Class 9 English

1. 1.Put the cards in order to make one correct first-conditional sentence.

   • we will
   • the weather
   • stays dry,
   • cycle to the lake.
   • If

2. 2.Sort each sentence by the kind of condition it sets up. The verb forms will tell you.

   Groups: Zero — always true · First — a real possibility · Second — imagined, not the case

   • If you mix blue and yellow, you get green.
   • If I lived beside the sea, I would swim every morning.
   • If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors.
   • If we owned a bigger house, we would invite everyone.
   • If she catches the early bus, she will reach on time.
   • If you heat ice, it melts.

3. 3.Second conditional — imagining something that is not the case. If we ____ a garden, we would grow our own vegetables.

   • a) would have
   • b) had
   • c) will have
   • d) have

4. 4.First conditional — a real possibility in the future. If the bus ____ late, we will walk.

   • a) will be
   • b) is
   • c) had been
   • d) would be

5. 5.Each card is the result half of a conditional sentence. Sort by which kind of conditional it belongs to.

   Groups: First conditional · Second conditional

   • she would tell you the truth
   • we will miss the train
   • we would miss the train
   • the plants will die
   • she will tell you the truth
   • the plants would die

6. 6.Which form completes this second conditional? If the printer ____ working, we would write the notice by hand.

   • a) stopped
   • b) will stop
   • c) has stopped
   • d) stops

7. 7.One of these conditionals breaks the three conditional patterns above. Which one?

   • a) If it rains, we will stay at home.
   • b) If it will rain, we will stay at home.
   • c) If it rained, we would stay at home.
   • d) If it rains, we stay at home.

8. 8.Sort each sentence by whether it treats the situation as a real possibility or as something imagined. The verb forms will tell you.

   Groups: A real possibility · Imagined — not the case

   • If I had wings, I would fly to school.
   • If elephants could talk, they would tell us a great deal.
   • If she runs fast enough, she will win the race.
   • If I finish my homework early, I will watch the match.
   • If the shop has bread, I will buy a loaf.
   • If we lived on the moon, we would need a spacesuit.

Conditionals: zero, first and second · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Which of these is a spelling mistake rather than a real form of English?

   • a) should have been going
   • b) should have gone
   • c) should of gone
   • d) should not have gone

2. 2.Match each piece of evidence to the sentence it best supports.

   • The floor is covered in flour.
   • His shoes are by the door but the house is silent.
   • The form was never sent.
   • We lost by a single run.

   • She should have sent it a week ago.
   • He might have fallen asleep.
   • We could have won that match.
   • Somebody must have been baking.

3. 3.The pitch is soaked and there is nobody on it. Which sentence draws the most confident conclusion?

   • a) It should have rained.
   • b) It must have rained.
   • c) It might have rained.
   • d) It could have rained.

4. 4.Sort each sentence by the time it is talking about.

   Groups: About the past · About now or later

   • They might be at home.
   • They might have been at home.
   • You must have been tired after that walk.
   • She should see a doctor.
   • You must be tired after that walk.
   • She should have seen a doctor.

5. 5.Every one of the past modals in this skill is built the same way: a modal, then one fixed word, then a past participle. Write that fixed middle word.

6. 6.Put the cards in order to make one correct sentence.

   • We
   • should have
   • left
   • earlier.
   • an hour

7. 7.Sort each sentence by what the speaker is really doing.

   Groups: Concluding — almost certain it happened · Naming a possibility that was never taken · Saying what ought to have been done

   • You should have told me you were unwell.
   • You could have taken the earlier train.
   • Her bag is gone, so she must have left already.
   • We could have won if the last catch had been held.
   • The ground is wet — it must have rained in the night.
   • They should have checked the address before setting out.

8. 8.Rewrite this so that it talks about the past. "You should apologise." Write the three words that replace "should apologise".

Modals in the past · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Sort each verb by its tense.

   Groups: Past tense · Present tense

   • goes
   • saw
   • brought
   • brings
   • went
   • sees

2. 2.Match each verb to its simple past form.

   • walk
   • begin
   • choose
   • teach
   • keep
   • freeze

   • taught
   • chose
   • walked
   • froze
   • kept
   • began

3. 3.Which verb breaks the tense? "Every morning she wakes up early, made her bed and goes for a run."

   • a) goes
   • b) none — the tense is consistent
   • c) wakes
   • d) made

4. 4.Correct the odd verb: "We reached the hall, took our seats and waits for the play to begin." Write the corrected verb.

5. 5.Which sentence mixes its tenses wrongly?

   • a) I was reading when the phone rang.
   • b) I am reading when the phone rang.
   • c) I will read it and tell you about it.
   • d) I read the book and enjoyed it.

6. 6.Correct the odd verb: "He picks up the bat, walks to the crease and hit the first ball for four." Write the corrected verb.

7. 7.Rewrite in the past tense: "She writes a letter." Write the whole sentence.

8. 8.Which version keeps one tense throughout?

   • a) The bell rang and the children ran out.
   • b) The bell rang and the children run out.
   • c) The bell ring and the children ran out.
   • d) The bell rings and the children ran out.

Keeping the tense consistent · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.In "We cheered when the train arrived", is "when the train arrived" a noun, adjective or adverb clause? Write one word.

2. 2.In "We waited until the rain stopped", the clause "until the rain stopped" is a ____.

   • a) adjective clause
   • b) adverb clause
   • c) noun clause
   • d) main clause

3. 3.In each sentence the subordinate clause is in capitals. Sort by the job that clause does.

   Groups: Noun clause · Adjective clause · Adverb clause

   • The boy WHO WON THE RACE is my cousin.
   • She told me WHAT SHE HAD SEEN.
   • I know THAT HE IS HONEST.
   • He smiled BECAUSE HE WAS PLEASED.
   • We left BEFORE THE RAIN STARTED.
   • The book WHICH YOU LENT ME is excellent.

4. 4.Put the steps of naming a subordinate clause in the right order.

   • First, find the main clause — the part that could stand alone.
   • Then ask what job that clause does in the sentence.
   • Finally, name it a noun, adjective or adverb clause from the job it does.
   • Next, find the word that begins the other clause, such as who, when or that.

5. 5.Which sentence contains an adverb clause?

   • a) This is the book I wanted.
   • b) She sings whenever she is happy.
   • c) I know that you tried.
   • d) The man who called was polite.

6. 6.Write the subordinate clause in "He stayed at home because he was unwell."

7. 7.Sort each clause by what it tells you.

   Groups: Tells you when or why — adverb clause · Tells you which one — adjective clause

   • that we saw last week
   • as soon as the gate opened
   • since it was getting dark
   • whose bag was missing
   • who teaches us science
   • although he was tired

8. 8.Which group of words is a noun clause?

   • a) before the film began
   • b) in the tall grass
   • c) the tall boy in blue
   • d) what the letter said

Noun, adjective and adverb clauses · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Put the cards in order to make one correct sentence with a defining relative clause.

   • you lent me
   • last week
   • has run out.
   • which
   • The pen

2. 2.In each sentence the relative clause is in capitals. Sort by whether that clause needs commas round it.

   Groups: Needs commas — extra information · No commas — it says which one

   • The boy WHO PLAYS THE FLUTE sits behind me.
   • My father WHO GREW UP ON A FARM tells wonderful stories.
   • The doctor WHO TREATED MY ANKLE works at the clinic.
   • My mother WHO IS A DOCTOR works long hours.
   • The man WHO GREW UP ON A FARM keeps bees.
   • My only brother WHO PLAYS THE FLUTE is younger than me.

3. 3.The speaker has only one uncle. Which version is punctuated correctly?

   • a) My uncle who lives abroad, is coming on Sunday.
   • b) My uncle, who lives abroad, is coming on Sunday.
   • c) My uncle, who lives abroad is coming on Sunday.
   • d) My uncle who lives, abroad, is coming on Sunday.

4. 4.Match each relative pronoun to what it stands in for.

   • who
   • whom
   • whose
   • which
   • where
   • when

   • a time
   • something belonging to the person or thing
   • a place
   • a person, as the subject of the clause
   • a person, as the object of the clause
   • a thing or an animal

5. 5.Compare "My sister who lives in the hills is a doctor" with "My sister, who lives in the hills, is a doctor". What does the first version suggest that the second does not?

   • a) The speaker has more than one sister.
   • b) The speaker has only one sister.
   • c) The sister is not really a doctor.
   • d) The sister has left the hills.

6. 6.Which sentence uses a non-defining relative clause correctly?

   • a) Our science teacher, who joined last year is very patient.
   • b) Our science teacher, who joined last year, is very patient.
   • c) Our science teacher, that joined last year, is very patient.
   • d) Our science teacher who joined last year, is very patient.

7. 7.Match each sentence to what its punctuation tells you.

   • The passengers who had tickets were allowed on.
   • The passengers, who had tickets, were allowed on.
   • My friends who live nearby came early.
   • My friends, who live nearby, came early.

   • Only some of the passengers had tickets.
   • Only some of my friends live nearby.
   • All of the passengers had tickets.
   • All of my friends live nearby.

8. 8.Which sentence is wrong?

   • a) The film, that we watched last night, was long.
   • b) The film which we watched last night was long.
   • c) The film we watched last night was long.
   • d) The film that we watched last night was long.

Defining and non-defining relative clauses · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Rewrite this with the subordinate clause first, adding the comma it then needs. "We stayed indoors because the wind was fierce." Write the whole sentence.

2. 2.Put the cards in order to make one correct sentence.

   • we found
   • on the list.
   • Although
   • the shop was crowded,
   • everything

3. 3.Which sentence uses the colon correctly?

   • a) We needed three things: rope, water and a map.
   • b) We: needed three things, rope, water and a map.
   • c) We needed: rope, water and a map.
   • d) We needed three things, rope: water and a map.

4. 4.Which mark joins these two closely linked sentences without any joining word? "The library was silent. Nobody had come in all afternoon."

   • a) a comma
   • b) an apostrophe
   • c) a hyphen
   • d) a semicolon

5. 5."The lights went out, we finished the game by lamplight." Three of these corrections work. Which one leaves the sentence still wrong?

   • a) The lights went out, so we finished the game by lamplight.
   • b) The lights went out; we finished the game by lamplight.
   • c) The lights went out, we finished the game, by lamplight.
   • d) The lights went out. We finished the game by lamplight.

6. 6.Where does the comma belong? "When the results of the district competition were finally announced the whole class cheered."

   • a) after "class"
   • b) after "competition"
   • c) after "announced"
   • d) after "When"

7. 7.Each card holds two pieces of a sentence, split by a slash. Sort by whether a semicolon could join them.

   Groups: Yes — both halves are complete sentences · No — one half cannot stand alone

   • The road was closed / we turned back
   • The road was closed / after the landslide
   • The sky darkened / the birds fell silent
   • The sky darkened / because a storm was coming
   • She opened the letter / her hands were shaking
   • She opened the letter / which had come that morning

8. 8.Sort each sentence by whether its punctuation is correct.

   Groups: Correctly punctuated · Wrongly punctuated

   • Because the road was closed, we took the long way round.
   • Because, the road was closed we took the long way round.
   • The gate was locked, so we climbed over the wall.
   • The gate was locked so, we climbed over the wall.
   • We waited for an hour, the train never came.
   • We waited for an hour; the train never came.

Punctuating complex sentences · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Put the steps of reporting somebody's words in the right order.

   • Next, choose the reporting verb that matches it — said, asked, ordered or requested.
   • Finally, change the pronouns and shift the tense one step into the past.
   • First, decide what was spoken: a statement, a question, an order or a request.
   • Then remove the speech marks, and the question mark if there was one.

2. 2.Sort each reported sentence by what was originally spoken.

   Groups: A statement was reported · A question was reported · A command was reported

   • She said that the shop was shut.
   • He told me to be quiet.
   • He asked if I was busy.
   • He said that he was busy.
   • She asked why the shop was shut.
   • She told me to shut the shop.

3. 3.Report this: The guard said, "Do not touch the wires."

   • a) The guard said not touch the wires.
   • b) The guard asked us not touching the wires.
   • c) The guard told us not to touch the wires.
   • d) The guard told us do not touch the wires.

4. 4.Report this: Mother said, "Please help me."

   • a) Mother said me to help her.
   • b) Mother requested me to help her.
   • c) Mother told me please help her.
   • d) Mother asked please to help her.

5. 5.Which word introduces a reported yes-or-no question? Write one word.

6. 6.Report this command in three words: "Stand up," he said. → He told me ____.

7. 7.Which sentence is correctly reported?

   • a) He asked me what my name is?
   • b) He asked me what is my name.
   • c) He asked me what was my name.
   • d) He asked me what my name was.

8. 8.Which sentence reports a request rather than an order?

   • a) She ordered me to leave.
   • b) She asked me where I was going.
   • c) She requested me to open the window.
   • d) She told me that she was tired.

Reported questions and commands · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.In each sentence one word has been removed. Sort each gap by the kind of word that belongs in it.

   Groups: Article · Preposition · Conjunction

   • This is ____ best book I have read.
   • He wanted to help, ____ he had no time.
   • I bought ____ umbrella on the way home.
   • The keys are ____ the top drawer.
   • We can walk, ____ we can take the bus.
   • She waited ____ the corner for ten minutes.

2. 2.Put the steps of filling a grammar gap in the right order.

   • Next, decide what kind of word each gap needs — a verb, an article, a preposition or a joining word.
   • First, read the whole passage through once without stopping at the gaps.
   • Finally, read the sentence back with your word in place, to hear whether it really fits.
   • Then look at the words on either side of the gap for the clue that fixes the form.

3. 3.Fill the gap: "The results ____ announced on the school notice board tomorrow morning."

   • a) is
   • b) will be
   • c) were
   • d) have been

4. 4.Fill the gap: "____ she had studied for weeks, she still felt nervous before the paper."

   • a) So
   • b) Because
   • c) Unless
   • d) Although

5. 5.Sort each gapped sentence by the tense its gap needs. The time expression is the clue.

   Groups: Simple past · Present perfect

   • They ____ in this town since 2015.
   • They ____ in this town for a year and then moved away.
   • I ____ that film twice, and I would gladly see it again.
   • I ____ that film on Sunday.
   • She ____ the letter, so you can read it now.
   • She ____ the letter last Tuesday.

6. 6.Which pair fills both gaps? "The library stays open ____ nine in the morning ____ six in the evening."

   • a) from … to
   • b) since … until
   • c) at … by
   • d) in … on

7. 7.Which set fills all three gaps? "The garden ___(a)___ neglected for years. Weeds ___(b)___ grown through the path, and the gate ___(c)___ open in the wind."

   • a) was been / had / swung
   • b) has been / has / swings
   • c) had been / has / swings
   • d) had been / had / swung

8. 8.This is a rule on a notice, not a suggestion. Fill the gap: "Visitors ____ leave their bags at the counter before entering the reading room."

   • a) may
   • b) might
   • c) must
   • d) could

Integrated grammar: filling gaps in a passage · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Sort each sentence by whether it needs editing.

   Groups: Correct as it stands · Needs editing

   • They have finish their homework.
   • We discussed about the problem for an hour.
   • He gave me glass of water.
   • He gave me a glass of water.
   • They have finished their homework.
   • We discussed the problem for an hour.

2. 2.One word is missing from this sentence. Write it. "He has been living here two years."

3. 3.In careful writing, "only" goes immediately before the words it limits. If the meaning is that she read one page and no more, which version places it correctly? "She read the first page of the letter."

   • a) She read the first page of the only letter.
   • b) Only she read the first page of the letter.
   • c) She read only the first page of the letter.
   • d) She only read the first page of the letter.

4. 4.One word is missing. Write the whole corrected sentence. "I have been waiting you since morning."

5. 5.Match each faulty sentence to the name of its fault.

   • He arrived to the station at six.
   • The letter was write by my sister.
   • He explained me the answer.
   • We reached at the airport late.
   • Seeing the crowd, the plan was changed.

   • a missing preposition
   • a dangling opening phrase
   • a wrong verb form
   • a wrong preposition
   • a preposition that is not needed

6. 6.One word is missing. Which is it? "She is fond music and dancing."

   • a) with
   • b) of
   • c) in
   • d) for

7. 7.Which word should be taken out? "He returned back from the station an hour ago."

   • a) from
   • b) ago
   • c) returned
   • d) back

8. 8.Which sentence is correct as it stands?

   • a) He explained me about the whole problem.
   • b) He explained me the whole problem.
   • c) He explain to me the whole problem.
   • d) He explained to me the whole problem.

Editing at sentence level · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1."The room was very clean." Write the one word beginning with s that replaces "very clean".

2. 2."The manuscript was VERY OLD." Which single word says the same thing?

   • a) ancient
   • b) previous
   • c) elderly
   • d) former

3. 3.Which sentence uses its precise word correctly?

   • a) The hall was enormous, and it held two thousand people.
   • b) The hall was enormous, because it was so small.
   • c) The hall was enormous, so we squeezed in with difficulty.
   • d) The hall was enormous, so the five of us filled it easily.

4. 4.Sort each phrase by whether a stronger single word could replace it.

   Groups: Vague — a stronger single word exists · Already precise

   • very big
   • silent
   • drenched
   • very quiet
   • gigantic
   • very wet

5. 5.Match each vague sentence to its sharper version.

   • The stew was very tasty.
   • The joke was very funny.
   • The task was very easy.
   • The noise was very loud.
   • The water was very cold.

   • The joke was hilarious.
   • The water was icy.
   • The noise was deafening.
   • The task was effortless.
   • The stew was delicious.

6. 6.Match each two-word phrase to the single word that replaces it.

   • very tired
   • very hungry
   • very angry
   • very cold
   • very frightened
   • very dirty

   • terrified
   • filthy
   • freezing
   • furious
   • exhausted
   • famished

7. 7.In which pair has the sentence been made weaker rather than sharper?

   • a) It was very cold. → It was freezing.
   • b) He was very hungry. → He was famished.
   • c) She was furious. → She was very angry.
   • d) She was very angry. → She was furious.

8. 8.Replace the words in capitals with one precise word: "After the climb we were VERY TIRED."

   • a) exhausted
   • b) so very tired
   • c) rather sleepy
   • d) quite tired

Choosing the precise word · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Which sentence is the most formal?

   • a) They put off the meeting.
   • b) Meeting's off for now.
   • c) The meeting's been put off.
   • d) The meeting has been postponed.

2. 2.In a formal letter of complaint, which sentence is better?

   • a) I want a refund.
   • b) Give me my money back.
   • c) I would be grateful if you could arrange a refund.
   • d) Refund me quickly please.

3. 3.Which closing suits a formal letter?

   • a) Later
   • b) Cheers
   • c) Sincerely
   • d) Bye for now

4. 4.Match each everyday phrase to its formal equivalent.

   • find out
   • put off
   • ask for
   • get better
   • look into
   • put up with

   • improve
   • investigate
   • request
   • postpone
   • tolerate
   • discover

5. 5.Sort each line by how formal it is.

   Groups: Formal · Informal

   • We regret the delay.
   • Sorry it took so long.
   • Hey, can you send me that report?
   • I am writing to request a copy of the report.
   • Let me know what you decide.
   • Kindly inform me of the decision.

6. 6.Sort each word by how formal it is.

   Groups: More formal · More everyday

   • buy
   • purchase
   • commence
   • residence
   • home
   • start

7. 7.Rewrite "kids" with the more formal word.

8. 8.Which feature belongs to informal writing?

   • a) full forms such as do not and cannot
   • b) long noun phrases
   • c) formal vocabulary such as commence
   • d) contractions such as don't and can't

Formal and informal register · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Read: "The tickets were sold out within an hour of going on sale." What can you infer?

   • a) The event was cancelled.
   • b) The event was in great demand.
   • c) The tickets were expensive.
   • d) The event was unpopular.

2. 2.Read: "The dog's bowl was still full and its leash still hung by the door, though it was past six." What does this suggest?

   • a) The dog has been fed and walked.
   • b) The dog belongs to a neighbour.
   • c) The dog has run away.
   • d) The dog has not been fed or walked.

3. 3.Read: "By the time the bell rang, only three answers were filled in. Ria kept glancing at the clock." What can you infer?

   • a) Ria has run out of time.
   • b) Ria finished early.
   • c) Ria was not in the examination hall.
   • d) The clock was broken.

4. 4.Passage: "Rain drummed on the tin roof. Kavi put down his book, fetched a bucket and placed it under the wet patch on the ceiling." Sort each statement.

   Groups: Stated in the passage · Inferred from the passage

   • It is raining.
   • Kavi did not want water on the floor.
   • There is a wet patch on the ceiling.
   • The roof is leaking.

5. 5.Read: "Arjun read the letter twice, folded it carefully and put it in his pocket without a word. His hands were not quite steady." What can you infer about Arjun?

   • a) The letter has affected him deeply.
   • b) The letter is a shopping list.
   • c) He is bored by the letter.
   • d) He cannot read.

6. 6.Read: "Ammu looked at the empty chair beside her, where her sister always sat, and said nothing for the rest of the journey." What can you infer?

   • a) She is missing her sister.
   • b) She is excited about the trip.
   • c) She has fallen asleep.
   • d) She is angry with the driver.

7. 7.Match each detail to what it suggests.

   • Her uniform was still crisp at four o'clock.
   • He counted his coins twice before entering the shop.
   • The kitchen was full of smoke and the toaster was still down.
   • She kept the umbrella open indoors.

   • He was worried he did not have enough.
   • She wanted it to dry.
   • Somebody had forgotten the toast.
   • She had not played outside all day.

8. 8.Read: "The coach did not look at Sameer once during the team announcement." What does this most likely suggest?

   • a) Sameer has been made captain.
   • b) The coach cannot see well.
   • c) Sameer was not present.
   • d) Sameer has not been selected.

Reading between the lines · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Paragraph 1: "The bus to the hill station leaves at six. Nobody in the hostel owns an alarm clock." Paragraph 2: "Meena was on the bus. She had sat up all night with a book." Why was Meena on the bus?

   • a) Somebody in the hostel woke her.
   • b) She owned an alarm clock.
   • c) The bus left later than six that day.
   • d) She never went to sleep, so nothing had to wake her.

2. 2.Put these paragraph openings in the order the passage runs.

   • Today nobody remembers that it was ever nameless.
   • At first the island had no name at all.
   • Then the fishermen began to call it the Rock.
   • Later the mapmakers wrote that name down, and it stuck.

3. 3.Paragraph 1: "The train was due at nine." Paragraph 2: "By half past ten the platform was still empty." At the moment the second paragraph describes, how many minutes overdue was the train? Write the number.

4. 4.Read: "Kamala keeps bees on her roof. Her neighbours' mango tree fruited heavily this year, for the first time in a decade." Sort each statement by what the passage does with it.

   Groups: Stated in the passage · Not stated — you joined the two facts yourself

   • Kamala keeps bees.
   • The mango tree fruited heavily this year.
   • The roof is close enough to the tree to matter.
   • The bees helped the tree to fruit.
   • The bees are on her roof.
   • The tree had not fruited well for ten years.

5. 5.A passage runs in three paragraphs: the first describes the village before the flood, the second the night of the flood, the third the rebuilding. Sort each question by the paragraph that answers it.

   Groups: Paragraph 1 · Paragraph 2 · Paragraph 3

   • How long did the repairs take?
   • How many houses stood in the village?
   • Who paid for the new bridge?
   • At what hour did the water reach the road?
   • What crops were grown there?
   • How did the families get out?

6. 6.Paragraph 1: "Every winter the lake freezes and the ferry stops running." Paragraph 2: "In January the villagers simply walk across." Write the one word from the first paragraph that explains how walking across is possible.

7. 7.Read: "The council promised a new library, a bus route and a clinic. The first was opened last year. The second is still being argued over. The last has not been mentioned again." Match each phrase to what it points back to.

   • the first
   • the second
   • the last
   • the council

   • the body that made the promise
   • the clinic
   • the library
   • the bus route

8. 8.Paragraph 1: "The committee met the villagers and the engineers on Monday. It had asked the engineers to bring the plans." Paragraph 2: "They had brought drawings of the new bridge." Who does "They" mean?

   • a) the villagers
   • b) the committee
   • c) the engineers
   • d) the drawings

Reading across paragraphs · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.This is the layout of a formal letter. Tap the part where the greeting goes.

   Write the number of the part.

2. 2.A letter of complaint should say what it is about in its very first sentence. Which opening does that?

   • a) I am writing to complain about the condition of the footpath outside the school gate.
   • b) I hope this letter finds you in good health.
   • c) I have been meaning to write to you for some time.
   • d) There are a great many problems in our locality these days.

3. 3.Which is the best subject line for a letter about a street light that has stopped working?

   • a) Complaint
   • b) Street light outside the school gate — not working since 10 May
   • c) Regarding an important matter
   • d) Please read this letter carefully

4. 4.Which sentence belongs in a formal letter of complaint?

   • a) I am quite fed up of writing about this.
   • b) The whole thing is a total mess and nobody cares.
   • c) You people need to sort this out at once.
   • d) The waste has not been cleared for three weeks.

5. 5.In the letter convention taught in Indian and British schools, a letter beginning "Dear Sir" ends with a fixed two-word closing. Write those two words.

6. 6.Match each sentence from a letter of complaint to the job it does.

   • I am writing to complain about the delay in delivery.
   • The order was placed on 3 April and has still not arrived.
   • This has caused considerable inconvenience.
   • I should be grateful if you would deliver it this week or refund the amount.
   • I look forward to your early reply.

   • gives the facts
   • asks for action
   • explains the effect
   • states the purpose
   • closes politely

7. 7.Match each paragraph of a formal letter to what belongs in it.

   • the subject line
   • the first paragraph
   • the middle paragraph
   • the last paragraph
   • the closing

   • the details, the dates and the evidence
   • the fixed phrase that stands above your signature
   • what you are asking to be done
   • why you are writing at all
   • one short phrase naming what the letter is about

8. 8.Which of these letters is an enquiry rather than a complaint?

   • a) A letter telling a magazine that its article got the facts wrong.
   • b) A letter asking a college for the dates and fees of its summer course.
   • c) A letter telling a shop that the goods arrived damaged.
   • d) A letter telling the council that a street light has been broken for a month.

Formal letters: complaint and enquiry · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn

1. 1.Put the stages of a story continuation in the order they usually come.

   • First, pick up exactly where the opening stopped.
   • Next, let something happen that the opening was leading towards.
   • Then show how the character reacts to it.
   • Finally, close on a line that settles the situation the opening set up.

2. 2.A story is written in the past tense. Rewrite "I walk to the window and open it" so that it fits, changing only the two verbs. Write the whole sentence.

3. 3.A story opening introduces a girl called Nita and a key she cannot find. Which continuation wanders off the point?

   • a) Nita went next door to ask whether anybody had a spare.
   • b) Nita looked under the mat, and then under the pot beside it.
   • c) Nita remembered leaving the key on the shelf that morning.
   • d) Nita's school had been built in 1962 and had four hundred pupils.

4. 4.Sort each closing line by whether it ends the story or leaves it hanging.

   Groups: Ends the story · Leaves it hanging

   • I wondered what would happen next.
   • The dog came trotting back through the gate, muddy and pleased with itself.
   • And then something very strange happened.
   • I put the key back on its hook and went in to my supper.
   • Suddenly there was a noise behind me.
   • We never spoke about the well again.

5. 5.A story is being told in the past tense by a narrator who says "I". Sort each sentence by whether it could carry the story on.

   Groups: Fits the story · Breaks the story

   • I climb the last few steps and stop.
   • I can hear somebody moving inside.
   • The door is already open.
   • The door was already open.
   • I could hear somebody moving inside.
   • I climbed the last few steps and stopped.

6. 6.Match each opening to the only continuation that keeps everything it set up.

   • I was ten years old that summer, and the well was still full.
   • She was ten years old that summer, and the well was dry.
   • I am ten years old, and the well is full.
   • She is ten years old, and the well is dry.

   • I lowered the bucket and heard it strike water.
   • She lowers the bucket and hears it strike stone.
   • She lowered the bucket and heard it strike stone.
   • I lower the bucket and hear it strike water.

7. 7.A story opening reads: "I had never seen the river so high." Name the person the story is written in. Write one word.

8. 8.The opening says: "The lamp had gone out an hour before, and I had no matches." Which continuation contradicts it?

   • a) I felt my way along the wall towards the door.
   • b) I lit the lamp again and carried it to the window.
   • c) I waited for my eyes to get used to the darkness.
   • d) The room was completely dark.

Continuing a story · Class 9 English · www.arenapublications.com/learn