PRACTICE PAPER 1

w riting
Notice Writing
1. You are Neha Ranjan, the Cultural Secretary of VP High School, Bengaluru. You have been
asked to inform students about the auditions for an Inter-school Drama Competition.
Draft a notice, in not more than 50 words, for the school noticeboard with all the
necessary details.
VP High School, Bengaluru
NOTICE
June 27, 20XX
Drama Competition – Audition
An Inter-school Drama Competition will be held on July 7, 20XX at the School Auditorium. The
audition will be held to select students for the school team. Interested candidates may give their
names to the undersigned. The details of the audition are given below:
Date: July 7, 20XX
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Venue: School Auditorium
Last date for giving names: July 5, 20XX
Neha Ranjan
Neha
Cultural Secretary

Diary Entry
2. Write a diary entry on your school holidays.
Wednesday 10 a.m.
26 Dear Diary
Summer vacations are the best part of the year. My vacations started from 10th May and
May since then I have been having a wonderful time. I have mixed feelings because I wait for
the vacations enthusiastically, but at the same time, I miss my friends very much. My family had planned
an adventurous trip to Rishikesh, and we went for river rafting and bungee jumping. I had been very excited
about river rafting because I had never done it and it was such an amazing and thrilling experience. It started
with huge waves and we stopped at one waterfall for cliff jumping. I really enjoyed the trip. This one, so far,
has been the best.
Good night!
Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII
Factual Description
3. Give a brief factual description of your school.

I have been a student of KV School, Delhi, since the beginning of my school life. This is a big,
rectangle-shaped building covering an area of about 2 acres. It has a beautiful garden and a huge
playground. My favourite place is the canteen. The canteen of our school is famous throughout
Delhi. There are spacious classrooms so that students can study and learn comfortably. The school
has four separate laboratories for physics, chemistry, biology and an air-conditioned computer
lab. The school houses an enormous library, with thousands of books on various subjects, for both
students and teachers.

Informal Letter
4. You are Bhavika/Bhavesh, living at A-123, Meera Road, Mumbai. Write a letter to your
friend Harsha/Harish who is hospitalised because of a road accident.

A-123, Meera Road

Mumbai

February 19, 20XX

Dear Harsha

I hope you find this letter in much better health and spirits.
I am happy to learn that you are now out of danger and recuperating fast, and I hope to see you soon.
We all miss you a lot in school and everybody is praying for your speedy recovery. Cricket is not the
same without you and last week we lost three consecutive matches because our best bowler was not
in the team.
We have discussed your illness with our school Principal, and he has assured that you need not
worry about your studies. Also, since you have been academically brilliant, you will be promoted to
the next class on the basis of your past performance.

Take care. Our best wishes are always with you.

Yours sincerely
Bhavesh

Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII

Formal Letter
5. Write a letter to your school Principal, requesting for leave to attend your sister’s wedding.
Your letter should include the details of the place of the wedding and the number of days
that you want leave for.
C-21, Anand Apartments
Lajpat Nagar, Delhi
November 4, 20XX
The Principal
Delhi Public School, Delhi
Dear Sir
Subject: Request for Leave to Attend Sister’s Wedding
I am Riya Sen, studying in Class VII. I would like to apply for leave from 10th November to 15th
November, 20XX. My elder sister is getting married and I would like to attend all the rituals and
events associated with the wedding ceremony.
My sister’s fiancé lives in Sweden and the dates of the marriage cannot be changed. This wedding is a
very happy occasion for all of us in the family that we have been looking forward to it for a very long
time. Therefore, I would like to apply for the leave for the period mentioned above.
I assure you that I shall make up for the classes that I will miss during my absence. I am quite regular
in my work and have got good grades consistently all these years. I hope you will keep my past
record in mind and grant me leave.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Riya Sen

Email
6. Write an email to your friend congratulating him on his promotion as Managing Director.
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Congratulations on your Promotion
Dear Faisal
Congratulations on your promotion as Managing Director of Skyworks Association. I heard about
your well-deserved promotion through LinkedIn. You have done a fine job there for many years, and
you deserve the recognition and responsibility of the position.
Best wishes for continued success in your career.
Yours sincerely
Suraj

Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII

Article
7. Write an article, in about 150 words, on bullying in schools.

School days are probably the best days of any young person’s life. However, sometimes, some events
during this time can make a person’s life miserable. Bullying is one of those evils which has been in
existence for many centuries.
Sadly, bullying has been a critical issue in schools for decades. It can have a harmful effect on students,
both boys and girls, of any age. We often hear that students stop going to school because they are
afraid of the gang which is bullying them frequently.
To stop bullying in school, teachers need to be aware that bullying is taking place and they should
take immediate action in case of such activities. Other than that, students should bring to the notice
of teachers or Principal any such activities that take place in and around the school premises.
Bullying can be a nightmare, but we all must stand together to fight against it. Hopefully, one day, all
students will walk to school without the fear of being bullied.

Speech
8. Write a speech on Poverty and its Vices.

Dear Principal, Teachers and my dear Friends

Today, I am going to talk about poverty and how it is affecting the lives of people.
Poverty is the big invisible wall between the rich and the poor. Poverty, which is the root cause of
all evils, has spread its wings far and wide. It has compelled people to get involved in fraudulent
activities. For their basic survival, people commit all sorts of crimes. Due to poverty, around half of
the population of the world is living a miserable life.
Poverty has many vices. It compels people to commit anti-social activities, lack of money forces
parents to send their minor kids for work instead of sending them to school. Besides, poverty
compels people to suffer from illnesses and ailments as they cannot afford a doctor’s fee. Poverty
causes powerlessness and lack of freedom. It draws a line between the rich and the poor and this is
the root cause of all evils in the society.
Therefore, it is the duty of the prosperous class to help those who struggle to satisfy their basic wants. It is
their moral duty to behave nicely with them because the poor too are the part and parcel of our society.

Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII

Debate
9.
Is Online Education Good or Bad? Debate this statement expressing your views against or
in favour.
Respected Principal, honourable Judges and Friends
Today, we are debating on the topic whether online education is good or bad. It seems like a good
idea, but in the online learning process, there’s just too much room for cheating and not learning,
copying and pasting information.
When sitting in a classroom, students can either communicate with lecturers or discuss with
classmates. Exchanging ideas with other students is a good way to cultivate teamwork spirit, and
asking teachers questions may boost the efficiency of learning. Thus, generally leading to the lack of
quality assessment and feedback, this may hinder the learning process.
Students in rural areas might face some difficulties with this new pattern of study due to lack of
knowledge of how to access computers and the Internet. Therefore, technical problems discourage
students from the lower economic area.
Therefore, dear ladies and gentlemen, I have expressed my viewpoint on this topic, and now I want
my opponents to enlighten us with their own ideas.

Story Writing
10.  Write a short story using the given cues.
Cold damp night—dogs barking—a man running fast—police followed him—caught by
police—police recovered a loaf of bread—stolen it for his hungry son—police let him go.

It was a cold damp night. Dogs were barking and making a lot of noise. I was sitting in my room doing
my homework. Suddenly, I heard some people shouting. I ran towards my balcony. There I noticed a
young man running through the street. He was trying to hide something. After a few minutes, I also
saw a couple of police personnel running after him. The policemen shouted at him several times to
stop, but he did not.
The man was trying to run as fast as possible, but the policemen finally caught him after a long chase.
They asked him to show what he was trying to hide. The man reluctantly took out a loaf of bread from
his pocket. He said that he had stolen it from a bakery because his child was hungry. The man was
constantly praying with teary eyes, ‘Let me give this bread to my hungry son and then you can take
me to the police station. If you don’t allow me, my son will die of hunger.’ The policemen thought for a
while and then they agreed and accompanied him to his hut. They realised that the man was speaking
the truth, so they set him free with the warning never to steal again.

Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII

G rammar
Determiners
1. Underline the determiners in these sentences.
a. The few points that he made in the meeting were quite significant.
b. Which bridge are you talking about?
c. He had his scooter repaired yesterday.
d. I know little about golf.
e. Only a few people know about this documentary.
Answer a. The few points that he made in the meeting were quite significant.
b. Which bridge are you talking about?
c. He had his scooter repaired yesterday.
d. I know little about golf.
e. Only a few people know about this documentary.
2. Fill in the blanks with appropriate determiners.
a. She is .......................... Italian artist married to .......................... European architect.
b. We saw .......................... boys there, we didn’t see .......................... girls.
c. There is an off-season sale in .......................... shop is this shopping mall.
d. Mother didn’t like .......................... sari.
e. How .......................... trees are there in your garden?
Answer a. an, a b. some, any c. every d.
either e.
many

Adverbs
1. Insert the adverbs/adverbs phrases given in the brackets in their actual position.
a. Ravi misses the train. (often)
b. I will wait. (till Sunday, patiently)
c. Sahil is a helpful boy.(rather)
d. Nayna is a better dancer. (certainly)
e. The Sinhas have dinner at 9 p.m.(usually)
Answer a. Ravi often misses the train.
b. I will patiently wait till Sunday.
c. Sahil is a rather helpful boy.
d. Nayna certainly is a better dancer.
e. The Sinhas usually have dinner at 9 p.m.
Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII
2. Complete these sentences choosing appropriate adverbs from the brackets.
a. We will fly .......................... to Sydney. (direct/directly)
b. Little Tina .......................... got lost in the crowd. (near/nearly)
c. Vibha called a few months ago, but she has not called .......................... . (late/lately)
d. Australians are .......................... proud of their native wildlife. (just/justly)
e. Zorbing in Khajjiar, Himachal, was the ................... exciting thing I’ve ever done! (most/mostly)
Answer a. We will fly direct to Sydney.
b. Little Tina nearly got lost in the crowd.
c. Vibha called a few months ago, but she has not called lately.
d. Australians are justly proud of their native wildlife.
e. Zorbing in Khajjiar, Himachal, was the most exciting thing I’ve ever done!

Adjectives
1. Change the degrees of comparison according to the instructions given in the brackets.
a. Supriya is more intelligent than any other girl in the class. (positive)
b. Rishi is not as tall as his brother. (comparative)
c. Parul is thinner than Trisha. (positive)
d. No other painting in my house is as beautiful as this one. (superlative)
e. The ostrich is the biggest bird in the world. (comparative)
Answer a. No other girl in the class is as intelligent as Supriya.
b. Rishi is taller than his brother.
c. Trisha is not as thin as Parul.
d. This is the most beautiful painting in my house.
e. No other bird in the world is as big as the ostrich.
2.
Fill in the blanks with the adjectives formed from the words given in the brackets.
a. I have to admit that I am .......................... (envy) of my sister’s talent.
b. It is not a .......................... (pardon) crime.
c. Kunal’s parents were bankers, but he enjoyed more .......................... (scholar) pursuits.
d. It was a .......................... (glory) day, .......................... (sun) and warm, and his ..........................
(adventure) spirit wouldn’t allow him to spend time indoors.
e. The writer gave a .......................... (describe) and .......................... (enjoy) account of his
travels across the world.

Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII

Answer a. I have to admit that I am envious of my sister’s talent.
b. It is not a pardonable crime.
c. Kunal’s parents were bankers, but he enjoyed more scholarly pursuits.
d. It was a glorious day, sunny and warm, and his adventurous spirit wouldn’t allow him to
spend time indoors.
e. The writer gave a descriptive and enjoyable account of his travels across the world.

Subject-verb Agreement
1. Fill in the blanks choosing the correct verbs from the brackets.
a. The woman with the roses .......................... like your mother. (look/looks)
b. Five minutes .......................... a lot of time in such matters.(is/are)
c. The stationery in this shop .......................... made of recycled paper. (are/is)
d. Either Karan or Jai .......................... to do this work. (has/have)
e. My best friend and severest critic .......................... my mother. (is/are)
Answer a. looks b. is c. is d.
has e.
is
2. Detect the errors of subject-verb agreement and rewrite the sentences.
a. His grey pants is torn.
b. The weather on the shore appear to be good this weekend.
c. Lata or her sister write poetry.
d. Three Men in a Boat are written by Jerome K Jerome.
e. The general, along with his regiment, have arrived.
Answer a. His grey pants are torn.
b. The weather on the shore appears to be good this weekend.
c. Lata or her sister writes poetry.
d. Three Men in a Boat is written by Jerome K Jerome.
e. The general, along with his regiment, has arrived.

Finite and Non-finite Verbs

1. Identify the finite verbs and non-finite verbs in these sentences.
a. He tried to run fast.
b. Mother had a pleased look on her face.
c. He gave me a stool to sit.
d. It is dangerous to play with matches.
e. Mohit goes to the market every day to fetch milk.
Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII
Answer a. Finite – tried non-finite – to run
b. Finite – had non-finite – pleased
c. Finite – gave non-finite – to sit
d. Finite – is non-finite – to play
e. Finite – goes non-finite – to fetch
2. Pick out the gerunds and participles in these sentences and write G or P against them.
a. It was an interesting documentary.
b. Walking is good for health.
c. The children watched the babbling brook.
d. The purring cat snuggled up to Myra.
e. Gardening is my hobby.
Answer a. interesting – P
b. Walking – G
c. babbling – P
d. purring – P
e. Gardening – G

Tenses
1. Fill in the blanks with the tense of the verbs stated in the brackets.
a. Megha ......................................... in that school for ten years next April. (future perfect
continuous tense of teach)
b. During my art class later tonight, I ......................................... on a sketch for my first oil
painting. (future continuous tense of work)
c. I ......................................... all about it. (present perfect tense of forgot)
d. They ......................................... the results of the painting competition by 5 p.m.
(future perfect tense of declare)
e. William claimed that he ......................................... the Loch Ness Monster, but his friends
didn’t believe him. (past perfect tense of spot)
Answer a. Megha will have been teaching in that school for ten years next April.
b. During my art class later tonight, I will be working on a sketch for my first oil painting.
c. I have forgotten all about it.
d. They will have declared the results of the painting competition by 5 p.m.
e. William claimed that he had spotted the Loch Ness Monster, but his friends didn’t
believe him.
Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII
2. Complete these sentences using the correct tense of the verbs given in the brackets.
a. The cows .......................... (graze) in the pasture as we drove by.
b. When Grandpa .......................... (hear) the joke, he .......................... (begin) to laugh.
c. Frost .......................... on my windshield, and I’m having trouble seeing the road. (form)
d. All the players .......................... the victory by the time we reach there. (celebrate)
e. Turn the television off. You .......................... it all evening. (watch)
Answer a. The cows were grazing in the pasture as we drove by.
b. When Grandpa heard the joke, he began to laugh.
c. Frost has formed on my windshield, and I’m having trouble seeing the road.
d. All the players will have celebrated the victory by the time we reach there.
e. Turn the television off. You have been watching it all evening.

Modals
1. Fill in the blanks choosing appropriate modal verbs from the box.
must may could ought to might

a. When we were young, we .......................... play most of the time.

b. .......................... you always enjoy good luck!
c. The cocoon I found under the leaf .......................... still be there, but I’m not sure.
d. You .......................... complete your homework before going to play.
e. We .......................... help those in distress.
Answer a. could b.
May c. may d.
must e.
ought to
2. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate modals in accordance with the instructions given in
the brackets.
a. I am late for office. I .......................... take a taxi. (compulsion)
b. .......................... all your dreams and wishes come true!(to express a wish)
c. I .......................... bake the strawberry cake for you tomorrow. (promise)
d. You ...................... eat more fruits and vegetables instead of this junk food. (advice/suggestion)
e. .......................... you repair this broken window? (ability)
Answer a. I am late for office. I must take a taxi.
b. May all your dreams and wishes come true!
c. I will bake the strawberry cake for you tomorrow.
d. You should eat more fruits and vegetables instead of this junk food.
e. Can you repair this broken window?
Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII
Conjunctions
1. Join these sets of sentences by choosing appropriate conjunctions from the box. You may
have to make a few changes to the sentences.
both … and because that although either … or

a. Her work is slow. Her work is neat.

b. I may go to Kasauli this vacation. I may go to Kufri.
c. I approved the design. I approved the plan.
d. Shalini is committed to her work. Her employer likes her.
e. Your mother works for an NGO. I know it.
Answer a. Although her work is slow, it is neat.
b. I may either go to Kasauli or Kufri this vacation.
c. I approved both the design and the plan.
d. Because Shalini is committed to her work, her employer likes her.
e. I know that your mother works for an NGO.
2. Correct these sentences. Focus on the use of conjunctions.
a. Both Smita and Suhani has baked the vanilla cupcakes.
b. Prabhat is so tall as his friend.
c. I will call you while I reach home.
d. Would you rather have cheese nor butter on your sandwich?
e. Get up, if you will be late for the meeting.
Answer a. Either Smita or Suhani has baked the vanilla cupcakes.
b. Prabhat is as tall as his friend.
c. I will call you when I reach home.
d. Would you rather have cheese or butter on your sandwich?
e. Get up, otherwise/or/else you will be late for the meeting.

Active and Passive Voice

1. Rewrite these sentences in passive voice.
a. Who wrote this beautiful ballad?
b. Which article were you referring to in today’s newspaper?
c. He had already informed them about his arrival.
d. Let him choose a book of his choice.
e. Read the notice carefully.
Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII
Answer a. By whom was this beautiful ballad written?
b. Which article was being referred by you in today’s newspaper?
c. His arrival had already been informed by him.
d. Let a book of his choice be chosen by him.
e. Let the notice be read carefully.
2. Rewrite these sentences in active voice.
a. By whom was the final decision taken?
b. Poornima may give the book to her friend.
c. Have all the arrangements for the trip been made by you?
d. He should be warned against pickpockets.
e. The winning team was congratulated by everyone.
Answer a. Who took the final decision?
b. The book may be given to her friend by Poornima.
c. Have you made all the arrangements for the trip?
d. You should warn him against pickpockets.
e. Everyone congratulated the winning team.

Direct and Indirect Speech

1. Rewrite these sentences in indirect speech.
a. Mother said to Karuna, ‘You have persevered in your studies.’
b. Sneha said, ‘Is something missing from the trinket box?’
c. Akash said, ‘Let’s go to the carnival.’
d. Apoorva said, ‘How beautiful you look in this silk sari!’
e. Diana said, ‘Wear your jacket, Tom.’
Answer a. Mother told Karuna that she (Karuna) had persevered in her studies.
b. Sneha asked if something was missing from the trinket box.
c. Akash suggested that they go to the carnival.
d. Apoorva exclaimed that she looked beautiful in that silk sari.
e. Diana asked Tom to wear his jacket.
2. Rewrite these sentences in direct speech.
a. Namit requested his father to let him go with his friends to the school trip.
b. Beena asked Deepak where he had kept the documents.
c. The lady warned Raju not to touch that burning coal.
d. I told Suparna that I was making an apple pie the previous day.
e. He asked Deepti who her favourite writer was.
Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII
Answer a. Namit said to his father, ‘Please let me go with my friends to the school trip.’
b. Beena said to Deepak, ‘Where have you kept the documents.’
c. The lady said to Raju, ‘Don’t touch that burning coal.’
d. I said to Suparna, ‘I was making an apple pie yesterday.’
e. He said to Deepti, ‘Who is your favourite writer?’

Preposition
1. Complete the conversations using in, on or at. If you do not need a preposition, put a
cross (7).
a. Amit: Will the bank be open ...................... half past eight?
Vidya: Yes, it always opens ...................... time.
b. Leena: We’ll have to hurry if we want to be ...................... time for the function.
Surya: Don’t worry, we have enough time. I’ll be ready ...................... ten minutes.
c. Harshit: If we ever go camping again, it’s going to be ...................... summer, not autumn.
Mohan: Never mind. We’ll be home ..................... a week’s time, and then we’ll be dry again.
d. Sakshi: I’m sorry I was out when you called ...................... yesterday evening, Disha. I’m
free on the sixth of December ...................... a.m. Can we meet then?
Disha: I would have liked that so much, Sakshi, but I’m afraid I have to go to the university
to deliver a lecture ..................... the importance of yoga ..................... our daily life.
e. Anjali: Your photos will be ready ...................... an hour, sir.
Dheer: OK. I’m happy to learn that because I have to be ...................... the airport
...................... an hour’s time to receive my parents.
Answer a. Amit: Will the bank be open at half past eight?
Vidya: Yes, it always opens on time.
b. Leena: We’ll have to hurry if we want to be in time for the function.
Surya: Don’t worry, we have enough time. I’ll be ready in ten minutes.
c. Harshit: If we ever go camping again, it’s going to be in summer, not autumn.
Mohan: Never mind. We’ll be home in a week’s time, and then we’ll be dry again.
d. Sakshi: I’m sorry I was out when you called 7 yesterday evening, Disha. I’m free on the
sixth of December at a.m. Can we meet then?
Disha: I would have liked that so much, Sakshi, but I’m afraid I have to go to the university
to deliver a lecture on the importance of yoga in our daily life.
e. Anjali: Your photos will be ready in an hour, sir.
Dheer: OK. I’m happy to learn that because I have to be at the airport in an hour’s time
to receive my parents.
Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII
2. Rewrite the sentences correcting the errors. Focus on the use of prepositions.
a. Yesterday, the temperature reached one degree under zero.
b. I was playing basketball with my friend from 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
c. I rely upon my mother for good advice.
d. His grandmother is hard with hearing.
e. He has no interest with politics.
Answer a. Yesterday, the temperature reached one degree below zero.
b. I was playing basketball with my friend between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
c. I rely on my mother for good advice.
d. His grandmother is hard of hearing.
e. He has no interest in politics.

Phrases
1. Underline the phrases in these sentences.
a. It was a day full of fun.
b. Travelling by train gives me great pleasure.
c. The file is in the drawer.
d. The boys are playing in the backyard.
e. Mother baked a cake for the children.
Answer a. It was a day full of fun.
b. Travelling by train gives me great pleasure.
c. The file is in the drawer.
d. The boys are playing in the backyard.
e. Mother baked a cake for the children.
2. Replace the highlighted adverb phrases in these sentences with appropriate adverbs. Choose
the adverbs from the box.
repeatedly undoubtedly then briskly everywhere
a. Emma walked towards the store at a brisk pace.
b. This is without doubt a gorgeous piece of crewel embroidery.
c. The inspector went through the documents again and again.
d. We looked for the kitten in every possible place.
e. People were not so insensitive in those days.
Answer a. Emma walked towards the store briskly.
b. This is undoubtedly a gorgeous piece of crewel embroidery.
c. The inspector went through the documents repeatedly.
d. We looked for the kitten everywhere.
e. People were not so insensitive then.
Practice Paper 1—Exam Mate Communicative English VII