Last Updated on November 3, 2026 by sanjjeett
What this composition helps you practise
This composition combines description with narrative movement. It shows how weather, sounds, people and surroundings can create atmosphere while the story continues from the journey to school, to the closed gate, and finally back home.
Composition Prompt
There has been heavy rain in your city/town. You went to school but found that it was closed because of the rain. Describe the sights and sound near the school and narrate how you finally reached home and spent the rest of the day.
Composition at a Glance
Essay Outline
Model Essay
Going to school after the summer vacations is indeed a nightmare. It had been raining heavily in the night and I wished it would rain in the morning too. To my utter surprise the rain stopped. Reluctantly, I packed my bag and ventured out to school on my bicycle. The air was very humid and soon I found myself drenched with sweat. Looking up, I was overjoyed to see thick black clouds that had suddenly appeared. They hid the early morning Sun, making the ambience dark and gloomy. A strong breeze followed and soon it began to pour. I took shelter under a tree, as small streams of water rushed down the slopes, sweeping away the dirt and filth on the roadside.
The dark threatening cloud sailed across the sky hiding the sun, which showed its face rather timidly, leaving behind a beautiful rainbow. The downpour soon turned to a light drizzle and I hasten to school. Amidst honking of horns and yelling of auto drivers ferrying children, I reached the school gate. To my joy the gate was locked and a curt notice on the board announced the closure of the school, because of rain and water logging.
Mentally relieved, I reversed my cycle to return home, hearing the distant rumbling of clouds. To my horror it again began to rain and in no time there was water everywhere. I took shelter in a coffee-shop opposite the school gate, which was overcrowded with students and parents. Students especially little kids were shouting with glee, as parents grimly held on to them. They seemed to be enjoying the fun, unmindful of the commotion around them.
Further down the street I saw street urchins dancing gleefully in the rain, splashing water on each other. Some were pushing cars that had got stranded in knee deep water. An earthy aroma wafted in the air, as the fresh rain-washed tree leaves danced in the breeze. The chirping of birds was sweet music to my ears.
As the downpour turned to a light drizzle, I cycled back home. The raindrops that trickled down my body, made me feel fresh and rejuvenated. On reaching home I changed my clothes, had a cup of hot tea with some snacks, offered by my mother. The rest of the day was spent in leisurely pursuit, mostly surfing channels on the TV. The rain continued to patter on the window panes, confining me to my room. The wind hissed and cloud thundered, as the fury of nature went on for the rest of the day.
Understanding This Composition
The weather begins changing almost immediately
The essay starts with the narrator reluctantly leaving for school after a rainy night. Humidity, black clouds, a strong breeze and sudden rain quickly establish the mood and prepare the reader for the disruption ahead.
Sights and sounds build the scene near the school
The model uses honking horns, yelling auto drivers, students, parents, waterlogged roads and stranded cars to make the area around the school feel crowded and chaotic. These details directly answer the descriptive part of the prompt.
The closed school gate changes the direction of the narrative
Once the narrator discovers that the school is closed, the essay moves naturally into the return journey. This gives the composition a clear turning point instead of keeping it as a static description of rain.
Sensory details make the rain vivid
The earthy aroma, rain-washed leaves, chirping birds, rumbling clouds and water splashing around the street involve several senses. This gives the description variety and helps the reader experience the scene rather than simply being told that it was raining heavily.
The ending completes the whole day
The prompt asks how the rest of the day was spent, so the composition does not end when the narrator reaches home. Hot tea, television, rain against the window panes and continuing thunder bring the experience to a complete close.
Useful Vocabulary and Expressions
Try It Yourself
Practice Prompt
You leave home for an important class or event during bad weather, but unexpected conditions force you to change your plans. Describe the sights and sounds around you, narrate what happened, and explain how you finally spent the day.
Write approximately 300–350 words.
Before You Submit
ICSE Composition Guidelines
For ICSE Examination Year 2027, the composition should be approximately 300–350 words. Question 1 carries 20 marks, and the specimen paper recommends spending no more than 30 minutes on it.
Official ICSE 2027 English Syllabus
Official ICSE 2027 English Language Specimen and Draft Marking Scheme