BEGG-173 Solved Question Paper for the June 2026 term-end exam gives you complete, exam-length answers to every question IGNOU printed in the BEGG-173 paper. Two answers are open on this page so you can check the writing for yourself. The other 13 sit in the full PDF, which you get by messaging us on WhatsApp at 9899436384.
BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition: key facts for the June 2026 paper
- Course code: BEGG-173
- Subject: Academic Writing and Composition
- Programme: Bachelor of Arts (General), BAG (CBCS); also a Generic Elective in BAPCH Semester III
- Credits: 6
- Blocks and units: 4 blocks, 16 units (eGyanKosh)
- Maximum marks: 100
- Duration: 3 hours
- Questions in the June 2026 paper: 15 printed; you attempt 13
- Sample answers on this page: 2 (Q1(c) and Q2(iv))
- Questions in the paid file: All 15, including the 13 not answered on this page
What the BEGG-173 Solved Question Paper June 2026 covers
BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition is a theory course of the IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (General) programme, BAG, that trains you to think critically, plan, draft, cite and edit academic and professional writing.
The June 2026 paper carries 15 questions for 100 marks in three hours, of which you attempt 13. It tests critical thinking, claim and evidence, paraphrasing, introductory paragraphs, expository writing, mind-maps, business proposals, plagiarism, report writing and an argumentative paragraph, then closes with a 200-word composition on traffic congestion in your own city or town.
Two details make this paper worth a close look. Question 3(b), on mobile phones and young children, is almost a rerun of the December 2023 argumentative paragraph on social media and young children. And the mind-map in Question 1(f) is the rarest item on the paper: the broad pre-writing and process-approach area comes up in almost every session, but a question that asks for a mind-map specifically had not appeared in any paper from June 2023 to December 2025. The last one we found was June 2022.
If you are preparing more than one course this term, our BAG Question Paper collection sets out the other BA (General) papers in the same question-by-question way.
BEGG-173 sample answers from the June 2026 paper
Two BEGG-173 answers from the June 2026 paper are shown below in full: Question 1(c) on paraphrase and summary, and Question 2(iv) on plagiarism.
Read them the way an examiner would. Notice how each answer opens with a direct definition, keeps close to the printed word limit and uses an example to prove the point.
Question 1(c) Unit 5 5 marks about 100 words Paraphrase vs summary set in 2 of 6 papers
1. (c) What is the difference between a paraphrase and a summary?
A paraphrase and a summary both restate another writer’s ideas in your own words, and both must be cited. They differ in length, scope and purpose. A paraphrase rewrites one specific passage, such as a sentence or a paragraph, keeping all of its ideas and roughly the same length. Its aim is to explain a point in detail without quoting it.
A summary condenses a longer text, such as a chapter or an article, into its main ideas only. It leaves out examples, data and minor details, so it is much shorter than the original. For example, a 150-word paragraph on rising sea levels might be paraphrased in about 140 words, but summarised in a single sentence stating its central claim.
Question 2(iv) Unit 8 10 marks about 200 words Plagiarism set in 6 of 6 papers
2. (iv) What do you understand by the term ‘plagiarism’? What steps would you take to avoid plagiarism in your academic writing?
Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s words, ideas, data or creative work as your own without acknowledging the source. It can be deliberate or accidental, and either way it is a serious breach of academic honesty.
It takes several forms: copying text word for word without quotation marks, patchwriting (changing a few words but keeping the original structure), using someone’s ideas, data or diagrams without citation, and self-plagiarism, where you resubmit your own earlier work without saying so. In India, the UGC (Promotion of Academic Integrity and Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions) Regulations, 2018 set out penalties for such misconduct.
To avoid plagiarism in my academic writing, I would take the following steps:
- Keep careful notes. Record the author, title, year and page of every source while reading.
- Quote correctly. Put any exact words inside quotation marks and cite the source straight after them.
- Paraphrase and summarise genuinely. Rewrite the idea in my own words and sentence structure, then still cite it.
- Cite consistently. Follow one referencing style, such as APA or MLA, with in-text citations and a full reference list at the end.
- Add my own analysis. Use sources to support my argument, not to replace it.
- Check before submitting. Compare the draft with my notes and, where available, run it through plagiarism-detection software.
Citing sources does not weaken an answer; it shows the examiner that the argument rests on evidence.
Questions answered only in the full file
The remaining 13 questions are printed below as they appear in the June 2026 paper. Their answers are in the full PDF only.
Question 1 — Answer any six of the following in about 100 words each: 6 × 5 = 30
(a) Describe the three essential components of critical thinking.
(b) What do you understand by the terms ‘claim’ and ‘evidence’ in the context of academic writing?
(d) Explain the function of the introductory paragraph in a piece of academic writing.
(e) Describe the features of expository writing.
(f) With a suitable example, show how you can use a mind-map to express a concept on [or] theme.
(g) What aspect should be considered while writing a business proposal?
Question 2 — Answer any four of the following in about 200 words each: 4 × 10 = 40
(i) Explain with suitable examples, how academic writing differs from non-academic writing.
(ii) Identify any four disciplines covered under the stream ‘Business and Professional Studies.’ Discuss the general features of academic writing in such features [fields].
(iii) Describe the various stages of the process approach to writing.
(v) Briefly describe the steps in writing a report. What aspects should be considered while writing the report of a meeting?
Question 3 — Both parts compulsory: 5 + 10 = 15
(a) What aspect would you keep in mind while writing an argumentative paragraph?
(b) Write an argumentative paragraph based on the topic: “Excessive use of mobile phones and other gadgets can adversely affect the mental development of young children.”
Question 4 — Compulsory: 15
Write a well-structured composition in around 200 words on the topic: “Traffic congestion in my City/Town: What I can do to help tackle it.”
BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition syllabus by block and unit
BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition is taught in 4 blocks and 16 units, moving from critical thinking and the writing process to compositions, reports, proposals, reviews and editing.
The table pairs each unit with the exam topics we trace back to it in past papers, so you can see where every June 2026 question comes from. If you want the unit-wise notes themselves, see our BEGG-173 Study Material.
Block and unit titles follow the official BEGG-173 course page on eGyanKosh, IGNOU’s self-learning material repository.
| Block | Unit | Unit title | Exam topics linked to this unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block 1: Improving the Basics | Unit 1 | Developing critical, analytical and interpretive thinking skills | Three components of critical thinking; techniques for analysing a text; close reading |
| Block 1: Improving the Basics | Unit 2 | The process approach to writing | Pre-writing tasks; mind-maps for a concept or theme; drafting with feedback |
| Block 1: Improving the Basics | Unit 3 | Academic and non-academic writing | Academic vs non-academic contrast; the two primary functions of academic writing |
| Block 1: Improving the Basics | Unit 4 | Kinds of academic writing | Identifying four disciplines in a stream; writing features in humanities and social sciences; writing features in sciences and in business and professional studies |
| Block 2: Writing Effectively | Unit 5 | The Basics of Writing | Paraphrase vs summary; writing for an academic reader |
| Block 2: Writing Effectively | Unit 6 | How to Write a Paragraph | Topic sentence; structure of a body paragraph; unity and coherence |
| Block 2: Writing Effectively | Unit 7 | Developing a Composition | Introductory paragraph and thesis statement; body and conclusion of a 200-word composition |
| Block 2: Writing Effectively | Unit 8 | Issues of Copyright and Plagiarism | Plagiarism and its forms; citations; who owns a copyright |
| Block 3: Developing Different Types of Compositions | Unit 9 | Expository Writing | Features of expository writing; expository vs narrative contrast |
| Block 3: Developing Different Types of Compositions | Unit 10 | Narrative Writing | Sequence of events; point of view in a narrative text |
| Block 3: Developing Different Types of Compositions | Unit 11 | Argumentation | Claim and evidence; structure of an argument; the argumentative paragraph |
| Block 3: Developing Different Types of Compositions | Unit 12 | Persuasive Writing | Persuasive vs argumentative writing; promotional paragraph for a product |
| Block 4: Different Types of Writing | Unit 13 | Writing Reports | Steps in writing a report; report of a meeting; report of an interview |
| Block 4: Different Types of Writing | Unit 14 | Writing Proposals | Elements and structure of a business proposal; types of business proposals |
| Block 4: Different Types of Writing | Unit 15 | Book and Media Reviews | Aspects of a book review; writing a film review |
| Block 4: Different Types of Writing | Unit 16 | Learning to Edit | Editing vs revising; proofreading steps; using feedback |
One unit is doing far more work than the rest. Unit 11, Argumentation, supplied three of the fifteen June 2026 questions — Q1(b) on claim and evidence, and both compulsory parts of Question 3 — worth 20 marks between them. Since Question 3 cannot be skipped, Unit 11 is the one unit on this course you cannot afford to leave unread.
BEGG-173 Question Paper pattern and marks split
The BEGG-173 Question Paper for June 2026 carries 100 marks over 3 hours, split 30, 40, 15 and 15 across four questions.
| Question | Task | Given / to attempt | Words each | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Short notes of about 100 words each | 7 given, attempt 6 | about 100 | 6 × 5 = 30 |
| Q2 | Short essays of about 200 words each | 5 given, attempt 4 | about 200 | 4 × 10 = 40 |
| Q3 | (a) aspects of an argumentative paragraph; (b) write one on mobile phones and young children | 2 parts, both compulsory | about 100 and 200 | 5 + 10 = 15 |
| Q4 | Composition of around 200 words on traffic congestion in your city or town | 1, compulsory | around 200 | 15 |
| Total | 15 questions printed | 13 to attempt | about 1,900 words | 100 |
(6 × 100) + (4 × 200) + (100 + 200) + 200 = 600 + 800 + 300 + 200 = about 1,900 words in 180 minutes
Work out the rates and one question stands apart. Question 4 pays 15 marks for around 200 words, which is 0.075 marks per word — half again as much as everything else on the paper, where short notes, essays and the argumentative paragraph all sit at about 0.05. And Question 4 is compulsory. So the composition on traffic congestion is both the best-value question and one you cannot avoid: plan it properly with an introduction, two or three body points and a conclusion rather than rushing it in the last ten minutes.
Only Questions 1 and 2 give you a choice. Questions 3 and 4 are compulsory and together carry 30 marks of pure writing tasks, so practise the argumentative paragraph and the composition before anything else. For earlier sessions of this and other courses, browse our IGNOU Previous Year Question Paper section.
Topics that keep returning in BEGG-173 term-end papers
Four BEGG-173 topics appeared in all six official papers from June 2023 to December 2025: critical thinking, plagiarism and citations, the business proposal and the civic composition.
We read the six term-end papers IGNOU published for those sessions and counted each topic once per paper, however many sub-questions it had. The last column shows separately where each topic sits in the June 2026 paper.
| Topic | Sessions asked | Count | Where it sits in June 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Components of critical thinking or techniques for analysing a text | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 24, Dec 24, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 6 of 6 | Q1(a) |
| Plagiarism and citations | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 24, Dec 24, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 6 of 6 | Q2(iv), shown on this page |
| Business proposal: aspects, structure or types | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 24, Dec 24, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 6 of 6 | Q1(g) |
| 200-word civic composition (15 marks) | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 24, Dec 24, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 6 of 6 | Q4, traffic congestion |
| Process approach and pre-writing stage | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 24, Dec 24, Jun 25 | 5 of 6 | Q2(iii) and Q1(f) |
| Disciplines by stream and their writing features | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 24, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 5 of 6 | Q2(ii), business and professional studies |
| Argument, argumentative vs persuasive or promotional writing | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 24, Dec 24, Dec 25 | 5 of 6 | Q1(b), Q3(a) and Q3(b) |
| Introductory paragraph, thesis statement, topic sentence or body paragraph | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 24, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 5 of 6 | Q1(d) |
| Copyright: meaning, owner or law | Dec 23, Jun 24, Dec 24, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 5 of 6 | Not asked in June 2026 |
| Book or film review | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 24, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 5 of 6 | Not asked in June 2026 |
| Expository writing or expository vs narrative | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 4 of 6 | Q1(e) |
| Report of a meeting or an interview | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 25, Dec 25 | 4 of 6 | Q2(v), report of a meeting |
| Academic vs non-academic writing | Jun 23, Dec 23, Jun 25 | 3 of 6 | Q2(i) |
| Editing, revising and proofreading | Jun 24, Dec 24, Dec 25 | 3 of 6 | Not asked in June 2026 |
| Paraphrase vs summary | Dec 23, Dec 24 | 2 of 6 | Q1(c), shown on this page |
Three regulars were missing from June 2026, and two of them sit high on the list. Copyright, asked in five of the six papers, and the book or film review, also five of six, were both passed over, and editing and proofreading at three of six was skipped as well. Those three are the December 2026 shortlist, in that order.
The unit map says the same thing more sharply. Twelve of the sixteen units produced a June 2026 question; four produced nothing. Two of those four are exactly the gaps above, Unit 15 on book and media reviews and Unit 16 on editing, so the whole second half of Block 4 was skipped while Units 13 and 14 supplied the report and the proposal. The other two silent units are Unit 10 on narrative writing and Unit 12 on persuasive writing, and narrative writing has not appeared in any of the six papers we checked, which makes it the one genuinely untested unit on the course. For a broader list built the same way across courses, see our IGNOU Solved Guess Paper page.
How our Academic Writing and Composition answers are written and checked
Every BEGG-173 answer in the file is written to the word limit printed on the paper and checked against the eGyanKosh unit it comes from.
Answers are drafted by Prateek Talwar and reviewed by Sheetal Kirola. Short notes stay near 100 words, essays near 200, and the composition follows the introduction, body and conclusion shape that IGNOU examiners ask for in this course.
Because this is a writing course, the answers are also models of the skills being tested. The plagiarism answer cites a real regulation, the paraphrase answer gives a worked example, and the argumentative paragraph states a clear claim before backing it with evidence.
Where the printed paper carries a slip, as in Question 1(f)’s “a concept on theme” and Question 2(ii)’s “academic writing in such features”, we keep IGNOU’s wording and add the corrected reading in square brackets, so you can recognise the question in the hall and still write it correctly.
Before the file was finalised, each question was compared with the six earlier official papers, so where a topic has returned, the answer reflects how examiners have phrased it over the years.
BEGG-173 solved file index: what is on this page and what is in the file
BEGG-173 has no practical or record file, so this index lists all 15 questions of the June 2026 paper, the course unit each comes from and where its answer sits.
Use it to plan revision: the unit column tells you which block to open if you want to read further before getting the full file.
| Question | Topic | Course unit | Marks | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1(a) | Critical thinking components | Unit 1 | 5 | Full file only |
| Q1(b) | Claim and evidence | Unit 11 | 5 | Full file only |
| Q1(c) | Paraphrase vs summary | Unit 5 | 5 | On this page |
| Q1(d) | Introductory paragraph | Unit 7 | 5 | Full file only |
| Q1(e) | Expository writing | Unit 9 | 5 | Full file only |
| Q1(f) | Mind-map | Unit 2 | 5 | Full file only |
| Q1(g) | Business proposal | Unit 14 | 5 | Full file only |
| Q2(i) | Academic vs non-academic writing | Unit 3 | 10 | Full file only |
| Q2(ii) | Business and Professional Studies disciplines | Unit 4 | 10 | Full file only |
| Q2(iii) | Process approach stages | Unit 2 | 10 | Full file only |
| Q2(iv) | Plagiarism and how to avoid it | Unit 8 | 10 | On this page |
| Q2(v) | Report writing and meeting report | Unit 13 | 10 | Full file only |
| Q3(a) | Argumentative paragraph aspects | Unit 11 | 5 | Full file only |
| Q3(b) | Argumentative paragraph on mobile phones | Unit 11 | 10 | Full file only |
| Q4 | Composition on traffic congestion | Units 6 and 7 | 15 | Full file only |
Programmes that include BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition
BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition belongs to the IGNOU BA (General) programme, BAG, and eGyanKosh also lists it as a Generic Elective for BA (Honours) Psychology.
The June 2026 paper is printed under B.A. (General) (CBCS) (BAG), so students of the IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (General) programme form the largest group taking it.
On eGyanKosh the same course also sits in Semester III of the Generic Elective basket for BA (Honours) Psychology, BAPCH. The course code and its four blocks stay the same, so this solved paper works for both groups.
How to get the full BEGG-173 Solved Question Paper on WhatsApp
The full BEGG-173 Solved Question Paper with all 15 answers is available only on WhatsApp at 9899436384.
Send us a message with the course code BEGG 173 and the session June 2026. We will share the price, and once you confirm, the complete PDF reaches you on the same chat.
The IGNOU BEGG-173 Solved Question Paper file holds the 2 answers you have read here plus the 13 answers listed above as text only, so all 15 questions of the paper are covered in one place.
BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition FAQs
These answers cover what students most often ask us about the BEGG-173 June 2026 paper and the full file.
What does the BEGG-173 Solved Question Paper for June 2026 include?
It includes complete answers to all 15 questions printed in the June 2026 BEGG-173 term-end paper: seven short notes, five short essays, both parts of the argumentative paragraph question and the 200-word composition. Two answers, Question 1(c) and Question 2(iv), are shown on this page so you can judge the quality. The other 13 answers are in the full PDF file.
How many questions are in the BEGG-173 June 2026 paper and how many must I attempt?
The June 2026 paper prints 15 questions. Question 1 offers seven short notes of about 100 words, of which you answer six. Question 2 offers five short essays of about 200 words, of which you answer four. Question 3 has two compulsory parts and Question 4 is a compulsory composition, so you attempt 13 questions for 100 marks in three hours, which comes to roughly 1,900 words.
How do I get the full BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition solved paper on WhatsApp?
Send a WhatsApp message to 9899436384 with the course code BEGG 173 and the session June 2026. Our team will share the price and send the complete PDF once you confirm. The file carries answers to all 15 questions in the paper, which means the 2 answers shown on this page plus the 13 answers that appear only in the full file.
Which BEGG-173 question gives the most marks for the least writing?
Question 4, the 200-word composition. It carries 15 marks for around 200 words, which works out to about 0.075 marks per word, while the short notes, the essays and the argumentative paragraph all sit near 0.05. It is also compulsory, so it is the one question where careful planning pays twice over. Give it a proper introduction, two or three body points with a personal action in each, and a one-line conclusion, and do not leave it for the last ten minutes.
Which BEGG-173 topics repeat most often in IGNOU term-end papers?
Across the six official papers from June 2023 to December 2025, four topics appeared in every session: the components of critical thinking, plagiarism and citations, the business proposal and the 200-word civic composition. Copyright, the process approach, disciplines by stream, argumentative and persuasive writing, reviews and paragraph structure each appeared in five of those six sessions.
Which BEGG-173 topics are most likely in December 2026?
Copyright first. It was asked in five of the six papers we checked and June 2026 left it out, even though its unit, Unit 8, was tested through the plagiarism question. The book or film review is next, also five of six and also skipped, followed by editing and proofreading at three of six. All three sit in units the paper ignored this session, and in all four of the sixteen units produced no June 2026 question, so that is where the next paper has the most room.
How long should answers be in the BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition exam?
Follow the word limits printed on the paper. Question 1 asks for about 100 words per short note, Question 2 asks for about 200 words per essay and the Question 4 composition is set at around 200 words. Our answers stay close to these limits, because examiners in this course reward clear structure and tight paragraphs as much as content.
Does BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition have a practical file?
No. BEGG-173 is a theory course with no practical or record file. Students submit one Tutor Marked Assignment of 100 marks covering all four blocks and then sit a three-hour, 100-mark term-end exam. That is why this page gives a solved file index, showing each question, its course unit and whether its answer appears here or only in the full file.
Which IGNOU programmes include BEGG-173 Academic Writing and Composition?
BEGG-173 is offered in the IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (General) programme, coded BAG, and the June 2026 paper is printed under that programme. eGyanKosh also lists the course as a Generic Elective in Semester III of BA (Honours) Psychology, coded BAPCH. The course code and its four blocks of study material stay the same in both programmes.
Who wrote and reviewed the BEGG-173 answers on this page?
The answers were drafted by Prateek Talwar and reviewed by Sheetal Kirola at Unnati Educations. Each answer was checked against the BEGG-173 eGyanKosh units and the word limits printed on the June 2026 paper. We also compared the paper with six earlier official papers, so the full file shows which topics have returned and how examiners phrase them.
About the authors
Prateek Talwar is Academic Head at Unnati Educations and writes the IGNOU solved question paper series for the English discipline. He has worked with IGNOU BDP, BAG, BAM and BAEGH students for over a decade on term-end exam preparation and assignment writing.
Sheetal Kirola reviews the English papers at Unnati Educations. She checks every answer against the course units on eGyanKosh, verifies that citation styles and regulations are named correctly, and confirms that each answer matches the marks and word limit printed on the paper.