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CBSE Class 9 English Question 8 of 12

If I Were You — Question 10

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10
Question
Irony is when we say one thing but mean another, usually the opposite of what we say. When someone makes a mistake and you say, “Oh ! that was clever !” that is irony. You’re saying ‘clever’ to mean ‘not clever’. Expressions we often use in an ironic fashion are: Oh, wasn’t that clever!/Oh that was clever! You have been a great help, I must say! You’ve got yourself into a lovely mess, haven’t you? Oh, very funny !/How funny! We use a slightly different tone of voice when we use these words ironi
Answer

What the author says
What he means
1. At last a sympathetic audience!
Gerrard means that his company is not a sympathetic audience because the intruder has got a gun in his hand.
2. You have been so modest.
Gerrard means that the intruder has been immodest in not having told anything about himself.
3. With you figuring so largely in it, that is under­standable
Gerrard means that it is not understandable how anything about him is ‘surprising’.
Dictionary use
(Page 146)
A word can mean different things in different contexts. Look at these three sentences:
The students are taught to respect different cultures.
The school is organising a cultural show.
His voice is cultured.
In the first sentence, ‘culture’ (noun) means way of life ; in the second, ‘cultural’ (adjective) means connected with art, literature and music ; and in the third, ‘cultured’ (verb) means sophisticated, well-mannered. Usually a dictionary helps you identify the right meaning by giving you signposts.
…………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………….
Look up the dictionary entries for the words sympathy, familiarity, comfort, care, and surprise. Use the information given in the dictionary and complete the table.
Noun
Adjective
Adverb
Verb
Meaning
sympathy
familiarity
comfort
care
surprise
Answer:

Overview: If I Were You

In this one-act play, Gerrard (a playwright living alone in a cottage) is confronted by an Intruder who plans to kill him and assume his identity to escape police. Gerrard stays calm and witty. He fabricates a story about being a criminal himself, convincing the Intruder that assuming his identity would be dangerous. He tricks the Intruder into looking into a cupboard and locks him inside, then calls the police. The play demonstrates that intelligence and wit defeat brute force.

Key Points

  • One-act play — only two characters: Gerrard and the Intruder
  • The Intruder resembles Gerrard physically
  • Intruder's plan: kill Gerrard, take his identity, escape police
  • Gerrard remains calm while the Intruder is aggressive
  • Gerrard claims to be a criminal himself — this is a lie
  • He says assuming his identity would bring police attention, not safety
  • Tricks the Intruder into looking into a cupboard — locks him in
  • Calls the police immediately
  • Theme: Wit and intelligence defeat brute force
  • Dramatic irony: audience senses Gerrard is lying; Intruder does not

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Gerrard outwit the Intruder?
Gerrard used his theatrical skill and quick thinking. He pretended to be a criminal on the run, making the Intruder believe that stealing his identity would be dangerous. He then tricked the Intruder into looking into a cupboard (supposedly containing escape props) and locked him inside.
What makes this play effective as drama?
The play works through dialogue alone — no action scenes, no physical conflict. The battle is purely verbal and psychological. The dramatic irony (the audience suspects Gerrard is lying but the Intruder doesn't) creates suspense and entertainment.

Common Mistakes

  • Not reading the text carefully before attempting questions.
  • Giving vague answers without specific textual references.
  • Confusing characters, events, or themes from different chapters.
  • Writing too much for short-answer questions (should be 30-40 words).

Scoring Tips

  • For extract-based MCQs: read the passage carefully; eliminate wrong options systematically.
  • For short answers: be concise (30-40 words), use key vocabulary from the text.
  • For long answers: structure with introduction, body, conclusion. Quote from the text.
  • Always identify the chapter/poem name and author when answering.