the proper form of 'be' + past participle (V3), and the original subject follows 'by'.

Convert to passive: 'The cat killed the mouse.'

'The mouse was killed by the cat.'

In passive voice, what form must the main verb always take?

The third form (past participle) of the verb, preceded by an appropriate form of the auxiliary 'be'.

How is the agent introduced in passive voice, and when is it omitted?

The agent is introduced by 'by'; it is omitted when it is unknown, obvious, or unimportant.

What are the two types of speech in narration?

Direct Speech (exact words in quotation marks) and Indirect/Reported Speech (words reported without quotation marks).

When the reporting verb is in the past tense, how do present tenses change in indirect narration?

They shift one step back: present simple → past simple, present continuous → past continuous, present perfect → past perfect.

In indirect narration, how do 'now', 'today', and 'here' change?

now → then, today → that day, here → there.

In indirect narration, how do 'this/these' and 'ago' change?

this → that, these → those, ago → before.

Change to indirect: He said, 'I am ill.'

He said that he was ill.

How are questions reported in indirect narration?

The reporting verb changes to 'asked/enquired', the question becomes a statement (subject before verb), and 'if/whether' is used for yes/no questions.

How is a command or request reported in indirect narration?

Use 'ordered', 'told', or 'requested' + object + to-infinitive (e.g., He told me to sit down).

What is the function of a full stop (period)?

It marks the end of a declarative or imperative sentence and is used in many abbreviations.

When is the apostrophe used?

To show possession (boy's book) and to mark omitted letters in contractions (don't, it's).

What punctuation mark is used before a list or explanation, and what is its name?

The colon ( : ) — it introduces a list, quotation, or explanation.

What is the rule for capitalizing the first letter in writing?

Capitalize the first word of a sentence, proper nouns, the pronoun 'I', and the first word of a direct quotation.

What are the main parts of a well-written essay?

Introduction (states the topic), Body (develops ideas in paragraphs), and Conclusion (sums up the argument).

What is a 'topic sentence' in an essay paragraph?

The sentence that states the main idea of the paragraph; the other sentences support or develop it.

What are the main parts of a formal/business letter?

Sender's address, date, receiver's address, salutation, subject, body, complimentary close, and signature.

How do salutation and closing differ between formal and informal letters?

Formal: 'Dear Sir/Madam' with 'Yours faithfully/sincerely'; Informal: 'Dear (name)' with 'Yours affectionately/lovingly'.

What is an 'application' and how does it differ from a personal letter?

A formal written request (e.g., for leave or a job) addressed to an authority; it is formal in tone and structure, unlike a casual personal letter.

What essential elements should a good story include?

A setting, characters, a plot with conflict, a climax, a resolution, and usually a moral or point.

In story writing, what is the recommended sequence of plot development?

Beginning (introduction/setting), middle (rising action and climax/conflict), and end (resolution and moral).