NCERT Solutions For Class 8 English Chapter 2 A Concrete
NCERT Solutions for CBSE Class 8 English Chapter 2 – "A Concrete Example" is a light-hearted, humorous poem about Mrs. Jones, the speaker's next-door neighbour, who keeps an unusual garden "full of stones." Through gentle humour, vivid imagery, and clever word play, the poem celebrates how she finds beauty in small, overlooked things and reminds us that people see the world in different ways.
The title itself is a pun. "Concrete" literally refers to the hard stone and cement in Mrs. Jones's garden, but "a concrete example" also means something real and definite — a clear illustration. Prepared according to the latest CBSE Class 8 English syllabus 2025-26, these solutions cover all important questions from the poem — comprehension, poetic-device, theme, and value-based questions — written in simple, clear language to help students score well.
Important Questions & Answers
Q1. Who is Mrs. Jones, and what is special about her garden?
Mrs. Jones is the speaker's next-door neighbour. What is special about her is that she keeps an unusual garden that is "full of stones." Instead of a garden full of flowers and greenery, hers has a crazy (uneven) path, a lily pond, a rockery, and a sundial with a strange device. The garden reflects her unique taste and her love for stone-based, out-of-the-ordinary design.
Q2. Why does the poet repeatedly use the word 'stones' in the poem?
The poet repeats the word 'stones' in every stanza to emphasise Mrs. Jones's obsession with her stony garden. The repetition keeps drawing the reader's attention to how unusual the garden is, and it builds the gentle, humorous tone of the poem. It also helps the reader picture the hard, stone-filled setting very clearly.
Q3. What kind of person is Mrs. Jones?
From her gardening style and behaviour, we learn that Mrs. Jones is:
- Creative and imaginative — she designs a garden quite unlike anyone else's
- Careful and detail-oriented — she plants tiny, delicate plants between the stones
- Proud and happy — she genuinely admires her garden and enjoys showing it
- Appreciative of simple beauty — she finds charm in small, overlooked things
Q4. What is the tone and rhyme scheme of the poem?
The tone of the poem is humorous, amusing, and light-hearted. The poet gently pokes fun at Mrs. Jones's stony garden without being unkind. The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABBCC, which gives it a smooth, song-like rhythm and adds to its playful mood.
Q5. Why does the speaker say the plants are so small they could be planted with a pin?
The speaker says this because the plants growing between the stones are extremely tiny and delicate. They are so small that an ordinary gardening tool would seem too big for them — it feels as though they could be planted with something as fine as a pin. This is an exaggeration (hyperbole) used to highlight just how miniature and fragile the plants are.
Q6. Explain the situational irony at the end of the poem.
Situational irony is when the outcome is the opposite of what is expected. At the end of the poem, the speaker eagerly asks Mrs. Jones where her special, lovely flower is — and she replies, "You're standing on it." The humorous surprise is that the very flower the speaker is searching for is right under his feet. This unexpected ending creates the comic effect of the poem.
Q7. Why is the title 'A Concrete Example' considered a pun?
A pun is a play on words that have more than one meaning. The title 'A Concrete Example' works on two levels:
- Literal meaning: Mrs. Jones's garden is literally made of concrete and stones.
- Figurative meaning: The poem gives a clear, 'concrete' (real and definite) example of her unusual gardening habits.
Because the word 'concrete' carries both senses at once, the title is humorous and clever — a perfect pun.
Q8. Identify and explain the poetic devices used in the poem.
The poem uses several poetic devices:
- Refrain: The line "My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones" is repeated in the stanzas.
- Alliteration: "puts plants" and "flower for quite a quarter" repeat consonant sounds.
- Imagery: Descriptions of the crazy path, lily pond, rockery, and sundial help us visualise the garden.
- Irony: The speaker is 'standing on' the very flower he is looking for.
- Pun: The title 'A Concrete Example' has both a literal and a figurative meaning.
Q9. How does Mrs. Jones feel about her garden? Support your answer.
Mrs. Jones feels very proud and delighted with her garden. She admires its unique, stony look and finds joy in its smallest details — the tiny plants, the sundial, and the special flower she treasures. Her eagerness to show the garden to the speaker and her loving description of it clearly show her pride and affection for it.
Q10. What is the message of the poem 'A Concrete Example'?
The poem teaches us that people see beauty in different ways. What looks plain or strange to one person — a garden full of stones — may be precious and beautiful to another. The poem encourages us to respect diverse tastes and viewpoints, and to appreciate the simple, overlooked things that bring others joy.
Q11. Contrast the speaker's view of the garden with Mrs. Jones's view.
| Aspect | The Speaker | Mrs. Jones |
|---|---|---|
| View of the garden | Finds it ordinary and rather plain | Finds it lovely and special |
| Focus | Notices the stones and hard surfaces | Notices the tiny plants and details |
| Tone | Mildly amused, slightly disappointed | Proud and enthusiastic |
| Reaction at the end | Surprised to learn he stood on the flower | Calmly points out the treasured flower |
Both enjoy the garden in their own way, but Mrs. Jones sees beauty and meaning where the speaker sees only stones — which is the gentle point of the poem.
Q12. Why is 'A Concrete Example' a good title for this poem?
The title is appropriate because it captures the heart of the poem in a witty way. 'Concrete' literally describes the stone-and-cement garden, while 'a concrete example' also means a clear, real illustration — here, of Mrs. Jones's unusual gardening habits. The double meaning (pun) makes the title both humorous and meaningful, which suits the playful spirit of the poem perfectly.
FAQs
Q1. What is the main theme of 'A Concrete Example'?
The main theme is that people perceive beauty differently. The poem gently shows that an unusual garden 'full of stones' can be a source of pride and joy for Mrs. Jones, reminding us to respect diverse tastes and find beauty in simple things.
Q2. Who is the speaker of the poem, and who is Mrs. Jones?
The speaker is the poet, who describes the garden of the next-door neighbour. Mrs. Jones is that neighbour — a creative, detail-loving woman who keeps an unusual stone-filled garden she is very proud of.
Q3. What does the word 'concrete' mean in the title?
The word 'concrete' has two meanings here. Literally, it refers to the stones and hard surfaces in Mrs. Jones's garden. Figuratively, 'a concrete example' means a clear, definite illustration — making the title a clever pun.
Q4. What poetic devices should students remember from this chapter?
Students should remember the refrain ("My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones"), alliteration ("puts plants"), imagery (the path, pond, rockery, sundial), situational irony ("You're standing on it"), and the pun in the title.
Q5. What is the situational irony in the poem?
The irony is that the speaker searches eagerly for Mrs. Jones's special flower, only to be told he is standing on it. The outcome is the opposite of what is expected, which creates the poem's humorous effect.
Q6. Why is this poem important for Class 8 students?
It teaches students to appreciate different points of view and to find beauty in ordinary, overlooked things. It also helps them learn key poetic devices — pun, refrain, alliteration, imagery, and irony — in a simple, enjoyable way.