12th English Half Yearly Question Paper 2025 with Answer Key | PDF Download Link
Are you searching for the original 12th English Half Yearly Question Paper 2025 with a verified answer key? You've come to the right place. This guide provides the complete exam paper, subject-wise solutions, expert analysis, and a direct PDF download link to help you ace your Tamil half-yearly exams.
📄 Overview of the 12th English Half Yearly Exam 2025 Pattern
The Tamil Nadu State Board 12th English Half Yearly Exam follows a structured format to assess students’ understanding of prose, poetry, grammar, and creative writing.
Key Sections:
- Grammar: 25-30 marks
- Prose & Poetry: 40-45 marks
- Essay & Letter: 25-30 marks
🧠Expert Tips to Score 80+ in English Half Yearly Exam
- Focus on Grammar: 30% of your score depends on clear grammar rules. Practice daily.
- Memorize Poetry Lines: Quote exact lines from poems in your answers for authenticity and extra marks.
- Time Management: Allocate 15 mins for grammar, 45 mins for prose/poetry, and 30 mins for essay/letter writing.
- Use Previous Year Papers: Practicing with the 2024 & 2023 question papers will give you an edge in pattern recognition.
Original Question Paper Scroll down to download
Class: 12 HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION –
2024
Time: 3.00 Hours ENGLISH Marks:
90
PART – I
Answer all
the questions. (20 × 1 = 20)
Choose the
most appropriate synonym of the underlined word:
1. Anna would say with an impudent smile.
a) disrespectful b) indifferent c) ungrateful d) misleading
2. The snow on this face was dangerous,
but we persisted.
a) smooth b) safe c) risky d) inviting
3. Their devotion had touched
me deeply.
a) ignorance b) disloyalty c) hatred d) dedication
Choose the
most appropriate antonym of the underlined word:
4. He had a malignant tumour.
a) dangerous b) benign c) harmful d) fatal
5. Tea has virtues which are not to be despised.
a) hated b) respected c) ignored d) admired
6. Suffering seems so prevalent in
the world today.
a) common b) often c) frequent d) rare
7. Choose the correct clipped word for “perambulator”:
a) pram b) peram c) ram d) perambu
8. Choose the correct blended word combination
for “Diplonomics”:
a) Diplo + Economy b)
Diplomat + Economics
c)
Diplomacy + Economics d)
Diploma + Economics
9. Choose the correct American English word
for “bonnet”:
a) boot b) trunk c) hood d) cab
10. Choose the correct expansion of “ECG”:
a) Electric Cardio Graph b) Electro Cardio Graph
c)
Electro Cardium Graph d) Electrified Cardiac Graph
11. Choose the correct phrasal verb to replace
“deceived”:
a) give in b) give out c) take in d) give off
12. Choose the correct sentence pattern
for:
They made him the secretary yesterday.
a) SVOAC b) SVIODO c) SVOC d) SVCA
13. Choose the correct plural form of “man
servant”:
a) man servants b) men servants c) mens servant d) mans servants
14. Choose the correct polite form for “toilet”:
a) bathroom b) lavatory c) washroom d) restroom
15. Choose the correct foreign phrase for “on
the way”:
a) en route b) bonafide c) faux pas d) in absentia
16. Choose the correct idiom meaning for “put
his foot down”:
a) accepted happily b) refused firmly c) felt angry d) agreed
reluctantly
17. Choose the correct question tag:
The landlady will charge me for the damage, ______?
a) won’t she b) doesn’t she c) isn’t she d) hasn’t she
18. Choose the correct clipped word for “pianoforte”:
a) pian b) forte c) pia d) piano
19. Choose the correct syllabification for “necessary”:
a) ne-ce-ssa-ry b) nec-es-sary c) ne-ces-sa-ry d) nec-es-sa-ry
20. Choose the correct prefix for “mature”:
a) im b) un c) pre d) post
PART – II
SECTION – A
Read the following sets of poetic lines and answer any
four. (4 × 2 = 8)
21. Our gates
were strong, our walls were thick,
So smooth and high, no man could
win.”*
a)
How safe was the castle?
b)
What was the firm belief of the soldiers?
22. Then the
whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like
snail
Unwillingly to school.
a) Which stage of life is referred here?
b)
Identify the figure of speech in the second line.
23. Life is a
soft loam; be gentle; go easy.
a)
What advice does the poet give?
b)
Name the figure of speech used.
24. To strive,
to seek, to find, and not to yield.
a)
What is the central message of this line?
b)
Which poem are these lines taken from?
25. I’m killed,
Sire!” And, his chief besides,
Smiling, the boy fell dead.
a)
Who is the speaker?
b)
What does the boy’s smile signify?
26. The giant
wears the scarf, and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the bough
among!”*
a) Who is the ‘giant’ here?
b) Why is the scarf colourful?
SECTION – B
Do as
directed (Any three). (3 × 2 = 6)
27. Report the
dialogue:
Ravi:
What are your plans for summer holiday?
Rajan:
I have no special plans.
28. Change into
passive voice:
Vivek
is taking the kids on a picnic today.
29. Combine
using ‘If’:
I
was ill. I didn’t attend the exam.
30. Rewrite
using inversion:
If I had a car, I would drop you.
PART – III
SECTION – A
Explain any two of the following with reference to the
context. (2 × 3 = 6)
31.
Our only enemy was gold.
32.
Dear is the Casuarina to my soul.
33.
To see your flag-bird flap his vans…
SECTION – B
Answer any two in not more than 30 words each. (2 × 3 = 6)
34.
What was the profound lesson Dr. Barnard learnt from the two boys?
35.
Why should individual liberty be curtailed?
36.
How did the family find it difficult to make a chair?
SECTION – C
Answer any
three. (3 × 3 = 9)
37. Prepare an
exam checklist for a student appearing for public exams.
38. Complete
the proverbs:
a) A burnt child dreads the ______.
b) The pen is mightier than the ______.
c) Out of sight, out of ______.
39. Build a
dialogue of at least three exchanges between a vegetable vendor and a
customer.
40. Describe
the process of cleaning salt-stained floor tiles in a bathroom.
PART – IV
Answer the
following. (7 × 5 = 35)
41. a)
Summarize George Orwell’s distinctive ideas in “A Nice Cup of Tea”.
OR
b)
What do you infer from Gardiner’s essay “On the Rule of the Road”?
42. a) Describe
the seven stages of man as pictured by Shakespeare.
OR
b) How does the poet
guide his son to face life’s challenges?
43. a) Describe
how Ausable outwitted Max.
OR
b)
Develop the given hints into a paragraph:
Pi
– survived – shipwreck – lifeboat – Bengal tiger – Richard Parker – water cans
–
fear – peace – 227 days – reunited with family.
44. a) Write a
summary of the given passage on the Yellow River.
OR
b) Write a paragraph on “Youth – The Power of the Nation”.
45. a) Write a
letter to the Manager of a factory requesting permission for an educational
visit.
OR
b) Write a letter to the Editor complaining about roadside vendors blocking pavements.
46. a) Spot the
errors and rewrite correctly:
i)
Sheela is junior than me.
ii) No sooner did the power resume, when
the children screamed.
iii) The news are very thrilling.
iv) He is confident on his success.
v)
Though he is poor but he is happy.
OR
b) Fill in the blanks appropriately:
i)
He told us a ______ (tale/tail) about a dark ______ (night/knight).
ii) Everyone ______ obey traffic rules.
(modal)
iii) I ______ (complete) my project next
month. (correct tense)
iv) ______ he is ill, he attends class. (link word)
47. a) Read the
passage on Charles Dickens and answer the questions.
Charles Dickens was an English writer and
social critic. During his life time, his works enjoyed unprecedented
popularity. He is now considered a 'literary genius' because he created some of
the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest
novelists of the Victorian Era. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting
popularity. Dickens' literary success began with the 1836' serial publication
of "The Pickwick Papers". Within a few years he had become an
international literary celebrity, famous for his humour, satire and keen
observation of character and society. Dickens was regarded as the literary
colossus of his age. His novella - 'A Christmas Carol' (1843) remains popular
and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and
Great Expectations are also frequently adapted and, like many of his novels,
evoke images of Early Victorian London. His novel, 'A Tale of Two cities'
(1859), set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction.
Dickens' creative genius has been praised by fellow writers from Leo Tolstoy to
George Orwell and G.K. Chesterton - for his realism, comedy, prose style,
unique characterizations and social criticism.
Questions:
i) Who is Charles Dickens?
ii) Why is Charles Dickens considered a literary genus?
iii) When did Dickens' literary success begin?
iv) What do you know about Dickens' novel 'A Tale of Two Cities'?
v) What made his fellow writers praise Dickens' works?
OR
