DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL RUBY PARK, KOLKATA

SESSION: 2023-24
SUBJECT: ENGLISH
CLASS: VIII
STUDY MATERIAL -JANUARY
TOPIC:
READING:
SPRING TIME A-LA-CARTE

LITERATURE:
REFUGEE BLUES
THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR

WRITING:
REPORT WRITING

GRAMMAR:
CONJUNCTIONS
REPORTED SPEECH

REFUGEE BLUES ----

❖ ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wystan HughAuden
W H Auden, born in February 1907, was a British - American poet, whose poetry was
noted for its irony, compassion and wit; its engagement with politics , morals , love , religion
and its variety in tone,form and content.Some of his best known poems are “Funeral Blues”
about love ; "The Shield of Achilles” on political and social theme;“The Age of Anxiety” on
cultural and psychological themes and “FortheTime Being” on religious themes.

❖ ABOUT THE POEM

The title, “Refugee Blues” suggests it is a blues- a song of sadness and mourning. Blues
are African American form of ballads that originated by the end of 19th century. They primarily
are melancholic and sad and can be called as “the sad black slaves’ songs”. This Blue Ballad
is about a Jewish refugee in the 1930s who has been forced to leave Germany. Here the speaker
mourns this ordeal of the refugees,their sense of loss, homelessness and disposition.

❖ SYNOPSIS:

First published in 1939, on the eve of World War II,Refugee Blues portrays the plight of
Jewish refugees who were forced to flee Nazi Germany but unable to find refuge elsewhere. It
meditates on the trauma and pain of the refugees who fail to seek asylum in the democratic
countries, rather rounded up, bearing the brunt of the cruel regime of Hitler.
It highlights the ordeal of the narrator, a German Jew and his partner who are rendered
homeless in a large city that provides shelter to the rich and poor equally. He mourns the irony
of his situation as he is considered officially dead without a valid passport. Comparing his
situation with the cycles of nature, the poet states that their old passports cannot renew their
1

existence as the yew trees do to their blossoms. He faces strong rejection from the consul at the
Page

passport office and a polite refusal from the committee when he seeks help. He also faces
humiliation at a public meeting where the speaker accuses him of stealing away the livelihood
of the occupants. He is terrified at the thunderous rumbling which echoes Hitler’s death order,
“they must die” for the speaker. The dream of the speaker suggests the emotional impact of
their rejection and isolation which they were facing in their own country.

For the speaker, the alienation that he faces from the countries he seeks asylum,is both
hypocritical and cruel. It is hypocritical because the country gives shelter to fancy people who
secure their pets with warmth and care but cannot provide shelter to the helpless refugees. It is
cruel because to the refugees, deathis certain as they are bereft of any protection or sympathy.
He finds solace in the carefree life of the birds and fish who are free from all bondage and are
hence in sharp contrast to the repressive and violent world the narrator is subjected to. Through
this poem Auden emphasizes the plight of refugeesby including juxtaposition of opposite ideas
in almost every stanza.

❖ THEME:

The themes of the poem include antisemitism, loneliness/isolation and exile. The poet blames
the soldiers for their brutality and inhumanity as they kill the innocent Jewish people. He also
strongly suggests that the countries that turn the speaker away share a good deal of the blame
and responsibility too because of their atrocities and alienation. They have the power to save
the speaker yet fail to do so. He upholds the human qualities of the Jews about how they wished
to be free and safe like other communities.

❖ POETIC DEVICES:

Metaphor-
• The thunderous rumbling metaphor for Hitler’s voice.
Alliteration-
• ‘Saw the fish swimming as if they were free’ uses alliterative “S” sounds.
Irony-
• “If you’ve got no passport you’re officially dead”;
But we are still alive, my dear, but we are still alive.
Repetition-
• O we were in his mind, my dear, O we were in his mind.

Personification-
• Saw the fish swimming as if they were free
• Saw the birds in the trees;
They had no politicians and sang at their ease:
Hyperbole-
• “ten million souls”,
• Dreamed I saw a building with a thousand floors,
A thousand windows and a thousand doors:
• Ten thousand soldiers marched to and fro;
Antithesis
• Some are living in mansions, some are living in holes.
2
Page

Foreshadowing
 • The refrain of each stanza is an example of foreshadowing of the events of final
stanza where the refugees are pursued by ten thousand soldiers.
Metonymy
• The word ‘soul’ is used to mean people.
• ‘Daily bread’ stands for food

Rhyme scheme- The poem is rhymed aab.

QUESTIONS:

1) Where did the narrator want to go? Why was he unable to do so?
Ans: The narrator and his partner fled the Nazi occupied Germany for fear of being
persecuted.They wanted to return either to Germany or find a safe haven in any other
countries of Europe.
They were unable to do so because of the stringent laws imposed on refugees.

2) How does the poet compare the old Yew trees with his passport?
Ans: The speaker reflects ruefully that the old passports cannot renew themselves like the
yew trees. This symbolises the arbitrariness of human-made systems. Though the
refugees are still alive, without a passport they are officially considered dead.

3) What does the comparison of the animal world to humans signify?

Ans: Auden presents the fish as an image of freedom to go wherever they like and the
image of birds free of any imposition. The comparison brings forth a contrast between the
carefree life of the animals and dehumanization of the refugees as they are deprived from
basic human rights.

4) What does the refugees dream? What does it signify?

Ans: The refugees dreamt of a huge building with thousands of floors, windows and
doors but there wasn't a single door or opening for them. The dream symbolises the plight
of the alienated refugees who seek asylum in an unnamed country in Europe but face
refoulement. It also suggests the emotional impact of theirrejection and isolation in their
own country.

5) What is the major conflict in the poem?

Ans: The major conflict in the poem is the speaker's struggle to survive and be treated
with humanity in the face of oppressive and inhumane government policies and
social prejudice.

6) Discuss Auden's decision to use the blues poem form in "Refugee Blues."
Ans: Historically, ‘blues’ poetry has been used to communicate feelings of resignation,
despair, and exclusion—the very emotions that the speaker of "Refugee Blues" is
experiencing. Blues poetry emerges from various African American art forms, including
not only written literature but also blues music and oral narrative. By using it to describe
the struggles of a Jewish refugee, Auden rhetorically links the hardships of these two
disparate groups. By using the blues form, Auden not only compares two types of
historical oppression, but also implicitly uses narrative as a tool for survival against
these oppressions.
3
Page

7) Do you think the poet has used the technique of foreshadowing in the poem?
 Ans:Yes, in thethird line of the poem, through the repetition of the phrase, "there's no
place for us,the exclusion the speaker faces even in a place of supposed refuge is
foreshadowed.

❖ REFERENCE TO CONTEXT:

1) Some are living in mansion, some are living in holes

Yet there's no place for us, my dear…
a) What is referred to as ‘holes’?
b) What is the contradiction brought about in these lines?
c) Why is there no place for the narrator?
Ans: a) Here ‘holes’ refer to slums or poor dwellings.
b) The contradiction brought about in these lines is the discrimination between the
affluent people and the poor.
c) There is no place for the narrator and his partner because they are refugees who are
alienated by their own countries and rejected by other countries where they seek asylum.

2) Saw a poodle in a jacket fastened with a pin,

Saw a door opened and a cat let in:
But they weren't German Jews, my dear….
a) What does the phrase ‘a poodle in a jacket’ signify?
b) What is the advantage of being a poodle or a cat over the German Jews?
c) What is the tone of the poem?
Ans: a) Here the poet highlights the contrast between the condition of the refugee couple
and the poodle. The phrase implies how a pet dog was more cared for and properly
watched after than humans who helplessly seek refuge.
b) Poodles and cats were groomed and given proper human care whereas the refugees
were often left with little or nothing.
c) The poem depicts loneliness and a sensitive, melancholic tone.

Unsolved questions
3) ‘If we let them in they will steal our daily bread.’
a) Who have been referred to as we?
b) What is the figure of speech used in ‘daily bread’?
c) How far is the allegation true? Justify.

1) The refugee fled from his country to escape persecution, but he was far away from freedom.
Justify.
2) How do the symbolic images of cats and dogs in this poem differ from those of fish and birds?

CBQ

1) What does the passport in “Refugee Blues” most clearly symbolize?

a) German nationality identity
b) Man-made systems and structures
c) The joy and freedom of travelling
d) International cooperation and diplomacy

2) ‘Refugee Blues’ is a documentation of the denial of the human rights of the migrant
4
Page

population of the world. Discuss.

THE TRAGEDY OF JULIUS CAESAR----

❖ ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT:

William Shakespeare was an English poet, playwright, and actor. He was born on 26th April,
1564 in Stanford on Avon. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in English language
and the world’s preeminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and is
nicknamed ‘The Bard of Avon’. Among his creations, he wrote 38 plays. His plays are
classified as tragedy, historic and comedy. Julius Caesar is a historical tragedy.

❖ THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF JULIUS CAESAR

Caesar was born in 100 BCE to a noble family. During his youth, the Roman Republic was in
chaos. Taking advantage of the opportunity Caesar advanced in the political system and
became the governor. Throughout his eight years of governorship, he made plunders and used
the riches to support his army. He also improved the economic situation, codified laws and
instituted a public library. Returning to Italy, Caesar declared himself a dictator. His
increasing power and great ambition agitated many senators who feared Caesar aspired to be
a king. Only a month after Caesar’s declaration, a group of senators among them Marcus
Junius Brutus, Caesar’s second choice as his heir, assassinated him in fear of his absolute
power.
❖ SUMMARY OF THE PLOT:

The plot of Julius Caesar begins with a conspiracy against Caesar, followed by development
of the conspiracy. These are followed by Caesar’s murder and the defeat of the conspirators.
The citizens demand answers regarding Caesar’s death. Brutus makes a speech explaining
that although he valued Caesar as a friend, it was appropriate to kill him for his ambition, and
that he did so with the good of Rome in mind. He challenges the crowd, saying that anyone
who loves his freedom must stand with Brutus. Mark Antony enters with Caesar’s body. The
crowd clamours for Brutus, and Brutus tells them to listen to Mark Antony. The
plebeians(commoners) are reluctant to listen to Mark Antony at all, claiming that Caesar was
a tyrant.
Antony addresses the mob, appearing at first to praise the conspirators. His speech gradually
inspires doubt about the conspirators through his praise of Caesar, particularly after he shows
the crowd Caesar’s wounded body and reads Caesar’s will, which bequeaths money to each
citizen and makes some of Caesar’s private lands into public parks.

❖ THEME:

TYRANNY:
Tyranny is the central theme of the tragedy of Julius Caesar. Tyranny means cruel and arbitrary
use of power. The fear that the conspirators had against tyranny was so commanding that it
pushed them to murder their emperor.

BETRAYAL:
5
Page
 The theme of betrayal is most clearly seen in Brutus. On one hand he is a loyal friend to Caesar
and on the other he conspires against his tyranny. Antony too betrays Brutus by making his
disruptive speech.

❖ LITERARY DEVICES:

IRONY
In his speech Antony hints,
• Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;
And, sure, he is an honourable man.
• I am no orator as Brutus is
• I come to bury Caesar not to praise him..
METAPHOR
My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, and I must pause until it returns to me.
APOSTROPHE
O judgement! Thou art fled to brutish beasts.
PUN
“brutish beasts” is a pun on Brutus’ name and his bestial behaviour in killing Caesar.
❖ MCQs:

I. Brutus: ‘Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I love Rome more’

i) Why does Brutus need to reaffirm and emphasize his love for Caesar?
a. He was considered Caesar’s best friend.
b. No one could ever associate him with murder.
c. He was weak.
d. He wished to prove his love for Rome.
Ans: d
ii) What reasons did Brutus offer for killing Caesar?
a. Caesar was too dominating.
b. Roman liberty and democracy were at stake under Caesar.
c. Caesar was too strict in implementing laws.
d. He was ruthless and unkind.
Ans: b
iii) Why does Brutus address the citizens after the assassination of Julius Caesar?
a. To plead and justify himself.
b. To provoke the conspirators.
c. He is afraid of Mark Antony.
d. He wishes to prove his nobility.
Ans: a

II. Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;

I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.

i)Quote an example of what Antony said in praise of Caesar

a. Caesar was an honourable man.
6

b. Caesar was a tyrant.

Page

c. Caesar has humbly refused thrice to be the king.

 d. Caesar was ambitious
Ans: c
i) Mark Antony conceded to call Brutus ambitious to satisfy his
a. selfish motives
b. materialistic gains
c. to wage wars
d. to shower love for Rome
Ans: c
ii) Through his speech, Antony proved his
a. vanity
b. master oratory skills
c. patriotism
d. humility
Ans: b

❖ QUESTIONS:

1) What arguments did Brutus give for killing Caesar?

Ans: Brutus thought that Caesar was too ambitious and would have turned the Romans
into slaves. He believed that by killing Caesar he would defend Rome against tyranny. He
assured the countrymen to have trust in his honour and argued that he did not kill Caesar
out of a lack of love but because his love for Rome outweighed his love for a
single man.

2) How did Antony try to justify that Caesar wasn't ambitious?

Ans: Antony asserted that Caesar was too sensitive and cried when he saw the poor
crying. According to him, ‘Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.’Also, Caesar
refused the crown thrice when Antony offered it to him on the feast of Lupercal. This
proved Caesar’s humility.

3) How does the crowd react to Brutus and Antony’s funeral speeches?
Ans. After Brutus speaks, they want to crown him king, but Antony’s speech makes them
want to kill Brutus and other conspirators.

❖ EXPLAIN THE FOLLOWING QUOTES.

1) ‘Yet Brutus says he was ambitious

And Brutus is an honourable man’
Ans: This phrase is repeated quite a few times by Antony in Caesar’s funeral speech
addressing Brutus, one of the conspirators. It shows how Antony was using rhetoric and
irony to prove his point that Brutus was ungrateful and treacherous who supported the
assassins and was involved in the crime of killing Caesar.

2) ‘As Caesar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he
was valiant, I honour him: but, he was ambitious, I slew him.’
Ans: These lines are spoken by Brutus as an explanation to the angry mob who loved
Caesar. Here Brutus justifies his reasons for assassinating Caesar. Brutus was a patriotic
man. His sole reason for joining the conspiracy was that he thought Rome would be
ruined if Caesar was crowned. He had no personal grudge against Caesar; rather he loved
7

him dearly and was proud of his valour. He sacrificed his love for Caesar to save his
Page

countrymen.
 ❖ REFERENCE TO CONTEXT:

‘Let but the commons hear this testament-

Which, pardon me, I do not mean to read-
i) What has been referred to as ‘this testament’?
ii) Why didn’t Antony want to read out the testament?
iii) What surprising fact did the testament hold?

Ans i) This testament refers to Caesar’s will.

Ans ii) Antony expected that if the will would be read out, it would stir the commoners
into mutiny against the conspirators. They would wreak havoc throughout the city.
Ans iii) The testament read that Caesar had bequeathed a huge sum of money for his
countrymen.
Extra questions:
Polemic is a speech or piece of writing expressing a strongly critical attack on or
controversial opinion about someone or something.Do you think this has been used
widely in the play? Justify.
CBQ

1) At first, the crowd at Caesar's funeral, was influenced by Brutus's speech and later by
Antony's oration.
What do you think might be the reason?
a. Brutus's cause was against tyranny, so he did not see Antony as a threat.
b. Antony was able to manipulate the countrymen with hypothesis and rhetoric.
c. Public is gullible by nature.
Explain

2) Loyalty and betrayal are inherent themes in Shakespeare's plays. How have these been
conveyed here?

❖ WRITING SKILL:

REPORT WRITING:

A report is a factual description or an account of an event or incident, an investigation of an

issue or a problem. It may also be an objective analysis or evaluation of something.
A report meant for school magazine usually is a brief account of an activity or function held
in a school. Just like an article, it has a heading, the name of the reporter and details of the
event.
A report meant for a newspaper is basically a news story - report of an incident, event,
programme, crime, development, etc. It generally covers a news of the previous day.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
• Mention the place, date, time and other relevant facts about the event.
• Include information collected from people around or affected by the event.
• Write the name of the reporter.
8

• Provide a suitable title/catchy headline.

Page

• Write in past tense.

 • Write in reported speech and use passive form of expression.
• Develop ideas (causes, reasons, consequences, opinions) logically.
• Write in a less formal and more descriptive manner while writing a report for a school
magazine.
• Present your ideas and impressions to make the report interesting.

Format of News Paper Report

Headline
by line: Full name.
Place and date of reporting
(Introduction)
1st Paragraph: It includes an expansion of the headline. It needs to be short as it is a general
overview of the report.
(Body)
2nd Paragraph: Account of the event in detail: It is generally written in two parts: First, a
complete account of what happened in its chronological sequence and second, the remarks of
the witness.
(Conclusion)
3rd Paragraph: This includes the action that has been taken so far or that mighttake place. It is
the last paragraph of the report.

Sample:-
You are Ankit / Ankita. A shopping mall at Newtown in Kolkata has been seriously affected
by a massive fire. You are the reporter of an English daily and have been asked to make a
report of the tragic incident.
Massive fire gutted down Newtown Mall
by Ankita Rastogi
Kolkata,14thJanuary 2024:A massive fire broke out in the Platinum Mall at Newtown,
Kolkata on 13th January around 11:30 in the morning injuring at least 40 people including 3
firefighters. The entire area around the mall was covered in thick smoke. Most of the visitors
were evacuated before the fire engulfed a major portion of the mall. The injured were taken
to the local hospital.
According to the eyewitness, the blaze spread upward from the basement. At least six fire-
engines were deployed to control the fire with local people trying to put out the fire but in
vain. The manager said that the presence of inflammable objects like clothes, plastic, etc. in
the mall spread the fire quickly. The blaze was so outrageous that the people living near the
mall were asked to vacate their houses to ensure safety. Two hours of continuous struggle
brought the fire under control. The state Fire Minister, SDO, and other officials arrived to
overview the site. Officials said that the damage could have been worse if the blaze had
broken out during the mall’s busy hours. However, many shops in the first floor were
9

completely gutted down.

Page
The firefighters reported that the accident took a devastating turn due to a short circuit in the
basement and the absence of adequate fire safety equipment. The Chief Minister issued a
statement thanking the firefighters for their job and assured a compensation to the victims and
the shopkeepers who had lost their shops.

Format of Magazine Report

Heading
By line: Full name.
(Introduction)
1st Paragraph: Answer the questions – what, where , when , why , who
(Body)
2nd Paragraph: Detailed accounting in the chronological order.
(conclusion)
3rd Paragraph: Summarization
Sample:-
You are Ashmit /Ashmita, the editor of your school magazine. Your school has recently
organised a nutritious food and snacks competition, to promote healthy eating habits amongst
school children. The participation was quite encouraging. The famous nutritionist Dr. Medha
Mitra was the chief guest. Write a report about the event in 100 to 150 words.
Secrets to healthy snacking
by Ashmita Shetty.
A snacking competition, ‘Khao aur Pachao’ was held at DPS Ruby park on 4thJanuary 2024,
to increase the awareness on healthy eating habits. The competition was open to both parents
and students. Dr.Medha Moitra, the renowned nutritionist of Kolkata, inaugurated the
programme and emphasised on the importance of proper food in our daily life.
The campaign was aimed for students who indulge in binge eating as well for parents who
juggle among busy schedules where fast food becomes a convenient option. The school
organised a healthy cooking competition wherein all the recipes involved were food items
like salads, grilled toasts and roasted snacks. The winner among the parents was Mrs. Neetu
Sharma and among the students was Rishita Paul of class 9C.
The event ended with a round of questions that was put forward by the participants to our
chief guest, making the session interactive and engaging.

UNSOLVED EXCERCISE-
1) Massive poaching in the past two years has wiped out the entire tiger population at one of
the tiger reserves in India’, says one of the investigation reports. The number has fallen from
4334 to 3682 in 2022. Use the given data and write an article in about 180 words for your
10

school ‘Eco-World’ magazine expressing your concern on the issue.

Page
2) In the 7th edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha, at Bharat Mangalam, New Delhi, PM Modi advises
the students to focus on sports along with studies. Write a report for a popular national daily
on the same, highlighting how the prime minister interacted with students, teachers and parents
and addressed the issue.

3)Write a report in your school magazine on your visit to a senior citizen’s home
[Hint: Imagine yourself in the position of someone who visited an old age home. Think of the
various events you would experience there. Write the details of your visit and experience.]

❖ GRAMMAR:

❖ REPORTED SPEECH
Spoken and written communication is like a big game of telephone. Sometimes we hear the
original tale and sometimes a retelling of the story. There are two ways of reporting the
words of a speaker:-
1 Direct speech known as the quoted speech
2 Indirect Speech known as the Reported speech.
Eg. Direct Speech: Caroline said, "I enjoyed birdwatching”
Reported Speech: Caroline said that she had enjoyed birdwatching.
Rules of Direct speech:
• Writtenwithin quotation that ends after punctuationmark.
• Comes after reporting verb 'said'.
• The first word in quotation is in capital letter.
Rules of Reported speech:
• Tense of Reported speech changes with Reporting Verb.
• Quotation is omitted
• Generally, Reporting Verb ‘said’ is followed by ‘that’

❖ Rules of Transforming Direct to Reported speech

Change in Personal Pronouns
Direct Speech: I, me, my, we, us, our, ours, you, yours.
Reported Speech: becomes -He/She, him/her, his/her, they, them, their, theirs, them.
Eg. Direct Speech– Alex said, “I studied music for five years.”
Reported Speech- Alex said that he had studied music for five years.
Eg. Direct Speech– Jake said, “My father isn’t very well.”
Reported Speech- Jake said that his father wasn’t very well.
Change in Tense
11

Direct speech Reported speech

is / are / am was / were
Page

was / were had been

 has / have
Simple Present: play / plays ; do / does not play
Present Continuous : is / are / am playing
Present Perfect : has / have played
Present Perfect Continuous : has / have been
playing
Simple Past : played , did not play
Past Continuous : was / were playing
Simple Future : will / shall
Present of Modals: Can / may
had
Simple Past : played / did not play
Past Continuous : was / were playing
Past Perfect : had played
Past Perfect Continuous : had been
playing
Past Perfect : had played / had not
played
Past Perfect Continuous : had been
playing
Past form of Future: would / should
Past of Modals: Could / might

Use of 'say' and 'tell'

To report, we mostly use the words: say and tell
• with ‘said’, we cannot use objects like me, them, us as we ‘say’ something.
‘said’ is linked with the object with ‘to’
• with ‘told’ we use objects like me, him,us directly as we ‘tell’ somebody
‘told’ is never followed by the preposition ‘to’
Change in words and expressions of nearness in time and place.
Direct Reported Direct Reported
now then today this day
tomorrow the next day / the following day tonight this night
yesterday the previous day thus So
the night before / the previous
last night night ago before
the following
at present at that time the next week week
Go Come this / these that / those
here there

Transformation of Direct to Reported speech in different sentences.

i) In Statements:
• the reporting verb 'say' and 'tell' remain the same.
• verbs like reply, state, declare, confers, argue etc can be used
Eg. Direct: Mohit said to me, “I am very happy here.”
Indirect: Mohit told me that he was very happy there.
ii) In Questions:
• the reporting verb said ' is changed into asked or enquired
• In 'yes- no’ type questions, if or whether is used after the reporting speech
Eg. Direct: I said to him, “Did you enjoy the show?”
12

Indirect: I asked him if he had enjoyed the show.

Page

• In questions beginning with Interrogative words

 - the wh-word is retained,
- the subject comes before the verb
- if / whether is not used
- ‘that’ is not used after reporting verb
Eg. Direct: I said to him, “Where are you going?”
Indirect: I asked him where he was going.
iii)In sentences with Exclamation or Wishes
• Exclamationsаrе changed into statements
• Reporting verbs like 'exclaimed’, ‘wished’, ‘declared’ are used.
• Sentences with words like Alas! Bravo! Oh! are replaced with exclaimed with dismay
/ surprise/ joy etc. as per the meaning
Eg. Direct: He said, “Alas! I am undone.”
Indirect: He exclaimed with dismay that he was undone.
iv) In sentences with Requests or Commands
• The reporting verb changes into ‘advise’, ‘command’, ‘order’, ‘request’,
‘proposed’ etc.
• The verb in the reported speech changes into Infinitive (to + verb)
• ‘That’ is generally not used. If used, ‘should’ is placed before the imperative.
Eg. Direct: Minisha said to me, “Open the window.”
Indirect: Minisha ordered me to open the window.

Use of Let
• If ‘let’ suggests making a proposal, change the Reporting Verb into ‘proposed’ or
‘suggested’
Use ‘should’ instead of ‘let’
• If ‘let’ suggests to allow, change the Reporting Verb to ‘requested’ or ‘ordered’.

Eg. Direct: Madhu said to Mitul,“Let him do it”.

Indirect: Madhu ordered Mitul to let him do that.
WRITTEN WORK:
A.Transformation of Direct Speech to Reported Speech.
Direct: The boy said, “I’ll do the work now.”
Indirect: The boy said that he would do the work then.

Direct: He said, “I am glad to be here this evening.”

Indirect: He said that he was glad to be there that evening.

Direct: He said, “I shall go to Delhi tomorrow.”

Indirect: He said that he would go to Delhi the next day.
13

Direct: He said, “I have never seen anything like it.”

Page

Indirect: He said that he had never seen anything like it.

Direct: She always says, ‘I like these flowers.’
Indirect: She always says that she likes those flowers.

Direct: I said, ‘We cannot be happy in this world.’

Indirect: I said that we cannot be happy in this world.

B. Transform the sentences from Direct to Indirect Speech.

(1) I said to you, ‘I wish to start a business next year.’

(2) You said to them, ‘Now I shall tell you a nice story.’
(3) She said to him, ‘I bought the book yesterday.’
(4) He said to me, ‘I saw your sister two years ago.’
(5) She said, ‘This is the house where I was born.’
(6) He said to his son, ‘You may come with me tomorrow.’
(7) He said to her, ‘I’m talking to you now for your good.’
(8) He said, “I know this boy.”
(9) I said to him, “You will get it today or tomorrow.”
(10) He said to me, “Come here.”

(1) I told you that I wished to start a business in the following year.
(2) You told them that then you would tell them a nice story.
(3) She told him that she had bought the book the previous day.
(4) He told me that he had seen my sister two years before.
(5) She said that this was the house where she was born.
(6) He told his son that he might go with him the next day.
(7) He told her that he was talking to her then for her good.
(8) He said that he knew that boy.
(9) I told him that he would get it that day or the next day.
(10) He told me to go there.

Unsolved (Direct Speech to Reported Speech):

1) The captain said to me, “Bravo! You have played well.”
2) The teacher said to Shelly, “Why are you laughing?”
3) He said, “Can you swim?” And I said “No”
4) He said to me, “Let us go home”
5) Sudhir said to his friend, “Let me sit alone for a while.”
6)Paul came in and said, “I’m really hungry.”
7)The local MP said, “We plan to make this city a safer place for everyone.”
8) When Mrs. Diaz opened the door, I asked, “Have you seen Lee?”
9)The boss was angry and shouted, “Why isn’t he here? He hasn’t finished that report yet!”
10)“It’s been raining since this afternoon", said the fisherman.
Reporting Conversations.

1) Friend: Mahesh, Why are these people running?

Mahesh : They are taking part in a race. They are running to win the cup.
Friend: Who will win the cup?
Mahesh : The first among the sprinters.
14

Friend: What about the others?

Mahesh : They will get nothing.
Page

Friend: Then why are they running?

Mahesh's friend asked him why those people were running. Mahesh told him that they were
taking part in a race and that they were running to win the cup. The friend expressed his
curiosity to know who would win the cup. Mahesh explained to him that the cup would go to
the first among the sprinters. The friend then wanted to know what would happen to the others.
Mahesh replied that they would not get anything. At this the friend asked him why they were
running then.

2) Owner: Did you water the plant yesterday?

Gardener: No, but I will, today.
Owner: Then tomorrow I will get you a sunflower sapling.

The owner asked the gardener if he had watered the plant the previous day.
The gardener replied in negative and said that he would do it that day.
Then the owner proposed that he would get him a sunflower sapling the next day.

❖ CONJUNCTION
Conjunction is made up of two words con means together junction means to join.
Conjunction is a word or phrase which joins together words group of words and sentences.
Eg. Three and two make five.
Classes of Conjunctions: -
1) Coordinating conjunction
2) Subordinating conjunction
Coordinating Conjunction: Coordinating conjunction joins two independent clauses.
Eg. Molly sang andpoly danced.
Kinds of Coordinating Conjunction:
• Cumulative- which adds one statement to another. → and, also, too, as well as are of
this type.
Eg. I went to the market and bought a book.
• Adversative- which contrasts between 2 statements. →yet, only, however, but are of
this type.
Eg.Rocky terrorises the poodles next door yet adores the German Shepherd
across the street.
• Alternative- which expresses a choice between two alternatives. →nor, otherwise,
else, or are of this type.
Eg.My family maygo to Hawaii,or they might take a trip to Colorado.
• Illative - which helps in inferring. → therefore, so, then, for are of this type.
Eg.All the rooms of the hotel were occupied, soI had to shift here.
Subordinating Conjunction: Subordinating conjunction joins a dependent clause with an
independent clause to get a complete meaning.
Eg. I will comeifyou invite me.
15

Kinds of Subordinating Conjunction:

•
Page

Denoting cause /result /effect. → for, because, so, so that, since, as are of this type.
 Eg. He likes her because she is very sincere.
• Denoting purpose → so that, lest are of this type.
Eg. They advertised on television so that their sales might improve.
• Suggesting concession or contrast → though, although, however, notwithstanding,
even if are of this type.
Eg. A book is a book, although there is nothing in it.
• Expressing condition→if , unless, as, provided that, whether are of this type.
Eg. Catch me ifyou can.
• Related to Time, Place and Manner. → As soon as, when, were, as if, so far as, after,
while, until are of this type.
Eg. You can’t play loud music after everyone has gone to bed.
• Expressing Comparison → Than is of this type.
Eg. He is taller than I.

❖ Some conjunctions are used in pairs and are called Correlative Conjunctions or
merely Correlatives.
Either-or, Neither-nor, Both- and, Though- yet, Whether- or, Not only- but also are of this
type.
Eg. We both love and honour him.
Note: The words after the pairs must be of the same part of speech.
WRITTEN WORK:
I) Identify the conjunctions in the following sentences and state weather they are
coordinating or subordinating.

1) Leslie always drinks a cup of hot chocolate before she goes to sleep.
2) I cannot go to that expensive restaurant unless you pay.
3) When you need help, just call me.
4) As it is raining so hard, the game has been cancelled.
5) Do not go out until you have combed your hair.
6) The teacher administered the test after giving instructions.
7) The author must avoid bias if she wants to maintain a scholarly tone.
8) Several employees complained about the new policy, therefore, the manager
held an all-staff meeting to address their concerns.
9) The teachers were frustrated, for the school had cut funding for all enrichment
programmes.
10) In this course, I will write a literature review, a case study, and a final paper.
11) The students did not complete their homework, nor did they pass the test.
12) The study is several years old but still valuable to this study.
13) At the end of the class, the students can choose to write an essay or take a test.
14) The patient complained of chronic pain, yet she refused treatment.
15) I have only been a nurse for one year, so I have little experience with paper
charting.
16) Students who did not complete the assignment received not only a poor grade
but also a warning from the teacher.
16

17) I think I know why he failed.

Page

18) As soon as it starts raining, come inside.

 19) The first exercise was easy whereas this one was extremely difficult.
20) Even though he failed he won’t give up his ideals.

Answer key:
Subordinating conjunction: "before"
Subordinating conjunction: "unless"
Subordinating conjunction: "when"
Subordinating conjunction: "as"
Subordinating conjunction: "until"
Subordinating conjunction: "after"
Subordinating conjunction: "if"
Coordinating conjunction: "therefore"
Coordinating conjunction: "for"
Coordinating conjunction: "and"
Coordinating conjunction: "nor"
Coordinating conjunction: "but"
Coordinating conjunctions: "at" and "or"
Coordinating conjunction: "yet"
Coordinating conjunction: "so"
Correlative conjunction: "not only...but also"
Subordinating conjunction: "why"
Subordinating conjunction: "as soon as"
Coordinating conjunction: "whereas"
Subordinating conjunction: "even though"

II) Fill in the blanks with appropriate conjunction.

1) The sun dipped below the horizon, __________ the sky turned fiery orange.
2) The storm clouds gathered ominously, _________ not a single drop of rain fell.
3) She played the piano, ____________ he sang along.
4) I studied hard, ___________ I wanted to get a good grade.
5) __________the rain ___________ the wind could dampen their spirits as they
celebrated their graduation.
6) ___________had I finished decorating the Christmas tree ___________ my
mischievous puppy decided to investigate its decorations with enthusiastic paws.
7) He spoke softly _________ he might wake the baby.
8) ____________ you do your part, I’ll help you achieve your goal.
9) She practiced every day __________ she could be ready for the competition.
10) __________ nervous, she took a deep breath and started her presentation.
11) __________ it was getting late, we decided to postpone the meeting.
12) We’ll stay here __________ the storm passes.

Answer key:
and
yet
while
for
neither- nor
17

No sooner-than
Page

lest
 Provided that
so that
Although
Since
until

III) Use the correlative conjunctions to make sentences.

1) no sooner…than
2) both…and
3) either…or
4) hardly…when
5) rather…than
VI) Insert conjunctions to make meaningful sentences.
1) This iPad is expensive very useful.
2) My pet dog, Frisky is very cute intelligent.
3) Teachers love Reshma she is very obedient.
4) I informed my sister her coach.
5) Strike the iron it is hot.
6) A borrower a lender be.
7) The patient complained of chronic pain she refused treatment.
8) The authors agreed on the prevalence of the problem they disagreed on the
problem’s cause.
9) At the end of the class, the students can choose to write an essay take a test.
10) I visit the Grand Canyon I go to Arizona.

18
Page