I B.B.A.&B.C.A.

2024-25 (SEP)
II SEMESTER
POETRY
1. ODE TO A NIGHTINGALE
JOHN KEATS (1795-1821)
SUMMARY
―Ode to a Nightingale‖ is a poem written by John Keats. The poem moves round three main characters —
the poet, the nightingale, and the physical world of nature.
In the first stanza, the poet wishes to escape from this word into the world of the nightingale‘s song. When
the poet listens to the song of the nightingale, his heart begins to ache and a drowsy numbness overwhelms all his
senses. The poet feels as if he is sinking into oblivion. He pictures the bird as filling some beechen green with its
melodious music. Singing in its ―full-throat ease‖, it makes the poet too experience a strange ecstasy.
In the second stanza, the poet expresses his desire to leave the world unseen and fade away into the forest
dim. For this purpose, the poet seeks the help of a cup of wine which has been ―Cool’d a long age in the
deepdelv’d earth‖.
In the third stanza, the poet reflects the misery and horrors of the world and desires to to leave ―the
weariness, the fever and the fret‖ of human life in order to share nightingale‘s felicity. Old people die in misery
and young men, under some dreadful disease, grow thin and die. Beauty fades away all too soon, and even love is
transient. It is a miserable and an ugly world. The nightingale, spending its time joyously among the leaves, can
never realize its horrors of the world.
In the fourth stanza, the poet says that instead of seeking the intoxication of the wine to share the bliss
nightingale is enjoying, he will follow the bird through the ―viewless wings‖ of poetry that is far sweeter and more
intoxicating. He says that he is already with the bird in that joyous and enchanted region where the moon is
enthroned as the queen of the skies and the stars clustering around her. But in the world down below, it is dark. The
moon's light does not stream down. The trees hide it, and only some light fitfully glimmers in the world when the
breeze blows the branches.
In fifth stanza, the poet has lost all of his senses and everything seems foreign to him. Sitting in the dark
and listening to the bird‘s song, he is unable to see the flowers that blossom all round him or inhale the perfume
that hangs upon the branches. The atmosphere is fragrant with the sweet smells. The white hawthorn, violet and the
eglantine are there; the musk-rose is filled with dewy wine, and the atmosphere, with the hum of flies.
In the sixth stanza, the poet is still longing for an ―easeful death.‖ Surrounded by the nightingale‘s song, he
feels that it is the most glorious time to embrace death. He longs to ―cease upon the midnight‖ painlessly while the
nightingale pours its soul ecstatically forth. Having reached this point in the dream, he soon realizes that his death
would be in vain. His death would not be release from pain; it would mean non-existence the inability to hear the
nightingale's music that created his ―ecstasy.‖ Even if he were to die and listen no more, the nightingale would
eternally pour out its melody on to the world.
In the seventh stanza, the poet calls the bird mmortal. He feels that the bird‘s song has been there from
ancient times and has touched the hearts of many grieving humans. There is a biblical allusion of the story of Ruth
from the Old Testament. The poet imagines that the bird‘s song might have given solace to the desolate heart of
Ruth.
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 In the eighth stanza, ―Forlorn!‖ is ringing him back ―like a bell.‖ He is starting to realize that he cannot
exist in both worlds and enjoy both of their finer qualities. He wants to die and escape from his pain, but if he does
so, he cannot hear the music of his nightingale. He is torn between the two existences. Now that the nightingale's
song fades away, the narrator's escape is over and it leaves him wondering, ―Was it a vision, or a waking dream?‖
Despite his uncertainty, he slowly discovers that there does not have to be a distinction between a dream and
reality.
2. STOPPING BY WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING
ROBERT FROST (1874-1963)

SUMMARY
The poem ―Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening‖ written by Robert Frost revolves around a splendid
winter scene involving beautiful snowy woods, a horse and its rider. The poem captures the relationship between
man and nature, and highlights the conflict between wishes and obligations that we quite often face in our lives.
On a dark winter evening, the narrator, who is driving some kind of horse-drawn vehicle through the
woods, stops his horse to watch the beauty of the snow-covered [Link] poet knows the owner of the woods and
the village where he lives. The speaker knows, therefore, that the owner will not even know that the speaker has
stopped to watch his woods filled with snow.
The second stanza throws light on the reaction of the rider‘s horse to his act of stopping. The horse thinks
that it is strange on the part of the narrator to stop between the frozen lake and woods. He usually stops near the
farmhouse but there is no farmhouse nearby now. Moreover, it is cold and the ‗darkest‘ evening of the winter
solstice in late December in the Northern Hemisphere.
The speaker‘s horse is confused. It shakesits harness,jingling its bells, as if to ask if the driver has made
some kind of mistake in stoppingby the woods in the [Link] horse may be taken as a symbol of intuition that
alerts the rider to focus on the reality that he ought to move ahead. The only other sounds that the speaker hears are
the sweep of light wind and the sound of the snowflakes falling on the leaves of the trees.
The fourth stanza throws light on the basic conflict between the attraction towards the beauty of the woods
and the pull of [Link] conflictis solved in the last two lines:
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep’
The speaker seems to express a strong desire to stay in the dark, tranquil, and silent forest, but he feels
compelled to keep moving because he has some kind of promise that he needs to keep or the obligations that he
cannot ignore even if he wants to. He must continue to travel a great deal further before he is able to stop and to
truly rest. The phrase ―miles to go‖ suggests life‘s journey and the ―sleep‖ suggests death.

4. TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
WOLE SOYINKA
SUMMARY
The poem ―Telephone conversation‖, is written by Wole Soyinka. It highlights the impact of racial
discrimination, racism and prejudices.
The poem ‗Telephone Conversation‘ presents an imaginary telephone conversation from a public booth
between an African man (the speaker) and a white landlady with an accommodation to rent. The poem begins with
the speaker expressing satisfaction about the rent and location of the accommodation and is particularly pleased to
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know that the landlady did not live in the premises. When the deal is about to be finalised, the speaker informs the
landlady that he is an African because he does not want take a trip only to be rejected simply for being a black .
The landlady is clearly unwilling to have an African as her tenant. Hence, there is an uncomfortable silence from
her end and the speaker is completely shocked when the landlady asks him to explain how dark he is. At first, the
speaker thinks he has misheard the question but when she repeats the same, he realizes that it is something very
important for her to know before she allows him to rent her house. He is shocked and dumbfounded by her blatant
racist question and feels reduced to being a button on the same phone wherein one has to choose between Button A
and Button B. He could feel the stench from her words and sees ‗red‘ all round him: red booth, red pillar-box, red
double-tiered omnibus.
The speaker tries to answer the questions with double-edged sarcasm that confuses the landlady rather than
clarifies the situation. Oscillating between humour and irony, the speaker at first compares him to chocolate and
finally declares his identity as ―West African sepia‖, a term he knows will confuse the landlady further. When she
asks for further clarification, the African caller replies that it is almost similar to being a brunette. He tries to hit
her back by further adding that his face is ― brunette‖, the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet are a
―peroxide blond‖ while his bottom is ―raven black‖. Sensing that the landlady might slam down the receiver, he
pretends to make a final desperate plea to ―see‖ for herself the varied colours of his body that he catalogues. The
poem is thus a dramatic dialogue in which a person of colour responds to the racial prejudices of a white woman
with whom he is trying to negotiate rental accommodation.

5. ONCE UPON A TIME

GABRIEL OKARA (1921-2019)

SUMMARY
The poem ―Once upon a time‖ written by Gabriel Okara presents a conversation between a father and his
son. The speaker in this poem recollects the time when people were sincere and caring in their dealings with one
another; he speaks regretfully about the present time, when people are not like before. He seems to feel that people
have lost the innocence and openness, which he now sees in his young son; he wants to regain that innocence.
It the first stanza, the author tells his son that in the past, the people used to laugh with their heart and
emotions. They used to laugh with their eyes and show pleasure in them. However, at present, when they laugh,
they just show their teeth along with their tearless cold eyes searching all through their shadow to violate their
privacy.
In the second stanza, he further talks about the personalities of the people of the past. He says that in the
past the people used to shake their hands with their hearts.‖ They would meet each other with pleasure and warmth
and they did it willingly. Now they just shake their hands
while their left hands search his empty pockets.
In the third stanza, the poet says that ‗Feel at home!’ ‘Come again’ were welcoming and bye-bidding
phrases that were used in the past. Now they do not even open the doors to tell him that he is not wanted now.
Instead they leave the door closed keeping him standing outside. This attitude shows that when people speak they
lie not telling the truth but just say something nice to grasp their heart.
In the fourth stanza, the poet talks about how he has learned to put on a variety of masks in public
according to occasion like dresses – home face, office face, street face, host face, cocktail face, with all their
conforming smiles like a fixed portrait smile. It shows that they all have the same smile all the time not showing
any true emotion.
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 In the fifth stanza, he says that the people around him have also influenced him and he has learned to keep
his true personality a secret and show the world a fake personality. He too has learnt to laugh with only his teeth
like others. He says that he has also learned to say `Goodbye‘ when he means `Good-riddance‘. He has learnt to
shake hands without any love and affection and glad to say glad to meet you even if he did not feel glad.
In the sixth stanza, the poet concludes by saying that he does not like what he has become and he wants to
be like he used to be when he was like a child so small and innocent. He points out that he really wants to learn
how to laugh with emotions as in the past. By comparing his laugh to a snake‘s fangs that are full of venom and
can never be trusted, he really desires not to be a fake personality. He pleads his son to show him how to laugh and
smile like he did when he was a child.

6. ON KILLING A TREE
GIEVE PATEL (1940-)

SUMMARY
The poem ‗On Killing A Tree‘ by Gieve Patel depicts a clear picture of man‘s cruelty towards trees. The
poet describes the process of cutting a tree completely and the harsh nature of human beings. The poem also shows
the destructive nature of humans and the indestructibility of nature.
In the first stanza, the poet personifies the tree and explains how painful and difficult it is to ―kill‖ a tree.
He has used the term ―killing‖ instead of ―cutting‖ the tree to equate it to human emotions. The poet says it takes
a lot of time to cut a tree. It is not an easy job. The poet says that it takes a long time to kill a tree. A simple
jab (hit) of the knife cannot kill it because according to him, the tree has taken years to grow. It has grown
slowly consuming food from earth, rising out of it, feeding upon the crust (top layer) of earth, absorbing
sunlight, air and water for years. The leaves have sprouted from its leperous hide (poisonous and hard layer).
Therefore, it is strong and cannot be easily killed.
In the second stanza, the poet tells that mere hacking and chopping of the stem and branches will not kill
the tree. It can neither inflict much pain to the tree. The bleeding (wounded) bark of tree will heal and from close to
the ground and green twigs and new small branches will rise again to regain its original size.
In the third stanza, the poet discusses the cruel way of killing a tree. According to him, the only way of
killing a tree is to either break its roots or pull them out using rope. The real power and strength of the tree lies in
its roots which are white, wet and most sensitive. Therefore, for killing a tree, the roots need to be roped, tied
and then pulled out from the place where they have lived deep in the earth for years and has firmly held the earth.
Once they are taken out, the strength of the tree is gone.
In the last stanza, the poet exposes the most cruel part of the tree fellers. The poet explains the condition of
the tree after its roots have been uprooted. The poet says that once the tree has been uprooted, it gradually withers
and dries up due to the sun and wind. Since the roots are pulled out, the tree will not be able to breathe, and the
transport of nutrients to the trunk and the branches will stop. The trunk of the tree will turn into brownish colour,
harden up. The trunk of the tree will become brown and will harden. With time, it will dry and bend out of shape.
Finally, it will shed off its skin under different weather conditions and die.

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 UNIT: II SHORT STORIES
2. THE BARBER’S TRADE UNION
MULKRAJ ANAND (1905-2004)
Mulkraj Anand is one of the great Indian writers in English. He is wellknown as a novelist and short story
writer. His story The Barber’s Trade Union is a humorous story about a barber boy called Chandu and the evils of
caste system in India. The narrator and Chandu are intimate friends from their childhood. Thenarrator is a caste -
Hindu while Chandu is a low – caste boy. But Chandu is a genius. He can catch wasps and remove the poison from
their tails. Besides, hecan make paper kites and recite poetry. Hence, Chandu becomes a hero to thenarrator. The
narrator does not have caste feelings but he is jealous of Chandu‘s freedom. When Chandu‘s father dies, he
discontinues his studies and continuesthe hereditary profession of his [Link] day he visits the village
landlords for shaving and hair [Link] the day‘s job, Chandu visits the city with the help of Lala Hukum
chand‘s carriage. On his return from the town, he brings presents to the narrator andgives vivid picture of the town.
Chandu has funny notions in his mind. He is very much attracted by thedress worn by Dr. Kallan Khan, the
dentist of the town. Chandu feels that thedoctor is like a magician. He asks the narrator whether he can dress like
thedoctor being the son of a barber. The narrator tells him that he can do it so. One fine morning Chandu appears
before the narrator in a grand dress similar to thedress worn by a doctor. The narrator admires him but the cast-
Hindus cannotbear a barber boy appearing in a new dress. They all pour out abuses onChandu. They all refuse to
have shaved and hair cut until he appears in his usualdress. Chandu is thus insulted and humiliated. This is the evil
of caste [Link] is courageous. He cannot be discouraged. After a few day, hecomes out with a new idea.
He tells the narrator that he will teach the orthodoxidiots a lesson. Meanwhile he buys a bicycle and learns how to
ride it. The landlords make fun of it. Chandu executes the idea of teaching a lesson to the highcaste Hindus. He
goes on strike. He shall not attend to them for shaving andhair cutting. Instead, he goes to town and earns more
money by doing his work.
After three days, the elders of the village appear like lepers and sick lionswithout shave. Chandu and the
narrator shout Beavers! Beavers at them. All thevillagers laugh at the elders and even their wives insult them.
Thus, Chanduteaches them a lesson and makes them realize the importance of a [Link] opens a barber‘s
shop on the road side. The high caster Hindushave to come to the shop for shaving and haircutting. Chandu
becomes thefounder of Rajkot District Barber‘s Trade Union. Thus, Chandu becomesresponsible for a
revolutionary change in an Indian village. So, the narrator callshim one of the makers of modern India.

3. THE BOY WHO BROKE THE BANK

RUSKIN BOND (1934- )

―The boy who broke the bank‖ is a very interesting story written by Ruskin Bond. This story is about
how rumors and lack of communication can cause many problems and be destructive.
Nathu, a sweeper boy, works in the Pipalnagar Bank owned by Seth Govind Ram. He is disgruntled
because he has not received his pay for over a month and is determined to leave as soon as he receives it. Sitaram,
the washerman‘s son, hears Nathu's complaint and offers to help him find a new job. Mrs Srivastava, a customer at
the bank, hears about Nathu's plight and offers him a job.

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 Mrs Srivastava and her friend Mrs Bhushan are chatting at the Pipalnagar bazaar when Mrs Bhushan
mentions the news of the bank not being able to pay its employees. Mr Bhushan, who is nearby, tells the owner of
the photographic shop, Kamal Kishore, about the news. Kamal Kishore's neighbour has an account in the bank, so
he calls out to warn him to withdraw his money. The news quickly spreads through the bazaar with the speed of a
forest fire and old Ganpat, the beggar, who has a thousand rupees in savings, runs to the bank to withdraw his
money.
Men stand in groups at street corners discussing the situation and speculating on the reasons for the crash.
By noon, the bank has gone through all its ready cash and the crowd of people outside demands their money.
People rush to the bank to withdraw their money, and the crowd outside grows increasingly agitated. The manager
tries to placate them, but to no avail. A brick is thrown through the plate glass window, and the bank is quickly
drained of the last of its ready cash.
Nathu, the sweeper boy, arrives in the morning to find the steps littered with broken glass and refuse. He is
shocked by what has transpired and is determined to receive his pay before leaving the bank. Fortunately, Sitaram,
the washer man‘s son, had told Mrs Srivastava about Nathu‘s plight and she had offered him a job at her home.
Nathu is left with a feeling of bewilderment as he sits on the steps and ponders how the bank could have come to
such a state. He is left wondering what will happen to the bank and its employees now that the Seth has fled and
the bank is on the brink of collapse.

UNIT: 3 ESSAYS

1. VIVEKANANDA: THE GREAT JOURNEY TO THE WEST

ROMAIN ROLLAND (1866-1944)

The essay ―Vivekananda: The Great Journey to the West‖ by Romain Rolland presents a true picture of
Vivekananda, a great seer of India. The essay shows that there was a certain charisma in Vivekananda's very
personality, which attracted others to him. When he reached America, he drew the attention of all the people, whether
they liked him or not. In the Parliament of Religions, too, he became the Centre of attraction even before he had spoken
a word. His fascinating face, his noble figure and his gorgeous robes drew everyone's attention. Apart from his
appearance, what attracted people most was Vivekananda's iron determination. At every stage of his journey he faced
numerous' difficulties. He had no invitation to attend and speak at the Parliament of Religions. He did not have any
money. Nor did he know about the exact venue and date of the Parliament.
Moreover, he did not have any letter of recommendation from any religious society or sect. However, he
remained firm in his purpose. He sincerely believed that God helps those who help. themselves. God and fate did indeed
help him at every stage of his journey. The money for the passage as well as a gorgeous flowing robe was provided to
him by the Maharaja of Khetri. This enabled him to travel to America. Again, when Vivekananda reached Chicago in
July and found that the Parliament of Religions was to be held in September, he decided to visit Boston. On his way, he
came across an American lady, who took him to her house and introduced him to Professor J W. Wright of Harvard
University.
Professor Wright was equally impressed by Vivekananda's personality and genius. So he took it upon himself to
ensure that Vivekananda did take part in the Parliament of Religions. Though the date for registration had expired,
Professor Wright used his influence to get Vivekananda registered as a delegate. Again, he bought for him the ticket
from Boston toChicago and gave him the address of the reception committee of the Parliament of Religions.
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 Once again, when Vivekananda lost the address of thecommittee, a man saw him sitting in the street. He came to
him and asked him whether he was a delegate for the Parliament of Religions. When Vivekananda told him that hewas
one such, this man took him to the committee. In this way one after the other, all the hurdles in his way were removed.
Vivekananda was a man of strong conviction. He sincerely believed what he said. This was why his emotional
speech fired the souls of his listeners. When he addressed the audience as ―My brothers and sisters of America,‖ His
opening words ―My brothers and sisters of America,‖ was a unique experience to the audience and they gave him a big
applause.
His speech too came from the core of his heart. He told the audience that Hinduism was the mother of all
religions. While other speakers spoke of their different Gods, Vivekananda spoke of the one of the Supreme Universal
Being Instead of finding fault with any other religion quoted the Hindu scriptures to emphasize that though people were
struggling through different paths, all the paths led to the same destination: God. No wonder, when speech was finished,
all the people there gave him a standing ovation"

2. TIGHT CORNERS
E. V. LUCAS (1868-1938)
SUMMARY
In the humorous essay ―Tight Corners‖ E. V. Lucas points out that tight corners can be both mental as well
as physical but the mental tight corners are too difficult to bear.
Once the narrator went with his friend to Christie‘s, an Art Gallery and an auction-sale hall, where
Barbizon pictures were put up. The narrator has neither knowledge about art pictures nor had enough money to
participate in the bidding. He had only sixty-three pounds that too in the bank. He had no securities either. The
auction was started and the narrator, not understanding the seriousness, started raising the bid amount marginally.
By that time, a Daubingy picture was put on for sale. A Rich man bade four thousand guineas for it. As usual, the
narrator, just for fun raised the bid by fifty guineas more.
Lucas thought that someone would raise the bid further. However, to his surprise, nobody else bade after
that. The narrator was panic-stricken. No doubt, he unwittingly got into a (mental) tight corner. He could not find
ways as how to raise such a huge amount. Sensing the impending danger his friend had already left the place.
Finally, the narrator decided to confess his foolishness to the auctioneer himself and get rid of the critical situation.
Intermittently luck favours someone. In this case, also our narrator is favoured by the luck. All of a sudden,
the unexpected incident happened. At that time of critical condition, a rich bidder‘s agent approached the narrator
and offered fifty guineas, provided he passed on the art picture to the bidder. The narrator was immensely relieved.
He was about to weep in joy. Yet, he had the presence of the mind to demand a hundred guineas. When a cheque
for that amount was given to him, then his joy doubled.

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 3. DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE
HARDIN B. JONES (1914-1978)
Hardin B. Jones, Professor of Medical Physics in ―Dangers of Drug Abuse‖ describes the evils of drug abuse
and gives a warning against it.
Nowadays people believe that any illness can be relieved by taking a pill. This has led to wide spread drug
abuse. At the first sign of nervousness, people use stimulant drugs. They use drugs not only when they are
depressed but when they feel great already. They depend on drugs not to solve their problems but to forget them.
However, medicine should be distinguished from sensual drugs. As said by Hippocrates, the father of medicine,
a remedy must take into account not only the disease but also the constitution of the patient. He adds that persons in
good health quickly lose their strength by taking purgative medicines.
The sensual drugs give the users a strong sense of pleasure. These drugs stimulate the brain‘s pleasure
centers. The brain governs the sensations, moods, thoughts and actions. These are easily upset by drugs. But only
naturally attained pleasure can give total satisfaction.
Drug-related health disorders are many and varied. Dirty needles and solution used for injecting drugs can cause
liver disease, venereal disease and infection of the kidneys and brain. The chemistry of the brain cells is
complex. Toxic drugs can easily destroy this complex system.
Finally, drug addiction ends in physical discomfort. The addict feels depressed and ‗dead inside‘. He fails to
respond to either his environment or other people. The dangers of drug abuse lie between the degeneration of health
and the depletion of brain function. But the damage to the brain is the most subtle but the lease understood consequence
of drug abuse.

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 LANGUAGE COMPONENT
1. Adjectives (5 Marks)
2. Adverbs (5 Marks)
3. Linkers (Conjunctions) (5 Marks)
4. Words Often Confused (5 Marks)

1. IDENTIFICATION OF ADJECTIVES
An adjective is a word, which qualifies a noun. An adjective may denote quality, quantity and number.

1. Ashoka was a brave king.

2. Mysore is a beautiful city.
3. Indian coffee is very good.
4. Gandhian ideas are very popular.
5. He drank some coffee.
6. The horse is a noble animal.
7. He has much money.
8. There is a little water in the jug.
9. He did not eat any food today.
10. They have enough money.
11. He had sufficient milk.
12. He ate the whole cake.
13. All men are mortal.
14. Many boys were not there.
15. Several men came to witness the show.
16. I have five rupees in my pocket.
17. Some men are rich.
18. The first boy won the first prize.
19. Most men work hard for their living.
20. Each one carried a basket.
21. Every word of it is true.
22. Either pencil will do.
23. Neither boy is likely to pass the exam.
24. This / That book is mine.
25. I like these / those mangoes.
26. These / Those books are yours.
27. I hate such people.
2. Whatcolour is your hair?
3. Which horse is yours?
4. Whose book is this?

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 1. IDENTIFICATION OF ADVERBS

An Adverb is a word which modifies the meaning of a verb, an adjective or another adverb. It adds to the
meaning of the verb and tells ‗how an action is done‘, ‗where an action is done‘, ‗when an action is done‘, ‗how
often an action is done‘, ‗how much and to what extent a thing is done‘.

1. He ran fast. (The adverb ‗fast‘ modifies the verb ‗ran‘)

2. The rose is very beautiful. ((The adverb ‗very‘ modifies the adjective ‗very‘)
3. He ran very fast. (The adverb ‗very‘ modifies the adverb ‗fast‘)
Underline the adverbs in the following sentences:
[Link] ran fast.
[Link] sings melodiously.
[Link] works very hard.
[Link] walks slowly.
[Link] bats excellently.
[Link] is a very obedient son of father.
[Link] shouted loudly, polluted, polluted.
[Link] looked for his sister everywhere.
[Link] aunt treats him badly.
10. His aunt treats him warmly.
11. Gopi‘s life came to an endfinally.
12. Raju‘s car knocked him down.
13. She is very clever.
14. He went somewhere.
15. Students walk quickly.
16. He answered the questions correctly.
17. She performed well in the play.
18. He travelled down the mountain side.
19. She works hard.
20. She often visits us.
21. Both are equally immoral.
22. We shall sit here.
23. You may go out.
24. You can play anywhere.
25. We receive him warmly.
26. Monika speaks clearly.
27. You should write neatly.
28. I have failed once.
29. She often makes false promises.
30. She never sits idle.
31. She sang very well.
32. His speech was rather dull.
33. He was partly honest.
34. She was, therefore, unable to dance.
35. The offices were closed on account of Christmas.
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36. Because I like you I help you.
37. He will surely help me.
38. Surely he is mistaken.
39. I do not know him.
40. She works hard so that she may get first division.
41. He came to my house in order to borrow some money.
42. Though he works hard, he has little hope of success.
43. However he may try he cannot win a prize.
44. Ram is not as brilliant as Raju.
45. She is as tall as her sister.
46. He is older than he looks.
47. Had you worked hard, you would have passed.
48. If you go to the post office, bring some post-card for me.
49. There was sand as far as I could see.
50. The faster you ran, the sooner you would reach the school.
51. This is the place where I lived.
52. This is the reason why she left the house.
53. Please tell me when you reached home.
54. Why are you angry?
55. Where does your brother live?
56. How are you feeling now?
57. When do you get up?
[Link] OFTEN CONFUSED

[Link] were present ……….. Rama( accept, except)

[Link] cannot …………. your offer. ( accept, except)

[Link] acted upon my ………. . ( advice, advise)

4.I ……….you not to offend your boss. ( advice, advise)

[Link] bad weather may ………..my health. (affect, effect )

[Link] to the sun had the effect of toughening her skin. ( affect, effect )

[Link] asked ne ………..we would be coming to the party. (whether, weather)

[Link] ………………….is gloomy. (whether, weather)

[Link] offerings were placed on the ……………. ( alter, altar)

10. Nothing can ………..my decision. ( alter, altar)

11. He is an ………… to a large fortune. ( air, heir )

12. Let us go out to have some fresh ………. . ( air, heir )

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13. His feet were ………… ( bare, bear )
14. I cannot ………..this insult. ( bare, bear )

15. He cannot ………… this stick. ( brake, break )

16. My bicycle had no …………. . ( brake, break )

17. Please …………. these figures. ( check, cheque )

18. He gave me a …………. for Rs. 10,000/-( check, cheque )

19. He has lost his eye …………. . ( site, sight )

20. I have bought a …………. in Mysore. ( site, sight )

21. India wants ………….. in the world. ( piece, peace )

22. Give me a ……..of paper to write on. ( piece, peace )

23. Lion is a beast of ……. . ( pray, prey )

24. I ………. to god every day. ( pray, prey )

25. In the olden days people believed that the earth was ……..(stationary, stationery)
26. I want to buy some ………… for my office. (stationary, stationery)

27. She always buys milk form the …….. . (dairy, diary)
28. He is very regular in writing her ………. (dairy, diary)

29. He took ………. in an old house. (refuge, refuse)

30. I ……………. to believe that he is dishonest. ( refuge, refuse)

31. Ashoka‘s………. was full of peace. ( rain, reign)

32. The ……… … has destroyed the crops. ( rain, reign)

33. I took a different ………..to reach Mysore. root, route)

34. The ………..of this tree is very strong. (root, route)

35. The …………… did not suit him. ( whether, weather)

36. He asked me …………. I am leaving for Mysore. (whether, weather)

37. Ashoka was a …………king. (great, grate)

38. The rusty hinges ……………….. when the gate swings back.(great, grate)
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39. She was the ………..woman member of the board. (soul, sole)
40. Let his ………..rest in peace. (soul, sole)

41. During the festival markets always ………….. with customers. (team, teem)
42. The foot ball …………. played well. (team, teem)

43. I have ………. apples with me. (four, fore)

44. I reported for duty at …… noon (four, fore)

45. He is very …………to me. (deer, dear)

46. I saw a ………… in the forest. (deer, dear)

47. He is …...all right today. ( quiet, quite)

48. The railway station is very …...today. (quiet, quite)

49. He always gives ……… answer. (right, write)

50. He wants to ………. a novel. (right, write)
51. My shirt is very ……… (loose, lose)
52. He did not want to ………… his job. (loose, lose)

53. He came and sat ………. me. ( besides, beside)

54. ………. cricket, he plays volley ball and foot ball. ( besides, beside)

55. There are seven days in a ……… ( week, weak)

56. He is very …….. (week, weak)

57. My friend is my ………. (confidant, confident)

58. They are ………….. in winning the match. (confidant, confident)

59. Please, address your letter to the ………….manager.(personnel, personal)

60. The …………… of this institution have been replaced. (personnel, personal)

61. He is going to ………….a new TV set. ( instill, install)

62. We must ………….confidence in our students. (instill, install)

63. The people in our village are generally ………… ( industrious, industrial)
64. It is an …………..area. ( industrious, industrial)
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 65. The ………………ploughs the land. ( former, farmer)
66. This old building has been restored to its ……..glory. (former, farmer)

67. It was a terrible …………… ( cite, sight)

68. The priests always …………. passages from the Holy Scriptures. (cite, sight)

69. ………………….. is used to make vessels. (steel, steal)

70. Thou shall not ………………( steel, steal)

71. The cow has a ……………(tail, tale)

72. Our teacher told us a moral ………….( tail, tale)

73. The ……………. of this commodity is very low. (price, prize)

74. He has won the first ……………( price, prize)

4. LINKERS
Linking words are those words which are used to combine two sentences, clauses presenting
contrast, comparison, condition, supposition, purpose etc.

Example: 1
(Not only – but also, though, therefore, both - and)
1. I was sick. I could not go to Bangalore.
Answer: I was sick therefore I could not go to Bangalore.
2. It was raining. I went to college.
Answer:Thoughit was raining, I went to college.
3. The lady was young. she was wise.
Answer: The lady was not only young but also wise.
4. He is a poet. He is a novelist.
Answer: He is both a poet and a novelist.

Example: 2
(unless, as well as, because)
1. I missed the train. I went to the railway station late.
Answer: I missed the train because I went to the railway station late.
2. You go there. You cannot see them.
Answer: Unless you go there, you cannot see them.
3. He was fined. He was hailed.
Answer: He was fined as well as hailed.
4. He did not work hard. He failed in the exam.
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 Answer: He did not work hard therefore he failed in the exam

Example: 3
(Not only – but also, though, therefore)
1. It was raining, I went to college.
Answer: Though it was raining, I went to college.
2. The lady was. Young. She was wise.
Answer: The lady was not only young but also wise.
3. You work hard. Your will succeed.
Answer: If you work hard your will succeed.
4. I was sick. I could not go to Bangalore.
Answer: I was sick therefore I could not go to Bangalore.

Example: 4
(unless, as well as, because, if)
1. I missed the train . I went to the railway station late.
Answer: I missed the train because I went to the railway station late.
2. You go there, You cannot see them.
Answer: Unless you go there, you cannot see them.
3. He was fined . He was hailed hailed.
Answer: He was fined as well as hailed.
4. You come late. You will be fined.
Answer: If you come late you will be fined.

EXERCISE
Fill in the blanks with appropriate linkers given in the bracket.

Example: 5
(Not only – but also, though, therefore)
1. I could not go to Bangalore. I was sick.

2. It was raining. I went to college.

3. The lady was young. She was wise.

Example: 6
( Either – or, unless, as well as)
1. You go there. You cannot see them.
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2. He was fined. He was hailed.

3. Come on Sunday. Come on the next week.

Example: 7
( If, unless, but)
1. She seems to be happy. She is not happy.

2. You work hard. You will not pass.

3. You work hard. You will pass.

Example: 8
(Because, therefore, neither – nor, too-to)
1. He was found guilty. He was punished.

2. He was punished. He was found guilty.

3. Raju did not come. He did not write a letter.

4. He is weak. He cannot walk.

Example: 9
(Therefore, because, not only- but also, though)
1. He is rich. He is not happy.

2. He visited Bangalore. He visited Mysore.

3. He was late. I was angry.

4. I was anger. He was late.

Example: 10
(Therefore, either…..or, both……and)
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1. Come in. Go out.

2. He was intelligent. He was shrewd.

3. He was arrogant. He was punished.

Example: 11
(As well as, unless, neither….. nor)
1. Churchill was a politician. He was a writer.

2. You must work hard. You will not succeed.

3. He does not know Kannada. He does not know English.

Example: 12
(Because, both ……… and, neither ……. nor)
1. Kamala is a good artist. Her sister is also a good artist.

2. You failed. You did not work hard.

3. The stranger did not know English. He did not know Kannada.

Example: 13
(As well as, though, because)
1. I missed the bus. I could not go to college.

2. He learns Kannada in the school. He also learns English.

3. It was raining. The children were playing.

Example: 14
(Because, though, whereas)
1. Raju is a guide. Rosie is a dancer.

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2. She is sick. She runs fast.

3. She secured good marks. She worked hard.

Example: 15
(Because, unless, even though)
1. They have very little money. They are happy.

2. You cannot go in. You are a member.

3. He was punished. He was wrong.

Example: 17
(Therefore, not only…..but also, neither ….nor)
1. She is a swimmer. She is a debater.

2. He is not intelligent. He is not good.

3. He was wrong. He was punished.

Example: 18
( Neither…nor, because, and)
1. Rama was present. Gopal was present.

2. It is not useful. It is not ornamental.

3. We visited Agra. It is famous.

Example: 19
(Not only…..but also, neither ….nor, therefore)
1. Her father did not encourage her. Her mother did not encourage her.

2. He remained calm. He was punished.

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 3. We can travel by land. We can travel by water.

Example: 20
(and, but, or)
1. She is young. She is smart.

2. He is old. He looks young.

3. Is it a sparrow? Is it a parrot?

Example: 21

(unless, but, and)

1. Raju is honest. His father is honest.

2. The husband is fat. The wife is thin.

3. I won‘t teach you. You are making noise.

Example: 22
(Though, not only- but also, because)
1. Raju is a rogue. She is wise.

2. I missed the train. I went to the railway station late.

3. He was poor. He was honest.

Example: 23
(As soon as, therefore, not only – but also)
1.I missed the train. I went to the railway station late.

2. Kapil Dev is a bowler. He is a bowler.

3. They entered the room. They heard the noise.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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