NCERT solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 9 If I Were You – complete answers & explanations
Class 9 English NCERT Chapter If
I Were You is a thrilling one-act play from the book Beehive written by Douglas James. The play revolves around Gerrard, a clever playwright, and an intruder who plans to kill him and take his identity. The chapter highlights presence of mind, wit, intelligence, and the power of calm thinking in dangerous situations. This blog provides complete NCERT solutions strictly based on the given worksheet, following the exact order and content provided. What this NCERT chapter covers?1. The dramatic encounter between Gerrard and the intruder.
2. Themes of intelligence, presence of mind, and self-confidence.
3. Use of irony and sarcasm in dialogues.
4. Character analysis of Gerrard and the intruder.
5. Vocabulary development and correct word usage.
6. Speaking and writing skills through role play and story conversion. How to use these NCERT solutions?1. Read the questions carefully before looking at the answers.
2. Attempt writing your answers independently first.
3. Compare your responses with the provided solutions.
4. Understand how dialogues reflect tone and character.
5. Follow the exact order of the worksheet for structured revision.
6. Parents and teachers can guide students by discussing the character traits and themes before reviewing answers. Important tips & tricks for students1. Pay attention to the tone (sarcastic, serious, ironic) in dialogues.
2. Identify character traits from speech and actions.
3. Answer short questions briefly and clearly.
4. Support answers with lines from the play where required.
5. Be careful while choosing correct words in language exercises.
6. For creative writing and speaking tasks, remember that answers may vary. NCERT solutions – complete answer keyBefore You Read
Explanation:
Read the play carefully to understand the characters and the situation.
Sample answer (answers may vary):
No, the intruder does not succeed. Gerrard is a clever and calm man. He uses his intelligence to trick the criminal. He tells the intruder that he himself is a murderer who is hiding from the police. This makes the intruder believe that killing Gerrard will not help him. Then Gerrard smartly locks the intruder inside a cupboard and calls the police. In this way, he saves his life by using his presence of mind.
Thinking about the Text
I. Answer these questions.
1. “At last a sympathetic audience.”
(i) Gerrard says this.
(ii) He says this because the intruder becomes sympathetic towards him.
(iii) He is, no doubt, sarcastic.
2. The intruder chose Gerrard because he closely resembled him. As a murderer being chased by the police, he planned to kill Gerrard and take his identity so that he could escape safely.
3. “I said it with bullets.”
(i) Gerrard has said this.
(ii) He shot someone with his gun because things were going wrong, and he wanted to escape.
(iii) This is not true. Gerrard said this only to save himself from the shot of the intruder.
4. Gerrard’s profession is that of a playwright.
The parts of the play that support this are:
“This is all very melodramatic, not very original, perhaps…”
“In most melodramas the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated.”
“That’s a disguise outfit; false moustaches and what not.”
“Sorry I can’t let you have the props in time for rehearsal… I think I’ll put it in my next play.”
5. “You’ll soon stop being smart.”
(i) The line is said by the intruder.
(ii) He says this to frighten Gerrard and stop him from speaking cleverly and confidently.
(iii) The intruder believes that when Gerrard realizes that he is going to be killed and his identity taken, he will stop acting smart.
6. “They can’t hang me twice.”
(i) The line is spoken by the intruder.
(ii) The intruder says this because he has already committed a murder and is being hunted by the police. He feels that killing Gerrard will not make any difference, as he cannot be hanged twice for two murders.
7. The mystery is about Gerrard’s strange lifestyle. He explains that he lives secretly because he himself is a criminal who once killed a man and is hiding from the police. He says he is here today and gone tomorrow to avoid being caught. He tells this story to confuse the intruder and save his life.
8.
(i) This line is spoken twice in the play. The first time, the intruder says it while revealing his plan to kill Gerrard and take his identity. The second time, Gerrard says it when he reveals his false story about being a criminal to confuse the intruder.
(ii) The surprise is the intruder’s plan to murder Gerrard and live under his identity to escape the police. Later, Gerrard creates another surprise by pretending that he himself is a criminal, which saves him from being killed.
Thinking about the Language
I. Consult your dictionary and choose the correct word from the pairs given in brackets.
1. site, ghastly
2. principal
3. continuously
4. effect
5. artist
6. collage
7. host
8. shake
II. Irony
What the author says – What he means
You’re not particularly decorative.
Gerrard says this sarcastically. He actually means that the intruder is not very smart or impressive and wants to insult him.
I’m glad you’re pleased to see me.
Gerrard pretends that the intruder is happy to meet him, while in reality the intruder has come to kill him.
You have been so modest.
Gerrard uses irony here. He really means that the intruder is overconfident and thinks too highly of himself.
Dictionary Use
Adjective – Adverb – Verb – Meaning
sympathetic – sympathetically – sympathize – Feeling of pity and understanding for someone’s suffering
familiar – familiarly – familiarize – Knowledge of something because of previous experience
comfortable – comfortably – comfort – A state of ease and freedom from pain or worry
careful – carefully – care – The act of looking after someone or something
surprised / surprising – surprisingly – surprise – A feeling caused by something unexpected
Speaking
1. Explanation:
Read the question carefully and imagine yourself as Gerrard. Speak clearly and confidently while describing the intruder and how you outsmarted him. Use proper expressions and emotions to make your narration interesting.
Sample answer (answers may vary):
One day, while I was packing my bag in my cottage, a man suddenly broke into my house. He was a criminal and was carrying a gun. He looked rough and spoke in a threatening voice. He told me that he wanted to kill me and take my identity because he was wanted by the police and thought he looked like me. At first, I was shocked, but I did not lose my calm. I spoke confidently and cleverly. I told him that I too was a criminal and that killing me would not help him because the police were already searching for me. I confused him by talking smartly and made him believe my story. Finally, I tricked him into going inside a cupboard, pretending it was the garage. Then I locked him inside and called the police. In this way, I outwitted him using my presence of mind.
Writing
I. Which of the words below describe Gerrard and which describe the Intruder?
Gerrard:
smart, humorous, clever, cool, confident, witty, nonchalant
Intruder:
flashy, clever, confident
Note: ‘beautiful’ does not describe either of the character.
Paragraph on Gerrard:
Gerrard is a smart and confident playwright. He remains calm and nonchalant even when threatened with a gun. Using his wit and intelligence, he cleverly outsmarts the intruder and saves himself.
Paragraph on the Intruder:
The Intruder is a flashy and overconfident criminal. He enters Gerrard’s house with a plan to kill him. However, he underestimates Gerrard and is ultimately tricked and trapped.
II. Convert the play into a story (150–200 words). Provide a suitable title.
Title: Presence of Mind
Gerrard, a playwright, lived alone in a quiet cottage. One day, while he was packing his bag, an armed intruder suddenly entered his house. The man was a criminal who looked very much like Gerrard. He planned to kill him and assume his identity to escape from the police.
Although the situation was dangerous, Gerrard did not panic. He remained calm and began to talk cleverly. He told the intruder that he himself was a criminal and that killing him would only create more trouble, as the police were already searching for him. The intruder was confused by Gerrard’s confidence and unusual behaviour.
Using his wit and presence of mind, Gerrard tricked the intruder into stepping into a cupboard, pretending it was the garage. Once the intruder went inside, Gerrard quickly locked him in and called the police.
Thus, through intelligence and courage, Gerrard proved that a cool mind is stronger than violence. Why NCERT solutions help students?NCERT solutions help students understand character development, tone, and dramatic elements clearly. They improve exam readiness by providing accurate and structured answers aligned with NCERT expectations. For Class 9 English, NCERT solutions strengthen confidence, comprehension, and writing skills while preparing students for exams effectively. Help your child build strong English communication and literature skills with expert-guided learning support. Book a free trial! |
