Eng Grammar

A Practice Book of
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
&
COMPOSITION
(G R A M M A R I N USE)
fo r
Class X
Written by : Dr. D.V. Jindal

: Vandana Sehgal
Vetted by : Dr. (Prof.) J. Sethi
Edited by : Mr. Manoj Kumar
(Subject Expert)
PUNJAB SCHOOL EDUCATION BOARD

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FOREWORD
The Punjab School Education Board has continuously been

engaged in the preparation and review of syllabi and textbooks. The
main objective of preparing language textbooks is to provide the
students with interesting and appropriate reading material. This aims to
equip the students with the skills of listening, speaking, reading and
writing so as to enable them to use these in their day to day life.
The Government of Punjab introduced English as a subject

from Class I in the year 1998 due to pressing demand from the field. As
a consequence, the Punjab School Education Board prepared new
syllabi for Classes I to IX. New textbooks were prepared on the basis of
these syllabi and new series of English Readers for Classes I to IX were
developed which are presently being used by all the schools in Punjab.
This book is the 10th in the series.
This language package for Class X includes the Main Course

Book, The Literature Book (Supplementary Reader) and A Practice
Book of English Grammar & Composition. Through this Functional
Grammar (Grammar in Use) book we intend to equip the students to use
English language successfully rather than just be able to recite the rules
of the Grammar. A lot of practice in the use of grammatical items has
been given through interesting exercises. The exercises are properly
selected, carefully framed and graded. The book in hand has been
prepared by Dr. D.V. Jindal, External Faculty Member, Central Institute
of English & Foreign Languages, Hyderabad and Mrs. Vandana Sehgal,
Lecturer, Shahid Lt.Col Gurvinder Singh Govt. Senior Secondary
School, Ladhewali, Jalandhar. It has been vetted by Dr. J. Sethi, retired
Professor, CIEFL, Hyderabad and edited by Mr. Manoj Kumar (retired),
Subject Expert.
We would gratefully welcome comments and suggestions from

teachers, experts and students as well to improve this book further.
Chairperson
CONTENTS
Chapter
Page
Grammar
1. Use of Determiners, Prepositions, Modals 1
and Sentence Connectors
2. Use & Kinds of Non-Finites 26
3. Simple, Complex and Compound Sentences 36
4. Voice 48
5. Reported Speech 61
6. Use of Tenses 78
7. Punctuation 96
Vocabulary
8. (i) Pairs of words generally confused 110
(ii) Idioms 125
(iii) One word for many 134
(iv) Common errors 143
(v) Common proverbs 150
Reading Skills
9. (i) Comprehension of Unseen Passages 159
(Prose/Poetry)
(ii) Note making 173
Writing Skills
10. (i) Notices 183
(ii) Messages 193
(iii) Advertisements 202
(iv) Paragraphs 208
(v) Letters (Personal, Business & Official) 223
Chapter-1
USE OF DETERMINERS,
PREPOSITIONS, MODALS AND
SENTENCE CONNECTORS
(A Revision)
1.1 Determiners
Look at the sentences given below carefully :
1. You take an apple every day.
2. I have little money to help you.
3. Our team won the match.
4. Each boy got a packet of sweets.
5. I do not see any sense in going there now.
In all these sentences, the words in italic type indicate that a noun
is going to be used. These words determ ine the position of a
noun. Such words are called Determiners.
K inds of D e term in ers:
Determiners
1 2 3
Article Demonstratives Possessives
a, an, the this, that, these, those my, her, his, him, our,
their, etc.
4 5 6
Numerical Quantitative Wh-Words
One, two, first, some, any, much, what (ever),
both, none, few, a more, less, little, a which (ever),
few, each, every, little, the little whosoever,
either, neither whose
l
Supply suitable Determiners in the blank spaces below:
Exercise 1
Mr. Sharma went to bazaar and b o u g h t______ honey from
____________shop.__________ shopkeeper gave h im ______
honey. When Mr. Sharma was coming back, he saw _______
girls who were playing in _________ ground.____________ of
them were looking very pretty.____________ girls were wearing
beautiful clothes. Mr. Sharma was happy to s e e ___ girls in
_________ joyful mood.
Exercise 2
In my last summer vacation I went to _________ historical place.
It w a s _________ very beautiful p la c e .___________ of the
members of my family went along with m e.________________
father was very fond of visiting__________ place. We didn’t
have__________ luggage with u s .________________ people
came to see___________ place. We didn’t face____ difficulty
there because we had visited__________ place_____________
a time.
Exercise 3
Our class teacher organized__________ birthday party at her
home. O nly__________ girls were present in ________ party. I
bought________ umbrella a s _____ gift for her as I had only
____ small amount of money with me. Our class teacher was
w earing_________ saree. She was looking very beautiful in
___________ attire. We had never seen her in ___________type
of attire earlier.__________ of the girls wished h er_________
long life. She is __________ favourite teacher.
Exercise 4
Chandigarh i s _________ capital of Punjab. It i s ___________
favourite city. I have visited this city________ times. I especially
like Rose Garden and Sukhana
Lake. .people come to. . city for relaxation.
We always stay a t. . uncle’s place whenever we go to
Chandigarh. Life in Chandigarh is very busy and people do not
have_______ time to spare._______________ people go there
to earn livelihood.
Exercise 5
I have . M end who looks as stupid a s .
owl. I Med to bring____ to senses. . times but she is
hard nut to crack. She likes _____ way she
lives. She does not want, interference in life
style. Though she is _ educated girl,
temperament is not good. May God give her wisdom and strength
to fight__________ odds of life !
Exercise 6
. poor peasant went off early in . . morning
to plough. He saw no one. Yet someone had certainly been there.
He lost_______ piece of bread. It w as________ imp who had
sto le n _______ bread. The imp went t o ___________ devil,
______ master. The peasant spoke angrily to ___________wife.
This pleased the devil even more. The devil praised___________
imp and forgave him. The next year, . imp advised
_________ peasant to sow o n ______ hill.
Exercise 7
My grandmother w a s____________ old lady. ______ parents
left me with her. She clasped me i n . . arms. She sang
songs for me and told m e ________ _ stories. I liked
. way she spoke. I acted u p o n . _______ advice
she gave to me. She used to sit i n ____________old porch in
_________ house. A l l __________ villagers approached her
whenever they h a d _______ problem. She tried to solve
___________ problems.
Exercise 8
Rosie sat o n _______ bench i n ___________ garden. She was
dressed i n __________ eye-catching a ttire .______________
elderly gentleman sat b y _________ side. It w as___________
pleasant afternoon._________birds were chirping in _________
garden. She heard the beautiful songs o f ___________ nightingale.
The scene pleased her and harmonized with_______mood. After
_______ time her place o n _____________ bench was taken by
someone else. She asked him to leave____________ place but
he did not listen to __________ appeal.
Exercise 9
Ram opened_______ bag and spread ou t_______ articles. His
eyes h a d _____ searching look for custom ers. He was
_____________astrologer. He was as m u c h ______________
stranger to _________ stars as w ere__________ customers. He
h a d ___________ good knowledge a b o u t_______________
sufferings of people. He predicted_____________________
future and____________ people believed that what he told them
was true. He had re a d __________ good books and he was
_______________expert in __________ profession. He earned
__________ money from ___________ profession.
Exercise 10
India is _______ great country. We are proud o f_________rich
heritage. There a r e _________ languages spoken i n _______
country. Delhi i s __________ capital of India.____________
partition of India took place in 1947. Pandit Jawahar Lai Nehru
4
w a s ________ first Prime Minister of Independent India.
__________ people sacrificed their lives to sav e __________
honour of ____________country. We can’t fo rg et_________
sacrifice a n d __________ way they fought f o r ___________
__________ sake o f __________ country.
1.2 Prepositions
A Preposition is an important word used with a noun or noun
equivalent to show its relation with some other word in the sentence.
Some Important Distinctions in the
Use of Certain Prepositions
1. I n - ‘In’ is generally used before the names of countries
and large cities, or before the name of the place in which
one is at the time of speaking, e.g. in a country, in town, in
a street.
2. A t - ‘At’ is used when there is a small extent of space or
time. When we refer to small towns or villages, we use
‘at’. ‘A t’ means inside, just outside or just beside the
building.
3. In, into - ‘In’ denotes position of rest inside something;
while ‘into’ denotes motion or direction towards the inside
of something.
4. O n, A t, In (for tim e ):
O n is used with the days of the week or m onth: as, On
Sunday, On March 28, On Friday.
A t is used with exact time; as, at five, at sunset, atmidnight
In is used with a period of time, as, in the evening, in the
morning, in winter, in 1978.
5. ‘To’, ‘Till’ (Until) - These are both used for time, e.g.
six to eight, till twelve.
6. To, A t (M ovem ent):
To is used to express motion from one place to another.
A t expresses place or position.
7. For, A t (P rice):
F o r is used if the actual amount is given.
A t is used if the actual amount is not given.
8. For, Since, F rom (T im e):
F o r shows a period of tim e: as, for four years, for three
months, for a few hours.
Since is used with a point in time at which an action started,
and the action is then considered to continue to the time of
speaking.
From can be used for place and time both. When denoting
a point of time, it must be followed by ‘to’ or ‘till’, a s :
from morning till evening, from today.
9. Beside, Besides - Beside means ‘at’ or ‘by the side o f’,
‘Besides’ means ‘in addition to’.
10. Between, A m o n g :
Between is used for two persons or two things only.
Among is used for more than two.
11. For, D uring (T im e):
F or is used for a period of time definite in length. It shows
that the action continues for the whole time or period.
D uring : Its action can either last the whole period or
occur at sometime within the period.
12. W ith, By - With relates to instrument and ‘by ’ to the agent
or the doer.
13. In, A fter (T im e):
In shows the close of some future period, while ‘a fte r’
relates to the past.
6
14. O n ,u p o n :
O n is generally used in speaking of things at rest, while
‘upon’ is used to speak of things in motion or action.
15. In, W ithin:
In denotes the close or end of some period, while ‘within’
denotes some time short of the close.
16. A fter and A fterw ard s:
A fter is a preposition and must be followed by a noun or
a noun equivalent.
A fterw ards is an adverb that is used when there is no
noun or noun equivalent.
Fill in the blanks with suitable Prepositions :

Exercise 1
The dowry system degenerated_________ an evil custom. It
became necessary_______ the parents____________ girls to
give a good dowry__________their daughters. The married life
_________ a girl depended_____________ the size_________
the dowry. A successful and happy married life became impossible
____________the absen ce__________________ a handsome
dowry. Newspapers are M l____________ reports carrying tales
______________brides being burnt_______________ death or
driven____________ hang themselves because_____________
constant nagging by their in-laws.
Exercise 2
Cricket is a game known__________ its wonderful glories. It is
popular____________men and w om en___________ all ages.
People used to go to see a cricket test m atch_______________
thousands. They used to see a m atch______ five days. Many a
7
time, the match would end_____a draw. But things have changed
_____________ the in tro d u c tio n ______________ one-day
matches. This kind______________ cricket has certainly caught
the fancy___________________ the people. There is no need to
w a it__________five days n o w ____________the outcome
__________________ the match. A m atch is now decided
.the same day.
Exercise 3
In modem times, books are being published___ .very
large num bers_________ all subjects under the sun. It is not
possible_________ a man to read all__________ them. Reading
gives us a lo t________ pleasure. Books delight and educate
___________the same time. The Gita gives us a message
___________ universal brotherhood. It tells us that a man should
go on doing his duty without worrying________ the results.
Exercise 4
It i s _____ the very nature________adversity to bring out the
b e st________ man, develop his latent abilities and lead him
____________a p ath __________ prosperity and progress. The
h isto ry _________ the world is the sto ry _____the survival
_________ the fittest. In the course of time, Man, through his
heroic struggle against the adverse circumstances, came out______
the forest, changed the face________ the universe and landed
________________ the moon.
Exercise 5
Mr. Blacksmith is known_________ me. Once we m et_____ a
garden._________ there, he took m e__________his apartment.
I was astonished to see his capabilities as a journalist. I just had a
look___________ his face. He was trying to prove his position.
He was really a m an_________ letters but unfortunately he was
blind_____ one eye. I looked_________ the portrait_________
a lady hanging__________ the wall. I went to take a round
___________ his house and I saw a fam ily photograph.
Mr. Blacksm ith was s ittin g __________his wife and son
____________ the photograph. A fter spending some time
___________ him, I came back home.
Exercise 6
Life is not a b e d _______ roses but a b e d __________ thorns.
Those who understand the reality___________ life are winners,
not losers. One has to g o __________ a lo t_____________ trials
and trib u la tio n s ___________ taking a right decision or
__________ making a right choice. God has given us tremendous
power to think and decide. But m ost________ us are ignorant
___________our capabilities. We should not underestimate
ourselves and m ove__________ the destination____________
any doubts or fears. This behaviour will lead us__________greater
heights.
Exercise 7
T ran slatio n is an art. G ood tra n sla tio n is the re su lt
_______________ practice and patience. It requires the skill to
translate words and id e a s ______________ one language
____________another. Literal translation________________ a
sentence sometimes spoils the spirit___________ the language
and sounds funny. One should translate words and ideas
_________ precision. It is essential to be equally well-versed
_________ both the languages.
Exercise 8
Positive thoughts are the w ings________ success. One should
always look________ the positive side_______ life. We should
9
not let negative thoughts come___________ our mind. Everybody
should have this ap p ro ach ___________life. Always hope
_________ the best and believe_________ God. He is always
there to take care__________ His children. God is too great to
ask___________ the price________the gifts He has bestowed
_______ us.
Exercise 9
First and forem ost_________ the blessings of civilization are
order and safety. We should not quarrel_______________each
other. In disputes________ man and man, right has taken the
place__________ might. Law protects u s _______ robbery and
violence. Nobody can come and break_______ our house, steal
our goods or run o ff_________ our children. Many o f us act
___________ thinking. This habit has injured the feelings
__________ many and has turned M ends___________enemies.
Exercise 10
D ream s have been th e t o p i c _________ d iscu ssio n
_______________ m en___________ centuries. The fact cannot
be denied that dreams are far___________reality but__________
the same time, they open u p _________ us a facet__________
our personality__________ which we did not know earlier.
Dreams take u s________the world which is more like a Utopia.
Some people a r e ______ the h a b it_______________ day
dreaming. They find themselves lost___________ dreams most
___________ the time. One must not blind oneself__________
the reality.
Exercise 11
The secret________ a successful marriage is how we understand
and believe each other. Those who involve themselves_______
litigations are fa r_________ understanding the true meaning
________ marriage. As the time is changing, the divorce ratio is
_________ the increase. Divorce is looked________ as an evil
________ our society. Successful marriage depends__________
cooperation and adjustment. The Government should take strict
action_____________those who deliberately try to spoil the
hap p in ess_______________ their better halves. The need
__________ the hour is to acquaint the people______________
norm s___________our culture. These days a lo t___________
social organizations are coming forward to settle the disputes
_________ husbands and wives.
Exercise 12
Paul’s family led a life_______ tension and anxiety. It was because
the family always tried to k e e p __________ a high standard
________ living.___________ their house, there was always
sh o rta g e ___________ money. Paul wanted to bring luck
__________ the family. Once he thought___________a plan to
help his mother. He borrowed some money______ a friend. But
he had to go on borrowing as the expenses also went u p . In fact,
the more we have, the more we want to have. There is no end
_________expenditure. We cannot have c o n tro l________
expenditure. The evil has to com e_______ an end.
Exercise 13
We belong__________ a country which is known________ its
traditions and cultures. Ours is a country_____________Buddha,
Guru Nanak, and Mahatma Gandhi. It is _________ record that
several people sacrificed their lives to save the honour_________
their country. We cannot forget their sacrifice and the way they
fought many battles_______ the sake________ their country.
We should also come forward and be ready to do anything
_______________ our country. We m ust love our country
_________ the bottom ________our heart.
11
Exercise 14
Once there lived a hermit ________ a forest. He was very kind
______ others. He lived a life a w a y ___________ worldly
pleasures. Anybody who came_____him ________ his help was
always greeted_________ a smile. He tried his best to help the
needy. All the people felt grateful_________ him __________his
kindness.
Exercise 15
The position and status of w om en________ society has been
changing_______ tim e________time. Today the woman has
broken out_______ the four w alls_________ her house and has
started marching a h e a d __________life. She is certainly
_________ the march. Now women are conscious__________
their position______________ society. They compete________
men______every field. They no longer depend_________others.
1.3 Modals
1. A Modal is an auxiliary verb (generally termed a helping
verb) which is used with a main verb to indicate a particular
attitude such as possibility, obligation, prediction, etc.
e.g.,
can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must,
ought to, dare, need, used to.
Modals are also sometimes referred to as Modal verbs
or Modal Auxiliaries.
2. (a) Auxiliaries in English are of two types:
Be is, am, are, was, were, being, been

Have has, have, had
Do do, does, did
12
These help to form Tenses, Interrogatives and Negative.
Many a time they act as Main Verbs also.
E xam ple: (i) As M ain Verbs :
The book is on the table.
We are brothers.
I have a pen.
I do my duty.
Exam ple: (ii) As H elping V e rb s:
She is playing a match.
I am not writing a letter.
I did not hit him.
(b) M odal A uxiliaries o r M o d a ls:
• Modal Auxiliaries (or Modals) cannot be used as
main verbs or as independent Primary Auxiliaries.
• Modals are never used alone. They are used to help
a main (principal) verb.
• They do not have the infinitive, Present Participle or
Past Participle forms.
• They cannot be used in all tenses.
Modals are mainly used to indicate one’s attitude towards
what one is saying or when one is concerned about the effect of
one’s speech on the other person in the communication channel.
Fill in the blanks with suitable M odals:

Exercise 1
1. I see my wife now, doctor ?
(can/could) (not very sure)
2. I sit here ? (may/might)
3. He help you if you ask him. (will/shall)
13
4. R ahul_____ drive a car at the age of twelve.
(can/must)
5. This______ be a Satyajit Ray film.
(may/might) (not very sure)
6 . H e_____ be hiding.
(can/may) (doubt but rather sure)
7. R am _____ come today.
(can/might/may) (very uncertain)
8 . _______ I take your leave ?
(can/may) (asking permission)
9. I t______ rain today, (can/may) (greater possibility)
10 . As he tried his best, h e ______ easily win the game.
(can/could)
Exercise 2
1. You complete your homework now.
(should/ must) (compulsion)
2. You be in the school by 11 o’clock.
(should/must) (order)
3. Rita speak English fluently.
(can/would) (showing ability)
4. He told me that he return to his native land soon.
(will/would)
5. Mohan still be lying in bed. (will/must)
(habitual prediction)
6. That be the postman, (will/must) (prediction)
7. I smell a fire burning. (can/will)

(showing ability)
8. Diana have suffered badly after the car crash.
(must/shall) (supposition)
14
9. I _______ like to have a cup of coffee.
(will/would) (wish)
10. _____ that I were rich ! (will/would) (a wish)
Exercise 3
1. D uty___ be done. (should/must)
(greater determination)
2. I wish h e ______ stand first.
(will/would) (to express a wish)
3. W e_______ respect our elders. (should/must)
(to express duty in a more determined sense)
4. I _______ to clear the exam this year. (need/dare)
5. H ow _____ you do i t ! (dare/need) (challenge)
6. Your headache_____ also be due to some other problem.
(can/could) (not very sure)
7. I am sure i t _____ be cured. (can/may) (very sure)
8. I t ______ be Jaya. (can/may) (not very sure)
9. I _______ go to the bazaar today. (may/can)
(not very sure)
10. R am _______ take exercise daily, (must/should)
(less determination)
Exercise 4
1. W e_______serve our country. (ought to / should)
(not so forceful)
2. You______ not waste your time. (should/must)
(more forceful)
3. If wishes were horses, beggars___ ride, (will/would)
4. ______ I take her out, mother ? (can/could)
(more polite)
5. _____ I come in, sir? (may/can) (more formal)
6. I t _____ rain today. (may/might) (less uncertain)
15
7. The sun_____ rise in the east. (will/shall)
(to express general facts)
8. Had you worked hard, you_______ have passed.
(w ould/should)
9. I _____rather die than beg. (will/would)
(to express a preference)
10. Walk fast lest you____ miss the train. (shall/should)
Exercise 5
1. I told him that h e ____ take the test. (can/could)
2. Y ou_____ leave now. (may/might)
(permission in a less form al manner)
3. The teacher______ be busy at this time.
(can/must) (to express a greater possibility)
4. She told me that h e _____ go. (will/would)
5. I _____ teach him a lesson. (will/would)
(to express a threat)
6. S he______ marry Sham. (will/must) (insistence)
1. You______ attend the evening class (must/will)
(greater compulsion)
8. _______ you give me a glass of water, please ?
(can/could) (request in a more form al manner)
9. You______reach there in time. (must/should)
(order in a more determined sense)
10. _______ I answer your question ? (should / need)
(requirement)
Exercise 6
1. I t ____ be true. (may/might) (very unsure)
2. I wish I ______ help you, but I have my own problems.
(can/could)
3. _______ that I were a king ! (will/would)
16
4. If I were the Prime Minister, I _____ fight corruption.
(will/would)
5. Had I reached the station in time, I _____ have caught the
train. (will/would)
6. This is a film you______ not avoid. (must/can)
(insistence)
7. I ______ dance Bharatanatyam. (can/may) (ability)
8. You______ not leave without my permission.
(will/shall) (threat)
9. He was so weak that h e ____not walk, (could/would)
10. I told him that h e ______ leave. (can/could)
Exercise 7
1. H e______ like to spend an evening with you.
(will/would)
2. The headmaster_______ check all these accounts.
(should/dare)
3. ________ you like to take coffee ? (can/would)
4. If you meet him you_____tell him about it.
(might/must)
5. H e ______ be rich, but he is very cruel. (will/may)
6. W e_____show respect to our elders. (ought to/can)
7. The doctor told me that I ______ not smoke any more.
(must/will)
8. ______you possibly lend me a thousand rupees ?
(could/wiU)
9. You_____ not enter my class, I forbid it. (must/will)
10. W e______ keep our neighbours as happy as we can.
(may/should)
Exercise 8
1. I _____ help him with money before I leave for London.
(will/would)
17
2. The children asked if they_____ have ice cream.
(can/could)
3. W e______ do as we are told. (can/should)
4. Work hard lest you____ fail. (may/should)
5. You______respect your elders. (ought to/can)
6. ____ I come in ? I am sorry to be late. (may/shall)
7. He has been absent for a fortnight, h e _____be ill.
(must/will)
8. You______not see him, just write a letter.
(need/dare)
9. W e_____ go to the station by taxi, it is getting late.
(may/should)
10. I _______ not come yesterday since I was too busy.
(would/could)
Exercise 9
1. You_____ clean your teeth every morning.
(shall/should)
2. I t______ rain today. (very little possibility)
(may/might)
3. This box is very heavy, I ______not lift it.
(should/may)
4. You __ take a taxi or you will miss the train.
(shall/should)
5. . you like to read this book ? (will/would)
6. _____ you lift this elephant ? (can/wiU)
7. It is getting la te ; w e ______ go home. (should/can)
8. I ______ run five miles in an hour. (can/shall)
9. You___ go out for a walk every day. (must/may)
10. Why didn’t you inform me ? I ______have lent you the
money. (can/could)
Exercise 10
1. _____ you finish your work in two hours ? (can/may)
2. ______ his soul rest in peace ! (may/might)
3. The doctor says that I _____ eat anything I like.
(can/may)
4. Walk carefully lest you______sprain your foot.
(may/should)
5. You_____ not take this trouble, I’ll do that.
(need/may)
6 . The door of his room is not locked, h e ______ be in.
(may/shaU)
7. Forty years ago only the rich______ think of owning a
radio set. (can/could)
8. _____ you like to get rid of that troublesome fellow ?
(would/can)
9. You______ not hurry; there is plenty of time.
(need/may)
10 . You_____ have returned these books last week.
(should/shall)
Exercise 11
1. You_____ do as you are told. (should/shall)
2. I _____ certainly see you next week. (can/may)
3. You_____ respect your parents. (should/can)
4. You______not violate traffic regulations, (must/may)
5. Walk fast lest y ou_____miss the train, (may/should)
6 . It is a serious matter, you_______ consult a lawyer before
you do anything. (must/shall)
7. The children asked if they_____have chocolates.
(can/could)
8. N one______ question the ways of God. (can/could)
9. ______ you run so fast ? (can/may)
10. H ow _____ you abuse your elder brother ?
(could/should)
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1.4 Conjunctions
(Sentence Connectors)
Study the following sentences :
1. I went home and took my food.
2. Give her a pen or a pencil.
3. He is hard-working but not intelligent.
4. I could not contact him because he was ill.
In all these sentences, the italicized words join words or sentences.
They are linking words and are, therefore, called conjunctions.
(or connectors)
D e f i n i t i o n A Conjunction is a part of speech that connects
words, clauses, or sentences, or shows relations between sentences.
Kinds of Conjunctions
Conjunctions can be classified into three types:
1. Co-ordinative Conjunctions
2. Subordinative Conjunctions
3. Correlative Conjunctions
(A) Co-ordinative Conjunctions
Co-ordinative Conjuctions are those conjunctions that join words,
phrases or clauses of equal rank.
Here are some examples:
1. Ram and Sham went to the market.
2. I did go there but I did not participate in the discussion.
3. Sonu is a coward but his brother is very brave.
(B) Subordinative Conjunctions

Study the following sentences:
1. (a) The thief was caught red-handed.
(b) He was stealing a jewellery box.
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(c) The thief was caught red-handed while he was stealing a
jewellery box. (Time)
2. (a) She is extremely happy today.
(b) She has been engaged to a boy of her choice.
(c) She is extremely happy today because she has been
engaged to a boy of her choice. (Reason)
3. (a) He continued gambling.
(b) He lost all his money.
(c) He continued gambling till he lost all his money. (Time)
In all the above sets of sentences, sentences under (b) depend
upon or are subordinate to the sentences under (a). They have
been joined under (c) with the help of some conjunctions (in italics).
Such conjunctions are called Subordinative Conjunctions.
(C) Correlative Conjunctions

1. No sooner did he reach the station than the train steamed
off.
2. Neither Sham nor his brother committed this crime.
3. He is so weak that he cannot walk.
4. She is not only beautiful but intelligent also.
In all the above sentences, Conjunctions are seen to

occur in pairs such as no sooner........... than, neither
.......... nor, s o .......... that, not o n ly ........ but also.
Such Conjunctions are called Correlative Conjunctions.
Complete the following sentences by putting sentence

connectors in the blank spaces :
21
Exercise 1
_____ I was young, I used to travel a lo t._______now I am old
_____ it is difficult for me to show as much zeal_____ I had in my
youth.______ I can still do many things, there are certain things
________ are beyond my reach now.
Exercise 2
_____ did I reach the station_____ the train left. I do not know
______ it happened with m e.______ I narrated the incident to
my mother, she was disappointed to hear it. ___________ I was
coming back to my house, I met a stranger________was carrying
a basket with him. I tried to talk to h im _______ he gave no
response.
Exercise 3
Music is said to be food for the soul._____ does it give relaxation
to our m ind________ help us to forget our sorrows and worries
of day-to-day life ? There is no aspect of life_____ we do not
find it. There is hardly any party or function______ music is not
played.______ we must enjoy it to forget our pains for some
time.
Exercise 4
Education has become a part of everybody’s life. There is not
even a single field______ education has not left its mark. The day
is not fa r______ everybody would like to drink deep from its
ocean.________ the need of the hour is to spread education in
every nook and com er______nobody is left without its mark.
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Exercise 5
One day______ I went to my M end’s house, I was surprised to
see a m an_____ was wearing nothing.______ I asked him the
reason, he tried to avoid m e,_____I did not stop and asked him
again._____some time he told me the reason behind it._____ he
was telling me a sad episode_________ had happened with him
two d ay s______ . I started w eeping_____ I heard his woeful
tale.
Exercise 6
The economic condition of a country depends on the resources
available in the country_____ on its population.____________
the population increases, resources start decreasing.______there
is a need to control population________we want our country to
move towards the path of development.
Exercise 7
I was pained to hear about your problem,______you should not
worry_____ I am always there to help you.____ my means are
limited, I will tty to help you_______ much_____ I can.______
you want to progress in life, you should have faith in your capabilities
_______________aspirations.
Exercise 8
_____ my knowledge is concerned I can only say __________
nowadays, it has become difficult to make both ends meet. I was
seven years o ld ______ my mother died. I Med to put a lot of
efforts______ I may g e t_____ I desired in my fife. My sister
_____I started running a shop______ was situated near my house.
My sister________ I managed the shop.______ we had limited
means, we were honest.
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Exercise 9
______ I was nine years old, my parents told m e _______we
originally belonged to Kashmir._______ I grew up I began to
watch T. V ._______ I learnt about the happenings in Kashmir.
_______ I saw some beautiful shots of the heavenly valley on the
T.V.______ in movies, I would remember Kashmir.
Exercise 10
My friend had been suffering from cholera_______ Monday.
Today he did not come to school_______he was not well again.
_______ I reached his house, his family had left for the hospital. I
hurriedly rushed towards the hospital__________ he had been
admitted. The doctor cam e______ assured us about his early
recovery. We heaved a sigh of re lie f______ we heard the news
of his recovery.
Exercise 11
_____ I feel lonely I prefer to enjoy the beauty of nature.
Wordsworth was a famous p o e t_______ wrote poems on the
beautiful objects of nature. Some of his poems show the zeal
______ he had in his veins._______ I was at school, my English
teacher used to tell me about some of Wordsworth’s poems
______ were worth reading.
Exercise 12
_____ you do not get success despite your repeated efforts, you
should not lose heart. Only those people get success________
have an optimistic approach towards life.______ you want to
win the lost game, you should not feel exhausted. You can go up in
life_______you persist in your efforts.
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Exercise 13
_____ did we step out of the house_______the rain started. I
love rainy season______in that season my grandmother prepares
lovely dishes for the whole family. I enjoy sitting alone_____it is
raining.______ somebody comes to my house on a rainy day, I
feel disturbed.
Exercise 14
The in c id e n t_______ changed me was the death of my
grandfather.______ he ate was flushed out of his system
immediately. One morning,_____reciting his prayers, he passed
away. I can never forget the day o n ______ my grandfather died.
_______ I was a child he used to tell me stories_____ going to
bed.______today I have not come out of the grief_____ engulfed
me six years back.
Exercise 15
_____ a certain Minister grew old, his hair fell o ff_________he
became bald .______ he was vain, he wore a wig of someone
else’s h a ir______ went o u t._________ he was rushing out of
Parliament one day, there was a gust of wind. His wig fell off
_________ exposed his bald pate.________everyone saw this,
they started laughing at him.
Chapter - 2
USE & KINDS OF NON-FINITES
2.1 Verbs can be divided into two types :

Verb
Finite Verb Non-FiniteVerb
A verb that changes its form according to person, tense,

mood, etc, is called a ‘Finite Verb’.
Examples :
Mohan works hard.
They worked hard.
She is working hard.
We have worked hard.
How I wish we worked h a rd !
The underlined words in these examples are Finite Verbs because
they change according to person, number and tense.
Now look at the sentences given below :
1. He wants to be rich.
2. She wanted to be rich.
3. They want to be rich.
4. She makes me understand everything.
5. She made me understand everything.
6. We will make you understand science.
The verbs be and understand here do not change according to
tense, number and person. Such verbs are called Non-Finite Verbs.
26
2.2 Kinds of Non-Finites
Non-Finite
Infinitive Gerund Participle
2.2.1 The Infinitive

Let us study the infinitive first. The infinitive has two forms:
Infinitive
bare infinitive to + infinitive

eat to eat
go to go
Use of to + infinitive
The to + infinitive is used in the following w ays:
1. As a noun
(a) To err is human.
Subject
To criticize others is very easy.
Subject
(b) We want to learn French.
0Object o f the transitive verb want)
I know how to cook rice (Object)
(c) The best thing is to do the work yourself.
(Complement to the linking verb is.)
Her aim was to become a doctor.
(Complement to the linking verb was.)
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(d) It is easier to preach than to practise.
(After the Dummy Subject ‘it’)
2. As an adverb to modify a verb or an adjective:

(a) He went to meet the President.
(modifies the verb went.)
I stood up to speak. (modifies the verb stood.)
(b) She is anxious to leave.
(modifies the adjective anxious. )
You are difficult to please.
(modifies the adjective difficult.)
3. As an adjective to qualify a n o u n :
It is time to leave. (qualifies the noun time.)
We have nothing to offer. (qualifies nothing)
4. As an object complement or an object to a preposition.
He is about to resign.
We saw him go.
This shop is about to close.
I felt something fell on my foot.
5. As an adjunct:
He was the first to arrive.
Please give me something to eat.
6. As part of ‘too + adjective/adverb + infinitive’
(enough + infinitive)
The patient is too weak to walk.
I don’t have money enough to buy a car.
7. As an absolute to modify the whole sentence:
To be honest with you. I hate you.
To cut the long story short, he cheated everybody.
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Use of the bare infinitive
8. A fter some verbs like watch, bid, see, let, make, help,
hear, feel, etc.
She bade me come.
She helped me do my homework.
The Director made me wait.
Let me ask a question.
9. W ith had better, had rather:
I’d better stay where I am.
You had rather speak to her.
10. W ith some prepositions like except, but, than e tc .:
He does nothing except complain.
I would rather die than beg.
11. Passive form of the Infinitive (to+be+pastparticiple)
It is an insult to be treated like that.
She likes to be flattered.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1
Pick out the Infinitives (with or without to) in die following sentences
1. I watched her make a doll.
2. I want to become a teacher.
3. To err is hum an; to forgive is divine.
4. I like to read story books.
5. We don’t know how to help her.
6. Please let me go now.
7. W hen are you likely to return ?
8. He wants the truth to be told.
9. I have nothing new to do.
10. It is too late to visit her.
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Exercise 2
Complete the following sentences using the Infinitive form (with or
without to) of the verbs given in brackets:
1. You are requested.........................me. (help)
2. She bade u s .................... away. (go)
3. I find the word ‘psychology’ difficult............... (spell).
4. Please make m e .............. why the stars twinkle.
(understand)
5. The medicine is too b itte r.................. (take)
Exercise 3
Replace the Relative Clause in each of the following sentences by
an Infinitive:
Example:
You have some important work which you must finish.
A nsw er: You have some im portant work to finish.
1. You have a train that can carry you back home.
2. She wants something that she can drink.
3. They advised me that I should see an eye specialist.
4. M ohan had no proof that he could show.
5. I gave him a book that he could consult.
6. Asha is not a servant who can be trusted.
Exercise 4
Rewrite the following sentences using an Infinitive:
1. I would be happy i f I couldjoin this company. (to join)
2. A t A gra we have the Taj that one can visit.
3. His handwriting is so bad that one cannot read it.
4. Papa was angry when he fo u n d that his glasses were
broken.
5. I was shocked when I heard o f the terrible accident.
6. I w ill tell him that he should post the letter today.
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2.2.2 The Gerund
A gerund is that form o f the verb which ends in -ing and has the
force of a noun. That is why, the gerund is called a Verbal Noun.
Use of the G erund:
1. As a Subject:
Swimming is good for health.
Seeing is believing.
Reading makes a complete man.
2. As an O bject:
We like painting.
She likes eating rice.
3. A sa Complement to a Linking V erb:
My first love is dancing.
4. As an Object of a Preposition:
I am fond of fishing.
The police prevented her from going.
5. As part o f a Noun P hrase:
Playing on this field is enjoyable.
Watching the snowfall was a real treat.
2.2.3 Participles
Participles can be divided into two types.
Participles
Present Participle Past Participle

Vj+ing v3
go+ing gone
eal+ing eaten
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(Vj = Verb in its first form ; V2= Verb in its third form)
Use of Present Participle

1. As an A djective:
I will buy a jumping doll.
This building has no running water.
2. As an Object C om plem ent:
We found the terms tempting.
I found the child sleeping.
3. As an Adverb :
She went away crying.
She went out of the house singing.
The boy sat whistling.
N ote : In such a case, norm ally two actions take place at the
sometime.
4. As part of an Adjective P hrase:
The person living on the first floor is my friend.
The man mnning the whole show is my father.
5. As a Participle P hrase:
Placing his hand on the Bible, he took the oath.
Picking up his bag, he walked away.
N o te : The following sentences show the difference between a
participle and a gerund.
(a) Throwing a bomb there, he ran away.
(Present Participle)
Throwing bombs in a street is against law. (Gerund)
(b) Swimming in the canal, Mohan saved the life of a child.
(Present Participle)
Swimming in the canal is a good exercise. (Gerund)
32
(c) I like the girls having long hair. (.Present Participle)
I like having long hair. {Gerund)
2.2.4 Use of Past Participle

1. As an A djective:
The wounded man was taken to hospital.
He is a spoilt child.
2. As an Object C om plem ent:
1. We found the door locked.
2. The news left us shocked.
3. As an A dverb:
The man left the hospital completely cured.
Excited, he kept moving here and there.
4. As part o f a Participle P hrase:
We saw a bird caught in a net.
She found the door painted on both sides.
Exercise 5
Combine the following pairs of sentences using a Present Participle
or a Past Participle. Treat the first two sentences as exam ples:
1. I felt sorry for the blind man. I gave him a hundred rupee
note.
(Feeling sorry for the blind man, I gave him a hundred
rupee note.)
2. My uncle arrived. He was accompanied by Mohan.
(Accompanied by Mohan, my uncle arrived.)
3. We found the child. It was crying for its father.
4. He raised his sword. He struck his enemy.
5. I heard the bang. I sprang up from my bed.
6. He broke his arm. It made it difficult for him to walk.
7. The child was lost. He found no joy in the fair.
Exercise 6
Combine the following sets of sentences using a non-finite verb
(Infinitive, Gerund, or Participle):
1. I enjoyed the mangoes. These were sent by my uncle.
2.We go to the library. We read books there.
3. I am happy. I accept your invitation.
4. He took his gun. He fired at the bird.
5. She left home early. She arrived here on time.
6. He wants to marry Mary. His father is opposed to this.
7.M ohan sells apples. He earns fifty rupees a day.
8. It was an extremely cold day. I could not work at all.
(Start w ith: It b eing .......)
9. They held a meeting. They discussed the matters of the
school.
10. I went to the Headmaster. I sought a favour.
Exercise 7
Fill in the blanks with suitable non-finites (Infinitive, Gerund or
Participle):
1. I am afraid o f .......... .......in the court. (appear)
2. ................. thieves in her house, she started...............
(see, shout)
3. He d ecid ed ............. his income by .. .......... a private
tuition. (increase, take)
4. I noticed your friend ................. with a gambler, (sit)
5. It is e asie r.............. th a n .................. (say, do)
6. Do you w a n t............ ... my address ? (know)
7. Every miser hates.... ......money. (spend)
8. They were eag er...... .......the game. (start)
9. This rent is quite reasonable for a w ell.... ............... house.
(furnish)
10. The children seemed ..................... on seeing the giant.
(frighten)
34
Exercise 8
Combine the following sets of sentences into a single sentence
each:
1. Mohan is trying. He wants to follow Gandhiji.
2. The Chairman tried it. He wanted to put him off.
3. M ohan did not look at the girls. He avoided it.
4. The old man took the trouble of it. He explained the matter
in detail.
5. It is no use. Don’t cry over spilt milk.
6. Hari does not accept bribes. He hates it.
7. You should not blow hom near a hospital. It is forbidden.
8. He stole the ornaments. He looked for a place to hide
them.
9. I saw a gentleman. He was sitting next to me.
10. He stood aside. He was waiting for orders.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
35
Chapter-3
SIMPLE, COMPLEX, AND COMPOUND

SENTENCES
3.1 You learnt in class IX that sentences can
be grouped into three types :
Sentence
Simple Complex Compound
In this chapter we shall deal with the distinction between a Simple

Sentence and a Complex Sentence.
3.2 Simple Sentence : A simple sentence has only one
subject and one predicate. It has only one clause in it.
Look at the following sentences:
M ohan works hard.
Mr. Verma taught us last year.
Each o f these sentences has only one subject and one
predicate.
Subject Predicate
Mohan works hard,
Mr. Verma taught us last year.
3.3 Complex Sentence :

1. We do not know when the letter will come.
2. This is the boy who won the prize.
3. You can buy whatever you like.
Each of the sentences given above consists of one Main
(Principal) Clause and one D ependent (Subordinate)
Clause as shown in the table below.
Principal Clause Subordinate Clause
We do not know when the letter will come,
This is the boy who won the prize,
You can buy whatever you like.
A sentence which consists o f a M ain Clause (Principal Clause)
and one or more Subordinate (Dependent) Clause (s) is called a
Complex Sentence:
3.4 Kinds of Subordinate Clauses
Noun Adjective Adverb

Clause Clause Clause
3.4.1 Noun Clause
A clause that perform s the function o f a noun is called a Noun
Clause.
In the following sentences, the clauses in italics are Noun Clauses :
1. She told us that she had failed.
2. We heard what your mother said.
3. Whether she can win is not certain.
4. His fear is that he may lose the match.
Functions of a Noun Clause
Noun Clauses can have several functions in a complex sentence,
(a) As the Subject of a V erb:
1. What he did is not known.
2. Whoever did that will be punished.
37
3. What she said was true.
4. Why she came late is not known.
5. That B albir should have left the com pany is not
surprising.
(b) As O bject o f a Verb :
1. W ho knows what may happen tomorrow ?
2. I don’t rem em ber what he said then.
3. She doesn’t rem em ber how she reached home.
4. Do whatever you want.
5. We don’t know when the session begins.
(c) As a complement of a V erb:
1. H er fear is that she may not succeed.
2. It seems that it will rain soon.
3. That man is not what he appears to be.
4. Life is what you make o f it.
(d) O bject o f a P reposition:
1. The teacher agreed to what I said.
2. There is no truth in what he says.
3. The house w ill sell for whatever it is worth.
4. Please listen to what I say.
5. Attend carefully to what the instructor says.
(e) Case in A pposition to a Noun or a Pronoun:
1. It is correct that Mohan is guilty.
2. It is uncertain that it will rain.
3. It is known to all that you are a thief.
4. It was unbelievable that Ram had cheated them.
5. It is true that India is number one in I. T.
(f) O bject o f a P articiple:
1. Seeing that the gate was open, the thief went inside.
2. Knowing that he could not get a job, he started a business.
3. He stole the scooter finding that it was unlocked.
38
4. Learning that the train was late by three hours, he caught
a bus.
5. Finding that there was no one around, he planted a bomb
there.
(g) Object o f an Infinitive:
1. I want to disclose whatever I know about the theft.
2. She wants to know why I was absent.
3. We need to learn how she did it.
4. She wants to make sure whether he is coming.
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1
Analyse the following sentences, selecting the Principal Clause and
the Noun Clause. Also, state the function of the Noun Clause.
Set-A
1. That M ohan was a doctor was not known to me.
2. W here the boys will stay is not yet known.
3. That Mohan will stand first is certain.
4. W hat cannot be cured m ust be endured.
5. Why the thief did not take away the gold is a mystery.
Set-B
1. A sk Asha if Papa has come.
2. Can you tell me why M ohan is absent today ?
3. I know that she loves music.
4. Tell me why you hate me.
5. I had never thought that your brother was so lazy.
Set-C
1. My fear was that Mohan would reach late.
2. Life is what you make it.
3. It seems that it will rain soon.
4. Things are not what they appear to be.
5. My firm belief is that Harpreet will stand first.
39
Set-D
1. A ren’t you ashamed of what you have done ?
2. She must listen to what her teacher says.
3. She agrees to whatever M ohan says.
4. There is no truth in what is stated by Asha.
5. Your success depends on how hard you work.
Set-E
1. The statement that all students will get two rasgullas every
day is not true.
2. The news that Sania M irza has won is correct.
3. The story that Ram Nath kidnapped his own nephew has
been confirmed.
4. It is true that boys are generally taller than girls.
5. The fact that Harbhajan is a cricketer is known to all.
Set-F
1. Finding that the situation was getting worse, the police
opened fire.
2. I went to the manager finding that I had been cheated by
the company.
3. Thinking that he was a stranger to the city, I helped him.
4. M ohan left the m eeting saying that he could not
compromise with his principles.
5. We attacked the robber knowing that he was desperate
to do anything.
Set-G
1. I want to confirm if he has a hand in it.
2. We asked him to explain what he had done.
3. She wants to know how the quarrel started.
4. I want to know for certain if you helped the thief.
5. I want to know why he stole the money.
40
3.4.2 Adjective Clause
Aclause that functions like an adjective is called an Adjective Clause.
An Adjective Clause qualifies some noun or pronoun in the Main
Clause or Principal Clause. Adjective Clauses can be divided into
two types as explained below.
A djective Clause
Introduced by Introduced by
Relative Pronoun Relative Adverb
(a) Introduced by some Relative Pronoun (who, whose, whom,
which, that). Sometimes a preposition precedes the relative
pronoun.
1. A ll that glitters is not gold.
2. The man with whom he lived killed him.
3. The person whose brother won the race thanked me.
4. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones
at others.
5. This is the box in which she keeps her jewels.
(b) Introduced by some Relative Adverb (when, where, why,
how, etc.)
1. Spring is the season when nature appears at her best.
2. That is the reason why it rains so much there.
3. This is the place where we first met.
4. She left us on a day when it was raining.
Please keep the following points in m ind:
Note I : There are some sentences in which the Relative
Pronoun or the Relative Adverb is understood.
1. He has not done the work in the manner you wanted
it.
2. The reason I like you is obvious, (‘why’ understood)
41
3. The car he gifted me was expensive, ( ‘w hich’
understood)
N o tell :T he word, as, is a Relative Pronoun where it is used
after ‘such’.
E xam ple:
Such people as work hard do rise in their lives.
Exercise 2
Pick out the Adjective Clauses from the following sentences and
state the function of each:
1. She is the girl who helped me.
2. He killed the snake that bit his wife.
3. The habits that are formed in early age are difficult to break.
4. The furniture he gave us was worth nothing.
5. He who helps others is sure to be helped by God.
6. Such students as work hard are liked by all.
7. He who has no money has no friends.
8. This is the doctor who treated me.
9. This is the reason why she refused to marry Mohan.
10. There was not a single worker who did not go on strike.
11. I gave him such advice as was very useful.
12. Time once lost is lost for ever.
13. This is the school that the President visited.
14. I remember the village where I was bom.
15. He is the man who displayed those magical tricks.
3.4.3 Adverb Clause
An Adverb Clause is one which performs the function of an Adverb
in relation to some word in the Principal Clause. It modifies a Verb,
an Adjective, or an Adverb in it. It indicates time, place, reason,
manner, contrast, or condition.
(a) Adverb C lause showing Place (introduced by where,
wherever, e tc .):
1. We know where she lives.
42
2. Where there is a will, there is a way.
3. Wherever they go, they create a problem.
(b) Adverb Clause showing Time (introduced by when, as long
as, as soon as, ju st as, until, till, whenever, while, since,
before, e tc .):
1. M ake hay while the sun shines.
2. They will not trouble you as long as you pay your taxes
on time.
3. I m et her when she was with the Star T. V.
(c) Adverb Clause showing Condition (introduced by if, unless,
provided, e tc .):
1. I f she wins the match, she w ill get a lot o f money.
2. I f wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
3. I will not allow you to come insidt-unlessyou apologize.
(d) Adverb Clause showing Reason or Cause or Purpose
(introduced by that, because, since, as, so that, e tc .):
1. He is working hard so that he may become a doctor.
2. She was happy because she had won a lottery.
3. We are afraid that the police may trouble us.
(e) Adverb Clause of Concession or Contrast (introduced by
though, although, even if, whatever, however, e tc .):
1. She cannot become a first-rate player, however hard
she tries.
2. We m ust start even i f it rains heavily.
3. Although he has a lot o f money, he borrows the
newspaper from his neighbour every day.
(f) Adverb Clause showing M anner or Extent (introduced by
as if, though, so fa r as, than e tc .):
1. She behaves as i f she were the queen.
2. You can’t run faster than I can.
3. She works as hard as her father does.
43
Exercise 3
Pick out the Principal Clause and the Adverb Clause from each of
the following sentences and state the function of each Adverb
Clause.
Set-A
1. Look before you leap.
2. No sooner did the train stop than the boys jum ped out.
3. Strike the iron while it is hot.
4. The plane had landed before I reached the airport.
5. As long as you work hard, we w ill not throw you out.
Set-B
1. The boat sailed where the wind took it.
2. Send the scooter where it came from.
3. I’ll go with you wherever you go.
4. He gets into trouble wherever he goes.
5. Buy this book wherever you find it.
Set-C
1. Since you are late, I cannot let you in.
2. You w ill pass the examination because you are working
hard.
3. I respect her because she is kind to me.
4. I am glad that you have acted honestly.
5. He is afraid that he may be punished.
Set-D
1. I’ll help her provided she works hard.
2. If Mohan comes late, the teacher will punish him.
3. He w on’t get the book unless he comes to me.
4. If it rains, we shall stay indoors.
5. If the bus is late, we will take a taxi.
44
Set-E
1. M ohan is as active as he is hard-working.
2. As you sow, so shall you reap.
3. Dress as you like.
4. I know French better than you do.
5. He behaves as if he was mad.
Set-F
1. No m atter how hard up she is, she cannot be mean.
2. We shall go ahead with this business even if we suffer a
great loss.
3. Although he tried hard, he did not succeed.
4. You cannot pass however hard you may try.
5. Papa did not agree though I requested him time and again.
3.5 Compound Sentence

A compound sentence is made up of at least two clauses. All its
clauses are of equal rank, and are called Co-ordinate Clauses.
The following sentences are compound sentences.
1. Mohan likes Maths but his sister hates it.
2. He had a bath and (he) watched TV.
In Sentence 1, two Co-ordinate Clauses
Mohan likes Maths
and
His sister hates it
are joined by the co-ordinating conjunction but.
In sentence 2, two Coordinate Clauses
He had a bath
and
(he) watched T.Y.
are joined by the co-ordinating conjunction and.
45
3.5.1 Difference between the Complex Sentence and
the Compound Sentence
Both the complex sentence and the compound sentence
are made up of at least two clauses. Then, what is the difference
between them ? The clauses of a compound sentence are of equal
im portance, whereas this is not so in the case o f a complex
sentence. In a complex sentence, one clause is more im portant
than the other (s).
Study the following carefully:
Compound Sentence
He worked hard but he did not succeed
Co-ordinate Clause Co-ordinate Clause
Co-ordinating Conjunction
Here the two clauses are of equal importance
Complex Sentence
He did not succeed though he worked hard
Principal Clause Subordinate
Clause
Subordinating
Conjunction
Here the Principal Clause is more important than the Subordinate
Clause.
Exercise 4
Combine the following sets o f simple sentences using the
conjunctions given in the brackets.
1. Ram is very rich. He is a miser. [use although]
2. It rains. We shall stay indoors. [use if\
3. He broke three windows. He did not get punishment.
[use but]
46
4. M ohan came late. Ram came late. [use and]
5. He is the boy. He broke the window. [use who]
6. The box is too heavy. No one can lift it. [use to o .. to]
7. The sum is very difficult. We cannot solve it.
[use so........that]
8. This is the house. Ramesh built it. [use that]
9. He left the job. Tell me the reason. [use why]
10. A grammarian is aperson. He makes simple things difficult.
[use who]
11. The beggar sits there. The two roads m eet there.
[use where]
12. She is good. She is beautiful. [use a s .......... as]
Exercise 5
Without changing the meaning, transform the following sentences
as per instruction given in the brackets in each case.
1. I shall not help you if you do not work hard.
[Use unless]
2. No sooner did it stop raining than we went out for a walk.
[Use as soon as]
3. M ohan behaves like the director. [Use as if ......was]
4. You say something. I agree to it. [Use what]
5. He found the door open and stepped inside.
[Usefinding]
6. The magistrate saw the situation getting worse and ordered
the police to open fire. [Use seeing]
7. I like those boys who are obedient. [Use su ch...... as]
8. Boys are generally taller than girls. [Use not as tall as]
9. He w rote this essay at the age o f ten. [Use when]
10. Walk fast lest you should miss the train.
[Use i f you do not]
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
Chapter-4
VOICE
4.0 Study the following sentences :
1. The hunter killed the tiger.
2. The tiger was killed by the hunter.
Both the sentences express the same meaning. But in sentence 1
the form of the verb shows that the person denoted by the Subject
did som ething. In sentence 2, the form of the verb shows that
something was done to the person / object denoted by the Subject.
* A Verb is said to be in the Active Voice when its form

shows that the person or thing denoted by the Subject
does something. In other words, it is the doer o f the
action.
* * A Verb is said to be in the Passive Voice when its form
shows that something is done to the person or thing
denoted by the Subject.
Note:
1. The passive Voice is so called because the person or thing
denoted by the subject is not active, but passive, that is, it
suffers or receives some action.
2. It may be pointed out that there are several sentences in
the Active Voice (or Passive Voice) that cannot be changed
into the passive voice (or Active Voice). W hile some
sentences are used in standard English in the Active Voice
only, there are others that are used in the passive voice
only. Here is, for example, a sentence lik e : I have broken
my leg. The same sentence in the Passive Voice i.e. My
leg has been broken by me sounds funny and is not used
in standard English.
3. Generally sentence in which the speaker does not want
to reveal the agent (doer o f the action) or it is not
necessary to do so, or where the agent or where it is
understood, are said in the Passive Voice e.g.
The road is being repaired.
The murderer has been arrested.
26th of January was declared a public holiday.
4.1 Revision of the Rules to form the Passive
Voice
Tenses Active Passive
1. Present I form of the verb is/am/are +m form
Indefinite +s/es
do/does (not) + 1
form of the verb
2 Past II form of the Verb was/were + m form
Indefinite did (not) + 1form
3. Present is, am, are (not) + is, am, are (not)+being
Continuous Iform + ing + inform
4. Past was, were (not) was / were (not)+
Continuous Iform + ing being + m form
5. Present has / have (not) has / have (not) been
Perfect + inform + inform
6. Past Perfect had (not) + in form had (not) been + III form
7. Future wiU/shaU(not) will / shaU (not) have
Perfect have + HI form been + HI form
8. Modal wiU, shah, would, wiU, shall, would, should,
verb should, can, could, can, could, may, might,
may, might, must, must, ought to
ought to + 1 form be + HI form
9. Infinitive to + 1form to be + in form
Important N ote: W hile applying the above rules, the student must
not forget to note whether the object in the Active Voice is a singular
one or a plural one. W hen this object becomes the subject in the
Passive Voice, the verb has to be adjusted accordingly.
Example: 1. Rahul is solving a puzzle.
2. Rahul is solving puzzles.
The first sentence has a singular object (a puzzle) while the second
sentence has a plural object (puzzles). Therefore, while changing
them into the Passive Voice, the verb w ill have to be adjusted
accordingly as follow s:
1. A puzzle is being solved by Rahul.
2. Puzzles are being solved by Rahul
Exercises for Practice

1. Change the voice in the following sentences :
Exercise 1
1. She will water the plants.
2. We expect happy news.
3. Does Raghu speak the truth ?
4. They did not listen to me.
5. He helped his father in his old age.
6. The children were collecting stamps.
7. Columbus discovered America.
8. You cannot always expect such wonders.
9. Somebody had stolen my camera.
10. The boss has accepted my proposal.
11. I know his ways.
12. Do not insult your elders.
13. The teacher will punish the naughty boys.
14. Your behaviour displeased me.
15. Am I favouring you ?
Exercise 2
1. A race is run by them.
2. Who had been fined?
3. A noise was made by you.
4. By whom are you taught English ?
5. It has to be learnt by heart.
6. Nothing will be done by them.
7. W hat is wanted by you ?
8. They were being taught by us.
9. The beggar was being insulted by them.
10. He w ill not have been abused by us.
11. I should not be disturbed.
12. My camera has been stolen by her.
13. This picture has been painted by me.
14. The thieves were caught by the police.
15. The child was knocked down by a car.
Exercise 3
Read the passage in the Active Voice carefully and
change it into the passive (where necessary) in the
space provided :
Shahjahan loved his wife Mumtaz Mahal. He raised the Taj Mahal
to keep her memory alive. He spent over three crores o f rupees
on it. The Taj is a model of perfection. A garden surrounds the
beautiful building. Fountains splash water there.
51
Exercise 4
Match the following sentences in the Active Voice
with their Passive forms. Write in squares their
matching num bers:
1 2 3
Do we take Leave the room. We shall
milk? forgive him.
4 5 6
Get up early in
I know him. the morning. Let us set to work.
He is known to You are ordered Is milk taken by

me. to leave the us ?
room.
He will be It is proposed that You are advised

forgiven we should set to to get up early in
work. the morning.
Exercise 5
Fill in the blanks with the suitable forms of the verbs
in brackets, using A ctive or Passive Voice as
appropriate:
Once a valv e_________ (damage) beyond repair, as happens
with recurrent attacks of rheumatic fever, the only way to save the
p a tie n t________ (be) to replace it. Alm ost all replacem ents
_________(do) today with the help of mechanical devices. Among
the e a rlie st_________ (be) the ball-and-cage valve which
________ (invent) in 1961 by Albert Sterr, a surgeon of Portland,
USA. It_________ (have) a plastic ball in a stainless steel socket.
But the device_________ (have) several disadvantages. Today,
i t _______ (replace) by a latest product that is absolutely safe.
4.2 Use of the Passive in newspaper headlines

and notices at public places, offices, hotels,
banks etc.
E xam ple:
American held for Hijacker held

smuggling heroin
PM hospitalised General Secretary

of Churches
appointed
Exercise 6
Given below are some newspaper reports. Provide
suitable headlines for each one of them using the
passive fo rm :
1. New D elh i: Heroin weighing about 70 kg valued at Rs.

120 lakh was recovered from a drug peddler on Sunday.
2. B angalore: Eight persons died and sixty were injured
when the Bangalore-bound Udyan Express from Mumbai
VT derailed on Saturday night.
3. Avantipur : Police reported that two persons were

stabbed to death in two separate incidents yesterday.
4. K am al: A fire broke out in a resettlement colony in which

at least fifty houses were destroyed.
Exercise 7
Complete the news report from the given headlines :
1. Suspect Arrested
M umbai police report that a suspect______________in
the bomb blast case.
2. 3 killed 20 injured
________________ an d _____________________ when
a bus fell into a gorge.
3. 5 killed in J & K
Five persons o f a fam ily________ by the m ilitants on
Friday night.
4. Young Army Officer Killed in J & K
A young army officer__________ in Srinagar in J & K
while thwarting an infiltration bid in Rajouri district.
U se o f the Passive For D escribing a Process
Exercise 8
Complete the instructions given below for making Rasgullas by
filling in the blanks with the correct form of verbs given in the box.
You can use the same verb more than once
crush add prepare put heat take allow be
Rasgullas are easy to make. To make them, first of all, soft paneer,
is prepared from m ilk. It is m ashed, that is, beaten and
__________ . Then some refined flour is added to the beaten
stuff. A fter that, balls, one inch in diam eter,________ from this
m ixture. Now some syrup___________ by boiling sugar with
water. A fter the syrup______________the b alls__________ in
the thick sweet liquid w hich____ for about 25 minutes. Now the
pan containing the syrup and the balls_______ off the gas-stove.
The syrup and the balls________to cool. The cooler the rasgullas,
the more welcome they___________ to the tongue.
Exercise 9
How to Magnetise a Screw Driver Using A Coil
Place the screw driver inside a coil carrying direct
current.
(ii) It becomes magnetized.
Oii) Remove it from the coil.
(iv) Place the screwdriver in iron filings.
(v) It attracts the filings.
A screw driver is placed inside a coil carrying direct current.
The screw driver______________________ magnetized. It
__________________carefully and__________________ in
iron filings. The filings________________________to it.
U se o f Passive Construction for D escriptions :
Exercise 10
Describe a mobile or a cell phone, making a proper
use of the verbs given in the brackets below :
A mobile or cell phone is used by young and old alike. It is the
latest means of communication. It can be kept in the pocket easily.
It________ (be) available in various sizes and shapes. Everyday
new m odels_________ (introduce) by the mobile companies. In
order to lure the customers, heavy discounts_______ (offer) to
them. M obiles with coloured screens and sophisticated cameras
__________ (like) by everyone. But excess of everything is bad.
M obile phone should_________ (use) with due care.
Exercise 11
Describe a Car, making a proper use of the verbs
given in the brackets below :
A car is the easiest and the m ost convenient mode of transport.
C ars_________(like) by all, especially the youth of the day. The
young generation is crazy about cars. Cars are a lso _______
(make) available in different colours, sizes and shapes. Cars having
pow er windows and stereos e tc _______ (be) available in the
market. Children below 1 8 ______ (not allow) to drive a car.
Driving without licence_______(ban) by law. Rash driving leads
to accidents. M any liv es__________ (lose) in accidents every
year. T his__________ (avoid).
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M iscellaneous Exercises
Rewrite the following sentences after changing the Voice
Exercise 12
1. I have seen this.
2. Nobody has touched it.
3. One m ust do one’s duty.
4. It is tim e to have tea.
5. He may avoid you.
6. Have you called out the roll ?
7. The police have arrested him.
8. M ay I sit here ?
9. Let her sing.
10. They say that honesty is the best policy.
Exercise 13
2. It was hoped that he would pass.
3. Let the match be played by them.
4. It is said that virtue is its own reward.
5. You may be avoided by him.
6. His name will have to be struck off.
7. You are requested to listen to him.
8. Iam astonished at his way of talking.
9. It should be done.
10. It is time to call in the doctor.
Exercise 14
(Subject missing type)
1. A meeting is being held here.
2. The bond was signed.
3. Duty must be done.
4. They were refused admission to this school.
5. M any persons were thrown out o f jobs.
57
6. They were forced to listen.
8. The child has been named Udit.
9. Prom ises will always be kept.
10. I was made captain of the school cricket team.
Exercise 15
(Infinitives)
1. He is a man to trust.
2. I shall have to strike off his name. (His name will have to
be struck off)
3. Women like men to flatter them.
4. I want to buy this car.
5. He wants to become a pilot.
6. Shall I have to punish him ?
7. You have to do it.
8. It is tim e to say goodbye.
9. I have to a lot yet to do.
10. He is a person to rely on.
Exercise 16
(Wh-type Interrogatives)
1. W hy did you abuse me ?
2. W ho told a lie ?
3. "When did you see the star ?
4. How has the teacher marked her absent ?
5. W hen did you pluck these flowers ?
Exercise 17
(Imperative Sentences)
1. Help everybody.
2. Help me, please.
3. Never waste your time.
58
4. Pray to God daily.
5. Post this letter.
6. Learn it by heart.
7. Do not make a noise.
8. Show the guests in.
9. Kindly grant me leave.
10. Sit down, please.
Exercise 18
(Quasi-Passive Verbs)
1. Is this book being sold w ell?
2. Quinine tastes bitter.
3. Is this medicine sweet when tasted?
4. Sea water is saltish when tasted.
5. Does honey taste sweet ?
Exercise 19
(Modals)
1. He may join the strike.
2. You can do it.
3. I cannot digest it.
4. W hy should I do it ?
5. You should teach him a lesson.
6. You should respect your elders.
7. You ought to help the poor.
8. We should not laugh at others.
9. We m ust respect our elders.
10. You need not send this letter.
Exercise 20
Rewrite the following into a running passage using the Passive
form s o f sentences (as shown in the first sentence below) :
(Instructions)
1. Trace out the mask on a chart paper.
59
2. Cut it out along the outline.
3. Cut slits for eyes.
4. Paint with colours of your own choice.
5. Decorate it with sequins.
6. String an elastic to both its ends.
The m ask is traced out on a chart paper. It _______________
_______ along the outline. Slits________________________for
eyes. Then i t _________________ w ith colours of one’s own
choice. I t ___________________ w ith sequins. A n elastic
______________________________________to both its ends.
Exercise 21
Change the Voice in the following sentences:
1. He did not allow her to sit.
2. Parents should not over-protect their children.
3. You have to do it.
4. Why did you laugh at the poor m an?
5. He is playing the game.
6. W hat did you see there ?
7. I love my parents.
8. He has been arrested.
9. She was dismissed from service.
10. How can you solve this sum ?
Chapter-5
REPORTED SPEECH
5.0 Read the following sentences :
1. Rajeev said, “Anil is a foolish boy.”
2. Rajeev said that Anil was a foolish boy.
These two sentences demonstrate the two ways in which we may
report the words of a speaker.
In the first sentence, we give the exact words said by the speaker.
This is called DIRECT SPEECH or DIRECT NARRATION. This
sentence can be divided into tw o :
Rajeev said. “Anil is a foolish boy.”
(Reporting Verb) (Reported Speech)
In the second sentence, we do not give the exact words of the
speaker but give only the substance of what he said. This is called
IN D IR EC T SPEEC H o r IN D IR EC T NARRATION
From sentence 1, we learn that in DIRECT SPEECH
(a) The exact words of the speaker are put within inverted
commas (“ ”).
(b) The first word of the Reported Speech begins with a capital
letter.
(c) A comma is placed after the Reporting Verb to separate it
from the Reported Speech.
From sentence 2, we learn that in INDIRECT SPEECH
(a) The reported words are not placed within inverted
commas.
(b) No comma is placed after the Reporting Verb.
(c) The Reported Speech is introduced by the conjunction
that.
(d) The Verb is is changed into was.
61
5.1 R U LES FO R C H A N G IN G D IR EC T
SPEECH INTO INDIRECT SPEECH
It may be noted that we make changes in the verb form
when the Reporting Verb is in the past tense. But if the
Reporting Verb is in the present or future tense (He says/
He will say) no change is made in the verb form of the
Reported Speech. Also, if the Reported Speech is a
universal truth or a factual statement, the verb is not changed.
Exam ples:
Direct : Reeta says, “Kartik is ill”
Indirect : Reeta says that Kartik is ill.
Direct : The teacher said,“Water boils at 100° Celsius.”
Indirect: The teacher said that water boils at 100°
Celsius.
Other changes include

(a) changes in the personal pronouns
(b) changes in words expressing nearness and time
(c) change in reporting verb from said to into told (if said is
followed by an object).
5.2 Rules Regarding Changes in Verb Forms

DIRECT SPEECH INDIRECT SPEECH
1. Simple Present becomes Simple Past
e.g. He goes -> He went
2 Present Continuous -> Past Continuous
e.g. He is going -> He was going
3. Present Perfect -> Past Perfect
e.g. He has gone -> He had gone
4. Present Perfect -> Past Perfect
Continuous Continuous
e.g. He has been going -> He had been going
62
5. Simple Past -» Past Perfect
e.g. He went -» He had gone
He did -» He had done
6. Past Continuous -» Past Perfect Continuous
e.g. He was going -» He had been going
7. Past Perfect -» Past Perfect
e.g. He had gone -» He had gone (No change^
8. Past Perfect -> Past Perfect
e.g. He had been going -> He had been going
(No change)
9. Simple Future -» Simple Future in the Past
(shall/will) -> (would)
10. Future Continuous -> Future Continuous
in the Past
(shall be/will be) -> (would be)
11. Future Perfect -> Future Perfect
(shall have, will have) -> (would have)
12. Future Perfect -> Future Perfect
(will/shall have been) -> (would have been)
13. can -> could
14. may -> might
15. might, should, ought -» do not normally
to change
5.3 R ules R egarding C hanges in P ersonal

Pronouns
Pronouns in Direct Speech Rules for changing them into
Indirect Speech
1. First Person pronouns : Change according to the
I, we, my, our, myself, etc person of the Subject of the
Reporting Verb
2. Second Person pronouns : Change according to the
you, your, yours Object of the Reporting Verb
3. Third person pronouns : Generally, there is no change
he, she, it, they, his, their,
them, etc.
If the reporting verb is not followed by an object, the object is
generally taken to be the third person singular pronoun.
E xam ple:
Direct : She said, “You are a fool.”
Indirect : She said to her that she was a fool.
5.4 Changes in words expressing nearness of
time and place :
this becomes that

now -» then
these -» those
here -» there
ago -» before
today -» that day
tonight -» that night
tomorrow -» the next day
yesterday -» the previous day / the day
before
last night -» the previous night / the
night before
next week -» the following week
Examples :
1. Direct : Radha said, “/ am going home n o w ”
Indirect: Radha said that she was going home then.
2. Direct : Meena said, “This happened yesterday."
Indirect: Meena said that that had happened the previous
day.
3. Direct : He said, “Anita finished the work long ago.”
Indirect: He said that Anita had finished the work long
before.
5.5 Assertive Sentences
Exam ples:
1. Direct : She said, “The train is late.”
Indirect: She said that the train was late.
2. Direct : My father said to me, “You are a lazy boy.”
Indirect: My father told me that I was a lazy boy.
3. Direct : The peon said, “I want leave for two days.”
Indirect: The peon said that he wanted leave for two days.
A. Direct : The Principal said, “The authorities are trying
their best to improve things.”
Indirect: The Principal said that the authorities were
trying their best to improve things.
5. Direct : He said, “The boss dismissed the sweeper
because he did not like his work.”
Indirect: He said that the boss had dismissed the sweeper
because he had not liked his work.
Exercise 1
Change the following sentences into the Indirect
Form of Narration :
1. Sunita says, “I am doing my homework.”
2. He will say, “I do not know you.”
3. The teacher says, “I am on leave.”
4. Bimla says, “Manju wrote a poem.”
5. He said, “Man is mortal.”
6. Rekha said, “The first battle of Panipat was fought in
1526.”
7. He says, “I will be coming home.”
8. Preeti said, “She teaches English well.”
9. The old man said, “I am very sorry to tell you that it is
hue.”
10. She said to me, “You managed that very nicely.”
Exercise 2
Form of Narration :
1. The young girl said, “If fashions do not change, many
manufacturers will have to sit idle.”
2. Thejudge said, “The accused wasavictimofstupidfanaticism.”
3. Ram said, “I will write the book.”
4. She said, “I may go there.”
5. Rekha said, “I am learning this art.”
6. Everybody said, “The culprit did not deserve such a severe
punishment”
7. Rohit said, “I can catch the train.”
8. The Chief Election Commissioner said, “All elections will
have been over by the middle of January.”
9. He said, “I will never forget you.”
10. He said to Rakesh, “We could have done much better.”
5.6 Interrogative Sentences

While changing an interrogative sentence into the
Indirect Speech,
1. The Reporting Verb ‘said’ is changed into ‘asked’ or
‘enquired’.
2. The interrogative form is changed into the assertive form.
66
3. The conjunction ‘i f ’ or ‘w hether’ is used if the
interrogative sentence begins with a helping verb e.g. do,
does, did, has, have, will, shall, may, might, is, am,
are, can, could, etc.
4. No conjunction is used if the question begins with an
interrogative (wh) word e.g. when, why, where, who, how,
what, etc.
Examples
1. Direct : The doctor said to me, “What is your problem?”
Indirect: The doctor asked me what my problem was.
2. Direct : He said to Rohit, “How old are you ?
Indirect: He asked Rohit how old he was.
3. Direct : She said to her cook, “Is the tea ready ?”
Indirect: She asked her cook if the tea was ready.
4. Direct : Raju said to Deepak, “Are you going to the
market?”
Indirect: Raju asked Deepak if he was going to the market.
5. Direct : The teacher said to Rishi, “Have you brought your
book?”
Indirect: The teacher asked Rishi if he had brought his book.
Exercise 3
Form of Narration :
1. “Why are you so sad today ?” she said to Rani.
2. He said “How is your mother ?”
3. I said to him, “Will you return tomorrow?”
4. He said to me, “Do you like mangoes?”
5. “Do you like this poem ?” he said to his sister.
6. The stranger said to me, “Can you tell me the way to the
school?”
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7. He said to the boy, “What do you want from me ?”
8. The teacher said to Krish, “Where do you live ?”
9. He said to the porter, “When will the next train arrive ?”
10. She said to me, “Do you want any money ?”
Exercise 4
Form of Narration :
1. He said to me, “Why did you write me such an insulting
letter?”
2. My mother said to me, “Did you break the slate ?”
3. She said to me, “What brings you here ?”
4. The teacher said to the students, “Why did you not do the
homework ?”
5. The postmaster said to the postman, “What are you doing?
Have you sorted the mail ?”
6. The mother said, “Son, why did the teacher punish you ?”
7. Jai said to me, “Why did you insult my brother ?”
8. He said to us, “Are you coming to the meeting today?”
9. The master said to the servant, “Why did you not report
for duty in time?”
10. The teacher said to the boy, “Why are you late again?
Don’t you feel ashamed about it ?”
5.7 Imperative Sentences

(Commands / Requests / Orders)
In reporting an imperative sentence in the Indirect
Speech,
(a) The Reporting Verb ‘said’ is changed into ordered,
requested, advised, etc.
(b) The Imperative Mood is changed into Infinitive Mood
by placing ‘to’ before the verb.
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(c) In the case of sentences beginning with, “Let’s __ ”
Reporting, Verb ‘proposed’ or ‘suggested’ is used,
followed by ‘that’ and ‘should’, as shown in the examples
below:
Examples
1. Direct : He said to me, “Please help me.”
Indirect: He requested me to help him.
2. Direct : The principal said to the peon, “Shut the door.”
Indirect: The principal ordered the peon to shut the door.
3. Direct : My father said to me, “Work hard.”
Indirect: My father advised me to work hard.
4. Direct : The Commander said to his soldiers, “Attack the
enemy.”
Indirect : The Commander commanded his soldiers to attack
the enemy.
5. Direct : He said, “Let’s play together.”
Indirect : He proposed that we should play together.
Exercise 5
Form of Narration :
1. I said to him, “Don’t smoke.”
2. The teacher said to the boys, “Do not make a noise.”
3. The hare said to the tortoise, “Let us run a race.”
4. He said to me, “Go to the railway station.”
5. My father said to me, “Do not waste your time.”
6. Raju said to me, “Please give me your pen.”
7. She said to her sister, “Take exercise regularly.”
8. My mother said, “Let’s sit in the sun.”
9. “Leave this room,” said the teacher to the boy.
10. I said to him, “Please be quiet.”
Exercise 6
Form of Narration :
1. Krishna said, “Let’s do our duty and not run after the
reward.”
2. She said to her friend, “Marry him and be happy in life.”
3. Gobind said to his followers, “Throw the enemies out.”
4. My father said to me, “Avoid bad company.”
5. My father said to my mother,“Bring me a cup of tea.”
6. He said to me, “Let’s go to Shimla.”
7. The officer said to the clerk, “Show me all the records.”
8. Sita said to Ram, “Let Lakshman do what he wants.”
9. Kabir said to him, “Continue to worship God till there is
life.”
10. “Stand up on the benches”, I said to the children.
5.8 Exclamatory and Optative Sentences

(a) The Reporting Verb is changed into exclaimed (with joy,
sorrow, etc), prayed, blessed or some other similar verb.
(b) The Exclamatory form is changed into the Assertive form.
(c) Thesignof exclam ation(!)isreplacedbyafullstop(.).
Examples:
1. Direct : She said, “What a lovely scene!”
Indirect: She exclaimed that it was a lovely scene.
2. Direct : “So help me God !” the thief cried, ‘I will never
steal again.”
Indirect: The thief called upon God to witness and resolved
that he would never steal again.
3. Direct : The children said, “Long live our Grand P a !”
Indirect: The children wished that their Grand Pa should live
long.
4. Direct : The players said, “Hurrah ! We have won the
match.”
Indirect: The players exclaimed with joy that they had won
the match.
5. Direct : She said, “Alas ! I shall never be able to see him
again.”
Indirect: She exclaimed sorrowfully that she would never be
able to see him again.
Remem ber:
(a) Ho ! Hurrah ! etc. express joy
W h a t! Oh ! etc. surprise
Bravo ! Hear ! etc. approval
A la s! etc. grief or pain
H a rk ! Hush ! Lo !
B ehold! etc. attention
P o o h ! Pshaw ! etc. contempt
(b) We wish Good Morning, Good Evening, Good Night etc.

and welcome, farewell, Goodbye, etc.
Exercise 7
Change the following sentences into the Indirect Form
of Narration :
1. The teacher said, “How stiff the question paper is !”
2. He said, “Good bye, friends.”
3. What a charming scene!” said the girl.
4. “What a lovely ro s e !” she said.
5. She said, “How sad you lo o k !”
6. He said, “Alas ! He is no more !”
7. “What a clever fellow la m ! ” said the crow.
8. “Good morning, Raju,” said Anil. “How are you ?”
9. The old man said, “Alas ! I am ruined.”
10. We said, “May God bless your ch ild !”
Exercise 8
Form of Narration :
1. The visitor said to us, “Farewell!”
2. He said, “I wish I were a King !”
3. She said to me, “How charming Dalhousie i s !”
4. “What a terrible storm it is !” he said.
5. The boy said, “H urrah! My brother stands first!”
6. Harry said, “Alas ! I have failed.”
7. He said, “O for a drop of w a ter!”
8. Raghu said, “May God pardon this sinner!”
9. She said, “A la s! how careless I have b e e n !”
10. He said to them, “Congratulations! You have done well.”
5.9 Conversion of Indirect into Direct

Examples:
1. Indirect She said that she was happy.
Direct She said, “I am happy.”
2. Indirect She said that she had bought a new dress.
Direct She said, “I have bought a new dress.”
3. Indirect Rohan asked Raghav if he liked milk.
Direct Rohan said to Raghav, “Do you like milk ?”
4. Indirect He asked me where I lived.
Direct He said to me, “Where do you five ?”
5. Indirect The teacher ordered the boy to tell the truth.
Direct The teacher said to the boy, “Tell the truth.”
6. Indirect He prayed that God might bless me.
Direct : He said to me, “May God bless you !”
Exercise 9
Change thefollowing sentences into the Direct Form
of Narration :
1. They wished that their Prime Minister might live long.
2. She said that she had her own choice.
3. He told me that he loved me.
4. She said that she was not feeling well that day.
5. He requested me to help his brother.
6. He said that he had seen the Taj the previous year.
7. He says that Raju likes fruit.
8. She asked her mother if she might go out.
9. She asked me why I had written that letter.
10. The old man thanked him and asked if he could do
something for him.
M iscellaneous Exercises
Exercise 10
Change the Narration :
1. “Good morning, my sons,” said the mother, “there is a
piece of news for you. And it is a happy one. Could you
guess what it is ? Just try.”
2. “Come, take your pound of flesh,” said Portia. “A pound,
no more, no less, but no drop of blood.”
3. “Welcome,” he said to her, “I am sorry I cannot rise to
receive you the way I wish. Please take your seat. Will
you tell me what brings you here at this late hour ?”
4. Ravana looked at Sita and said, “It is no use pining for
your husband. He can never come to your help. Forget
him and marry me.”
5. She said to her husband, “Where has it all come from ?
How did you get it ? Who does it belong to ?”
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Exercise 11
Form of Narration :
1. He said to me, “Are you not afraid ?”
2. Father said, “Rani must learn the basics of a computer.”
3. She said to her friend, “Will you help me ?”
4. Radha says, “It is raining heavily.”
5. Rama said, “I had taken tea before you arrived.”
6. He said to the driver, “Be quick.”
7. Asha said to Sudha, “Let’s solve these sums.”
8. I said to him, “Do you need money ?”
9. He said to me, “Life is not a bed of roses.”
10. The Captain said, “All the players must report on time.”
Exercise 12
Change thefollowing sentences into the Direct Form
of Narration :
1. The stranger asked him where he lived.
2. The teacher said that the sun is stationary.
3. My father advised me to avoid bad boys.
4. She exclaimed with sorrow that she was ruined.
5. She asked me whether I had been successful in my
attempt.
6. The farmer said that he was going to cut the tree.
7. The peon asked the boy to close the shop.
8. The gardener said that he was watering the plants.
9. The boy requested the teacher to forgive him.
10. My friend told me that he was ill that day.
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Testing Exercises
1. Read the following conversation and complete
the report that follows :
I
Marti : Mehak, I am going to fly out to Sri Lanka to visit my
sister Mary.
Mehak : Mary is very sweet. She will be very happy to receive
you.
Marti : Yes, I’ll stay there for one month.
Mani informed her friend M ehak______________________ .
Mehak replied_________________ . She added___________.
M an i_________________ and informed h e r ______________
n
Mr.Rao : I understand you had an argument with your
wife?
M r G opal: Yes.
Mr. Rao : How did it end up ?
Mr. G opal: Ultimately she came down on her knees and said,
“Come out from beneath the bed and fight like a
man.”
Mr. Rao wanted to know from Mr. Gopal i f ______________
______________ . Mr. Gopal admitted that he had had an
argument. Then Mr. Rao wanted to k n o w ________________
Mr. Gopal told him that ultim ately______________________
m
Elephant : I can’t play with you. My driver will scold me as
I have to do a lot of work.
A nt : Don’t be afraid; hide behind me when he comes.
The elephant told the a n t______________________________ .
The ant advised him _______________________________ and
asked him to ___________________________ when he came.
IV
Rohan : Uncle, what do you do for a living ?
Uncle : I am an Ambassador. Do you know what is an
ambassador ?
Rohan : Yes, Daddy has one.
Rohan asked his uncle_________________________ . His uncle
t o l d ___________________________and w anted to know
________________________________ . Rohan replied______
Sanjay, Sorry, I can’t as

please play
with me.
you fight with
every one.
\
SANJAY
I promise, I Wait then, let

will not fight me ask my
with you. mother.
Ravi requested Sanjay t o ________________________. Sanjay

expressed his reluctance and said that he (R avi)__________
_________ . Ravi then promised th a t____________________ .
And ultimately Sanjay agreed to play and said___________ .
The dinner It’s too early
SERVANT is ready. and I’ll have MASTER
it at 9 p.m.
But the other And I shall

SERVANT family members have only MASTER
want to have it after I finish
now. my work.
The servant told his master____ ____________________.The

master retorted by saying that _____________________and
s a id _____________________ The servant informed him
__________ . And the master
said
2. Rewrite the following dialogues into the Indirect

Form of N arration:
1. Renu : Can a kangaroo jum p higher than the Qutab
Minar?
Radhika : Yes, of course.
Renu : How ?
Radhika : The Qutab Minar cannot jump at all.
2. Mother Doctor, my son keeps biting his nails all the time.
Doctor Don’t worry, Madam, I will take out all his teeth.
Chapter-6
USE OF TENSES
6.0 What is Tense ?
Tense is a form that a verb takes to show the time of an action or
a state expressed by the verb.
There are three main tenses:
1. The Present Tense : I sing a song.
2. The Past Tense : I sang a song yesterday.
3. The Future Tense : I shall sing a song tomorrow.
Read the following sentences :
1. I call
2. I am calling
3. I have called
4. I have been calling
All these refer to the present time, and therefore, are all in the
Present Tense. But there is a distinction in the way in which the
action is regarded.
In sentence 1, the action is mentioned simply. There is no
reference to the completeness or incompleteness of the action.
The verb call in this sentence is, therefore, said to be in the Simple
Present Tense.
In sentence 2, the action is mentioned as incomplete, that
is, as still going on. Hence the verb am calling is said to be in the
Present Continuous Tense.
In sentence 3, the action is mentioned as finished, complete
or perfect. Hence the verb have called is said to be in the Present
Perfect Tense.
In sentence 4, the action is mentioned as having been going
on continuously but not completed at the present moment. Hence
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the verb have been calling is said to be in the Present Perfect
Continuous Tense.
So the Present Tense has four form s:
1. Simple Present (also called Present Indefinite!
2. Present Continuous
3. Present Perfect
4. Present Perfect Continuous
Just as the Present Tense has four forms, the Past Tense also has
the following four forms:
1. Icalled (Simple Past or Past Indefinite)
2. I was calling. (Past Continuous)
3. I had called. (Past Perfect)
4 . 1 had been calling. (Past Perfect Continuous)
Similarly, the Future Tense has the following four

forms :
1. I shall call. (Simple Future or Future Indefinite)
2 . 1 shall be calling. (Future Continuous)
3 . 1 shall have called. (Future Perfect)
4 . 1 shall have been calling. (Future Perfect Continuous)
1. P resent 2. P ast 3. Future

Indefinite Indefinite Indefinite
Continuous Continuous Continuous
Perfect Perfect Perfect
Perfect Perfect Perfect
Continuous Continuous Continuous
TENSE SIMPLE CONTI PERFECT PERFECT
-NUOUS CONTI
NUOUS
P re s e n t
Active c a ll (s/es) is/a m /a re has/have has/have
c a llin g called been calling
Passive is/am/are is/am/are has/have No Passive
called been called been called
P ast
Active called was/were had called had been
calling calling
Passive was/were was/were had been No Passive
called being called called
F u tu re
Active will/shall will/shall will/shall will/shall
call be calling have called have been
calling
Passive will/shall No Passive will/shall No Passive
be called have been
called
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1
Write in brackets what tense form has been used in
each sentence.
1. I have lost my book. (Present Perfect)
2. The old woman died of cold last night. ( )
3. She will come here at seven o’clock. ( )
4. They had been ill for two days. ( )
5. The play will have begun when you reach there. ( )
6. The boys will have finished their work by 8 o’clock.
( )
7. I am leaving for Kolkata tomorrow. ( )
8. See, how it rains ! ( )
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9. We have known each other for the past three years.
( )
10. Mohan did not come when called. ( )
11. The girls will be sleeping then. ( )
12. I have been living here since 1975. ( )
13. They will have been playing for hours when you come
here. ( )
14. He will come tomorrow. ( )
6.1 Use of Tenses :

6.1.1 Present Indefinite Tense
(a) To express what is actually taking place at the present
moment, as,
1. I play.
2. The boys sing a song.
3. Here comes Ram.
4. See how he works !
(b) To express a habitual action, a habit or a custom ; as,
1. She sings while taking bath.
2. Ig e t up early in the morning.
3. He goes for a walk every day.
4. Cows eat grass.
(c) To express a general truth, as,
1. The earth revolves round the sun.
2. Man is mortal.
3. Sugar is sweet.
4. Man proposes; God disposes.
(d) To express the Past Tense in narrating past events in an exciting
or a vivid manner, as,
The plane takes off. Suddenly, a young man in black clothes
rushes into the cockpit. He carries a revolver in his hand. Two
more young men and a young girl appear on the scene with
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hand grenades in their hands. They shout: “Nobody shall try
to get up. Keep where you are !”
(e) To express a future event, which is already arranged, as
1. The ship sails for England next week.
2. Our examination begins on Wednesday.
(f) To quote authors, as,
1. Keats says, “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.”
2. Pope writes, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.”
(g) In conditional sentences clauses of one type, as,
1. If I go to Delhi, I shall bring a camera for you.
2. If Yuvraj plays in this match, we shall win.
(h) With Verbs which cannot be used in the continuous form, as,
1. She loves me. (It is wrong to s a y : she is loving me.)
2. I know you. (not ‘I am knowing you’)
3. It seems proper.
4. Virtue means goodness.
Exercise 2
Supply the correct form (Present Indefinite Tense)
of the verbs in brackets :
1. Who (swim) in the pond everyday ?
2. We (bum) fuel to get heat.
3. Here (come) the bride.
4. The sun (rise) in the east.
5. They (come) to school by bus.
6. I (go) for a walk every day.
7. The Governor (arrive) tomorrow morning.
8. Raindrops (fall) from the clouds.
9. You always (speak) the truth.
10. I (be) the people, the mob, the crowd.
11. Father asked me, “How (be) you ?”
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12. I (not object) to this proposal.
13. He (not like) mangoes.
14. W hen ................. the train (leave) ?
15. The boys (know) the answer.
6.1.2 Present Continuous Tense

This tense is used for the following purposes:
(a) To express an action that is going on at the time of speaking,
e.g.
1. She is knitting socks.
2. You are deceiving your friend.
3. I am writing a letter.
(b) As a substitute for the immediate future, e.g.
1. My brother is reaching here, in an hour.
2. She is leaving this place tomorrow.
3. Yoxx are proceeding to America next month.
Exercise 3
Fill in the blanks with the Present Continuous form
of the verbs given in brackets :
1. W h a t........... ..y o u . ............now ? (do)
2. T h e y ............ ... to London next week. (go)
3. M ee ra ......... ... to see me tomorrow. (come)
4. W e ............... .. football. (play)
5. I ................... .............notes. (not take)
6. W h y ............ . he ... .........at me ? (laugh)
7. R ajan .......... ................ a book. (write)
8. The b o y s.... .............in the river. (not swim)
9. The workers .........the walls. (paint)
10. W h y ..........h e ....... .......his clothes ? (change)
11. S h e .............. . the candles. (blow out)
12. The old m a n . .........with cold. (shiver)
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6.1.3 Present Perfect Tense
This tense is used for the following purposes:
(a) To indicate an action which has just been over, e.g.
1. I have finished my work.
2. She has drafted the application.
(b) To denote a past action, the results of which are still
present, e.g.
1. He has opened a new shop.
2. She has passed the M.A. examination.
3. I have lived there for six months.
(c) In adverbial clauses beginning with 'when ’, ‘i f ’ ‘before ’
‘after’, ‘as soon a s ’o r ‘till’ and when the principal verb
is in Future Tense, e.g.
1. As soon as I have finished this job, I shall come to see
you.
2. I shall ring up after I have talked to her.
Exercise 4
Rewrite the following sentences using the Present
Perfect Tense of the verbs in brackets :
1. We (know) each other for the past ten years.
2. The appointed day (come).
3. Do you know what (happen) to his leg ?
4. I (finish) my work.
5. I (never deceive) you.
6. The tra in .............ju s t................ (arrive)
7. I shall go there after he (finish) his homework.
8. W h y ............th e y .............. there ? (go)
9.....................s h e .............. her meals ? (have)
10. I (never see) the Taj.
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6.1.4 Present Perfect Continuous Tense
This tense is used to denote an action that began in the past and is
continuing up to the present, e.g.
1. It has been raining since morning.
2. We have been living in this house for two years.
(The use of the preposition ‘for’ or ‘since’ in a sentence
in the present perfect continuous tense is essential.)
Practice Exercise 5
Complete the following sentences using the Present
Perfect Continuous Tense :
1. W e ............... .... for you for two hours. (wait)
2. I t ................... .... since morning. (rain)
3. W h o ................ at the door for ten minutes ? (knock)
4. T h e y ............ .. here since 1997. (live)
5. The girls...... ..........for two hours. (sing)
6. .........h e ........ from fever since Monday ? (not suffer)
7. Y ou.............. this book since January. (write)
8. .........the tap .........for two hours ? (not run)
9. W h y ..... you ..........since yesterday ? (fight)
10. Why ....h e .. ... to school for three days ? (not come)
6.1.5 Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense

This tense is used for following purposes:
(a) To express a single act or event that happened in the past,
e.g.
1. He broke this table.
2. They were in the garden.
3. She was absent yesterday.
(b) To express a habitual action or custom in the past, e.g.
1. She got up at 4 a.m. every day.
2. Our ancestors were honest and hard working.
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(c) As a substitute for the Past Continuous Tense, e.g.
1. While they played, we took tea.
2. While we talked, they slept.
Exercise 6
Fill in the blanks with the Past Indefinite form of the
verbs given in brackets :
1. M eera.............(turn) a n d .......(move) to the door.
2. W e......... (see) a Hon in the jungle.
3. I ..........(meet) him yesterday.
4. While the girls....... (sing) w e ...........(dance).
5. H e ............(go) out for ten minutes.
6. W h o ............(break) the window yesterday ?
7. S h e .........(send) him a letter last month.
8. T h ey ............ (know) the answer.
9. W e ....... (copy) from the blackboard.
10. The d o g ......... (bites) the postman.
11. The birds...........(fly) away.
12. The little g irl........ (cry) bitterly.
Exercise 7
Rew rite the follow ing sentences using the Past
In d e fin ite T e n se o f th e V erbs :
1. He counts the books.
2. The peon rings the bell.
3. We play cricket.
4. Mohan helps his father.
5. She reads a story.
6. Neetu drinks a glass of milk.
7. Suman shuts the window.
8. He rides a bicycle.
9. A thief steals some money.
10. The policeman holds up his hand.
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6.1.6 Past Continuous Tense
This tense is used to denote an action that was going on at some
time in the past, e.g.
1. They were playing hockey.
2. She was singing a song.
Exercise 8
Fill in the blanks with the Past Continuous Tense of
the verbs given in brackets :
1. I ..................... the truth. (sp eak )
2. A spider............. over my body. (crawl)
3. When we arrived, th e y .............. lunch. (have)
4. When I came, s h e ......................... (sing)
5. W h at.............h e .......... when you arrived ? (d o)
6. The plane.............violently. (shake)
7. My m other..............rice. (co o k )
8. W h y ............y o u ............... ? (run)
9. W h a t.............y o u ................. last evening ? (d o)
10. W e.................. a film when they came. (watch)
6.1.7 Past Perfect Tense
This tense is used to denote an action which had been completed
before another action began in the past. It is most often used in a
complex sentence, e.g.
1. When I reached there, she had finished her work.
2. The doctor arrived after the patient had died.
N o te : (i) The Past Perfect cannot be used to denote an
isolated action in the past. For that, Past Indefinite
should be used.
(ii) Rarely, however, when the Past Perfect is used
by itself in a simple sentence; it implies another
action which followed, e.g.
He had already finished his paper.
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Exercise 9
Fill in the blanks with suitable form (Past Perfect
Tense) of the verbs :
1. H e .... ju s t.......his breakfast when I arrived, (finish)
2. The N aw ab.......(die) years before his son took over.
3. The train..........(leave) before he reached the station.
4. The patient......(die) before the doctor arrived.
5. The ship............(sink) before help could reach.
6. H e .........(complete) his work when Meera came.
7. W h y ....... y o u .......... home till then ? (not reach)
8. I ................ (never expect) it to come this way.
9............ they... (buy) the tickets before the train arrived ?
10. M other..........(tell) him not to go there.
11. M ahmood....... (be known) well throughout the city.
12. W e ..... o ften ........ such messages. (receive)
6.1.8 Past Perfect Continuous Tense
This tense is used to denote an action that had been going on at or
before some point of time in the past, e.g.
1. He had been living in this locality for two years before he
became my friend.
2. She had been meeting her boy-friend regularly before it
came to the notice of her parents.
Exercise 10
Fill in the blanks with the Past Perfect Continuous
Tense of the verbs given in brackets :
1. W e.............. (wait) for you for ten hours when you came.
2. He said that h e .............. (live) here for ten years before
they met him.
3. She told me that she .... (work) for the last four hours
before the light went off.
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4. Seem a............(suffer) from fever for a month before her
examinations started.
5. S h e .........(knit) a sweater for a month before she fell ill.
6. I t .........(rain) for two days.
7. The farm er............(milk) the cow for an hour before the
bell rang.
8. S h e ..........(teach) us English since 2001.
9. The p o lic e .........(look for) this thief for the last five
years.
10. The b o y s........ (learn) their lessons for two hours before
the test started.
6.1.9 Future Indefinite Tense
This tense is used to denote a single action in the future, e.g.
1. I shall go to see my friend.
2. He. will help me.
3. They will come here tomorrow.
Exercise 11
Rewrite the following sentences changing the Verb in
each sentence into the Future Indefinite Tense :
1. Malcom closed his eyes.
2. I am going home.
3. The boys have been playing cricket.
4. She has finished her homework.
5. I had written a letter before here arrived.
6. They paint pictures.
7. We are locking the door.
8. Madan is listening to the radio.
9. The teacher teaches us a new lesson.
10. Kalpana has been dancing and singing.
11. Did you go there ?
12. Why did you break the window pane ?
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6.2.10. Future Continuous Tense
This tense denotes an action that will be going on at some time in
the future, e.g.
1. We shall be playing cricket in the evening tomorrow.
2. They will be discussing this matter on the morning of the
tenth.
Exercise 12
Rewrite the following sentences after changing the
Tense into the Future Continuous :
1. I boarded a plane.
2. She was playing on the harmonium.
3. The peon rings the bell.
4. Hari bought this watch from this shop.
5. They are reading newspapers.
6. We have been playing football.
7. Mamta has cooked the dinner.
8. She sang a beautiful song.
9. The children have eaten a chocolate icecream.
10. He had been collecting stamps.
6.1.11 Future Perfect Tense
This tense denotes an action that will have been completed at some
point of time in the future, e.g.
1. We shall have reached there by that time.
2. I shall have written this essay when you come.
6.1.12. Future Perfect Continuous Tense :
This tense denotes an action that will have been going on at or
before some point of time in the future, e.g.
1. She will have been dancing for two hours before we
reach there.
2. I shall have been working for seven days before my
employer comes back.
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Exercise 13
Fill in the blanks with the Future Perfect Continuous
Tense of the Verbs :
1. I t .........in Shimla since morning, (snow)
2. W h at.... y o u ............................. ? (write).
3. W e ....... (play) for three hours when you come here.
4. A nand........(live) in Jaipur for ten years.
5. S h e ..........(read) this book for ten days.
6. I ................(live) in Chennai for two months.
7 ................ the ta p ...........(run) for an hour before you turn it
off?
8. The mechanic............(repair) my car for an hour.
9. H e ............(suffer) from fever for six days before you get
him admitted to the hospital.
10. S ita ..........(knit) my sweater for a month before she
leaves for Mumbai.
6.1.13 Some Important Points to be Remembered
I. A Past Tense in the Main clause of a sentence having two
or more clauses must be followed by a Past Tense in the
Subordinate Clause, e.g.
(a) He passed the examination because he had worked very
hard.
(b) She told me that she would meet me in the market.
(c) We laughed as soon as he started singing.
(d) He cried when she insulted him.
(e) He came soon after you rang him up.
Exceptions to this rule
(a) If the subordinate clause expresses some universal or
habitual fact, its verb can remain in the present tense, e.g.
1. She remarked that honesty is the best pobcy.
2. The teacher said that the earth Ground.
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3. He admitted that hew a liar.
(b) If the subordinate clause is introduced by ‘than’ or ‘as
much as’, its verb can be of any tense that suits the sense,
e.g.
1. She favoured me more than shefavours anybody else.
2. She admired me as much as she admires her husband.
(c) If the subordinate clause is an adjective clause, its verb
may be in any tense that suits the sense, e.g.
1. I liked the book which you have always criticized.
2. They presented a play which will be liked by all.
3. A present or future tense in the main clause can be followed
by any tense whatever in the subordinate clause, e.g.
(a) I know she will not come.
(b) You will soon know if she comes here.
Distinction between Present Perfect and Past

Indefinite Study the following sentences:
(a) I saw the Qutab Minar last Sunday. (Past Indefinite)
(b) I have seen the Qutab Minar. (Present Perfect)
2.(a) I wrote to him yesterday. (Past Indefinite)
(b) I have written to him. (Present Perfect)
3. (a) The sun set at 6-15 p.m. yesterday. (Past Indefinite)
(b) The sun has set. (Present Perfect)
A careful study of the above sentences (a) would reveal that the
Past Indefinite Tense is used when a definite time in the past is
given or implied. In sentences (b) the Present Perfect has been
used because no definite point o f time has been mentioned. In
these sentences, we are interested only in the completion of the
action as we know it now. Also, the work having been completed,
the effect remains.
• Generally, the Past Indefinite carries expressions like last
night, yesterday, last Monday, in the evening, last year,
at 5 p.m., etc. with it.
• The Present Perfect generally carries expressions like so

far, by now, up to now, recently, lately, ju st now, etc.
with it.
D istinction betw een Present Continuous and Present

Indefinite (w ith regard to the use o f tim e expressions)
1. I(a)
play cricket almost every day. (Present Indefinite)
(b) I am playing cricket now. (Present Continuous)
2. He drinks every evening.
(a) (Present Indefinite)
(b) He is drinking now. (Present Continuous)
3. It
(a)rains in August every year. (Present Indefinite)
(b) It is raining at the moment. (Present Continuous)
From the above examples, it is quite clear that the Present

Continuous Tense is used to represent an action that is going on at
thetimeof speaking while the Present Indefinite is used to represent
any habitual action or a general or universal truth.
• Time expressions like generally, always, after, frequently,

twice a day, once a year, usually, sometimes, every day,
every Sunday, every year, in August, etc. are usually
used with The Present Indefinite Tense.
Time expressions like now, at the moment, at present,

etc., are generally used with the Present Continuous Tense.
Exercise 14
Correct the following sentences :
1. She had left yesterday.
2. I had gone to Chennai last week.
3. She is reading the ‘Gitanjali’ for the last six days.
4. She finished her work when I met her.
5. When I finished my dinner, I shall read a book.
6. The train left the station before I reached there.
7. I lived in Chandigarh since 1978.
8. Edison has invented the gramophone.
9. She had been bom in 1980.
10. They are working hard since last month.
Exercise 15
Fill in the blanks with the suitable forms of the verbs
given:
1. She generally........... at 4 o’clock but today sh e ...........at
six o’clock, (come)
2. M ohan......... his homework now. He usually............. it
at night (do).
3. “For how many y e a rs............y o u ............. here ?” “ I
..........here for three years.” (work)
4. The f ir e ............ (spread) to the next house before the
firemen........ (arrive).
5. H e .........(teach) in this school since 2002.
6. After th e y ..... (leave) w e ........... (decide) to hold the
meeting.
7. Tagore.... (write) a number of poems.
8. I .........(wear) a hat today because it is very hot.
9. W h at..........s h e ..........him ? (give)
10. The school b e ll..........(ring) at 9.30 a.m. every day.
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Exercise 16
Use the correct form of the verbs given in brackets :
1. As M o h an ............(run) to jum p over the ditch, he ...
(slip) an d ....... (twist) his ankle. W e..........(have) to carry
him home. The doctor had ju s t......... (leave) a n d .........
(say) that h e ............(be) soon all right.
2. When sh e .........(reach) the station, sh e ........ (learn) that
the tra in ....... (leave) ten minutes before. The station
m aster......(tell) her that the time ta b le ........... (change)
the previous week.
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
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Chapter-7
PUNCTUATION
7.0 While speaking, sometimes we raise our to n e : this tells
the listener that we are asking a question. Sometimes, we
drop our tone to indicate that we have completed a
sentence. Sometimes we pause, and sometimes we shout
to indicate various moods, shades of meaning.
In writing, the same functions are taken care of by Marks
of Punctuation. In other words, Marks of Punctuation
are signals that help the reader the same way that changes
in voice and pauses help the listener.
Thus punctuation marks play a very important role in
communication. A wrong use of punctuation can even
change the sense of a sentence completely.
Look at the following examples:

1. John said, “Asha is an idiot.”
2. “John”, said Asha, “is an idiot.”
The two sentences above are made up of the same words.

But, because of the placement of punctuation marks only,
the meaning conveyed by the first sentence is completely
different from the meaning conveyed by the second
sentence.
The important punctuation marks are:
1. Full stop or Period

2. Comma
3. Sem i-colon
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Y[ K
4. Colon
5. Sign of interrogation
6. Sign of exclamation
7. Inverted commas
8. Dash
9. Hyphen
10. Brackets
11. Apostrophe
12. Capital letters
7.1 Full Stop (Period) ( . )

A Full Stop is used:
1. to mark the end of such a sentence which
is not a question or an exclamation.
Children are fond of ice-cream.
Let’s sit in the sun.
Please have a seat.
2. after initials or abbreviations:
N.D.A. : National Defence Academy
etc. : et cetera
Sept. : September
N o te : This use of the period is optional in the present-
day British English.
7.2 Comma ( , )
A Comma is used:
1. to separate a question tag or similar word or phrase from
the rest of the sentence.
You are a doctor, aren’t you ?

Asha helped you, didn’t she ?
97
You live in Ludhiana, right ?
You will work hard, O.K. ?
2. after ‘Yes’, ‘N o’ or ‘Well’ when these words start a
sentence:
Yes, he has come.
No, that’s not possible.
Well, you can do it on Sunday.
3. after nominative address:
Mohan, listen to me.
Friends, let’s do our best.
4. after an absolute construction:
It being hot, we decided to go out.
The sun having risen, everybody came out.
5. to save repetition of a v erb :
The husband is an Indian, the wife, an American.
I went to Chandigarh, she, to Ropar.
6. to separate items in lists of words, phrases or clauses:
I bought apples, oranges, pears and mangoes.
If you keep calm, take your time, concentrate and then
answer the questions, you are sure to succeed.
7. between an adverbial clause or a long phrase and the main
clause:
In the winters, at this height, life becomes really tough.
When the sun is shining and birds are singing, the world
seems a happier place.
8. to separate a reported speech from a reporting v e rb :
Papa said, “We will visit the museum tomorrow.”
“You must learn a foreign language,” said she.
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9. to separate words of the same class used in p airs:
Everyone, rich or poor, young or old, high or low, wishes
to be happy.
10. after a non-finite or verbless clause at the beginning of a
sentence:
To make certain his success, he used all sorts of means,
fair and foul.
Worn out by the long journey, we soon fell asleep.
11. to separate long clauses linked by a conjunction (and, as,
but, for, or, etc.):
We had been looking forward to his visit, but unfortunately
it did not materialize.
12. to separate an introductory word or phrase from the rest
of the sentence:
moreover, indeed, therefore, in short, by the way, on the
contrary, secondly, lastly, as it happens, etc.
O f course, I will help you.
By the way, have you paid the bill ?
13. before an independent clause or an adverbial, etc., that
interrupts the sentence:
The attempt, unfortunately, did not succeed.
The fire, although it had been burning for hours, did not do
much damage.
14. to guard against misreading. Sometimes, a comma is
necessary to separate words or phrases that might seem
to go together, often with two possible readings:
Just what he wants, now has to be determined.
Note: A comma is essential between words that do not belong
together.
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Observe the following sentences :
1. Their shirts were blue and red.
2. Their shirts were blue, and red.
Sentence 1 means that all the shirts were of mixed colours.
Sentence 2 means that some shirts were blue, whereas
the others were red.
3. We bought grapes, milk, chocolate and butter.
4. We bought grapes, milk chocolate and butter.
Sentence 3 means that we bought four items.
Sentence 4 means that we bought three items.
7.3 Semi-colon ( ; )
A Semi-colon is used to indicate a longer pause than is
indicated by a comma. It is used
(a) to separate longer clauses from one another:
My friend turned up at the right m om ent; but we could
not attend the meeting.
(b) to divide clauses which are connected by the conjunctions
so, then, therefore, for, still, otherwise, yet, e tc :
Walk fast; otherwise you will miss the train.
I called again and again; yet no one answered.
(c) to separate independent sentences:
I cam e; I s a w ; I conquered.
He is on to p ; I am at the bottom.
7.4 Sign of Interrogation ( ? )

This sign is put after a sentence that asks a question.
Where do you live ?
Does she live in a hostel ?
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7.5 Colon ( : )
A colon denotes a pause longer than the one denoted by a
semi-colon. It is u sed :
(a) before introducing a quotation.
Keats said : “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.”
Shakespeare says: “Sweet are the uses of adversity.”
(b) before giving some justification or explanation or a
statement given earlier:
A mathematician should know all branches of
Mathematics: Algebra, Calculus, Arithmetic,
Co-ordinate and Solid geometry.
(c) to introduce a list or before an enumeration:
The following students won the prize:
Harpreet, Sandeep, Gagan, Vikram.
(d) to introduce a statement explaining or supporting the
previous statement:
I like h im : he is so considerate.
I refused to go to pictures: I was so tired.
(e) to suggest that examples follow.
(See (a) to (d) above)
7.6 Sign of Exclamation ( ! )

(a) This sign is used after sentences or words which express
some emotion or a sudden outburst of feeling of surprise,
grief, joy, wonder, e tc.:
May God bless you with all the joys of life !
Alas ! I have lost the bet.
(b) after nominative of address:
“S ir! S ir! he implored, “Do not dismiss me.”
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7.7 Inverted Commas [ “ ”]
Inverted commas or quotation marks are used to mark
the exact words of a speaker or a quotation.
She said, “I like helping others.”
Shakespeare says, “Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of
sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
N o te : A quotation within a quotation is marked by single inverted
commas.
He said, “We often hear people say ‘love makes life worth
living’.”
7.8 Dash ( - )
(1) A dash is used to indicate a break or sudden turn of
thought.
She prayed to God-God, who is all Merciful.
(2) to mark a parenthesis or a small sentence, two dashes are
used:
He is - between you and me - a crooked man.
Even at this age - because of the influence of environment
- he has started taking interest in music.
(3) to show words in apposition or to mark off an explanation:
We - who have assembled here - promise our full support
to you.
Ravi - the youngest boy in the class - has topped the list.
7.9 Hyphen ( - )
A hyphen is used to combine the parts of a compound
word.
commander-in-chief, father-in-law, lady-in-waiting
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7.10 Apostrophe
An apostrophe is u sed :
(a) to indicate a missing letter or letters:
Do not : Don’t
Tis : It is
Shan’t : Shall not
(b) to mark the Possessive Case of Nouns and Indefinite
Pronouns:
Mohan’s sisters, Ram’s scooter
One should do one’s duty.
7.11 Brackets ( )
Brackets are used to enclose information, explanation, etc. in the
main sentence. Their use is just like that of two dashes with the
difference that they show a somewhat lesser connection with the
main clause than do the two dashes.
I went out, and what might be on the other side (the west
side) I do not know.
7.12 Capital Letters
A capital letter is used:
(1) to begin a sentence:
Work hard.
Where is your scooter ?
(2) To begin each fresh line of a poem :
Youth is full of pleasure,
Age is full of care.
(3) For Proper N ouns:
India, Mahatma Gandhi, Ludhiana.
(4) To begin a quotation:
The proverb says, “Better alone than in a bad company.”
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(5) For degrees, titles e tc :
B.A., Sir, Madam, Dr. Sharma.
(6) For personified objects:
O Death, where is thy victory ?
(7) For all nouns, pronouns and possessive adjectives which
stand for G o d :
O God, Thou are merciful.
(8) For inteijection ‘O’ and Pronoun ‘I’ :
He asked for help and I, at once, agreed to help him.
O, what can ail thee, knight-at-arms ?
Solved Examples
Unpunctuated
pardon she muttered i cant help it my head aches ill go away
Punctuated
“Pardon”, she muttered, “I can’t help it. My head aches, I ’ll go
away.”
Unpunctuated
can i see you said i i did not want to say alone again but without it
the thing seemed self - evident.
Punctuated
“Can I see you ?” said 1.1 didn’t want to say ‘alone’ again but
without it the thing seemed self-evident.
Unpunctuated
well john did you take the note I gave you to mr smith inquired a
gentleman of his rustic servant yes sir replied john i took the note
but i wonder who will read it.
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Punctuated
“Well John, did you take the note I gave you to Mr. Smith ?”
inquired a gentleman of his rustic servant.
“Yes, sir,” replied John, “I took the note, but I wonder who will
read it.”
Practice E xercises
Punctuate the following using proper punctuation marks wherever
necessary.
Exercise 1
1. My sister is an ma b ed.
2. ramesh the director of the company has gone to delhi.
3. the rich and the poor the high and the low the weak and
the strong visit this temple.
4. he asked me why i was crying.
5. the sun having risen we started our journey.
6. god save me from such friends.
7. tibet the roof of the world is an old land.
8. she is no doubt the happiest girl under the sun.
9. we bought apples oranges peaches and bananas.
10. unless you work hard you cant stand first.
Exercise 2
1. kashmir the Switzerland of India is very beautiful
2. may i come in sir
3. well we’11meet at the station tomorrow
4. money is after all not the most important thing
5. she is an american she a dutch
6. mohan in his heart of hearts felt sad
7. harpreetwas elected an m l a
8. balwinder to tell you the truth is a crook
9. there are five m a b eds in our school
10. sita is dancer gita a singer
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Exercise 3
1. ram singh the captain of the team is from makhan majra
2. he passed the b a exam last year
3. balinder came first he was therefore given a prize
4. bill clinton the president of the u s a was a very active
politician
5. the ramayana is a sacred book of the hindus
6. harpreet is a student of khalsa college amritsar
7. she is a phd student
8. do as I tell you said the magician
9. gitanjali was composed by tagore
10. the teacher said students don’t make a noise
11. i like the poems of amrita pritam
12. he lost money reputation and friends
Exercise 4
1. Portia is the heroine of shakespeares merchant of Venice
2. i would rather die she said than beg
3. the brave and the coward the intelligent and the dull the
weak and the strong came to ashok for guidance
4. his story was in several ways improbable
5. mahatma gandhi was killed on 30th january 1948 and was
cremated at raj ghat delhi
6. example as the proverb says is the best precept
7. friends romans countrymen lend me your ears
8. we want help not sympathy
9. being dissatisfied he resigned his post
10. john smith lived soberly honestly and prudently
Exercise 5
1. I have opted for punjabi, english, economics and
philosophy
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2. some men are bom great some achieve greatness and some
have greatness thrust upon them
3. william the conqueror is remembered for his courage and
fortitude
4. anand and not you is to blame
5. have you read shakespeares as you like it
6. long live the president
7. the headmaster said to the student yes come in
8. ashoka the great declared buddhism as the state religion
9. the examination being over we decided to have a holiday
10. the room was spacious but dark and suffocating
Exercise 6
1. If you go to agra do visit the taj mahal
2. welcome he said have a seat what can i do for you
3. on Tuesday the prime minister of Afghanistan reaches india
4. sir said the lamb you surely see that the water flows from
you to me how can i then make the water muddy
5. he said asha looks terrible is she ill
6. reading maketh a full man speaking a ready man writing
an exact man
7. men may come and men may go but I go on for ever
8. i tell you sir i have read king lear
9. my uncle dr clSharm a lives in shimla
10. how stupid I have been said vandana
Exercise 7
1. i now fully understand who he was why he came to kolkata
and where he went away
2. once during a break in the rains there was a cool soft breeze
blowing a bird was singing a sweet song among the green
trees
3. he studies in hindu college
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4. o death where is thy sting
5. i left this place on Sunday the 9th of October and returned
on thursday the 15th of november
6. your son is certainly a boy of ability said the headmaster
but all depends upon you whether he is to do well at school
what an extraordinary statement said the father how can
his progress possibly depend upon me you can see replied
the headmaster that he does his homework carefully oh
yes said the father i can do at least that much
7. one day walking together up a hill i said to friday do you
not wish yourself in your own country again yes he said
what would you do there said i would you turn wild and
eat mens flesh again he looked full of concern and shaking
his head said no no
8. a gentleman thinking he was charged too much by a porter
for the delivery of a parcel asked him what his name was
my name replied the man is the same as my fathers
9. no smoking in this compartment said the ticket inspector
to the traveller i am not smoking was the travellers reply
but you have got your pipe in your mouth answered the
inspector yes was the sharp reply i have got my feet in my
boots but i am not walking
10. you coward he said gently as if tohimself then with neither
hurry nor any particular violence he struck the man in the
mouth the man sprang to his feet and cried a blow I would
not take a blow from god almighty
11. a blind man carrying a lantern in his hand and a pitcher on
his shoulder was walking along one night alone when he
met a thoughtless young fellow who asked him to explain
the use of a lantern to a blind man
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12. i wish i had lots of money said the wife if one could get
what one wished for i think i should wish for common
sense not for money said the husband naturally everybody
wishes for what he has not got said the wife
13. who is the man you speak of asked rama leaving his seat
buttoning up his coat and moving towards the door
14. the hare said to the tortoise you bulky fellow how slowly
you crawl i could run a mile while you ran a dozen yards
the tortoise replied o boaster do you really think so let us
have a race and we shall see who is faster
15. a few years ago a man named smith was tried on a charge
of entering a house and committing theft there he had
made an opening into which he had thrust the upper part
of his body and he had removed the articles he could lay
his hands on his pleader said my lord my client did not
enter the house only his upper half went in
♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦
109
Chapter- 8
VOCABULARY
8.1 Pairs of words generally confused :
The following pairs of words often create confusion in the
minds of the students. So, their meanings should be properly
understood.
1. Accept (consent, to receiv e):
She accepted my offer.
Except (excluding):
All except her mother joined the party.
2. Alter (to chang e):
Do not alter your decision now.
Altar (a place of w orship):
Take off your shoes before reaching the altar.
3. Adapt (to f i t ) :
One should adapt oneself to new
circumstances.
Adopt (to take u p ) :
Rani will not adopt this child.
Adept (expert):
He is adept at drawing.
4. Access (approach):
He has an easy access to the minister.
Excess (amount by which a thing exceeds):
Excess of everything is bad.
5. Advise (verb) :
I advised him to go there.
Advice (n o u n ):
My advice was accepted by him .
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6. Angle (space between two lines meeting at a point):
Draw an angle equal to the given angle.
Angel (a heavenly b e in g ):
My good angel saved me from sin.
7. Incident (any occurrence):
He related an amusing incident.
Accident (an unexpected happening):
A serious railway accident took place
yesterday.
8. Amiable (lovable):
Her manners are amiable.
Amicable (peaceful) :
They want an amicable settlement of the
dispute.
9. Affect (v e rb ):
The unwholesome food affected her health
adversely.
Effect (no u n ):
Bad effect of liquor was soon felt.
10. Artisan (craftsm an):
A goldsmith is an artisan.
Artist (expert in some fine a r t) :
A painter is an artist.
11. Bail (security):
She was released on bail.
Bale (large bu n d le):
She stole eight bales of cotton.
12. Bare (uncovered):
He goes out for a walk with his head bare.
Ill
Bear (tolerate):
(i) Will he bear this heavy loss?
(ii) I have seen a bear, (a wild animal).
14. Battle (one engagem ent) :
The battles of Panipat decided the fate of India.
W ar (a series of engagem ents):
The war of Mahabharat ruined the country.
15. Bom (come into w o rld ):
Jawaharlal Nehru was bom on 14th
November, 1889.
Borne (tolerated):
She has patiently borne her troubles.
16. Bridal (related to m arriage):
Her bridal dress was beautiful.
Bridle (reins of the h o rse ):
Hold the bridle of the horse carefully.
17. Birth (coming to lif e ):
His date of birth is 15th February, 1981.
Berth (space or s e a t):
Kindly reserve a berth for me.
18. Break ( to divide into two):
Can you break this stick ?
Brake (an appliance to check sp eed ):
She applied the brakes and stopped the car.
19. Canon (ru le):
We must observe the basic canons of
morality.
Cannon (a big g u n ):
A cannon was fired in the evening.
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20. Canvas (rough c lo th ):
Military tents are generally made of canvas.
Canvass (to try to get support):
A quarrel arose when they were canvassing
the votes.
21. Carrier (one that carries):
Germs are carriers of diseases.
Career (course of lif e ):
Her service career is good.
22. Cast (throw off):
Cast off your old shoes.
Caste (a class by b irth ):
She is a Kshatriya by caste.
23. Childish (like a child):
Nobody likes her childish ways.
Childlike (innocent):
Her childlike simplicity won us over.
24. Cite (quote in support):
She cited several examples to prove her point.
Site (a selected sp o t):
This site is good for a shop.
Sight (view):
W hat a lovely s ig h t!
25. Cord (thin ro p e ):
Loosen the cords of this pocket a bit.
Chord (a line in a c irc le):
Draw a chord in a circle.
26. Course (a fixed syllabus):
The teacher finished the course.
Coarse (rough):
This is a coarse cloth.
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27. Custom (usual practice):
Giving of dowry is not a good custom.
Habit (tendency):
Drinking is a bad habit.
28. Check (stoppage, restraint):
He checked him from going further.
Cheque (order to pay or draw on a b a n k ):
I have given her a cheque for thousand
rupees.
29. Council (assembly):
Ravi was elected to the students’ council.
Counsel (advice):
Your counsels have helped me a lot.
30. Dear (beloved):
Ram is my dear friend.
Deer (an anim al):
I saw a deer in the zoo.
31. Dose (amount to be taken at one tim e ):
The doctor gave a dose of medicine to the
patient.
Doze (light slee p ):
He was found dozing in the class.
32. Discover (find o u t):
Columbus discovered America.
Invent (devise):
Graham Bell invented telephone.
33. Disease (illness):
Jaundice is a common disease.
Decease (death ):
Her sudden decease was shocking.
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34. Drown (suffocated):
The girl was drowned in the sea.
Sink (disappear below the surface):
The ship sank and all the passengers were
drowned.
35. Due (ow ing):
Her failure is due to her carelessness.
Dew (moisture on g ra ss):
The dew drops are quite pleasing to the sight.
36. Dying (expiring):
She has not written any will before dying.
Dyeing (the act of colouring):
She is an expert in dyeing.
37. Diary (a book for daily reco rd ):
Surinder writes his diary daily.
Dairy ( a place where milk is k e p t):
Rahul likes dairy products.
38. Envelop (to surround):
The mist enveloped us.
Envelope (the cover o f le tte r):
Please put my letter in the envelope.
39. Fair (beautiful, fine, g o o d ):
He has a fa ir amount of sense.
Fare (cost of transportation):
I am entitled to first class fare.
40. Feet (part of b o d y ):
I have two feet.
Feat (surprising perform ance):
We saw the feats of a juggler.
41. Farther (expresses distance):
He will not go a step farther.
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Further (something additional):
We need further information.
42. Flour (ground w h e at):
The bread is made o f flour.
Floor (the lower surface):
This house has a beautiful floor.
43. Fore (before, in fro n t):
The manager joined in the forenoon.
Four (a num ber):
The cat has fo u r legs.
44. Foul (d irty ):
The rubbish in the street emitted afoul smell.
Fowl (a b ird ):
We are fond of hunting water fowls.
45. Forth (forw ard):
The candidates came forth for the interview.
Fourth (a num eral):
He has secured the fourth position.
46. Farm (field ):
Mr. Singh has a very big farm.
Form (shape):
Mother form s the character of her child.
47. Gate (an entrance):
This palatial building has an iron gate.
Gait (manner of w alking):
This aged woman walked with an unsteady
gait.
48. Goal (a im ):
You must have some goal in your life.
Gaol (ja il):
The accused was sent to the gaol.
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49. Hail (com e):
She hails from Amritsar.
Hale (healthy):
Everybody should look hale and hearty.
50. Heel (the hind part of the foot or s h o e ):
The cobbler mended the heel of my shoe.
Heal (to c u re ):
This wound will take time to heal.
51. Human (pertaining to m a n ):
To err is human.
Humane (k in d ):
Be humane to the poor.
52. H a ir:
She has beautiful hair.
Hare (rabbit):
The hare runs very fast.
53. Idle (without w o rk ):
An idle brain is the devil’s workshop.
Idol (im age):
The Hindus worship idols.
54. Industrial (pertaining to industry) :
Ludhiana is an industrial city.
Industrious (hardw orking):
They are industrious people.
55. Knotty (difficult):
Let us try to solve this knotty problem.
Naughty (m ischievous):
Do not mix with naughty boys.
56. Loose (not tig h t):
This pant of mine is a bit loose.
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Lose (a v e rb ):
Those who lose seconds, lose years.
57. Lesson (a chapter o f a text-book, a n o u n ):
Good students learn their lessons regularly.
Lessen (to make less, a v e rb ):
This pill will surely lessen your pain.
58. Lightening (making le s s ):
She devotes her time in lightening the burden
of others.
Lightning (flash of lig h t):
There was thunder and lightning before rain.
59. Loin (part of the b o d y ):
Let us gird up our loins.
Lion (an anim al):
There are many lions in this forest.
60. Liar (one who tells lie s ):
She is a liar and none believes her.
Lawyer (versed in la w ):
Mr. Singh is a successful lawyer.
61. Mail (letters):
Is there any mail for me today?
Male (male p erso n ):
There is only one male member in our family.
62. Miner (worker in a m in e ):
Six miners lost their lives in the accident.
Minor (sm all):
It is a minor defect.
63. Merry (happy):
Eat, drink and be merry.
Marry (w e d ):
She wants to marry an educated boy.
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64. M eet (to see a perso n ):
Varinder will meet me in the college.
M eat (flesh of anim als):
I like fowl meat.
65. Moral (noble):
Kamaljit bears a good moral character.
Morale (confidence):
The morale of our troops was high.
66. Pail (bucket):
The pail is full of milk.
Pale (w hitish):
Raghu’s face turned pale at the sight of a
tiger.
67. Pain (trouble):
The wound is causing her pain.
Pane (a sheet of glass in a d o o r):
Some mischievous boy broke the window
pane.
68. Pair (a set of tw o ):
I have a pair of shoes.
Pare (to c u t):
Pare your nails, please.
69. Piece (portion separated from the w h o le):
I have a piece of work at home.
Peace (a state of calm ness):
Only the pure-hearted can have peace of
mind.
70. Plan (schem e):
He hit upon a nice plan.
Plane (smooth aw ay ):
Plane the top of this table, please.
119
Plain (level tra c t):
The plains of Haryana and Punjab are fertile.
71. Practice (repeated action to improve skill, a n o u n ):
Practice makes a man perfect.
Practise (engage in, a v e rb ):
He is practising as a lawyer.
72. Quite (com pletely):
I am quite well today.
Quiet (silent):
Keep quiet, please.
73. Pray (offer prayers to G o d ):
She prays to God daily.
Prey (h u n t):
The lion preys upon other animals.
74. Principal (chief, h e a d ):
Who is the principal of your school ?
Principle (rule of conduct):
Do you know the principles of your religion ?
75. Right (correct):
She is right in saying so.
Rite (cerem onies):
Old rites must go now.
W rite :
He writes to me off and on.
76. Route (w a y ):
Which is the shortest route to the hotel?
Rout (utter defeat):
The enemy was put to rout.
77. Role (p a rt):
The teacher has to play an important role in
society.
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R oll:
The teacher took the roll-call.
78. Ring (circular o b ject):
She wears a diamond ring in her finger.
Wring (squeeze):
Wring out the towel, please.
79. Sale (selling):
This shirt is for sale.
Sail (journey on w a ter):
They sailed for Australia.
80. Sore (suffering p a in ):
My eyes are sore.
Sour (tasting ta rt):
The grapes are sour.
Soar (to rise u p ) :
The eagle soars high in the sky.
81. Soul (spirit):
The soul never dies.
Sole (under part of sh o e):
The sole of your shoe needs mending.
82. Stationary (not m oving):
The sun is stationary.
Stationery (writing m aterial):
She deals in stationery.
83. Steal (take dishonestly):
A thief came to steal at my house but was
caught.
Steel (a fine and hard iro n ):
The rails are made of steel.
84. Story (a ta le ):
Children like to read stories.
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Storey (floor of a h o u se):
The upper storey of this building is to-let.
85. Son (male c h ild ):
My son is a lovely chap.
Sun:
The sun gives light to the earth.
86. Tail (a part of animal’s b o d y ):
Buffalo has a long tail.
Tale (story, a narrative):
He related his sad tale.
87. Their (belong to th e m ):
This is their land.
There (that p la c e ):
Go there.
88. Throne (seat of a k in g ):
After the death of the king, his son sat on the
throne.
Thrown (past participle of th ro w ):
Rotten eggs were thrown out.
89. Tamper (interfere):
It is bad to tamper with accounts.
Temper (a state of m in d ):
Do not lose temper, please.
90. Vacation (a spell of holidays):
We are going to Shimla to spend our summer
vacation.
Vocation (occupation):
Teaching is my vocation.
91. Vain (proud):
W hat a vain fellow he is!
12 2
Vane (sail or w ind-m ill):
The wind vane points to the south.
Vein (any of tubes that carry blood to h e a rt):
Veins collect impure blood from all the
organs and carry it to the heart.
92. Waste (use carelessly):
D on’t waste your time.
W aist (part of human b o d y ):
Her waist is thin.
93. W eak (without strength):
He felt very weak.
W eek (seven d a y s):
A week consists of seven days.
94. Wonder (marvel or feel surprised):
I wonder at her foolishness.
W ander (casually move a b o u t):
She is wandering about.
95. W het (to sharpen):
Ravi whetted his knife.
W et (rainy, d a m p ):
His clothes are wet.
96. W eather (condition of the atm osphere):
How is the weather outside ?
W hether (used to introduce alternatives):
W hether I move out or not, depends on how
the weather is outside.
97. W eig h t:
You must reduce your weight.
W ait (to sit in expectation):
Honey waited for you for three hours.
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98. Ware (articles):
This shop deals in various wares.
W ear (to carry on the b o d y ):
He always wears good clothes.
99. Wood (hard fibrous substance):
Chairs are made of wood.
Woods (forest):
She went for a walk in the woods.
100. W hich (one out of m a n y ):
Which book were you talking about ?
W itch (a woman with evil magic power):
Supernatural stories are full of ghosts and
witches.
PRACTICE EXERCISES
(i) Fill in the blanks with suitable words from those
given in brackets :
1. He went for a walk in the................. (wood, woods)
2. She alw ay s.........good clothes. (wares, wears)
3. P le a se ....... here for some time. (wait, weight)
4. B a d .........of drugs was soon felt. (affect, effect)
5. He was set free on ....... (bale, bail)
6. Can y o u ..........this stick ? (break, brake)
7. ................ off your old shoes. (caste, cast)
8. Lata is m y ..... friend. (dear, deer)
9. He does n o t ....... good clothes. (wear, ware)
10. The child wanted me to tell a ....... ( tail, tale)
11. I .........whose house is this ! (wander, wonder)
12. He f e l t ....... after illness. (weak, week)
13. Do not go out in bad............ (weather, whether)
14. She g a v e .........to a baby girl. (birth, berth)
15. He noted it down in h i s .......... (diary, dairy)
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(ii) Fill in the blanks with suitable words from
those given in brackets:
1. He is opening the garden.......... (gate, gait)
2. If a man is n o t ...... he can hardly expect to succeed.
(industrious, industrial)
3. He fell a ..... to disease. (pray, prey)
4. Newton formulated t h e ..... of gravitation.
(principal, principle)
5. He wanted to ... .an educated girl. (marry, merry)
6. Make a list of all the ... .members in our staff.
(male, mail)
7. She never lost her....... (tamper, temper)
8.............. out the damp clothes. (ring, wring)
9. He is in t h e .........of smoking after meals.
(custom, habit)
10. Do n o t ... .in the class. (doze, dose)
8.2 Idioms
1. Above board (without trickery: frank and fa ir):
I have no patience with a man who is not fair
and above board.
2. Adam’s ale (simple and pure w a ter):
A dam ’s ale is the nectar of life.
3. An eye wash (only pretence):
This enquiry is only an eye wash, nothing will
come out of it.
4. At par (on equal le v e l):
Death treats at p a r the rich and the poor.
5. In the air (found everyw here):
Terrorism is in the air all over the world.
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6. All in all (all pow erful):
The Chief Minister is all in all in his state.
7. At a discount (rated lo w ):
Honesty is at a discount these days.
8. Apple of one’s eye (valuable th in g ):
My little son is the apple o f my eye.
9. Apple of discord (Something which causes strife):
This house is an apple o f discord between the
brothers.
10. All Greek (beyond one’s com prehension):
His lecture was all Greek to the villagers.
11. At a stretch (continuously):
He lectured on the subject for hours at a
stretch.
12. At low ebb (declining):
Public charity is at low ebb these days.
13. As easy as ABC (very e a s y ):
Our teacher made us feel that studying science
was as easy as ABC.
14. Again and again (repeatedly):
The drowning man asked for help again and
again.
15. All of a sudden (without w arning):
A ll o f a sudden the packed stair case gave
way.
16. At large (free ):
The escaped convict is still at large.
17. At length (in d etail):
The management discussed the problem at
length.
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18. Behind one’s back (in one’s absence):
Why should you abuse him behind his back ?
19. A bed of roses (an altogether agreeable position):
Life is not a bed o f roses.
20. Borrowed plums (ornam ents):
Borrowed plum s do not win respect.
21. Blue blood (aristocratic; d ecen t):
Prince Charles has blue blood in his veins.
22. A bosom friend (a very intimate frien d ):
I told him everything because he is my bosom
friend.
23. To beat about the bush (to avoid a direct statement of
what must be s a id ):
Do not beat about the bush ; come to the
point.
24. By virtue of (on account o f ) :
He got the job by virtue o f his father’s
influence.
25. By leaps and bounds (at a great sp eed ):
The country has advanced by leaps and
bounds.
26. On the cards (probable):
It is on the cards that India will make a
hydrogen bomb.
27. To carry the day (to prove superior):
In spite of the initial reverses we will carry
the day.
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28. A cat and dog life (a life of petty quarrels and
bickering):
The husband and wife are leading a cat and
dog life.
29. To call a spade a spade (to speak plain and o p e n ):
Only a man of moral strength can call a
spade a spade.
30. A clean slate (make a fresh beginning):
After the marriage both the partners start with
a clean slate in their relations.
31. A close shave (narrow escap e):
The other day I had a close shave when my
scooter was hit by a speeding car.
32. A cock and bull story (an absurd ta le ):
Your cock and bull story proves nothing.
33. To come to light (to become p u b lic):
During the course of the enquiry, many
strange facts came to light.
34. To come to pass (to h ap p en ):
W hat you told me before has come to pass.
35. Crocodile tears (false te a rs ):
He shed crocodile tears at the death of his
step mother.
36. Call it a day (stop doing something for time b e in g ):
When the search went unrewarded the police
decided to call it a day.
37. Call the shots (take the decision):
In the company, the Chairman usually calls
the shots.
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38. Charity begins at home (to look after one’s own self
in terest):
The officer believes in the dictum of charity
begins at home and offers every vacant post to
his relatives.
39. Clear the deck (Make everything re a d y ):
With the arrival of the Foreign Minister, decks
were cleared for further negotiation.
40. Close-fisted person (m iser):
Do not expect monetary help from your
grandfather. He is a close-fisted person.
41. Coin money (make a lot o f m o n ey ):
He has really coined money from his business of
publishing.
42. Cry wolf (warn of danger that does not e x ist):
A person who cries w olf is never trusted by
people.
43. Cut one’s coat according to one’s cloth (try to do
within available resources):
You have spent too lavishly on the party. It is
always wise to cut your coat according to your
cloth.
44. Dark Horse (a person of unknown capabilities):
The independent candidate proved a dark horse
when he won the election.
45. To go to the dogs (to go to ru in ):
His business has gone to the dogs and his family
is starving.
46. Down to earth (realistic):
His down to earth proposal attracted immediate
popularity.
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47. A dead language (language no longer in u s e ):
Persian is now just a dead language.
48. Die by inches (die a slow d e ath ):
The helpless woman died by inches.
49. Do a good turn (do good to som eone):
W ithout expecting any reward, he did me a good
turn.
50. To give ear (to listen t o ) :
Friends give ear to what I say.
51. To make both ends meet (to make one’s income level
with his expenditure):
My uncle made both ends meets with great
difficulty but he never accepted bribe.
52. To end in smoke (to come to no th in g ):
All my efforts to reform him has ended in smoke.
53. An eye opener (something which brings one to
senses):
His failure in the examination proved an eye
opener for him.
54. Every now and then (frequently):
I keep on visiting him every now and then.
55. Early bird (who gets up early in the m orning):
He is an early bird. He gets up to practise yoga.
56. To lose face (to lose prestige):
After having lost face, he is trying to rebuild his
reputation.
57. To save face (to maintain prestige):
In order to save face, the culprit started making
baseless excuses.
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58. Face to face (in the presence of each o th e r):
I turned the street and found myself face to face
with my old friend.
59. To find fault with (to b la m e ):
If anything goes wrong, we should not fin d fault
with others.
60. W ith flying colours (splendidly):
Our team came off with flying colours and won
the gold medal.
61. To foot the bill (to pay the b ill):
Let us all go for dinner in a hotel and I will fo o t
the bill.
62. Tooth and nail (to strongly oppose som ething):
We shall oppose corruption tooth and nail.
63. To gain ground (to make p rogress):
The Indian army gained ground in spite of all
hardships.
64. To throw out of gear (to disturb the working o f ) :
The terrorist activities threw the government
machinery out o f gear.
65. To grind one’s teeth (feeling of ra g e ):
The player ground his teeth when he missed the
catch.
66. To grease the palm (to b rib e ):
He greased the palm of the officials to get his
work done.
67. Go up in flames (to be destroyed):
The manager’s plan for promotion went up in
flames.
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68. A hen-pecked husband (a man who is dominated by
his w ife ):
He is a hen-pecked husband as he lives on the
earnings of his wife.
69. A Herculean task (work requiring great effo rt):
To climb Mount Everest is a Herculean task.
70. To lay hands on (to seiz e ):
We will not allow the enemy to lay hands on our
motherland.
71. Hat trick (three continued successes):
The bowler performed a hat trick by taking three
wickets in three successive balls.
72. Over head and ears (com pletely):
He has suffered loss and is in debt over head and
ears.
73. To take heart (to become ho p efu l):
After failure he took heart afresh.
74. To take to one’s heels (to run o f f ) :
The thief took to his heels at the sight of the
policeman.
75. Hard and fast (rig id ):
The rules of the traffic are hard and fast.
76. To hush up (to suppress):
Rave bribed the officer to hush up the matter.
77. Ins and outs (detail):
He knows the ins and outs of cloth business.
78. Ill at ease (uncom fortable):
The child was ill at ease in the new atmosphere.
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79. To keep an eye on (to w atch ):
Keep an eye on the servant.
80. To look sharp (to h u rry ):
Look sharp, otherwise you will miss the train.
81. In a nutshell (briefly):
The teacher explained the lesson in a nutshell.
82. To cry over spilt milk (useless reg rets):
It is no use crying over spilt milk.
83. Off and on (at intervals):
Our Principal addresses the students o ff and on.
PRACTICE EXERCISES
(i) Use the following idioms in sentences of your
own:
1 . Off and on
2. In the air
3. To come to light
4. Call it a day
5. In a nutshell
6. Early bird
7. To go to the dogs
8. Cry wolf
9. Down to earth
10. To end in smoke
11. Tooth and nail
12. Hat trick
133
(ii) Match the idioms in column A with their
meanings in column B:
A B
hard and fast in detail
ill at ease to happen
go up in flames to bribe
to lose face to blame
to foot the bill rigid
to find fault with uncomfortable
to grease the palm to pay the bill
to come to pass to be destroyed
on the cards to lose prestige
at length probable
8.3 One word for many and their use in sentences

1. Something that can be heard audible.
She spoke in a barely audible whisper.
2. Something written by an unknown person anonymous.
It is an anonymous letter as it does not bear the name of
the writer.
3. A written declaration made on oath in the presence of a
magistrate or a government official affidavit.
The applicant was asked to produce an affidavit that he
was an Indian citizen.
4. One who does not believe in God atheist
He does not go to any temple because he is an atheist.
5. A government by one person or one party autocracy
M ost of the countries of the world have abolished
autocracy and have switched on to the democratic form
of the government.
134
6. A word opposite in meaning antonym
The antonym of ‘hard’ is ‘soft’.
7. Lifestory of a person written by himself autobiography
The autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi is called ‘My
Experiments with Truth’.
8. Medicine to counteract the effect of poison antidote
Do you know the antidote for this poison ?
9. Representative of a government with full authority
ambassador
The governor of our state was an ambassador in
Germany before he joined his post.
10. A word the meaning of which is not clear ambiguous
The minister’s statement on the issue was quite
ambiguous.
11. Place for keeping birds aviary
All types of birds can be seen in this aviary.
12. A place for the storage of weapons arsenal
When the arsenal in Islamabad caught fire, the Pakistan
government had to suffer a great loss.
13. To increase the gravity of a situation aggravate
Scratching a mosquito bite aggravates the itching.
14. The crime of setting things on fire arson
Arson in this factory caused a loss of property and
machinery.
15. A list of things to be discussed at meeting agenda
Here is the agenda for the meeting to be held tomorrow
16. State of growth between boyhood and youth
adolescence
Adolescence is a very critical period in one’s life.
135
17. A carriage for the sick and wounded ambulance
The ambulance has been called to carry the patient to
the hospital as he is in a very critical condition.
18. Objects having life animate
It is our sacred duty to safeguard all animates.
19. A state where no government exists anarchy
After the President lost control of the state, there
was complete anarchy in the country.
20. Liable to be called to account accountable
He is accountable to the manager of his company for
the losses incurred by him.
21. An assembly of listeners audience
The audience heard the speech of the leader very
attentively.
22. A game or work done for pleasure amateur
The players of our college team are amateurs.
23. One who lives in a foreign country alien
An Englishman is an alien in the United States.
24. Government by the officials bureaucracy
Bureaucracy is more important in offices than the
elected government.
25. Marrying two wives/husband bigamy
Bigamy is considered a sin and a crime in our country.
26. A man who is not married bachelor
Although he has attained the age of forty five, he is
still a bachelor because he has not been able to select
a girl of his choice so far.
27. That which can be broken easily brittle
Be careful in handling those articles of glass as they are
brittle.
136
28. To speak ill of a person in his absence backbite
You should better say whatever you think about
him in his presence; do not backbite.
29. A bunch of flowers bouquet
He presented a bouquet to his beloved on her birthday.
30. The science which deals with life biology
He has studied biology so thoroughly that he is sure to
stand first in this subject.
31. A girl who is about to be married bride
At the time of her marriage, the bride was wearing
attractive jewellery.
32. A boy who is going to be married bridegroom
The bridegroom was so happy at the time of his
marriage that he willingly rode the mare even though
he dreaded horse-riding.
33. One who believes everybody credulous
He is so credulous that he will never doubt anything
that you say.
34. A place where you can buy drinks and simple meals cafe
Alcohol is not usually served in Indian Cafes.
35. A list of names of books catalogue
I have brought a catalogue of books recently published
by the NCERT.
36. A period of one hundred years century
Dinosaurs inhabited the earth centuries ago.
37. A piece of machinery used for mathematical
calculations calculator
A calculator is not allowed to be used for
arithmetical calculations during examination.
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38. The peak point of a story or a plot climax
W hen the story reached its climax, he stopped narrating
it, saying that he would complete it the next day.
39. A place where dead are buried cemetery
The dead body was carried to the cemetery for burial.
40. The art of beautiful writing calligraphy
He has been given appointment in the editorial staff of
this newspaper because he is adept at calligraphy.
41. Musical entertainment given in a public hall concert
Mrs. M. Subalaxmi gave many concerts in foreign
countries and won applause from the audience.
42. One who eats human flesh cannibal
All the giants in old stories were cannibals.
43. One who is at home in many lands cosmopolitan
He is a statesman with a cosmopolitan outlook.
44. Government of the people, by the people, for the people
democracy
Like many other countries of the world, India also has
democracy.
45. One who drinks too much drunkard
On my way back home, I saw a drunkard lying
senseless on the road.
46. Government by one man dictatorship
There was dictatorship in Germany when Hitler was all
powerful.
47. Money or gifts given to a girl in her marriage dowry
The bride was given almost every useful thing in
dowry, yet her in-laws were not satisfied.
48. To injure one’s reputation defame
Many enemies tried to defame me in all possible ways,
but my friends knew that everything said about me was
cooked up.
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49. Place of permanent residence domicile
In this application performa for the job of an assistant,
he has to mention his domicile.
50. The art of management practised by statesmen
diplomacy
He is adept in diplomacy and will satisfy you by his
talks.
51. A speech made without preparation extempore
He made an extempore speech with sound arguments
and we were impressed by his oration.
52. A book containing every kind of information
encyclopedia
You can get a wide range of information from
encyclopedia Britannica.
53. A person who examines examiner
The examiner has examined all the answer books
allotted to him.
54. A thing which is fit to be eaten edible
Only the outer part of the peach is edible.
55. To root out an evil eradicate
Small pox has been eradicated from our country.
56. A person in charge of the affairs of an organization
executive
A good executive is expert in supervising the work of
others.
57. Articles sent out of the country export
The export of sugar and tea to many European
countries has increased this year.
58. One who loves his own religion and hates other
religions fanatic
He will not attend any religious congregation except the
one in which he believes as he is a fanatic.
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59. Murder of a brother fratricide
The Mughal princes often practised fratricide in order
to usurp the kingdom from their brothers.
60. One who is not easily pleased fastidious
He is very fastidious about his food and dress.
61. A period of two weeks fortnight
I am going to Mumbai and will be back in a fortnight.
62. That which ends in death fatal
He met with a.fa ta l accident.
63. A man interested in the welfare of women feminist
He works whole-heartedly for the welfare of women as
he is a feminist.
64. A person who eats too much glutton
You glutton! You have eaten all the apples.
65. Makeup room behind the stage green room
The actress is getting ready for the show in the green
room.
66. Money paid to an employee after his retirement
gratuity
The college management paid to the retiring professor
his gratuity on the day he was relieved of his services.
67. Place for storing grains granary
The granary is full of wheat.
68. A medicine that kills germs germicide
Phenyl is a powerful germicide.
69. A post for which no salary is paid honorary
He is holding an honorary post in this office.
70. To cause eggs to produce young hatch
The hen hatched all the eggs.
71. A place of shelter or safety heaven
The weary travellers found heaven at the inn.
72. A writing which cannot be read clearly illegible
Your handwriting is illegible; I cannot make out what
you have written.
73. One who does not show favour to any one impartial
We should be impartial in our treatment.
74. That which cannot be solved or dissolved insoluble
Oil is insoluble in water.
75. One who cannot read or write illiterate
An illiterate person cannot distinguish between a and b.
76. That which cannot be conquered invincible
They had to confront an invincible army.
77. That which cannot be corrected incorrigible
His addiction to tobacco is not an incorrigible habit.
78. One who never dies immortal
Nobody in this world is immortal.
79. That which is against law illegal
Bigamy is illegal in India.
80. That which cannot be cured incurable
Cancer is an incurable disease.
81. That which is not proper inept
His choice in this regard is altogether inept.
82. A thing that must happen inevitable
Death is inevitable.
83. A loss which cannot be repaired irreparable
The injury that you have caused to your friend is
irreparable.
84. Easily made angry irritable
A baby becomes irritable when he is sleepy.
85. That which can be understood intelligible
He had made an intelligible speech.
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86. Liable to catch fire easily inflammable
Petrol is an inflammable liquid.
87. Worship of idols idolatry
He has full faith in idolatry.
88. One who is wise judicious
By his judicious actions he averted a clash.
89. A special skill or ability knack
He has a knack of making friends wherever he goes.
90. Hard to solve knotty
It is a knotty problem and I cannot solve it easily.
91. One who can read and write literate
A literate person is respected in every society.
92. A hand-written paper manuscript
Have you given the manuscript of the book to the
press?
93. A disorderly crowd of people mob
Autograph hunters mobbed the popular actor.
94. A person with a bad reputation notorious
He is a notorious bandit.
PRACTICE EXERCISES
(i) Fill in the blanks with the words given below:
edible fanatic glutton harmonious atheist
concert brittle adolescence aviary eradicate
1. The food at the hotel was barely.............
2. The government plans t o ..... Polio from our country.
3. The children re a c h .........at the age of 13.
4. Y ou.........! Don’t eat so much.
5. The two friends shared a ....... relationship.
6. He does not smoke or drink. He is a fitness.........
7. She does not believe in God. She is an.............
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8. The birds from different countries were kept in the
9. Bones and nails b eco m e.........in the old age.

10. The first arrivals at t h e .........got the best seats.
(ii) Give one word for the following and use them
in sentences of your own :
1. Acting by habit.
2. One who eats human flesh.
3. The word whose meaning is not clear.
4. To increase the gravity of a situation.
5. To root out an evil.
6. A period of two weeks.
7. Liable to catch fire easily.
8. One who believes every one.
9. Government by the officials.
10. One who plays the game for pleasure.
8.4 Common Errors

1. Common errors in the use of nouns:
Incorrect sentences Correct sentences
Sita is fond of vegetable Sita is fond of vegetables.
R ia’s hair are black. R ia’s hair is black.
She threw two breads She threw two pieces
before the dog. o f bread before the dog.
Two of my brother Two of my brothers-
in-laws are staying in-law are staying with me.
with me.
These cattles are mine. These cattle are mine.
All the peoples have gone All the people have
to town. gone to town.
Herds of swines lived Herds of swine lived in
in the forest. the forest.
The child learned the The child learned the
Alphabets before alphabet before he could
he could read. read.
Her house is full of Her house is full of good
good furnitures. furniture.
She wrote very good She wrote very good
poetries. poetry.
This is a six-years This is a six-year old
old horse. horse.
Lara has some grey hair. Lara has some grey hairs.
She expressed her She expressed her thanks
thank to her uncle. to her uncle.
Geeta bought two Geeta bought two dozen
dozens mangoes. mangoes.
Sher Singh ran a three Sher Singh ran a three
miles race. mile race.
Teachers are sitting Teachers are sitting in
in the staff’s room. the staff room.
She goes to her office She goes to her office
on feet. on foot.
One of my friend is One of my friends is a
a teacher. teacher.
Abha is my cousin sister. Abha is my cousin.
2. Common errors in the use of adjectives :
She did not eat many bread. She did not eat much
bread.
Ram ate small honey. Ram ate little honey.
Every men are mortal. A ll men are mortal.
Much men are poor. Many men are poor.
Little men are rich. Few men are rich.
Your uncle should take. Your uncle should take
no side neither side.
Take the medicine each Take the medicine every
four hours. four hours.
What book do you like Which book do you like
the best ? the best ?
Which nonsense this is ! What nonsense this is!
Buses pass my house Buses pass my house
each hour. every hour.
Sita is beautiful than Radha. Sita is more beautiful than
Radha.
Megha is my oldest Megha is my eldest
daughter. daughter.
Tell me the last news. Tell me the latest news.
My dress is costlier My dress is costlier
than you. than yours.
Tom is wise for his age. Tom is wiser for his age.
3. Common errors in the use of verbs :
Vegetables goes bad Vegetables go bad in
in summer. summer.
Either Mohan or Sham Either Mohan or Sham is
are to be promoted. to be promoted.
Neither Tom nor his Neither Tom nor his sister
sister have gone to school. has gone to school.
Seventy miles are a Seventy miles is a long
long distance. distance.
I have finished my play I finished my play last
last night. night.
He finished his work He had finished his work
when I met him. when I met him.
Law and order are to be Law and order is to be
maintained. maintained.
Can I come in, Madam ? May I come in, Madam?
W hat will I do next ? W hat shall I do next?
She said her friend She bade her friend goodbye.
goodbye.
A snake cut her. A snake bit her.
She laid in her bed. She lay in her bed.
I know to play football. I know how to play football.
The teacher gave a speech . The teacher made a speech.
4. Common errors in the use of prepositions :
Manav does not obey to Manav does not obey
his father. his father.
My son does not listen My son does not listen
what I say. to what I say.
Meena was angry upon Meena was angry with
her daughter. her daughter.
He fell from his horse He fell o ff his horse and
and injured his back. injured his back.
Come and see me at Come and see me on
Sunday. Sunday.
I have known him I have known him fo r years
since years.
I’d prefer to make the I’d prefer to make the
journey with car. journey by car.
I washed the dirt at I washed the dirt o ff
my hands. my hands.
This shirt is made This shirt is made o f
with cotton. cotton.
We cooked food with W e cooked food over an
an open fire. open fire.
She wore a jacket on She wore a jacket over
her dress. her dress.
This cloth costs ? 50 This cloth costs ? 50
each foot. p er foot.
They tied him with a tree. They tied him to a tree.
He wore a blue shirt in He wore a blue shirt under
his coat. his coat.
He wanted me to write the He wanted me to write the
preface o /h is book. preface to his book.
He called me on dinner He called me at dinner
time. time.
I forgot to wish you at I forgot to wish you on
your birthday. your birthday.
5. Common errors in the use of articles :
The dog is a faithful Dog is a faithful animal,
animal.
Rich should help the poor. The rich should help the
poor.
A sun rises in the east. The sun rises in the east.
He is a M.A. He is an M.A.
You kept me in dark. You kept me in the dark.
He wanted to become He wanted to become a
teacher. teacher.
I have never been to I have never been to the
Agra fort. Agra fort.
She wants house to live in. She wants a house to live in.
Do not lose the heart. Do not lose heart.
He wants little sugar He wants a little sugar for
for tea. tea.
He is honourable man. He is an honourable man.
Bananas are sold by dozen. Bananas are sold by the
dozen.
The singing is my hobby. Singing is my hobby.
We were first to reach the We were the first to
school. reach the school.
His house caught the fire. His house caught fire.
Next morning I had a idea. Next morning I had an
idea.
Tom was first to protest. Tom was the first to
protest.
They made him feel little They made him feel a little
better. better.
He will be back in few days. He will be back in a few
days.
Few students are present in A fe w students are present
the stadium. in the stadium.
I have the headache. I have a headache.
PRACTICE EXERCISES
(i) Correct the following sentences :
1. There are plenty of fish here.
2. The flowers are beautiful thing.
3. Bible is holy book.
4. The sun rises in east.
5. She is a M. A.
6. He kept me in dark.
7. She can’t help laugh.
8. I enjoy to play hockey.
9. It is no use to cry over spilt milk.
10. He tried cross the river.
(ii) Correct the following sentences :
1. It is too cold today.
2. She is so nice.
3. You are too busy.
4. We are the childrens of India.
5. W ork hard lest you may not fail.
6. I saw you long before.
7. I have only finished two stories.
8. Please attend your lesson.
9. She found me he on the ground.
10. I don’t blame to you.
(iii) Correct the following sentences :
1. I know who are you.
2. Why did you let him to go ?
3. I requested him help me.
4. Geeta is a holy book.
5. He will be back in few days.
6. Everybody was in holiday mood.
7. I got chance to show my skill.
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8. One must do his duty.
9. Mother gave me many advices.
10. The sun rises in east.
8.5 Common Proverbs

1. A fo o l and his money are soon p a r te d :
One who cannot take care of his money, loses it.
2. A good beginning makes a good ending :
A well begun task ends in a good state.
3. A house is not a home :
A home is known by real love and affection and not
by walls alone.
4. A journey o f a thousand miles begins with a single step:
Every huge project has a humble beginning.
5. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing:
Lesser knowledge leads to damage.
6. A new broom sweeps clean :
A fresh leader or administration gets rid of the old
and brings in new ideas and personnel.
7. A penny saved is a penny earned :
Saving is as important as earning.
8. A picture paints a thousand words :
A picture speaks the mind of the painter.
9. A problem shared is a problem h a lved :
A work or job may be very difficult but if many
hands together solve it, it becomes easier.
10. A prophet is not recognized in his own land :
A person may be very talented but cannot get due
importance among his own people.
11. A rolling stone gathers no moss :
A person who never settles anywhere will never do
well.
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12. A stitch in time saves nine :
An action or thing done at the right time saves much
trouble.
13. A volunteer is worth twenty pressed men :
A man who does the job willingly is certainly better
than many of those persons upon whom the work is
thrust upon.
14. Actions speak louder than words :
One is judged by what he does and not by what he
says.
15. A ll that glitters is not gold :
Appearances generally deceive people.
16. A ll work and no play makes Jack a dull boy :
A man cannot achieve the best by overwork.
Recreation is also necessary.
11. An apple a day keeps the doctor a w a y :
A person who takes fruit as an apple per day keeps
healthy and does not need to take medicine.
18. A s you sow so shall you reap:
As your actions will be, the same kind of reward will
be received by you.
19. Barking dogs seldom bite :
Those who boast and talk too much of themselves, are
of low and weak might.
20. Beggars can't be choosers :
A person who depends on others cannot have
anything of his own choice.
21. Better safe than sorry :
It is better to take precautions than to be regretful.
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22. Birds o f a feather flo ck together:
Persons of same caliber and position like to mix more
with each other.
23. Blood is thicker than w a te r:
Humans can depend more on persons of the same
parentage even after a generation. They have a natural
binding.
24. Boys will be boys :
Young boys and some times grown-up men
occasionally behave in a childish way.
25. Charity begins at home :
A person’s first duty is to care and help for his or her
own family.
26. Cleanliness is next to godliness :
Being clean is a sign of spiritual purity or goodness.
27. Don't bite the hand that feeds you :
Do not think ill of the person who helps you.
28. Don't count your chickens before they are hatched:
Do not daydream.
29. Don't p u t all your eggs in one b a sket:
Do not invest all your money at a single place or you
can be ruined.
30. Don't try to walk before you can cra w l:
Do things according to your caliber.
31. Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy,
wealthy and wise:
One should sleep early and get up early to remain
healthy.
32. Empty vessels make the most noise :
One who doesn’t have any good quality in him,
shows off more.
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33. Every dark cloud has a silver lining :
Even the greatest sorrow has some happiness hidden
behind it.
34. Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to
d ie :
Everyone wants luxuries in life but no one wants to
work for them.
35. Fools rush in where angels fe a r to trea d :
The inexperienced do something that the more
informed people would avoid.
36. Fortune favours the brave :
God helps those who dare.
37. God helps those who help themselves :
One has to do his own w o rk ; Self help is best help.
38. Handsome is as handsome does :
Beauty lies in action, not in ‘physical’ appearance.
39. Haste makes waste :
If you do a job in hurry, it can be spoiled.
40. History repeats itself:
Man does what his ancestors did.
41. Home is where the heart is :
It is the heart and emotions and not a building that
makes a home.
42. I f God had meant us to fly he'd have given us wings :
Do not try doing things for which nature does not
permit you.
43. I f wishes were horses, beggars would ride :
It is easy to wish, but difficult to achieve.
44. Imitation is the sincerest form o f flattery :
One is flattered by the thought that he is considered
worth imitating.
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45. Into every life a little rain must fa ll :
Everyone should taste a little bit of adversity to
admire the good things.
46. It takes a thief to catch a th ie f:
Thieves are the experts when it comes to thieving.
They would know best how to catch other thieves.
47. It's better to give than to receive :
The person who helps others is respected more than
the one who asks for help.
48. It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness:
Instead of cursing the bad circumstances, one should
try to change them.
49. It's not worth crying over spilt milk :
One should not waste his time lamenting the loss.
50. It's the early bird that gets the worm :
One who comes first is served first.
51. Jack o f all trades, master o f none :
One who tries to learn many things never becomes a
specialist of anything.
52. Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and, you
weep alone:
No one likes the company of a morose.
53. Laughter is the best medicine :
Those who laugh in illness recover quickly.
54. Let sleeping dogs lie :
Do not trouble the troubles until the troubles trouble
you.
55. Life is what you make it :
There is no use cursing others for your failures. The
success or failure lies entirely on one’s own self.
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56. Like father, like son :
Children tend to do the same as their parents do.
57. Live fo r today fo r tomorrow never comes :
We should not worry about future.
58. Look before you leap :
One should think of the consequences before doing
anything.
59. Man does not live by bread alone :
We should eat to live and not live to eat.
60. Marry in haste, repent at leisure :
One should be careful while choosing his life partner.
61. Money doesn't grow on trees :
One makes money by working hard so it must not be
wasted.
62. Money makes the world go ro u n d :
One can do anything and go anywhere if he has
money.
63. Necessity is the mother o f invention :
You make new things only if you need them.
Ingenuity is stimulated by difficulty.
64. Never judge a book by its co ver:
Do not rate the things at face value.
65. Never p u t o ff till tomorrow what you can do today:
Tomorrow never comes, so one must do his work
today.
66. No man is an isla n d :
Man is a social animal and cannot live alone.
67. No one can make you fe el inferior without your consent:
If you hold your head high, no one can let you down.
68. Nothing is certain but death and taxes :
Death comes to all and everyone has to pay his dues.
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69. Oil and water don't m ix :
People of different tastes and nature do not mix up
with each other.
70. Opportunity only knocks once :
You cannot get chances again and again.
71. Out o f sight, out o f m in d :
You are likely to forget what you don’t see more
often.
72. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones:
If you do something bad yourself, never forbid others
to do it.
73. Power corrupts; absolute pow er corrupts absolutely:
A person's sense of morality lessens as his or her
power increases.
74. Practice makes a man p e rfe c t:
One becomes an adept by doing a work again and
again.
75. Pride comes before a f a l l :
If one becomes proud of his success, he is likely to
fall.
76. Rome wasn't built in a d a y :
It takes time and patience to do great work.
77. Spare the rod and spoil the child :
The children study only if they have some fear.
78. Still waters run deep :
A person who has an extraordinary quality does not
show it off.
79. The Devil finds work fo r idle hands to do :
People who have no work to do, often do wrong
things.
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80. The cobbler always wears the worst sh o es:
One who makes the things himself, does not get time
to use them.
81. The ends justify the means :
Being successful is the most important thing.
82. The hand that rocks the cradle rules the w o rld :
Women are very powerful because they have most
influence over the way in which children develop into
adults.
83. The pen is mightier than sw o rd :
The written word is more powerful than any physical
weapon.
84. There's no smoke without fire :
If people are saying that someone has done something
bad but no one knows whether it is true, it probably is
true.
85. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to
repeat i t :
The people who do not learn from their past mistakes
are ruined.
86. Those who sleep with dogs will rise with fleas :
Those who live in bad company face bad results.
87. Time and tide wait fo r no man :
One who does not do the work in time, can never do
it.
88. Time is a great h ea ler:
All the wounds heal with time.
89. To err is human, to forgive divine :
Human beings commit mistakes but one should
gracefully forgive and forget.
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90. Too many cooks spoil the broth :
Too many persons involved in managing an activity
can ruin it.
91. When the cat's away the mice will play :
W hen someone in charge is away, subordinates will
take advantage of it.
92. Where there's a will there's a way :
If one is determined to do something, he finds a way
of doing it.
93. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it
drink :
You can give someone the opportunity to learn or to
do something, but you can never force him to accept
that opportunity.
94. A friend in need is a friend indeed:
He who helps in trouble, is a real friend.
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Chapter- 9
READING SKILLS
9.1 Comprehension of unseen passages
(prose/poetry)
The word, comprehension means the ability to understand.
The aim of this section is to assess the students’ level of
understanding and their ability of expression.
How to comprehend a given passage:
1. How well you comprehend depends on how well you
read.
Read the passage/poem carefully twice or thrice until the
meaning of the passage is totally clear to you.
2. Read silently.
3. Do not move your head or index finger along the text.
4. Try to guess the meanings of difficult words from the
context in which they are used.
5. Read the questions and try to find out the sentences in
the passage which contain answers to these questions.
6. Answers should be brief and to the point.
7. Revise your answers and correct the mistakes in
grammar and spellings.
SA M PLE 1 : Read the passage given below and answer the
questions that follow:
One evening a boy of three was out for a walk with his
father. There was also an elderly man with the father.
Chatting they walked on and went beyond the village. Green
crop delighted the eyes. The elders were walking along the
edge of a field. Not hearing the footsteps of the boy, the
father looked back. The boy was sitting on the ground and
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seemed to be planting some thing. The father became
curious. "What are you doing?" said he. "Look, Father, I shall
grow guns all over the field," was the innocent reply of the
boy. His eyes shone with the strong faith that guns would
grow in the field. Both the elders were struck with wonder at
the little boy's words. The boy was Bhagat Singh who later
fought like a hero for India's freedom and sacrificed his life.
Questions:
Q l. Where were the elders walking?
Q2. W hat was the boy doing?
Q3. W hat faith did the boy have?
Q4. Complete the following sentences:
(a) Father looked back because.........
(b) Bhagat Singh sacrificed his life for............
Q5. Match the words in column A with their
synonyms in column B:
A B
edge surprise
curious boundary
innocent inquiring
wonder blameless
Answers :
1. The elders were walking along the edge of the field.
2. The boy was sitting on the ground and planting
something.
3. The boy had the faith that guns would grow in the field.
4. (a) Father looked back because he did not hear the
footsteps o f his son.
(b) Bhagat Singh sacrificed his life for the freedom o f
India.
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5. Words Synonyms
edge boundary
curious inquiring
innocent blameless
wonder surprise
SA M PLE 2: Read the poem given below and answer the

questions that follow :
A Nation’s Strength
Not gold, but only men can make
A people great and strong-
Men who, for truth and honour’s sake,
Stand fast and suffer long.
Brave men who work while others sleep,

Who dare while others fly,
They build a nation’s pillars deep,
And lift them to the sky.
(R.W.Emerson)
Questions:
Q l.W hat makes a nation great and strong?
Q2. W hat do the brave men do while others sleep?
Q3. How can they lift a nation to the sky?
Q4. (a) Give the other word that rhymes with ‘fly’.
(b) Explain “They build a nation’s pillars deep”.
Q5. Match the words in column A with their synonyms in
column B:
A B
truth endure
suffer challenge
dare raise
lift reality
Answers:
1. Men make a nation great and strong.
2. Brave men work while others sleep.
3. They can lift a nation to the sky by working and daring.
4. (a) ‘Sky’ rhymes with ‘fly’.
(b) Brave people make their nation strong and powerful.
5. Words Synonyms
truth reality
suffer endure
dare challenge
lift raise
SA M PLE 3 : Read the passage given below and answer the
Dr. C.V.Raman was the genius who won the Nobel Prize for
Physics, with simple equipment barely worth Rs. 300. He
was the first Asian scientist to win the Nobel Prize. He was a
man of boundless curiosity and a lively sense of humour. His
spirit of inquiry and devotion to science laid the foundation
for scientific research in India. And he won honour as a
scientist and affection as a teacher and a man. Raman was
studious. He kept in touch with the latest developments in
science in the world around him. He had personal contact
with many scientists. He used to read new books and
research papers from different centres. "The equipment
which brought me the Nobel Prize did not cost more than
three hundred rupees. A table drawer can hold all my
research equipments," he used to say with pride. It was his
conviction that if the research worker is not inspired from
within any amount of money cannot bring success in
research.
162
Questions :
Q l. W hat kind of a man was Dr.C.V.Raman ?
Q2. W hat is he famous for ?
Q3. W hat was his conviction ?
Q4. Complete the following sentences :
(a) The equipment that won him the Nobel P riz e ..........
(b) A research worker is successful only if he is.............
Q5. Match the words in column A with their antonyms in
column B:
A B
curiosity doubt
affection apathy
conviction failure
success dislike
Answers :
1. Dr.C.V.Raman was a man of boundless curiosity and a
lively sense of homour.
2. He is famous for being the first Asian scientist to win the
Nobel Prize.
3. It was his conviction that if the research worker is not
inspired from within any amount of money cannot bring
success in research.
4. (a) The equipment that won him the Nobel Prize did not
cost more than three hundred rupees.
(b) A research worker is successful only if he is inspired
from within.
5. Words Antonyms
curiosity apathy
affection dislike
conviction doubt
success failure
SA M PLE 4 : Read the poem given below and answer the
My Books
I love my books
They are the homes
of queens and fairies
Knights and gnomes.
Each time I read I make a call,
On some quaint person large or small,
Who welcomes me with hearty hand
And leads me through his wonderland.
Each book is like
A city street
Along whose winding
Way I meet
New friends and old who laugh and sing
And take me off adventuring
Questions:
Q l. Why does the poet love his books?
Q2. How does the quaint person welcome the poet?
Q3. Where do the new and old friends take the poet?
Q4. Select the right answer:
(a) The poet is lead through a .......each time he reads a
book.
1. home
2. wonderland
(b) In the books the poet meets new and old friends in
the.........
1. city streets
2. wonderland
164
antonyms in column B:
A B
quaint straight
winding foe
hearty modem
friend feeble
Answers :
1. The poet loves his books because they are homes of
fairies, queens, knights and gnomes.
2. The quaint person welcomes the poet with a hearty hand.
3. The new and old friends take the poet off adventuring.
4. (a) The poet is led through a wonderland each time he
reads a book.
(b) In the books the poet meets new and old friends in
the city streets.
5. W ords Antonyms
quaint modem
winding straight
hearty feeble
M end foe
PRACTICE EXERCISES
1. Read the passage given below and answer the
Early rising leads to health and happiness. The man who rises
late can have little rest in the course of the day. Anyone who
lies in the bed late is compelled to work till late hours in the
evening. He has to go without the evening exercise which is
so necessary for his health. In spite of all his efforts, his work
will not produce as good results as that of an early riser. The
165
reason for this is that he cannot take advantage of the
refreshing hour of the morning. Some people say that the
quiet hours of midnight is the best time for working. Several
great thinkers say that they can write best only when they
bum the midnight oil. Yet it is true to say that few men have
a clear brain at midnight when the body needs rest and sleep.
Those who work at that time soon m in their health. Bad
health must in the long ran, have a bad effect on the quality
of their work.
Questions :
Q l. W hat leads to health and happiness?
Q2. W hat is a late riser compelled to do?
Q3. Why can’t we have a clear brain at midnight?
(a) The man who rises late cannot take advantage o f.........
(b) Some thinkers can write best w hen.......................
A B
compelled benefit
necessary destroy
advantage forced
min essential
2. Read the poem given below and answer the
Stone W alls Do Not A Prison Make

Stone walls do not a prison make
Nor iron bars a cage:
M ind’s innocent and quiet take
That for a hermitage.
If I have freedom in my love,
166
And in my soul am free’
Angels alone that soar above
Enjoy such liberty.
(R. Lovelace)
Questions :
Q l. W hat does not make a prison?
Q2. According to the poet what does not make a cage?
Q3. Which quality of the mind makes a hermitage?
Q4. Complete the summary of the poem after filling in the
blanks:
A prison is not made o f ..... walls, neither is a cage of
.........bars, it is only an ......and........mind that makes
a ..........Such liberty is enjoyed only b y ..........
meanings in column B :
A B
prison spirit
soar freedom
soul jail
liberty rise
Each one of us should have a hobby. Sometimes boys and
girls are encouraged in schools to take up hobbies. They
work at certain things in schools such as collecting stamps, or
carpentry, but their so called hobby is a thing for the schools
only. They do not pay any attention to it in their homes.
Sometimes this is because of poverty, sometimes because of
lack of interest. But a hobby is not really a hobby unless we
are so interested in it that we want to carry it on whenever we
have a spare time. The dictionary tells us that a hobby is a
favourite subject or occupation that is not one’s main
business. That is, it is something in which we are more
interested than in anything else.
Questions :
Q l. W hat is the dictionary meaning of hobby?
Q2. When does the hobby become a thing for schools only?
Q3. Name the hobbies mentioned in the passage.
(a) We should carry on our hobby whenever we
have............
(b) Sometimes the students cannot pay attention to their
hobbies due to ..............
antonyms in column B:
A B
interested discourage
lack disinterested
spare have
encourage occupied
A Child's Evening Prayer

Ere on my bed my limbs I lay,
God grant me grace my prayers to say:
O God! preserve my mother dear
In strength and health for many a year;
And, O! preserve my father too,
And may I pay him reverence due ;
And may I my best thoughts employ
To be my parents' hope and joy;
And O ! preserve my brothers both
From evil doings and from sloth,
And may we always love each other
Our friends, our father, and our mother:
And still, O Lord, to me impart
An innocent and grateful heart,
That after my great sleep I may
Awake to thy eternal day! Amen !
(Samuel Taylor Coleridge)
Questions :
Q l. When does the child pray?
Q2. W hat does the child pray to God for his mother?
Q3. W hat does he ask for himself?
Q4. Tick the right answer:
(a) The child p a y s ............. to his father.
1. reverence
2. strength
(b) The child wants to be the hope and joy o f ............
1. God
2. his parents
Q5. (a) Give the rhyme scheme of the last four lines.
(b) Give the other word that rhymes with ‘employ’.
Ashoka, the most trusted son of Bindusara and the grandson
of Chandragupta Maurya, was a brave soldier. He was the
most famous of the Mauryan kings and was one of the
greatest rulers of India. Ashoka extended the Maurya Empire
to the whole of India, reaching out even into Central Asia.
Ashoka succeeded in conquering Kalinga after a bloody war
in which 100,000 men were killed, 150,000 injured and
thousands were captured and retained as slaves. The sight of
169
the slaughter involved in his conquest deeply affected his
mind. This was a turning point in his life. He renounced war
and sought peace in Buddha's preachings of love and non
violence. So he gave up hunting and became a strict
vegetarian.
Questions:
Q l.W hat was the name of Ashoka’s grandfather?
Q2. W hat happened in the war of Kalinga?
Q3. Write the changes in Ashoka’s life after the war.
(a) Ashoka was one of t h e ............
(b) For Ashoka, the war of Kalinga was a .............
(c) The extent of Ashoka’s empire was spread over
to
A B
famous give up
involved well-known
conquest take-over
renounce drawn-in
The Rainbow
Boats sail on the rivers,
And ships sail on the seas;
But clouds that sail across the sky
Are prettier than these.
There are bridges on the rivers,
170
As pretty as you please;
But the bow that bridges heaven,
And overtops the trees,
And builds a road from earth to sky,
Is prettier far than these.
(Christina Rossetti)
Q l. Where do boats and ships sail?
Q2. W hat is prettier than boats and ships?
Q3. Where does the rainbow build a road?
Q4. Select the right answer :
(a) According to the poet, t h e ..........is the prettiest.
1. bridge
2. rainbow
(b) The rainbow bridges.............
1. river
2. heaven
Q5. (a) The word ‘bow ’ in the 7th line refers t o .......
(b) ‘These’ in the last line refers to ..........
“Brothers and sisters, the long night is at last drawing to a
close. Miseries and sorrows are disappearing. Ours is a
sacred country. She is gradually waking up, thanks to the
fresh breeze all around. Are you prepared for all sacrifices
for the sake of our motherland? If you are, then you can rid
the land of poverty and ignorance. You should develop a
strong physique. You should shape your mind through study
and meditation. Only then will victory be yours. I loved my
motherland dearly before I went to America and England.
After my return, every particle of the dust of this land seems
sacred to me." Do you know who carried this message to the
whole continent of Asia? It was Swami Vivekananda.
171
Questions :
Q l. How can we rid the land of poverty and ignorance?
Q2. How can you shape your mind?
Q3. Where did Swami Vivekananda carry the message?
(a) We should make sacrifices for the sake o f.......
(b) India is gradually............
Q5. (a) Who speaks the above written lines?
(b) Name two places visited by Swami Vivekananda.
The Noble Nature

It is not growing like a tree
In bulk, doth make man better be;
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald and sere:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May,
Although it fall and die that night
It was the plant and flower of light.
In small proportions we just beauties see:
And in short measures life may perfect be.
(Ben Jonson)
Questions :
Q l. W hat does not make a man a better being ?
Q2. Which thing in nature can live up to three hundred
years ?
Q3. How long does a lily live ?
Q4. (a) W hat message is conveyed through this poem ?
172
(b) The life of an oak tree is
A B
bulk faultless
bald largeness
proportion hairless
perfect amount
9.2 Note-making
Note -m aking depends upon the reading skill of the students.
It is a test of understanding.
While making notes:
1. Read the given passage carefully.
2. W rite down the title if there is one.
3. W rite the main points.
4. Use numbers to write the main and the sub-points of the
passage.
5. Do not write full sentences. Even abbreviations can be
used.
Some commonly used abbreviations are:
• • therefore c/o care of i.e. that is
. because s/o son of e.g. for example
esp. especially no. number w .e.f with

effect
from
173
SA M PLE 1 : Make notes on the following passage :
SO IL ER O SIO N
Soil erosion, caused by wind and rain, can change land by
wearing down mountains, creating valleys, making rivers
appear and disappear. It is a slow and gradual process that
takes thousands, even millions of years. But erosion may be
speeded up greatly by human activities such as farming and
mining. Soil develops very slowly over a long period of time
but can be lost too quickly. The clearing of land for farming,
residential, and commercial use can quickly destroy soil. It
speeds up the process of erosion by leaving soil exposed and
also prevents development of new soil by removing the
plants and animals that help build humus. Today's farmers try
to farm in a way that reduces the amount of erosion and soil
loss. They may plant cover crops or use a no-till method of
farming. Soil is an important resource that we all must
protect. W ithout soil there is no life.
NOTES:
SO IL ER O SIO N
C auses:
(a) Natural: wind and rain
(b) Human: clearing land for—farming—
residential use— commercial use
How soil exposed by removing plants and animals
Prevention:
(a) planting cover crops
(b) using no-till method o f farming.
174
SA M PLE 2: Make notes on the following passage:
A IR PO L LU TIO N
The W orld Health Organization estimates that 4.6 million
people die each year from causes directly attributable to air
pollution. Many of these mortalities are attributable to indoor
air pollution. Worldwide more deaths per year are linked to
air pollution than to automobile accidents. Research
published in 2005 suggests that 3,10,000 Europeans die from
air pollution annually. Direct causes of air pollution related
deaths include aggravated asthma, bronchitis, emphysema,
lung and heart diseases, and respiratory allergies.The worst
short term civilian pollution crisis in India was the 1984
Bhopal Disaster. Leaked industrial vapours from the Union
Carbide factory, belonging to Union Carbide, Inc., U.S.A.,
killed more than 2,000 people outright and injured anywhere
from 1,50,000 to 600,000 others, some 6,000 of whom would
later die from their injuries. The United Kingdom suffered its
worst air pollution event when the December 4th Great Smog
of 1952 formed over London. In six days more than 4,000
died, and 8,000 more died within the following months. An
accidental leak of anthrax spores from a biological warfare
laboratory in the former USSR in 1979 near Sverdlovsk is
believed to have been the cause of hundreds of civilian
deaths.
N O TES:
A IR PO L LU TIO N
4.6 million people die every year

How : aggravated asthma, bronchitis, emphysema,
lung and heart diseases e tc....
175
Major air pollution mishaps........
(a) Bhopal gas disaster (1984) -killed 2000-some
6000 died later
(b) Great smog over London (1952)-killed 4000-
some 8000 died later
( c ) Leakage of anthrax spores USSR (1979)-
many civilian deaths
SAMPLE 3: Make notes for the following passage:
EXTINCTION OF SPECIES
There are a variety of causes that can contribute directly or
indirectly to the extinction of a species or group of species.
Most simply, any species that is unable to survive or
reproduce in its environment, and unable to move to a new
environment where it can do so, dies out and becomes
extinct. Extinction of a species may come suddenly when an
otherwise healthy species is wiped out completely, as when
toxic pollution renders its entire habitat unlivable; or may
occur gradually over thousands or millions of years, such as
when a species gradually loses out competition for food to
newer, better adapted competitors. Conservation biology uses
the Extinction Vortex model to classify extinction by cause.
The question of whether more historical extinctions have
been caused by evolution or by catastrophe is a subject of
debate. Currently, environmental groups and some
governments are concerned with the extinction of species due
to human intervention, and are attempting to combat further
extinctions. Humans can cause extinction of a species
through over harvesting, pollution, habitat destruction,
introduction of new predators and food competitors, and
other influences. According to the W orld Conservation
Union, 784 extinctions have been recorded since the year
176
1500, the arbitrary date selected to define “modem”
extinctions, with many more likely to have gone unnoticed.
Most of these modem extinctions can be attributed directly or
indirectly to human effects. Endangered species are species
that are in danger of becoming extinct; several organizations
attempt to preserve recognized endangered species through a
variety of conservation programmes.
N O TES:
EXTINCTION OF SPECIES
Causes : 1. species unable to reproduce in its
environment
2. species unable to change its
environment
Human causes : 1. harvesting

2. pollution
3. habitat destruction
4. introduction of new predators and
food competitors
Solution : several organizations attempt to preserve
endangered species.
SAMPLE 4: Make notes for the following passage:
A sophisticated and technologically advanced urban culture

is evident in the Indus Valley Civilization. The quality of
municipal town planning suggests knowledge of urban
planning and efficient municipal governments which placed a
high priority on hygiene. The streets of major cities such as
Mohenjo-daro or Harappa were laid out in perfect grid
patterns. The houses were protected from noise and thieves.
As seen in Harappa, Mohenjo-daro and the recently
177
discovered Rakhigarhi, this urban plan included the world’s
first urban sanitation systems. Within the city, individual
homes or groups of homes obtained water from wells. From a
room that has been set aside for bathing, waste water was
directed to covered drains, which lined the major streets.
Houses opened only to inner courtyards and smaller lanes.
The ancient Indus system of sewerage and drainage that were
developed and used in cities throughout the Indus Empire,
were far more advanced than any found in contemporary
urban sites in the Middle East and even more efficient than
those in some areas of Pakistan and India today. The
advanced architecture of the Harappans is shown by their
impressive dockyards, granaries, warehouses, brick platforms
and protective walls. The massive citadels of Indus cities that
protected the Harappans from floods and attackers were
larger than most Mesopotamian ziggurats.
N O TES:
1. Main characteristics of urban culture in Indus
Valley Civilization
(a) high priority on hygiene
(b) streets laid out in grid patterns
(c) urban sanitation system
(d) waste water directed to covered drains
2. Advanced architecture shown by
(a) dockyards
(b) granaries
(c) warehouses
(d) brick platforms
(e) protective walls
178
SA M PLE 5 : Make notes for the following passage:
EA TIN G D ISO RD ERS

Anorexia (also known as anorexia nervosa) is the name for
simply starving yourself because you are convinced you are
overweight. If you are at least 15 percent under your normal
body weight and you are losing weight through not eating,
you may be suffering from this disorder.
Bulimia (also known as bulimia nervosa) is characterized by
excessive eating, and then ridding yourself of the food by
vomiting, abusing laxatives or diuretics, taking enemas, or
exercising obsessively. This behaviour of ridding yourself of
the calories from consumed food is often called purging.
Eating disorders are serious problems and need to be
diagnosed and treated like any medical disease. If they
continue to go untreated, these behaviours can result in future
severe medical complications that can be life-threatening. If
you believe you may be suffering from an eating disorder or
know someone who is, please get help. Once properly
diagnosed by a mental health professional, such disorders are
readily treatable and often cured within a few months time. A
person with an eating disorder should not be blamed for
having it ! The disorders are caused by a complex interaction
of social, biological and psychological factors which bring
about the harmful behaviours. The important thing is to stop as
soon as you recognize these behaviours in yourself, or to get
help to begin the road to recovery.
N O TES :
EA TIN G D ISO RD ERS
Types : 1.Anorexia - starving yourself-losing weight through
not eating
179
2. Bulimia- excessive eating-then ridding yourself
of food (purging)
Causes : interaction o f social, biological and psychological
factors
Solution : get diagnosed by a mental health professional
PRACTICE EXERCISES
Read the passages given below and make notes :
DEMOCRACY
The word comes from Latin translations of Aristotle’s demos,
meaning “territory” or “people” as a group, and kraiten,
which means “rule” . But whatever its linguistic roots,
democracy as we understand it today is a product of the
Enlightenment, based on what Kant termed autonomy, again
from the Greek, a law (nomos) that you impose on yourself.
In short, “government of the people, by the people, for the
people”. This is practically synonymous with sovereignty in
the popular imagination, but sovereignty, as the German
philosopher Carl Schmitt argued, is the power to suspend the
law and to place oneself above the law, or, as Jacques
Derrida wrote: “The abuse of power is constitutive of the
idea of sovereignty”. It is a tribute to the power of the
democratic ideal that when governments deny democracy,
they feel obliged to claim that it is for some greater good.
Suspending elections, for instance, is presented as a bid “to
protect democracy”. Today, many see democracy as a form
of modem civilization. Beyond the mere freedom to vote, it
incorporates accountability of government, civic freedoms,
the rule of law, and so on. Some see democracy as a form of
identity and a byword for market freedom, which is not just
to be shared, but protected and spread as a counterweight to
tyranny.
180
THE BUDDHA
Siddhartha Gautama was bom into the house of a
wealthy king or feudal baron of the Sakya clan in what is
now Nepal. Siddhartha’s father sheltered him from the harsh
realities of the world by surrounding him with only pleasant
things. Siddhartha did not know of human suffering,
sickness, advanced age or death until he chanced upon a man
suffering from old age. He soon learned of human disease
and of death. These things stayed in his mind and he began to
think o f them as being inescapable. He gave upon his normal
life of distractions and went on a personal search for the life
where age and death would not matter. Siddhartha Gautama
searched the greatest Hindu masters for wisdom in his search
for enlightenment. He learned from them all he could but did
not find the answer he was searching for. His next step was
to join a group of ascetics, to open his mind by sacrificing his
body, but that did not work either. He suffered more than his
ascetic brothers and almost died as the result of it. This
caused him to try another route to his goal of enlightenment,
by way of strict thought and concentration. He sat down
under a peepul tree (later known as the Bo tree) and with
intense concentration and will-power he was able to reach
total enlightenment and become the Buddha. The teachings
of the Buddha reached thousands in his native India.
Siddhartha Gautama was bom as a m ler and became the
Buddha which made him a priest, he also lived impoverished
and begged for food. As an acquaintance of all three castes
and able to be comfortable among them all, he was able to
give his message to a wide variety of people.
181
G O O D M ANNERS
Good Manners occupy a unique place in our life.
They are to be acquired and cultivated. The sooner it is done
the better. Childhood is the best period for learning and
imbibing good manners. It is obvious that it is in the
formative years that good conduct, behaviour and manners
are to be developed and cultivated. As Milton said, “ The
childhood shows the man as morning shows the day.” Thus
manners must be emphasized from childhood. Good manners
are the sure keys to success. They are not only social
behaviour but also an ideal form of personal conduct and
character. They are little courtesies that make the machine of
life run smoothly. They are valuable possessions. They help
in making friends, winning over people and in gaining
appreciation and admiration. Propriety is the basis of all
ethics. Manners make men and morals. In business and
service they are indispensable. They help us avoid bitter and
untoward situations. We should never fail to say sorry if we
disturb people. Even in our personal and private lives they
are important assets. It is good manners to thank people for a
service, guidance or a gift received. To be late for
appointments and keep people waiting is indiscipline. To
respect elders, to greet them or to give them precedence is
always good behaviour. Good manners reflect how properly
cultured, civilized and educated we are. They reflect
refinement and social enlightenment. They make a lasting
and favourable impression on people. W ithout his manners,
man is nothing better than an animal or barbarian.
Chapter-10
WRITING SKILLS
10.1 W riting Notices

Notices are meant to provide integrated and useful
information about events that have happened or about to
happen and specific programmes, to public, students or a
group of persons. The educational institutions, offices,
residential colonies and other establishments have special
and prominent places for fixing the notice boards from where
everyone can read them.
Noticeprovides the information about.........
1. Things lost or found.
2. Events happened or about to happen.
3. Arranging or postponing of meetings, functions,
tours, exhibitions, camps or fairs.
4. Change of name or address.
5. Announcing a new development or rule.
While drafting a notice, the following points should be kept
in mind:
1. The entire content of the notice should be placed
within a ‘box’.
2. It should be brief and short, of about 50 words.
3. The purpose of the notice should be very clear.
4. The future tense should be predominant over the other
tense forms.
5. The language of the notice should be completely
impersonal.
183
NAME OF THE ORGANISATION ISSUING
THE NOTICE (1/2 mark)
DATE (1/2 mark)

NOTICE
HEADING OR SUBJECT OF THE NOTICE

(1/2 mark)
CONTENTS OF THE
NOTICE
(2 marks)
SIGNATURES
NAME
DESIGNATION (of the issuing authority)
(1/2 mark)
6. Name of the organization issuing the notice should be

in capital letters.
7. Date should be mentioned.
8. Capital letters can be used in the contents of the
notice to highlight important things.
9. The person responsible for issuing the notice should
write his name in capital letters below his signatures
and his designation below his name.
SA M PLE 1 : You are Rajiv Sharma, Head Boy of D.A.V.

Public school, Ludhiana. Draft a notice for the House-
Captains to attend a meeting with the Vice-Principal for the
allocation of duties for maintaining discipline in the school.
D.A.V. PUBLIC SCHOOL, LUDHIANA
NOTICE
10th August, 20..
IMPORTANT MEETING
House-Captains must attend a meeting with the

Vice-Principal on 13th August 20.. during recess
in his office to in order to decide steps for
maintaining discipline in the school.
Rajiv
RAJIV SHARMA
(Head Boy)________________________________
SA M PLE 2 : You are Manav Shukla the Secretary, Help All

Club of the Navodaya Vidyalya, Kashmiri Gate, Delhi.
Prepare a notice for the school students to help the victims of
Kashmir earthquake with money, medicine, food and clothes.
NAVODAYA VIDYALYA, KASHMIRI

GATE, DELHI
NOTICE
22nd June, 20..
HELP! HELP! HELP!
The Help All Club of the school proposes to

organize a relief camp for the victims of
earthquake in Kashmir.
Thousands of buildings have been destroyed

and many people ruined. An epidemic may
break out.
Kindly come forward and donate money,

medicines, and clothes liberally.
Manav
M ANAVSHUKLA
Secretary
(Help All Club)____________________________
SA M PLE 3: Being a Secretary of Sai Baba Society, Somesh

Vihar, Delhi, prepare a notice for the residents of the colony
giving hints for prevention against Dengue fever. Your name
is Sheetal Jain.
SAI BABA SOCIETY, SOMESH VIHAR,

DELHI
NOTICE
3rd October, 20..
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM DENGUE
1. Spray insecticides in and around the house

and use insect repellents and mosquito
nets.
2. Remove water from coolers.
3. W ear clothes that cover arms and legs.
4. In case o f high fever, contact your doctor
immediately.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

Sheetal
SHEET AT, JAIN
Secretary (Sai Baba Society)
SA M PLE 4: Rakesh Sharma is a student of class X in

Gandhi Public School, Agra. He has lost his pen during the
lunch break. Draft a notice for the School Notice Board.
GANDHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, AGRA
NOTICE
15th February, 20..
LOST! LOST! LOST!
A Parker Pen has been lost during the lunch

break in the school corridors. The pen has a
blue refill and a steel grey body. Anyone who
finds it should deposit it to with School Head
Boy. The finder will be suitably rewarded.
Rakesh
RAKESH SHARMA
XB
SA M PLE 5: You are Mohan Kumar, Sports Secretary,
Parvati Jain School, Jalandhar. Some old sports goods have
to be put on sale to collect money for donation to the poor
cancer patients. Draft a notice inviting the students to help by
buying these goods.
PARVATI JAIN SCHOOL, JALANDHAR

NOTICE
4th January, 20..
EXTEND A HELPING HAND

All the students are invited to buy old Badminton
and Tennis Racquets, Cricket Bats, Balls and Leg
Guards. All the equipment is in good condition. The
sale is organized in the Sports Room. The money
collected will be donated to the Poor Cancer
Patients. Come forward and participate
wholeheartedly.
Mohan
MOHAN KUMAR
Sports Secretary
SA M PLE 6: R.K.M. Public School, Ajmer is organizing a

summer camp in school for a month. The activities include
theatre workshop and pottery making. Draft a notice for the
interested students to get registered by paying a fee of
? 1000 to the school clerk. You are J. J .Singh, in-charge of
the Art and Craft department o f the school.
R. K. M. PUBLIC SCHOOL, AJMER
NOTICE
11th May, 20..
LOTS OF LEISURE AND PLEASURE
The school proposes to organize a summer camp
starting from 1st June. Talented students are invited
to attend the Theatre Workshop and also learn the art
of pottery making. Those interested must deposit the
fee of ^ 1000 to the school clerk.
J.J. Singh
J.J.SINGH
(Incharge, Art and Craft Department)
SA M PLE 7: You are Nimisha, Editor, School Magazine,

Radha Vatika School, Khanna. Draft a notice inviting entries
for the magazine from students. The last date is 10th of
October.______________________________________________
RADHA VATIKA SCHOOL, KHANNA
NOTICE
3rd October, 20..
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE A WRITER
Entries are invited for the school magazine ‘UJALA’
from all the talented students. The three best entries will
be awarded prizes in addition to printing their
photographs in the magazine. HURRY UP! Submit the
entries by the 10th of October.
Nimisha
NIMISHA
Editor
189
SA M PLE 8: A notice is to be prepared for putting up on the
students’ notice board informing them about school
inspection to be held on 16th April, 20... It is from Seema
Mittal, Principal, Government School, Sirhind.
GOVERNMENT SCHOOL, SIRHIND
NOTICE
12th April, 20..
ATTENTION!
The District Education Officer will be coming to

inspect the school on the 16th of April. All the
students are expected to present an exemplary show
of cleanliness of dress and surroundings and above
all, DISCIPLINE.
Seema Mittal
SEEMA MITTAL
Principal
SA M PLE 9: You are Aijun Khanna, the President of
Narottam Nagar Welfare Society, Ludhiana. You wish to
hold a meeting to protest against the condition of roads in
your colony. Draft a notice inviting the residents of the
colony to join your protest.
NAROTTAM NAGAR WELFARE SOCIETY,

LUDHIANA
NOTICE
14th February, 20..
POOR CONDITION OF ROADS
All the residents of the colony are requested to attend

the meeting on Sunday, 16th February at the Society
Hall to discuss the condition of the roads of the colony
and draft a memorandum to be presented to the Mayor
to register the protest.
Arjun Khanna
ARJUN KHANNA
President NNWS
SA M PLE 10 : You are Raghav, Secretary, Dramatics Club

of Victor Model School, Jalandhar. Draft a notice informing
the students about the Inter State Dramatics Competition to
be held at Deshbhagat Hall on 27th March.
VICTOR MODEL SCHOOL, JALANDHAR
NOTICE
10th March, 20..
EARN NAME AND FAME
An Inter State Dramatics Competition is being held at

Deshbhagat Hall on the 27th of March. The talented
students who are interested are invited for selection
on 15th March at the School Auditorium.
Raghav
RAGHAV
Secretary
(Dramatics Club)________________________________
P R A C T IC E EX ER C ISES
1. You are Munish, the head boy of Kamal Public School,
Kamal. Write a notice for the school notice board
inviting the students to participate in the Annual Sports
Day.
2. You are Yogita, Head girl of the Shivalik Public School,
Chandigarh. You have been asked to write a notice
regarding a bicycle found in the school.
3. You are Sonal, Cultural Secretary of the City Public
School, Lucknow. W rite a notice inviting students to
give their names for Fancy Dress Competition.
4. You are the President of Lila Residents Association,
Tilak Nagar Delhi. You want to hold a meeting against
frequent power failure in the colony. Write a notice to
invite the residents of the colony to attend the meeting.
5. You are Nirvan, President, History Society of Megha
Public School. You plan to organize an educational tour
to Goa during the summer vacation. Prepare a notice for
the school notice board mentioning the schedule and
expenses of the tour.
10.2 W riting Messages

A message is a precise and an informal piece of writing used
to convey the information to the person for whom it was
intended. These days one can easily communicate through a
telephone and the SMS services so the need of a written
message is greatly reduced, still its importance cannot be
ruled out. The information conveyed in the conversation
between two people is written in appropriate style and format
converting it into a message for a third person.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER:
1. Place the message within a box.
2. Do not write the address of the sender or the receiver.
3. Do not exceed the word limit of 50 words.
4. Mention the time and date of the message.
5. Begin with a brief salutation.
6. Write in the reported speech.
7. Write only the essential points.
8. Do not add anything of your own.
9. You can use abbreviations and symbols.
10. Do write your name at the end of the message.
193
MESSAGE
Date(l/2mark)
Time(l/2mark)
Salutation( l/2mark)
Contents
W ord 1imit= 50 (2 marks)
N am e(l/2 mark)
SA M PLE 1: Read the telephonic conversation between Mr.

Ajit Sharma and Anju.
A jit Sharma : Hello! Is this 2410786?

Anju : Yes, may I know who is calling?
A jit Sharma : I am Ajit Sharma and I want to talk to
Mr. Chadda.
Anju : Papa is not at home. You can give me
the message.
A jit Sharma : Tell him that the society meeting has
been postponed and as soon as the
new date is fixed, I ’ll let him know.
Anju : All right, I ’ll convey the message.
As Anju has to go out, she writes the message for her father.
MESSAGE
11th June, 20.. 6.30 pm
Papa
Mr. Ajit Sharma rang up to tell you that the society
meeting has been postponed and he will let you
know the new date as soon as it is fixed.
Anju_________________________________________
SA M PLE 2: Read the telephonic conversation given below.

Romesh : Hello Ria, where is Mama?
Ria : She has gone to the kitty party.
Romesh : Please tell her that I will bring two of
my friends for dinner tonight.
Ria : Fine. Is there anything else she should
know ?
Romesh : Yes, tell her to prepare fish-curry.
Ria : Is that all ?
Romesh : Yes, Bye.
Ria has to go to her friend’s house. So she writes the message
for her mother.
MESSAGE
15th February, 20.. 2.00 pm
Mama
Romesh will bring two of his friends for
dinner tonight. He has asked you to prepare
fish-curry.
Ria
195
SA M PLE 3: Read the following telephonic conversation:
Neha : H ello! Is it 4607875?
Seema : Yes.
Neha : I am Neha. May I speak to Kriti,
please ?
Seema : She has gone to market and won’t be
back till 9 o ’ clock.
Neha : Please tell her that she is invited to my
birthday party on 15th April at 6 pm at
my house.
Seema : I’ll convey your message.
Neha : Thank you.
Seema writes the message for Kriti as follows:
MESSAGE
13th April, 20.. 4.30 pm
Kriti
Neha rang up to invite you for her birthday party on
15th April at 6 pm at her house.
Seema
SA M PLE 4: Given below is a telephonic conversation

between Nandan and Nikita.
Nandan : May I talk to Aran?
Nikita : I’m sorry, he is not at home.
Nandan : Why didn’t he come to school today ?
Nikita : He has gone to visit a relative.
Nandan : W ill you please convey my message
to him ?
Nikita : W hat is it ?
Nandan : Tell him to bring my English notebook
as I need it for correction tomorrow.
Nikita : Anything else ?
Nandan : Yes, tell him that our science test has
been postponed. Our teacher will
announce the new date tomorrow.
Nikita : I will tell him.
Nandan : Thank you.
Nikita has to go to the market so she writes the message for

Nandan.
MESSAGE
14th May, 20.. 5.30 pm
Arun
Nandan rang up to say that you must take his English
note-book to school tomorrow as he needs it for
correction. Your science test has been postponed and
the new date will be announced tomorrow.
Nikita
SA M PLE 5: Read the telephonic conversation given below:

Anoushka : Hello, is it 229509?
Ritu : Yes, may I know who is calling?
Anoushka : I am Anoushka, can I talk to Ishaan ?
Ritu : He has gone to the library.
Anoushka : Please tell him that his interview for
‘Tata Indicom’ has been fixed for
tomorrow 9 am sharp. He should reach
the office in time and also bring his
197
certificates along with him. Don’t
forget. It is urgent.
Ritu : I ’ll convey the message.
Anoushka : Thank you.
Ritu has to go to visit her sister so she writes the message for
Ishaan.
MESSAGE
23rd October, 20.. 7.30 pm
Ishaan
Anoushka rang up to tell that your interview for Tata
Indicom has been fixed for tomorrow morning 9 am
sharp. Reach the office in time along with all
certificates of yours.
Ritu
SA M PLE 6: Read the following telephonic conversation

between Gulzar and Sonam.
Gulzar : Is it 828713 ?
Sonam : Yes, who is calling ?
Gulzar : I am Gulzar from JCT Phagwara. I
would like to speak to Dhruv.
Sonam : He is not at home. I am his sister and
you can give me the message.
Gulzar : Please tell him that he has been
selected for the post of junior engineer
and he must join duty tomorrow 10 am.
Sonam : Anything else ?
Gulzar : Yes, tell him to bring along the
photocopies of his certificates.
198
Sonam : Sure, I’ll convey your message.
Gulzar : Thank you. Bye.
Sonam writes the message for Dhruv as she has to go out for
dinner.
MESSAGE
5th March, 20.. 5.30 pm
Dhruv
Mr. Gulzar from JCT Phagwara rang up to say that
you have been selected as junior engineer and must
join duty tomorrow morning at 10am. Also take
along the photocopies of your certificates.
Sonam
SA M PLE 7 : Read the following telephonic conversation :

Ravi Hello ! Is it 2895634 ?
Tina Yes, may I know who is on the line ?
Ravi This is Ravi. May I talk to Suraj?
Tina He is not at home.
Ravi Do me a favour. Tell him to pick me up
while going to office tomorrow as my
car has been sent for servicing.
Tina Anything else ?
Ravi Tell him to bring the file I gave him.
Tina I ’ll convey your message.
Ravi Thank you. Bye.
Tina writes the message for Suraj as she has to go to her kitty
party.
MESSAGE
14th May, 20.. 11.30 am
Suraj
Ravi rang up to say that you must pick him up while
going to office tomorrow as his car has been sent for
servicing. Also take along the file he gave you.
Tina
PRACTICE EXERCISES
1. Read the telephonic conversation given below :
Vikas : Hello, is that Raj at?
Ravi : It’s Ravi speaking. Rajat is not at
home at the moment. W hat is the
matter ?
Vikas : We had planned to see ‘Krish’
running at Arora Palace today
evening. Please tell him to wait for me
at the main gate.
Ravi : Don’t worry, I shall leave a message
for him.
Vikas : Thank you Ravi. Bye.
Ravi has to go to market and he will not be able to meet

Rajat. W rite a message on his behalf.
2. Read the following telephonic conversation :
Ajay : Hello, is it 2376589?
Anu : Yes, may I know who is speaking?
Ajay : This is Ajay. I want to speak to Mr.
Goyal.
Anu : Papa is not at home. Would you like
me to convey him any messages?
Ajay : Tell him that the meeting scheduled
for 9th March has been postponed to
11th March.
Anu : I’ll tell him.
Ajay : Thank you.
Anu has to go to school. Write a message on her behalf.

Mrs. Sharma Hello, is it 2984567?
Ria Yes,whom would you like to speak to ?
Mrs. Sharma I want to talk to Sunita. I am Megha
Sharma.
Ria Hello auntie, Mummy has gone to
market.
Mrs. Sharma Tell her that Nina’s father-in-law is
not well and we are going to see him
at Kapoor Hospital where he is
admitted. Tell your mother to be ready
by 6 pm as I ’ll pick her on the way.
Ria I’ll give her your message, auntie.
Mrs. Sharma Thank you, dear. Bye.
Ria has to go to her friend’s house. Write the message for her
mother on her behalf.
Kishore : Hello! Could I speak to Raghu?
Rani : Raghu has gone out. This is his
sister Rani speaking.
Kishore : W ill you please tell him to reach the
Extension Library by 10 am tomorrow
for the renewal of our membership ?
Rani : O f course, I will tell him. Anything
else ?
Kishore : Yes, tell him to carry his
membership card.
Rani : Sure. Bye.
Rani has to go to club for a meeting. Write down the message

as she would write for Raghu.
5. Read the following telephonic conversation :
Rajesh : Hello, could I speak to Hemant,
please ?
Harish : Sorry, Hemant has not yet arrived.
Rajesh : Could you please convey to him
that Mr. Verma has arrived at the
company head office and he would
like to meet Hemant tomorrow
evening.
Harish : Sure, I ’ll tell him.
Rajesh : Tell him to reach the office by 9 am.
Harish : I’ll convey the message.
Rajesh : Thank you. Bye.
Harish has to go to Delhi so he leaves the message for

Hemant. Write the message on his behalf.
10.3 Advertisements
Advertisements are the messages carried in ‘media’
(newspapers, radio, and television) to persuade people to buy
the product or service offered by the advertiser.
Advertisements play an important role in the promotion of
business. They should be drafted in such a manner that they
tempt the reader to go through them even if the reader has no
desire to buy the product.
DRAFTING AN ADVERTISEM ENT:
1. An advertisement should be simple and to the point.
2. It should be worded artistically.
3. Name of the product and the advertiser should be
given in capital letters.
4. These days no one has the time or patience to go
through the lengthy write-ups.The advertisement
should, therefore, be brief.
SA M PLE 1 : Advertise ‘ORIENT PEN’
ARE YOU ASHAMED OF YOUR

HANDWRITING?
IMPROVE IT NOW ................................
WITH ORIENT PEN
Designer
Trendy
Firm grip
BUY ONE TODAY
SAM PLE 2: Draft an advertisement for TIP-TOP beauty
parlour.
BEAUTY IS SKIN DEEP
WALK IN FOR
ALL TYPES OF
BEAUTY TREATMENTS
AT YOUR VERY OWN
TIP-TOP BEAUTY PARLOUR
OPP. BUS STAND

PHAGWARA
SA M PLE 3 : Advertise ‘GALAXY HERBAL

TOOTHPASTE.’
FOR SPARKLING WHITE TEETH
USE ... .GALAXY TOOTHPASTE.

The goodness of herbs fights
Tooth decay
Bad odour
Gum diseases
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE

SA M PLE 4: Draft an advertisement for ‘UNIVERSE
ACADEMY.’
BUILD A CAREER OF YOUR CHOICE

UNIVERSE ACADEMY
................. INNUMERABLE COURSES

................. AFFORDABLE COURSE FEES
.................. QUALIFIED STAFF
.................... MODERN FACILITIES
ADMISSION OPEN
CONTACT:-
PRAVEEN
MALHOTRA
PH: 2431857
SA M PLE 5: Advertise the showroom ‘KIDS W ORLD’
A SPECIAL PLACE FOR LITTLE ONES

KIDS WORLD
................. TRENDY OUTFITS

................. TOYS
................. BOOKS
AND MUCH MORE
VISIT TODAY
GOLE MARKET
BANGA
PH: 2145782
SAM PLE 6: Advertise ‘Azad Travel A gency.’
PACKAGE AVAILABLE
AZAD TRAVEL AGENCY
Attractive Packages For............

Mauritius
Singapore
Malaysia
3 nights/4 days ? 9999 for single person

CONTACT:-
ASHOK GUPTA
PH:2658193
SA M PLE 7: Advertise ‘Futura Coconut Hair Oil.’

SAM PLE 8: Draft an advertisement for ‘N ew Era Book
Fair’ to be organized in your school.
BOOKS FOR ALL AGE GROUPS
N EW ERA BO O K FAIR
D ate......... 22nd J u ly -2 9 th July
Tim e........ 10 am - 6 pm
Venue..... Oberoi Towers
Organizers :
D.A.V.PUBLIC SCHOOL
JALANDHAR
SA M PLE 9: Draft an advertisement for ‘Chamak Detergent

Powder’
challenge
ALL STAINS G O ..... IN A SINGLE WASH
DON’T BELIEVE WHAT W E SAY????
TAKE THE FREE TRIAL OFFER!
USE CHAMAK DETERGENT POWDER
A QUALITY PRODUCT
SAM PLE 10: Draft an advertisement for ‘Mode Boutique’.
TRENDY! FASHIONABLE! STYLISH!
BE A NEW AGE WOMAN
MODE BOUTIQUE
ALL TYPES OF DESIGNER WEAR
PAY A VISIT TODAY
MONIKA
TOWERS
MILAP CHOWK
PRACTICE EXERCISES
1. Draft an advertisement for ‘Fresh Feel Mouthwash’.
2. You have organized a handloom exhibition in your
colony. Draft an advertisement for the same.
3. Advertise the product ‘Rose Touch Skin cream’.
4. Draft an advertisement for ‘High Life Furniture
House’.
5. You have made mosquito repellent oil. Give it a name
and draft an advertisement for the same.
10.4 W riting Paragraphs

A paragraph is a short piece of composition elaborating a
single thought or an idea by a series of well-formed
sentences.
Guidelines for Paragraph Writing:
1. A paragraph, where outlines are given, should be
developed on the basis of the given outlines.
2. The length of the paragraph being limited, no
comments or analysis should be added. The
composition should be meaningful and to the point.
3. The sentences should be written in a sequence, each
thought naturally arising from out of the previous one.
4. All the sentences should be related to each other.
5. Unnecessary repetition of words should be avoided.
6. All sentences should be of different types and lengths.
7. Be careful about the punctuation marks, vocabulary
and the rules of grammar.
SAMPLE PARAGRAPHS
An Indian Festival
India ....know n for festivals....... Diwali......Hindu
festival..... Lord Rama’s return from exile......people clean
their houses and shops....tight their houses..... send
greetings.....presents....worship Goddess Laxmi....children
explode crackers..... some people gamble........
India is known for festivals. One of these festivals is
Diwali. It is the most auspicious Hindu festival. It is
celebrated with great excitement. It is celebrated in the
memory of Lord Rama’s return from exile. On this day,
people clean their houses and shops. They put on their best
dresses and decorate their houses with rows of earthen lamps
or electric bulbs. They send greetings, sweets and presents to
their relatives and friends. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped
for prosperity. Children explode crackers and let off
fireworks. Some people indulge in gambling. The evil of
gambling on such a sacred day must be put to an end.
209
Good Manners
Good manners oil the machine of life.........earn us respect
..... ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ settle bitter
quarrels..........should be observed........respect elders....be
polite to the younger....talk less and listen m ore....take turn
in queue...civility of behaviour is a moral obligation..... bad
manners create bitterness.
Good manners oil the machine of bfe and keep the
people in good relationship. They make life worth living and
earn us respect and dignity. Even small courteous words like
‘please’ and ‘thank you’ can settle bitter quarrels and soften
bad tempers. Good manners should be observed in every
walk of life. We should respect our elders and be polite to the
youngers. We should maintain discipline in the school by
talking less and listening more. At public places we must
learn to take our turn and wait patiently in queue. Civility of
behaviour is a social as well as a moral obligation. On the
other hand, bad manners create nothing but bitterness. An
ill- mannered person is a misfit in a cheerful company.
Leisure
Life is not worth living if we remain busy in w ork....... lot of
energy wasted....restored by leisure...enjoy sights of
nature....develop new tastes and creative hobbies....busy
men miss all this....over-w ork causes ailments.........make
right use of leisure.
‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ is an
old saying. Life is not worth living if we remain busy in
work. Over work is injurious to health. It eats up the store of
energy in the body. This energy is restored only if we have
sufficient leisure to relax our body and mind. During leisure
hours one can enjoy the various sights of nature. One can just
210
stand and stare or gaze at the lovely stars or the flowing
waters. One can develop new tastes and creative hobbies like
painting and photography. An over busy man misses the
beauty of all these things. Over-work can also give rise to
several ailments of the heart and the brain. No doubt, it is
work that makes life meaningful but all work needs good
health. Leisure is very essential for the modem man. We
must make the right use of leisure.
My Motherland
India is my motherland..... also the motherland of many
saints and sages....w orriors....oldest civilization..... biggest
democracy.... torch bearer of world peace process.......
different religions and cultural backgrounds....... unity in
diversity..... progress in science........nuclear power
state... .heritage.... natural resources............hard-working
people..... proud of my motherland.
India is my motherland. She is also the motherland of
many saints and sages like Rishi Valmiki, Gum Nanak,
Gautam and Mahavira. She has given birth to warriors like
Poms, Rana Pratap, Shivaji and Rani Jhansi. India is the
oldest civilization in the world. It is not only the biggest
democracy but also the torch bearer of the peace process of
the world. Being a secular country, people belonging to
different religions and having different cultural backgrounds
live here. There is unity in diversity. In the field of science, it
has made tremendous progress. India is now a nuclear power
state. It is rich in heritage and natural resources and is
inhabited by hard-working people. I am proud of my
motherland.
211
Fashion Among Students
Students...very particular about fashions..... ape actors and
actresses....competition among them .... health clubs.....
beauty parlours..... boutiques.... students are conscious
regarding their physical looks........put on expensive
clothes.... nothing wrong in this ........ but they should not
devote all their time and energy to fashions.
The students in India are very particular about the
fashions. They ape the actors and actresses. Some of them go
to see the films just to copy the latest fashions. There is a
competition among them to look smart and attractive. The
mushrooming of health clubs, beauty parlours and trendy
boutiques prove how conscious the young men and women
of today have become in respect of their physical looks.
They put on expensive clothes of latest cut, colour and
design. There is nothing wrong in the desire to look smart,
beautiful and healthy. But to devote all one’s time and energy
to fashions only is not a desirable thing. The moral, mental
and spiritual development also needs an equal consideration.
Discipline
Discipline is backbone of character....... comes from the word
‘disciple’..... plays important role in fam ily...in school....in
playground....in office..... soldiers follow whatever is
commanded.........even objects of nature follow discipline.
Discipline is the backbone of character. It is the foundation
of any civilization. It comes from the word ‘disciple’ which
means a learner. Discipline means learning and following
certain rules that are essential for a peaceful and prosperous
life. It plays an important role in every walk of life. In the
family we learn discipline through our obedience to parents
and elders. In the school discipline is equally important. We
212
need discipline in the playground too. The players must
follow the rules of the games and show sportsmanship. In
every office, discipline is a basic necessity. The best display
of this quality can be observed in the armed forces. The
soldiers remain in strict discipline and do whatever is
commanded without question. Even the objects of nature
move and grow up in a disciplined manner. The movement of
the heavenly bodies takes place in a disciplined way. Life
without discipline would be like a ship without a captain or a
plane without a pilot. Discipline is, thus, essential in life.
Small Family Is A Happy Family

The cost of living is high in today’s world..........all countries
facing population problem..... India has limited resources
....... stress should be laid on family p la n n in g ........ spread of
education..... less children...good citizens.... proper diet
.. ..thus have children by choice and not by chance.
A small family is indeed nothing short of a blessing in
today’s world. The cost of living is really high. It becomes
impossible to make both ends meet if one has a large family
to support. All the countries of the world are facing the
problem of rising population. But the problem is very acute
and threatening in India because we have limited resources.
Stress should be laid on family planning and the spread of
education. Small family is an economic necessity also. The
concept of small family will help to eradicate the problems
like poverty and unemployment. A person having less
children can make them better citizens by providing them
with a proper diet and a good education. The government as
well as the public should make a determined effort towards
family planning. Children should be bom by choice and not
by chance. Thus the concept of small family should be
adopted as a way of life.
213
Fast Food-A Health Hazard
Fast food ....quick and inexpensive....can buy just about
anywhere... .much popular... .inexpensive because made with
cheaper ingredients....unhealthy....can lead to health
problems like heart diseases and obesity...boycott the habit
of eating fast foods.
Fast food is any food that is quick, convenient, and
usually inexpensive. You can buy fast food just anywhere
and everywhere these days. Vending machines and drive-thru
restaurants are probably the most common places to find fast
food. Fast foods are so popular because one can eat to one’s
fill and enjoy the spicy taste. But every fast food is usually
made with cheaper ingredients such as high-fat meat and
foods that contain lots of unhealthy fats and cholesterol,
instead of nutritious foods such as lean meats, fresh fruits,
and vegetables. If we eat too much fast food over a long
period of time, it can lead to health problems like high blood
pressure, heart disease, and obesity. Thus a health conscious
person should boycott the habit of eating fast foods.
Scene At A Railway Station

I spend some time at the railway station..... like
watching trains ..... before the arrival of a train....growing
excitement and activity...som e in great hurry....som e
unhappy at the departure of loved ones... coolies
run..... vendor boys move in and out of the train., jostling and
elbowing..... after the train has left....platform gives a
deserted look.
I often spend some time at the main railway station in
my town. I like watching the trains come and go. I enjoy the
scene before and after the train arrives. A few minutes before
214
the arrival of train, one can see growing excitement and
activity on all sides. Some are in a great hurry to board the
train, some are excited about the arrival of their near and dear
ones and some are unhappy at the departure of their loved
ones. Coolies run about with luggage. The vendor boys move
in and out of the train with eatables. This results in a lot of
jostling and elbowing. Some passengers keep loitering up
and down the platform. After the train has left, the staff
retires to their rooms and the platform gives a deserted look.
A Scene At A Polling Booth
The election day..... full of excitement....my school....
polling centre....feverish activity....rush of voters....cars,
minibuses used to bring candidates from hom es.. ..free drinks
offered to voters.... polling officer enquired the names of
voters.. .verified identity cards..... after casting vote, ink mark
put on voter’s left fore finger..... booth closed at 5.
The Election Day this year was full of excitement. My

school was one of the polling centres. There was feverish
activity on the booth. The rush of voters was increasing
gradually. There were cars, minibuses and rickshaws used by
different candidates to bring voters from their homes. This
was, of course, wrong but nobody seemed to mind. There
were also stalls where free soft drinks were offered to the
voters and sympathizers. The polling officer enquired from
the voters their names and other particulars recorded in the
electoral roll. He also verified every voter’s identity card
before issuing the ballot paper. Before casting the vote, an
indelible ink mark was put on every voter’s left forefinger.
Polling was brisk especially in the afternoon and the booths
were closed exactly at 5 p.m. Luckily there was no unhappy
incident. I returned home tired but satisfied.
215
Inauguration of the Computer Wing of our School
New computer w ing..... inaugurated by Principal,
Polytechnic College....generous grants from N.G.O.....
organized a talk on role of computers....computers have
revolutionized life....knowledge of the world thrown at
man’s feet..... urged students to take the maximum advantage
of computer w ing....tea served.... gave demonstration to
handle the com puter.. .students happy and proud.
The new computer wing of our school was inaugurated
by Mr. Manav Sharma, Principal, Government Polytechnic
College of our town. The construction of the wing was
possible due to the generous grants from an N.G.O. The
school organized a talk on the role of computers in modem
education. All agreed with Mr. Sharma when he said that the
computers have revolutionized the day to day life of human
beings and that the advancement of information technology
has thrown the knowledge of the world at man’s doorstep. He
impressed upon the students to take the maximum advantage
of their computer wing. All he said was interesting and
informative. After the talk, tea and refreshments were served.
He also gave a demonstration on handling the wonder
machine carefully. All students went home feeling happy and
proud.
A Visit To A Book Fair

Last Sunday.........with friends....visited a book fair........a
spectacle to w atch..... many publishing houses displayed their
books..... I bought som e....had tea and snacks......even small
children enthusiastic..... bought a book for my younger
brother.. ..returned happy and contented.
Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.
Last Sunday, some of my friends and I had a chance to visit
the Universal Book Fair. It was organized at Government
College, Ludhiana. It was a spectacle to watch. Many
publishing houses were participating. They had displayed a
variety of books, which contained the wealth of knowledge
and experience. I bought some books by V.S.Naipaul, a
Nobel Laureate. In the afternoon, we felt somewhat tired. We
relieved our fatigue by having tea and snacks at a stall
nearby. I was pleased to see that most of the visitors were
young boys and girls. Even small children were
enthusiastically reading books. One of my friends settled for
Harry Potter. I bought a book of short stories for my younger
brother. We returned home happy and contented.
An Aeroplane Crash
I was eyewitness.......................aeroplane crash ......at
Jalandhar....going to m arket....heard big noise in sky.....
flames ....... people running towards the bank......debris of
plane scattered all over....... many dead....m any crying in
pain..... police party....team of doctors.....volunteers....I was
shocked.... restless for days.
I was an eye witness to the aeroplane crash that
occurred at Jalandhar four years ago. I was going to the
market when all of a sudden I heard a big noise in the sky. I
saw huge flames of fire coming down. Within moments, a
large number of people were running towards the building
occupied by a bank. I also rushed in the same direction. The
debris of an aeroplane was scattered all over. Many people
were lying dead and many were crying in pain. In no time,
the police party and a team of doctors arrived. Many
volunteers from an N.G.O. also reached the spot. The injured
217
were attended upon and the dead bodies removed. I was very
much shocked to see the most horrible sight. For days
together, I remained restless and could not sleep at nights.
A Visit To A Wildlife Sanctuary

Sanctuary..... where animals live in their natural
habitat..... I went to visit uncle.... tea planter in
A ssam ....w ent to a sanctuary named Kaziranga..... natural
habitat of single-horn rhino....w e mounted an elephant....
passed through tall grass.... saw rhino walking....... single
horn..... huge body... also bucks and birds of various kinds
....... animals roaming freely......sanctuaries counter excessive
poaching ... .surprising experience.
A sanctuary is a place where animals live in then-

natural habitat. My uncle, who is a tea plantation owner in
Assam, took me to a sanctuary named Kaziranga. It is the
natural habitat of single-horn rhino. It is the only one of its
own kind in the world. We mounted an elephant and passed
through the tall grass. It was exciting to see the rhino
walking. Its single horn, thick skin and huge body attracted
me. We saw bucks and birds of various kinds. The animals
were roaming about freely and fearlessly. The guides told us
that it was declared a sanctuary to counter excessive
poaching. We had our snacks sitting on the elephant’s back.
It was a surprising experience for me.
Our School Annual Inspection

Conducted by District Education Officer..... reached with
team before morning assem bly.... escorted by Principal....
we sang National A nthem ....show of P.T. with drum..... our
academic records checked..... impressed by our science and
computer laboratories.........visited sports room .... art and
218
craft room .... Vice-Principal read the annual report....highly
satisfied.
The annual inspection of our school was conducted
by our worthy District Education Officer. He reached the
school along with his team, before the morning assembly. He
was escorted to the assembly ground by our Principal. All the
students sang the National Anthem in a chorus. We presented
a P.T. show with the drum. Then the academic records of the
students were checked. The inspector was highly impressed
by the science and computer laboratories of the school. He
visited the sports room as well as the art and craft room. The
Vice-Principal read out the annual report of the school which
highlighted the achievements of the students in all fields. The
whole team was highly satisfied and they said that the school
was progressing well.
A Visit To Rajghat
Rajghat..... body of Mahatma Gandhi cremated......in
D elhi.. ..place of pilgrimage..... I went with my school friends
...stony path leads to inner gates....a mound covered with
black stone slab... “Hey Ram” carved on the slab.... visited
by all foreign dignitaries who come to India.. .place of
utmost sanctity.
Rajghat is the place where the body of Mahatma
Gandhi, Father of the Nation, was cremated. It is situated in
Delhi and has become a place of pilgrimage. I went to see it
along with my school friends. We went along a stony path
that led us to the inner gates. Then we reached the Samadhi
of the great saint. It is a mound covered with black stone
slab. “Hey Ram” the last words uttered by the Mahatma, are
carved on the slab. We saw a variety of flowers all around
and an air of peace appeared to be prevailing all over the
219
place. We paid our heart-felt homage to the great soul. It is
visited by all the foreign dignitaries who come to India. It is a
place of utmost sanctity.
PRACTICE EXERCISES
Develop paragraphs on the basis of the given
outlines :
1. A Visit to a Hospital : My friend met with an
accident............I went to the hospital........big hospital
....m any w ards....m y friend in special ward ....
operated....leg bandaged....massive fracture.... doctors
very able..... nurses cheerful and co-operative .... I
stayed with my friend for half an hour.
2. A Street Hawker: A familiar figure..... seen near

schools, bus stands, streets..... shout in full voice....
attract the customer by adding adjectives to his
wares....... sell vegetables, fruits, ice-cream........
sometimes stale things....... high rates.... Life very hard.
3. Science Fair In Our School: Inaugurated by the District

Education Officer..... 120 items on display....m ost of
them working m odels...showed newness....everyone
fascinated....... students explained with confidence....
teachers had worked hard.. ..appreciated.
4. A Scene At A Bus Stand: Colourful spectacle..... busy
during day..... presents a mini bazaar....booking
window....... bought tickets........boarded the bus........
beggars begging a coin or tw o..... people eating
peanuts....... taking tea.... reading newspapers .........
pick pockets ..... conductor gave the w histle...I said
‘bye’ to cousin.
220
5. A Rainy Day: India..... land of varying seasons......
summer very hot..... rain brings relief...dark clouds
gather in the sky..... cool breeze...dow npour......children
dance in rain....... streets flooded with w ater....rain
stopped....... cool weather........rainbow in the
sky... .people enjoy.
6. Drug Addiction: Addiction to drugs is invitation of
death....... youth most affected....waste their money and
precious energy....... sometimes steal......become violent
............become crim inals....lose sense of good and
bad..... immediate steps needed.
7. Pollution: Living in polluted w orld....air, water, food
etc...everything polluted...scientists listed the dangers
of environmental pollution....... all governments
w orried... man himself responsible....use of
fertilizers....nuclear testing..... contaminating water ...
several deadly diseases..... an immediate control must.
8. The Value O f Games: A part of education....sound
mind in a sound body..... teach sportsmanship......one
looks healthy and well-groomed....they free us from
anger and calm u s..... social value.. ..teach discipline and
patience..... those who excel represent the country in
Olympics....... win name and fame.
9. Life In A Big City: It has its own charm....... sufficient
educational institutions..... many means of recreation
.........good medical facilities...... more chances of
employment ..... more trade opportunities .........
shortcomings also there.........busy and self-centered
people..... The bigger the city, the greater the loneliness.
10. My Ambition In Life: Life without an aim is like a ship
without a rudder....... my aim is to become a teacher
221
....... noble profession....... a saying in Sanskrit “A king is
respected in his country but a teacher is respected
everywhere” ..... serves the country in real sense......a
nation builder ....... all doctors, administrators,
politicians are shaped by teachers..... he can mould
anyone into any shape.
11. An Ideal Citizen: An asset to the nation..... law abiding
citizen is a real patriot..... good civic sense......loyal to
family, society and country.........makes proper use of his
vote....... pays ta x .. .believes in world peace......he works
for the welfare and upliftment of his country..........fights
social evils..........must for the prosperity of a country.
12. Honesty Is The Best Policy: Honesty fetches satisfaction
and peace of m ind..... an honest man never falls a victim
to greed....... leads hard life ......... Contented ...............
trusted by everyone .......... sometimes nicknamed
‘coward’.........in fact has nothing to fear....dares to be
straight and just.
13. Health Is Wealth: health is the greatest
blessing..... without health life is burden......a sick can
neither work nor enjoy....... cannot taste good dishes ....
Cannot move for recreation.... Body is the temple of
God .... Avoid bad habits like smoking or drinking
....... regular exercise.
14. Knowledge Is Power: Knowledge helps attain success

..... money is also power......so is physical strength, but
biggest power is knowledge............Karl Marx, Plato,
Galileo, etc., dominated the society on the basis of
knowledge....... it moulds the destiny of the world.
222
10.5 W riting Letters
Letter writing is a substitute to conversation. The object of a
letter is to convey a message. Regarding the style of the
letter, it should be respectful to elders, affectionate to
relations and friends; it should be simple and courteous to all.
Some Letter Writing Tips :
1. Keep it short and to the point.
2. Keep your focus on the information requirement of
the addressee.
3. Use simple and appropriate language.
4. Be courteous and tactful. Use appropriate
expressions.
5. Be sure to date your letter.
6. Revise the letter to check spelling and grammar
mistakes.
Kinds of Letters :
1. Personal Letters: These are the letters written between
relatives and intimate friends. They are informal and
are more like a friendly chat.
2. Business Letters: These are formal letters in which
certain friendly expressions are used. The
businessmen are busy people and they do not have
time to read long letters. Thus these letters should be
clear and to the point.
3. Official Letters: These are also formal letters written
to officials and similar public bodies.
Parts of a Letter
1. Sender’s Name and Address: It is written on the top of
the page. It includes the writer’s name and address.
2. Date: Do not forget to date the letter. While writing the
date, day is written in figures, month in words and year
223
in full figures. Write 27th November, 2016 instead of 27-
11-16.
3. Receiver’s Address: It is not written in personal letters.
In business letters, the name of the firm or the company
is mentioned. The official letters are not addressed by
name but by the designation of a person :
The Editor
The Tribune
Chandigarh
4. Subject: It is not required in personal letters; but it is a
must in official letters. It should be as brief as possible.
5. Salutation or greeting: It is a formal way of beginning a
letter. The greeting depends upon the relation in which
you stand to the one whom you are addressing to.
6. Body of the Letter: It comprises of the introduction,
message and courteous conclusion.
7. Subscription: It is the polite leave-taking phrase. It
should be ‘Yours truly’ and ‘Yours faithfully’ in formal
letters. In case of friends, where we use a personal name
in the salutation, it should be ‘Yours sincerely’. In case
of personal letters it is ‘Yours affectionately’.
8. Signature: Formal letters require your full signature.
Below the signature, your name and position is written.
Do not use full signature in personal letters. Use the
name by which you are known among your relatives and
friends.
224
Given below are the correct salutations along with their
subscriptions used in different relations: ______________
Relation Salutation Subscription
Friends Dear Mohan or Yours

My dear Mohan sincerely
Blood relations My dear Father Yours

Mother affectionately
Or
Brother
Dear Sister
Uncle
Aunt
Cousin
Strangers Dear Sir Yours truly
Madam
Principals Sir Yours

Teachers obediently
Headmasters
Officers
A firm, Sir Yours

company or faithfully
bookseller
etc...
(in business Dear Sir Yours
letters) Sirs faithfully
225
10.5.1 Personal Letters
SA M PLE 1: You are Rohit Verma, living at 27-Gandhi
Nagar, Panipat. Write a letter to your younger brother, who is
a bookworm, persuading him to take part in games.
27-Gandhi Nagar
Panipat
23rd May, 20..
Dear Mohit
It is more than a month since I had a letter from you. I was
feeling rather worried when I met your friend, Raj an,
yesterday. He told me that you were wholly occupied with
your books and that you don’t take care of your health.
I was glad to learn that you were taking your studies
seriously, but very sorry to note that you were doing so at the
cost of your health. Have you heard the saying ‘A sound
mind in a sound body’? Those who do brain work need a
regular physical exercise. I advise you to take up some game-
tennis or badminton. You will soon feel the benefit the
exercise gives you. You will return to your studies with a
fresh mind and a clear head.
So don’t avoid games. They give you good health and teach
you discipline. I hope you’ll take my advice seriously.
With best wishes
Yours affectionately
Rohit
SA M PLE 2: You are Rajiv living at Queens Hostel,
International School, New Delhi. Write a letter to your father
226
requesting him to permit you to join an educational tour to
South India, conducted by your school
Queens Hostel
International School
New Delhi
10th December, 20..
Dear Father
You will be glad to know that our school is going to close for
the Christmas holidays on 24th of this month. Our school has
arranged for an educational tour to south. Our Geography
teacher shall accompany the touring party along with three
other teachers.
The touring party will visit Rameshwaram, Bangalore and
Madurai. I shall have to pay ? 3000/- in all. Such trips bring
a change in our environment by adding fun and frolic to our
routine life. We learn to be independent. Above all, they add
to our knowledge and provide first-hand information.
I, therefore, request you to permit me to join the trip and
send m e ^ 3500/- at your earliest.
With warm regards to dear mother and love to Neha
Rajiv
SA M PLE 3: W rite a letter to your cousin Pulkit inviting him

to spend his winter break with you. You are Rohan and you
live at 24 Mall Road, Shimla.
24 Mall Road
Shimla
16thDecember, 20..
227
Dear Pulkit
I received your letter yesterday. You wrote that your school
will remain closed for fifteen days for the winter break. Will
it not be a fine thing if you spend these days at Shimla with
me? Our school is closed for a long winter vacation.
We will have a nice time together visiting Mashobra, Jakhu
Temple and W ild Flower Hall. We will spend our evenings
strolling on The Mall. You will love the hilltops covered with
snow. The view at Kuffi is breathtaking. You can do a good
deal of shopping at Lakkar Bazaar. Each of our days will
pass merrily.
Please write to me by the return of post if you are joining me.
I promise this visit of yours will be a memorable one.
With regards to dear uncle and aunt
Rohan
SA M PLE 4: You are Monu and you live at 51,Central

Town, Nangal. Write a letter to your father who is away on a
long tour, giving him home news.
51 Central Town
Nangal
September 16,20..
Dear Father
We got your letter yesterday. We are all fine and hope that
you are in perfect health and cheerful spirits. I have some
news to tell you.
228
Sonu has got his result. He has passed the matriculation
examination with 72% marks. His teachers want him to take
up science subjects. We are waiting for you to come and
decide. Mother is not keeping a very good health as our maid
servant has gone to attend her brother’s marriage and she has
to do all the domestic work. I and Vibha help her.
Ranvir uncle visited us yesterday. He is back from Canada.
He brought many gifts for us. You must write a letter to him.
Rest when you are at home.
Monu
SA M PLE 5: W rite a letter to your sister, Muskan, giving her

the details of a free medical camp that your grandmother
arranged recently. You are Anoushka and live at 1441-Nai
Abadi, Khanna.
1441 Nai Abadi

Khanna
November 20, 20..
Dear Muskan
Let me share with you an unforgettable experience that I had
yesterday. Grandmother organized a Free Medical Camp for
poor patients in the local Vivek Model School in memory of
our late grandfather. It was a grand success.
Eleven top doctors of the city had kindly agreed to lend their
service free of charge for the whole day. Diagnostic tests
were performed on the spot and patients were given the
reports within no time. The medicines prescribed by these
competent doctors were distributed free of cost. By evening,
229
more than 700 patients were examined and given different
treatments.
Our grandfather valued health above everything else. This
was what prompted grandmother to do something for the
suffering humanity.
May God help her organize more such camps!
Anoushka
SA M PLE 6: You are Tanbir, living at G-312, Adarsh

Colony, Moga. W rite a letter of condolence to your friend
Amrit on the death of his mother.
G-312 Adarsh Colony
Moga
5th January, 20..
Dear Amrit
I was greatly shocked to know about the sad demise of your
dear mother. At first I did not believe it. W hen I met her last
time, she was quite hale and hearty. Who knew that her end
was so near? It was destined so.
She was a pious lady and an image of simplicity and love.
She always treated me as her own son. I can never forget her.
I sympathize with you at this irreparable loss. All have to
submit before God’s will. May God give you strength to bear
this heavy loss.
Convey my heart felt condolences to your father and other
members of the family.
In grief
Yours sincerely
Tanbir
230
SA M PLE 7: Write a letter to your uncle thanking him for
the birthday gift he has sent you. You are Bhushan living at
37, Civil Lines, Ludhiana.
37 Civil Lines
Ludhiana
5th August, 20..
Dear Uncle
I missed you very much on my birthday. Papa told me that

you could not accept my invitation as you had to proceed on
an official tour the same day. However, your gift parcel
reached well in time.
I enthusiastically opened it and was overjoyed to see the set
of compact discs. One of them was an MP 3 and the other
carried the software I needed for my computer. My friends
also liked the gift very much. In fact they all wanted to
borrow these by turns. I thank you very much for this
precious birthday gift.
We spent the day feasting and merry making. In the evening
we saw the movie ‘Krish’ at Deepak. It was a gala day. I
enjoyed the blessings of my parents and the good wishes of
my friends.
Thanking you once again for the nice birthday gift.
Bhushan
231
SA M PLE 8: W rite a letter to your younger sister Rani,
describing your visit to some historical building. You are
Seema living at Pratibha Hostel, Bal Bharti, Delhi.
Pratibha Hostel
Bal Bharti
Delhi
10th October, 20..
Dear Rani
I received your letter yesterday. Actually it had arrived
earlier but I could not get it as I was out of town. Our History
teacher had arranged for an educational tour to Agra and I,
along with my classmates, enjoyed a three day trip to the
place.
W e reached A gra before noon. Inspite of being tired, we

could not wait till the next day and went to see The Taj in the
evening. The bewitching sight narrated the history of it. It
truly exhibits the emotion of love as one falls in love with
The Taj itself at first sight. It is, no doubt, one of the seven
wonders of the world. Then we went to see the Agra Fort.
Here Shahjahan was captivated by his own son. The old
emperor could have a full view of Taj Mahal from here.
We learn from these tours what no books can teach. W hat I

saw there will always remain fresh in my memory.
With regards to Mama and Papa
Seema
232
SA M PLE 9: W rite a letter to your mother telling her about
your stay with your uncle and aunt. You are Rajni and you
live at Mansarovar Hostel, Vanketeshwara College, Kamal.
Mansarovar Hostel
Vanketeshwara College
Kamal
August 28, 20..
My dear Mother
Dear uncle and aunt had invited me to spend a few days with
them during the summer vacation. I availed myself of the
opportunity and reached Delhi by bus on the 13th of July.
Uncle was already there at the bus stand waiting for me.
Little Navin had also come with him.
He took me home in a taxi. Aunt was highly pleased to see
me. Abha embraced me as she was overjoyed to have me at
her place. She, along with dear aunt, had prepared a fabulous
lunch in my honour.
We paid visits to all historical places like Lai Qila, Qutub

Minar and Birla Temple. I was choked with emotion on my
visit to Rajghat. Another day they took me to Palika Bazaar.
It was a feast for the eyes. I did some shopping there and we
all had snacks.
Mama, during my stay, they all took great care of me. I
enjoyed every day to the full. As my holidays were drawing
to a close, I returned to the hostel with a heavy heart.
With regards
Rajni
233
10.5.2 Business Letters
SA M PLE 1: Write a letter to a book-seller complaining
against the wrong supply of books. You are Jatinder Singh
living at Model Town, Nakoder.
21 Model Town
Nakoder
November 28, 20..
M/s India Book Depot

Mai Heera Gate
Jalandhar
Sub: Wrong supply of books
Dear Sir
I am constrained to complain against the wrong compliance
of my order dated 14th October 20... I had placed an order for
Micro Economics for +2, Text books of Mathematics and
English for +2 (Commerce group). To my utter surprise, the
packet sent by you contained one book of History and the
other guide of Punjabi -b o th for +1 class. I think it is the
result of the negligence of your packing clerk.
You are requested to supply us the books as per our order
through courier.
An early compliance will be highly appreciated.
Thanking you
Yours truly
Jatinder
234
Sam ple 2: Write a letter to the manager of a bank requesting
for a loan for higher study. You are Nikhil Chawla living at
34, Krishna Nagar, Banga.
34 Krishna Nagar
Banga
November 28, 20..
The Manager
Punjab National Bank
Banga
Sub: Request for a study loan
Dear Sir
Kindly refer your commercial advertisement in The Tribune

dated 5th of February, 20..
I submit that I am a student of MBBS first year at Govt.
College, Faridkot. In my P.M.T. held last year, I secured 2nd
position in the merit list.
I further submit that my father is a petty clerk in Punjab State
Electricity Board. The entire family banks upon him alone.
My expenditure on the other side is very large. So I request
your good self to sanction me a loan of ? 3 Lacs. I assure
you to return the amount as per conditions given in the
advertisement.
I am sure you will kindly advise the concerned officials to
process my application so that the loan is advanced to me at
the earliest.
Thanking you
Yours faithfully
Nikhil Chawla
235
SA M PLE 3. W rite a letter ordering some sports goods to the
firm,M/s Avtar Singh and Sons at Jalandhar. You are
Prabhjot Kaur, studying at Government High School, Nawan
Shahar.
Govt. High. School

Nawan Shehar
November 28, 20..
M/s Avtar Singh and sons

Sports goods suppliers
Nakodar Road
Jalandhar
Sub: Order for Sports Goods
Dear Sir
Kindly send the following Sports Goods at your earliest.
Hockey Sticks Blue Star One dozen
Cricket Bats English Willow One dozen
Cricket Balls Fenta Two dozen
Hockey Balls Olympic Two dozen
Goods should be checked and properly packed. The damaged
goods shall be returned to you at your cost. The consignment
should reach us within three weeks. An A/C payee cheque
for ? 5000/- is enclosed as advance money.
Awaiting your reply
Yours faithfully
Prabhjot Kaur
236
SA M PLE 4. You are Prakash of 53- Vikaspuri, New Delhi.
Recently you purchased an Inkjet Printer which is not
working properly. Write a letter of complaint to M/s British
Electronics Corporation, Meera Bagh, New Delhi asking for
replacement immediately.
53 Vikaspuri
New Delhi.
November 28, 20..
M/s British Electronics Corporation
Meera Bagh
New Delhi
Sub: Replacement of Printer
Dear Sirs,
I purchased a Canon Printer latest model from your
showroom on November 20, 20.. vide cash memo number
819 and paid ? 5000/-. It carries one year guarantee against
any manufacturing defect, but regrettably, it has not been
functioning properly since the day of its installation. It
appears that the printer had not been thoroughly tested before
it was delivered to me.
M ost often, it loses colours and the printing is faint. Even
the black ink leaves marks on the page. This irregularity in
the smooth functioning of the newly installed printer has
caused me great anxiety.
It shall be kind on your part if you replace this piece with a
good one immediately.
Thanking you in anticipation
Yours faithfully
Prakash
237
SA M PLE 5. You placed an order with M/s Readymade
Woollens, Ludhiana, for the supply of Ladies Cardigans, but
they have delayed the execution of the order. W rite a letter to
them cancelling the order. You are Nirmal Jain, Proprietor,
Nirmal and Sons, Sangrur.
Nirmal and Sons

Sangrur
5th October, 20..
M/s Readymade Woollens
Ludhiana
Sub : Cancelling the order
Sir,
We placed an order with you on 5th September for 200 pieces

of ladies cardigans to be delivered by 20th September. But
till now we have received neither the goods nor any letter
from you. The time of delivery has long expired and we are
compelled to cancel the order, and should the goods arrive,
they will now be refused.
Yours faithfully
Nirmal Jain
Proprietor
SA M PLE 6. Imagine you are Rahul. You live at Muktsar.

You live in Gandhi Nagar. Your house number is 765. You
want to buy some books. Write a letter to the Manager, Lyall
Book Depot, Ludhiana, ordering books of your choice.
765 Gandhi Nagar

Muktsar
November 21, 20..
238
The Manager
Lyall Book Depot
Ludhiana
Dear Sir
Kindly dispatch the following books per VPP at your earliest
convenience.
1. History of India(Romila Thapper) 2 copies

2. My Girlhood(Taslima Nasrin) 2 copies
3. W ord Power(Neil W enbom) 2 copies
4. Collins Cobuild English Dictionary 3 copies
Thanking you
Yours faithfully
Rahul
SA M PLE 7. W rite a letter to M/s Mahajan Book Shop, New

Bazaar, Amritsar, telling them that the books you had
ordered had arrived, but some books were with tom pages
and a few of them of old editions. Ask for replacement of the
books. You are Neelam Sharma, C-5, Lawrence Road,
Amritsar.
C-5 Lawrence Road

Amritsar
November 28, 20..
M/s Mahajan Book Shop
New Bazaar
Amritsar
Sub: Replacement of books
239
Sirs
I was highly displeased to receive the parcel containing the

books which I had ordered. Some books do not contain
complete pages. Their pages are either missing or are tom. A
few of them are the old editions.
Such a negligence on your part will bring an insult to your
reputation and goodwill.
Please replace them at the earliest with latest editions having
current dates. I am sending them back through my peon.
Yours faithfully
Neelam Sharma
10.5.3 Official Letters

SA M PLE 1: During summer vacation children stick to the
television most of the time. W rite a letter to the Director
Doordarshan suggesting new programmes you would like to
have for children. You are Sohan Lai, 43-Arjun Nagar,
Gobindgarh.
43 Arjun Nagar
Gobindgarh
September 28, 20..
The Director
Doordarshan
New Delhi
Sub: Request for showing certain programmes for children
240
Sir
These are the leisurely days of summer vacation. Almost all
the school-going children stick to the television most of the
time. Most of the programmes are meant for adults. They are
of no use to them. They merely amuse.
It would be profitable for them if the programmes on

cartoons, general knowledge and new discoveries and
inventions are shown more often. It would enhance their
knowledge and utilize their time. There should be more quiz
contests to develop a sense of competition in the children.
Please telecast the films that are meant for children. There
are many such films made by Amol Palekar.
I hope you will pay heed to my genuine request and do the
needful.
Yours faithfully
Sohan Lai
SA M PLE 2: You are Pramod Kumar living at G-576, Niwas

Puri, Delhi. There is no shed at the bus stand in your colony
causing hardships to people in bad weather. Write a letter to
the Chairman, Delhi Transport Corporation, requesting him
to make necessary arrangements.
G-576 Niwas Puri

Delhi
November 21, 20..
The Chairman
Delhi Transport Corporation
New Delhi
241
Sub: Request for constructing a shed
Sir
I draw your kind attention to the need of constructing a shed
at the bus stand in our colony. Ours is a big colony, about
200 persons of this colony travel by bus every day. There is
no shed at the bus stand here. It causes a great inconvenience
for the people in bad weather. They have to face the furies of
sun strokes or showers. Their clothes get soiled and eyes
blurred with dust.
Kindly look into the matter and make necessary

arrangements for getting a shed constructed at your earliest.
Yours faithfully
Pramod Kumar
SA M PLE 3: W rite a letter to the Superintendent of Police

(Traffic), Chandigarh, requesting him to install traffic lights
at the crossing near your school. You are Rajan Sethi, a
student of class Xllth, D.A.V School, Chandigarh.
D.A.V School
Chandigarh
September 28, 20..
The Superintendent of Police (Traffic)
Chandigarh
Sub: Installation of traffic lights at the crossing
242
Sir
I request your kind attention to the need of installing traffic
lights at the crossing near our school. Last year a student of
our school lost her life at this place. In order to reach the
school in time, the students make haste while crossing the
road. On the other hand, the endless stream of the speeding
vehicles does not seem to halt. The students face the same
problem while going back to their homes.
I therefore, request you to kindly arrange to install traffic
lights at the crossing before another young kid loses his
precious life in an accident.
Hoping for an immediate action
Yours faithfully
Raj an Sethi
Class XII
SA M PLE 4. Imagine you are Komal Verma. You live in 53-
Central Town, Jalandhar. The postman of your street is rude
and irregular. Write a letter to the postmaster complaining
against the conduct of the postman.
53 Central Town
Jalandhar
October 26, 20..
The Postmaster
Jalandhar City
Sir
I regret to bring to your kind notice that the postman of our
street, Sh. Bajrangi Lai is both rude and irregular. He comes
late and often delivers the letters to the wrong person. He
throws the letter from above the main gate and does not
243
bother where it falls or gives them to children in the street. I
and my neighbours have warned him many times but he does
not listen to anyone. I, therefore, request you to look into the
matter.
He delivered my interview call letter to someone else. The
nice fellow found me out and gave the letter to me. I request
you to reprimand the postman and instruct him to do his duty
properly.
Thanking you
Yours faithfully
Komal Verma
SA M PLE 5. Imagine you are Raman. You live in Gali Ram

Nath, Malerkotla. Write a complaint to the Health Officer of
your town about the insanitary condition of your street.
Gali Ram Nath

Malerkotla
March 16, 20..
The Health Officer
Malerkotla
Sub: Insanitary condition of our street
Sir
I beg to bring to your kind notice the insanitary condition of
Gali Ram Nath. It seems that we are living in hell. During the
rainy season, the open manholes present a ghastly scene.
Dirty water stagnates in the pits and heaps of filth and dirt are
seen everywhere. There is no outlet for dirty water. It has
244
become the breeding place for mosquitoes spreading malaria
and dengue.
There is a milk dairy in the street. They tie their cattle in the
street but do not remove dung for many days. The street is
always filled with bad smell. The sweeper also does not clean
the street for days together. If this state of affairs continues,
many of us may soon fall ill.
I request you to look into the matter and oblige.
Yours faithfully
Raman
SA M PLE 6. You are Raghu, staying at 12, Balmik Colony,

Gurdaspur. Write a letter to the Editor of a newspaper to
create awareness among the masses about pollution hazards.
12 Balmik Colony
Gurdaspur
March 13, 20..
The Editor
The Tribune
Chandigarh
Sub: Environmental Pollution
Sir
Kindly publish the following few lines about the need for
environmental awareness. It is one of the biggest problems
the modem man faces today. The air we breathe in, the water
we drink, and the food we eat are all polluted. Smoke and
other chemical wastes of the factories have poisoned the air
and water. The result is the breakout of several deadly
diseases like cancer.
245
It is a collective responsibility of all Indians to save our
environment. Unauthorized felling of the trees should be
checked. New methods should be developed to minimize the
effect of the smoke let out by the autos and chimneys.
In the end I want to say that, “"When all the trees are cut
down and all the rivers poisoned, only then man will know
that money cannot be eaten.”
Yours faithfully
Raghu
SA M PLE 7: You are Manpreet Kaur living at Adarsh Vihar,

Dwarka. W rite a letter to the Editor of a newspaper
suggesting how the problem of begging can be stopped.
Adarsh Vihar
Dwarka
April 27, 20..
The Editor
The Indian Express
Delhi
Sub: The problem of begging
Sir
Kindly allow me to air through your columns one grave
problem faced by our country today. This is the problem of
begging. It has become a profession for some people because
it is the easiest way to earn a living. There are many gangs
that kidnap small kids and force them to become beggars.
Some criminals also beg to hide their crimes.
Begging should be abolished by law. Able-bodied beggars
should be forced to work. People should not give any alms to
246
beggars. The government should help the handicapped and
helpless persons. Thus the combined effort of the
government and the people can end this evil.
Yours faithfully
Manpreet Kaur
SA M PLE 8. You are Divya, monitor of class Xll A of S.D.

Sr. Sec. School, Mansa. Write an application to the Principal
asking her to arrange for special coaching classes in English.
The Principal
S.D. Sr. Sec. School
Mansa
Madam
I am a student of class Xll A. I want to bring to your kind
notice that our courses in English have not been fully
covered. Our English teacher remained busy in the seminars
organized by the N.C.E.R.T. After that she was on leave for
one month.
We need practice in grammar. The supplementary English
Reader is simply untouched. During the school hours we will
have to read and make notes on it. We need extra classes to
finish the syllabus of grammar.
I request you to arrange for extra coaching classes as soon as
possible.
Thanking you
Yours obediently
Divya
May 5, 20..
247
SA M PLE 9: You are Tilak, the head boy of class X of
Parvati Jain School, Jalandhar. W rite an application to your
Principal, requesting her to arrange for an educational trip.
The Principal
Parvati Jain School
Jalandhar
Madam
I beg to state that we, the students of class X, want to go on
an educational tour to Delhi. We want to see ‘Rashtrapati
Bhavan’, ‘Pragati M aidan’, Akshardham Temple and
Parliament House. We also want to visit Rajghat. No one
among us has ever been to Appu House. To travel by the
metro train is another attraction. We will also visit the
historical places. This trip will provide first-hand information
about what we read in books only.
Our class teacher, Mr. R.Mehta has agreed to keep our
company. About 35 students are ready to go on the trip. It is
likely to cost us ? 500/- per head.
I hope that you will arrange for this trip and oblige.
Yours obediently
Tilak
(Head Boy)
October 11, 20..
SA M PLE 10: W rite an application for employment in J.J

Enterprises, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, as a computer
operator. You are Himesh Kaushik living at 564, Sector 7,
Rohini, Delhi.
248
564 Sector -7,
Rohini
Delhi
March 17, 20..
The Manager
J J . Enterprises
Lajpat Nagar
New Delhi
Sir
Having read in The Tribune yesterday, I understand there is a
vacancy in your office in the computer section at a salary of
? 6000/- per month. I beg to submit my application for the
post. I have done my B.C.A degree from Khalsa College,
Jalandhar with 79% marks.
I have no experience as I completed my degree course last
year, but I promise to work hard. I will be happy to do any
general work besides being a computer operator.
Hoping for a favourable reply.
Yours faithfully
Himesh Kaushik
P R A C T IC E E X E R C ISE S
1. You are Monica. You live at 504/3 Model Town,
Moga. W rite a letter to your friend Rina about your
experience of a new school that you just joined.
2. You are Yogesh living at 435, 12-D Panchkula. Write a
letter to your uncle on his 70th birthday.
249
3. Your elder brother studies at Allahabad. You are
Haijot, living at 97-Dana Mandi Jagraon. W rite a letter
to your brother telling him about some good news at
home.
4. You are Jeevan. You live with your parents at Prem
Nagar, Ambala. Write a letter to your younger brother
Manav scolding him for having neglected his studies.
5. You are Jasbir and you live at New Janta Nagar,
Sahnewal. W rite a letter to your friend Jyoti
congratulating her on her grand success in the
matriculation examination.
6. You are Komal and you live at H.I.G. new Colony,
Rajpura. W rite a letter to your grandfather telling him
about your new syllabus.
7. Write a letter to your friend inviting her on to ring-
ceremony of your elder sister giving time, date and
venue of the ceremony. You are Deepshikha and live at
834,Urban Estate, Ludhiana.
8. Your examination is drawing near but you have not yet
fully prepared yourself for the same. W rite a letter to
your mother telling her the reasons for it. You are
Pratap living at 56-Mata Gujari Hostel, Mansarovar
School, Delhi.
9. You are Manav. You live at Rose Hostel, Paramount
School, Shimla. You received a letter from your elder
brother scolding you for neglecting your studies.
Write a letter to your brother assuring him that you
have given up all the bad habits and are now working
hard for your examination.
250
10. Write an application to your Principal asking her
permission for six days leave as you are going to
Dharamshala to attend the marriage of your maternal
uncle. You are Manoj, studying in class XI of Saint
Soldier School, Pathankot.
11. You are Kanchan, a student of class X of Kings Sr. Sec.
School, Delhi. W rite an application to your Principal to
allow you to join the N.C.C ( Girls Wing) of your
school as you want to join army after studies.
12. Write a letter to the Commissioner of Police, complaining
about the behaviour of a Sub-Inspector. You are Jamail
Singh and a student of Xll class of M.G.N. Public
School, Patiala.
13. Write an application to the Manager of a firm M/s.
Kanti Prasad & Sons, Lucknow for the post of a
salesman. You are Jatinder and you live at 23-Kartar
Nagar, Agra.
14. Write a letter to the Manager, Rajindra Book Depot,
Patiala, to send you some books. Give the list of the
books required. You are Jatin and live at B-86, Lai
Bazaar, Rajpura.
15. You are Lalita living at friend’s Colony, Sonepat. Write
a letter to Shiba Herbal Cosmetics, Dariaganj, Delhi,
complaining about the body lotion they sent you.
16. You are Shivani from 438-Pritam Colony, Phagwara.
You need silk garments. W rite a letter to Suhag Silk
Store, Patiala, placing an order for silk garments of
various colours and sizes.
251
17. You are the Manager of Bhivani Plastics Ltd.,Paschim
Vihar, Delhi. You require 40 electric fans for your
company. Write a letter to Vogue Electric Corporation,
Kolkata, placing an order for 40 fans of different
colours and sizes.
18. Write a letter to the Municipal Commissioner about the
menace of stray dogs in your locality. You are Anupam,
living at Kailash Nagar, Doraha.
19. You are Manu Verma, living at 456, Sector 34C,
Chandigarh. W rite a letter to the Senior Medical
Officer, Civil Hospital, Chandigarh offering your
services for the polio drive in Chandigarh.
20. You are Alok, studying in class X in Government
Senior Secondary School, Ladhewali. Write a letter to
the Principal requesting her to make arrangements for a
good canteen so that the students may get hygienic
eatables.
21. You are Navin living at Joginder Enclave, Roopnagar.
Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper about the
problem of water scarcity.

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A Practice Book of

Written by : Dr. D.V. Jindal

PUNJAB SCHOOL EDUCATION BOARD

All rights, including those of translation, reproduction

E d itio n 2 0 1 6 ................1,92,000 copies

2. Printing, Publishing, Stocking, Holding or Selling etc., of

Published by : Secretary, Punjab School Education Board, Vidya

The Punjab School Education Board has continuously been

The Government of Punjab introduced English as a subject

This language package for Class X includes the Main Course

We would gratefully welcome comments and suggestions from

Fill in the blanks with suitable Prepositions :

Be is, am, are, was, were, being, been

Fill in the blanks with suitable M odals:

7. I smell a fire burning. (can/will)

(B) Subordinative Conjunctions

(C) Correlative Conjunctions

In all the above sentences, Conjunctions are seen to

Complete the following sentences by putting sentence

2.1 Verbs can be divided into two types :

Finite Verb Non-FiniteVerb

A verb that changes its form according to person, tense,

Infinitive Gerund Participle

2.2.1 The Infinitive

bare infinitive to + infinitive

2. As an adverb to modify a verb or an adjective:

Present Participle Past Participle

Use of Present Participle

2.2.4 Use of Past Participle

SIMPLE, COMPLEX, AND COMPOUND

Simple Complex Compound

In this chapter we shall deal with the distinction between a Simple

3.3 Complex Sentence :

3.4 Kinds of Subordinate Clauses

Noun Adjective Adverb

3.5 Compound Sentence

Co-ordinate Clause Co-ordinate Clause

* A Verb is said to be in the Active Voice when its form

Exercises for Practice

He is known to You are ordered Is milk taken by

He will be It is proposed that You are advised

4.2 Use of the Passive in newspaper headlines

American held for Hijacker held

PM hospitalised General Secretary

1. New D elh i: Heroin weighing about 70 kg valued at Rs.

3. Avantipur : Police reported that two persons were

4. K am al: A fire broke out in a resettlement colony in which

crush add prepare put heat take allow be

Other changes include

5.2 Rules Regarding Changes in Verb Forms

5.3 R ules R egarding C hanges in P ersonal

this becomes that

5.6 Interrogative Sentences

5.7 Imperative Sentences

5.8 Exclamatory and Optative Sentences

(b) We wish Good Morning, Good Evening, Good Night etc.

5.9 Conversion of Indirect into Direct

Sanjay, Sorry, I can’t as

I promise, I Wait then, let

Ravi requested Sanjay t o ________________________. Sanjay

The servant told his master ________________.The