Lesson 1. “Father’s Help” by R.K. Narayan.
Voice change:Father’s behaviour took an unexpected turn. – An unexpected turn was taken by Father’s behaviour.
The teacher will scold me. – I shall be scolded by the teacher.
What have you written father? – What has been written by you father?
Swami changed his tactics. – Swami’s tactics were changed by him.
Give it to your father. – Let it be given to your father/ you are told to give it to your father.
Does he always scold the students? – Are the students always scolded by him?
Samuel looked at Swami. – Swami was looked at by Samuel.
Father had composed a long letter to the Headmaster. – A long letter to the Headmaster had been composed by father.
What has he done father? – What has been done by him father?
I shouldn’t miss school. – School should not be missed (by me).
He had mixed up the real and the imagined. – The real and the imagined had been mixed by him.
He found the room locked. – The room was found locked by him.
You deserve your Samuel. – Your Samuel is deserved by you.
Narration Change:
“He will scold me if I say so”, Swami said to his father. – Swami informed his father that he would scold him if he said so.
“What have you written father?”, Swami asked apprehensively. – Swami apprehensively asked his father what he had written.
“Have you no school today?”, Father asked Swaminathan. – Father asked Swaminathan if he had no school that day.
“Does he always scold the students?”, Father said to Swami. – Father asked Swami if he always scolded the students.
“What will the teacher think if I go so late?” Swaminathan said. – Swaminathan asked his father what the teacher would think if he went so late.
“Have you written anything about our teacher Samuel?” Swaminathan said to his father. – Swaminathan asked his father if he had written anything about his/their teacher Samuel.
“Everything is in the letter. Give it to your headmaster”, Father said to Swami. – Father told/informed Swami that everything was in the letter and ordered him to give it to his headmaster.
“What has he done, father?” Swami said. – Swami asked his father what he had done.
“I have a headache, sir”, Swami said. – Swami apologised to his teacher that he had a headache.
Samuel said, “Your father is quite right. We want more parents like your father.” – Samuel supported Swami’s father saying Swami that his father was quite right and added that they wanted more parents like his father.
“Then why did you come at all”, Samuel said to Swami. – Samuel asked Swami why he had gone at all then.
Father said, “I knew you won’t deliver it.” – Father said that he had known he won’t deliver it.
“Swaminathan, where is your homework?” the teacher said. – The teacher asked Swaminathan where his homework was.
“Don’t ever come to me for help if Samuel scolds you again. You deserve your Samuel.” Father said to Swami. – Father prohibited Swami from going to him ever for help if Samuel scolded him again and added that he deserved his Samuel. / Father told Swami not to go to him ever for help if Samuel scolded him again and added that he deserved his Samuel.
Joining into complex:
You had a headache. Tell him this. – Tell him that you had a headache.
Even the headmaster is afraid of Samuel. They say this. – They say that even the headmaster is afraid of Samuel.
It was Monday morning. Swami realised this with a shudder. – Swami realised with a shudder that it was Monday morning.
Some boys come late. Samuel is especially angry with those boys. – Samuel is especially angry with the boys who come late.
Swami was the worst boy in the class. He went to school feeling this. – Swami went to school feeling that he was the worst boy in the class.
The bell rang for the last period at 4:30. Swami ran to the headmaster’s room. – Swami ran to the headmaster’s room when that bell rang for the last period at 4:30.
Samuel had special regard for him. Swami also felt this. – Swami also felt that Samuel had special regard for him.
The headmaster had gone on a week’s leave. The peon said this. – The peon said that the headmaster had gone on a week’s leave.
Swami stood at the entrance to his class. Samuel was teaching Arithmetic. – Samuel was teaching Arithmetic when Swami stood at the entrance to his class.
Do as Directed:
He was the worst boy in the class. (Positive and Comparative) – Positive = No other boy in the class was so bad as he. Comp = He was worse than any other boy in the class.
He proposed to send a letter to the headmaster. (Complex) – He proposed that he/Swami should send a letter to the headmaster.
He put it in an envelope and sealed it.(Simple) – Putting in envelope he sealed it.
Swami asked apprehensively.(Use Noun form of the word in bold letters) – Swami asked with an apprehension.
I can’t go so late to the school. (Interrogative) – How can I go so late to the school?
Father’s behaviour took an unexpected turn.(Use the adverb form of the word in bold letters) – Father’s behaviour turned unexpectedly.
Tell him you had a headache and so are late.(Complex/ Rewrite using “because”) – Tell him you are late because you had a headache.
If he is so angry why not tell your headmaster about it? (Assertive) – tell your headmaster if he is so angry.
He is very angry man.(Complex) – He is a man who is very angry.
Lesson 3. “The Passing Away of Bapu” by Nayantara Sehgal.
Voice change:
Out of every window one could see a brown blur of faces. – A brown blur of faces could be seen out of every window by one.
People in the train sang bhajans. – Bhajans were sung by people in the train.
I was called to Birla House by an urgent telephone. – They/someone called me to Birla House by an urgent telephone.
I asked myself. – I was asked by myself.
It required no vehicle except his body. – No vehicle except his body was required.
At every station sorrowful crowds filled the platform. – The platform at every station was filled with sorrowful crowds.
The compartment was decked with flowers. – They decked the compartment with flowers.
Narration:
Padmasi said, “It is the last time we shall be walking with Bapu.” – Padmasi said that it was the last time they would be walking with Bapu.
She said simply, “We will walk”. – She said simply that they would walk.
I said to myself, “How would, I so easily lose courage!” – I wondered myself how I would lose courage so easily.
I asked myself, “Had bapu lived and died for nothing?” – I asked myself if Bapu had lived and died for nothing.
Do as directed:
Gandhiji had been shot on his way to a prayer meeting. (Complex) – Gandhiji had been shot when he had been/was on his way to a prayer meeting.
Gandhiji”s relatives and followers had gathered round his body. (Complex) – People who were Gandhiji”s relatives and followers had gathered round his body.
I was having tea at home on the evening of 30th January 1948. (Complex) – It was the evening of 30th January 1948 while I was having tea at home.
Words of Bapuji”s death had spread through Delhi like a flame fanned by wind. (Complex) – Words of Bapuji”s death had spread through Delhi like a flame that was fanned by wind.
There was silence in the room. (rewrite using the adjective form of the word in bold letters) – People in the room were silent/ the room was silent.
The people were too stunned to speak. (omit too) – The people were so stunned that they could not speak.
They did not make a sound. (Affirmative) – They remained silent.
They would be allowed to see Gandhiji before funeral. It was announced. (Join into a complex sentence) – It was announced that they would be allowed to see Gandhiji before funeral.
This was the question in the mind of the people. It was sure.(Simple, Complex) – Simple = This was surely the question in the mind of the people. Complex = It was sure that this was the question in the mind of the people.
This was the question in the mind of the people. The people were mourning.(Simple, Complex) – Simple = This was the question in the mind of the mourning people. Complex = this was the question in the mind of the people who were mourning.
Padmasi was Mrs. Naidu”s daughter. She spoke for all of us.(Simple, Copmplex) – Simple = Padmasi, Mrs. Naidu’s daughter, spoke for all of us. Complex = Padmasi who was Mrs. Naidu’s daughter spoke for all of us.
Thousands silently watched the procession. (Use Adjective of the word in bold letters) – Thousands were silent to watch the procession.
Gandhiji”s funeral was to take place the day after his death. (verb of “death”) – Gandhiji”s funeral was to take place after the day after he died.
Thousands of people wept, trying to touch Bapu’s feet.(Complex) – Thousands of people who were trying to touch Bapu’s feet wept.
It is to think with clarity. (Use the adverb form of the word in bold letters) – It is to think clearly.
It was impossible to move in the thick crowd. (Negative, Complex) – Negative = To move in thick crowd was not possible. Complex = To move in the thick crowd was something that was impossible.
The ashes were immersed in the Ganges. A huge crowd had gathered at the bank. (Complex) – The ashes were immersed in the Ganges at the bank of which a huge crowd had gathered.
The magic circle had vanished. It left us unprotected. (Simple) – The magic circle had vanished leaving us unprotected.
Bapu had passed away but India would continue to live in his children. (Complex) – Though Bapu had passed away, India would continue to live in his children.
They could feel Gandhiji’s presence amid the flowers and songs. (Complex/ Use the adjective form of the word in bold letters) – Complex = They could feel that Gandhiji’s was present amid the flowers and songs.
I had not directly made any sacrifice for my country.(Use the verb form of the word in bold letters) – I had not directly sacrificed anything for my country.
Lesson 7. “The Cat” by Andrew Barton Paterson.
Watch him as the shades of evening fall. – Let he be watched as the shades of evening fall.
You can see cat as he really is. – Cat can be seen as he really is.
Most people think that the cat is an unintelligent animal. – It is thought by most people that the cat is an unintelligent animal.
He sometimes watches the mouse hole for an hour or two. – The mouse whole is sometimes watched by him for an hour or two.
He would have to learn a new geography. – A new geography would have to be learnt by him.
He sorts out a peace of fish from his plate and hands it down. – A peace of fish from his plate is sorted out and handed down by him.
He puts up his claw. – His claw is put up by him.
The cat struck his claw into me. – The cat’s claw was struck into me by him.
The guest strokes the cat. – The cat is stroked by the guest.
The cat gingerly receives it. – It is received gingerly by the cat.
He stretches himself. – He is stretched by himself.
The cat arches his back. – The cat’s back is arched by him.
The family has finished tea. – Tea has been finished by the family.
He will give them the privilege of boarding. – They will be given the privilege of boarding by him.
Narration:
The host says,”He wants you to give something to eat.” – The host says that he wants you to give something to eat.
“Ow!” says the guest, “The cat struck his claws into me!” – The guest exclaims in wonder that the cat struck his claws into him.
The cat says to the guest, “Another time my friend, you won’t be slow to understand.” – The cat warns the guest addressing him as his friend that he won’t be slow to understand another time.
Do as directed:
The cat is an unintelligent animal. (Complex/ Negative) – Complex = The cat is an animal which is unintelligent. Negative = The cat is not an intelligent animal.
The cat sometimes watches the mouse hole for an hour or two. His object is to pass the time. (Simple) – The cat sometimes watches the mouse hole for an hour or two with an object to pass the time.
Cat is an unintelligent animal. Most people think this.(Complex) – Most people think that cat is an unintelligent animal.
The family sits down to the tea. The cat puts in an appearance to get his share.(Complex) – The cat puts in an appearance to get his share when the family sits down to the tea.
The guest is likely to have the best. (Complex) – The guest is likely to have what the best is.
The cat puts in an appearance to get his share.(Use the verb form of the word in bold letters) – The cat appears to get his share.
He puts up his claws and quietly but firmly rakes the guest. (Simple) – putting up his claws quietly but firmly he rakes the guest.
There may be a guest at the table. The cat is particularly civil to him. (Complex) – The cat is particularly civil to the guest who is probably at the table.
He sorts out a piece of fish from his plate and hands it down. (Simple) – sorting out a piece of fish from his plate he hands it down.
He wants you to give something to eat. (Complex) – He wants that you should/may give something to eat.
He pours as he retires to a safe distance from guest’s foot before eating the food. (Split into two simple sentences) – He pours as he retires to a safe distance from guest’s foot. He does it before eating the food.
The guest would like to do something. He dares not to do that. (Complex) – The guest dares not to do what he would like to do.
The cat is particularly civil to the guest. The guest is likely to have the best. (Complex) – The cat is particularly civil to the guest because he is likely to have the best.
The guest does not give him something to eat. He stoops down and strokes the cat. (Simple) – Instead of giving the cat something to eat the guest stoops down and strokes him.
He trots across and skips to the roof of an empty shed. (Simple) – Trotting across the cat skips to the roof of an empty shed.
They grow old. Then they go in for sport to the suburban backyard.(Complex) – They go in for sport to the suburban backyard after they grow old.
The cat casually goes out of the room. (Use adjective form of the word in bold letters) – The cat is casual while going out of the room.
These backyards are dull to us. These are to them hunting grounds.(Complex) – These backyards which are dull to us are to them hunting grounds.
The cat does not like to leave his country. All his friends live there. (Simple/ Complex) – Simple = All his friends living there the cat does not like to leave his country. Complex = The cat does not like to leave his country because all his friends live there.
He looks keenly from side to side and moves noiselessly. (Simple) – looking keenly from side to side he moves noiselessly.
The cat will stay at the old house and attach himself to the new tenants. (Simple) – The cat will stay at the old house attaching himself to the new tenants.
An hour ago they were mewing for fish and milk. They are no longer the meek creatures. (Complex) – They who were mewing for fish and milk an hour ago are no longer the meek creatures.