Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 9 – If I Were You is a gripping one-act play by Douglas James. It tells the story of Gerrard, a playwright who lives alone in a cottage and is suddenly confronted by an armed intruder. The intruder, a criminal on the run from the police, plans to kill Gerrard, assume his identity, and live freely without fear of being caught. However, Gerrard turns out to be far cleverer than the intruder expects. Through quick wit, cool composure, and a brilliantly constructed bluff, Gerrard manages to turn the tables on his would-be killer and trap him in his own wardrobe. The play is a delightful blend of suspense, irony, and sharp humour.
This chapter is part of the CBSE Class 9 English Beehive syllabus and is frequently tested in school examinations through comprehension questions, character analysis, vocabulary exercises, and creative writing tasks like converting the play into a story. The play develops students' appreciation of dramatic writing, irony, and the use of wit as a tool of self-defence. It also builds vocabulary and grammar skills through dictionary work and word usage exercises.
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 9 – If I Were You
Q.
Thinking about the Text
I. Answer these questions.
1. “At last a sympathetic audience.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does he say it?
(iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?
Q.
Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?
Q.
“I said it with bullets.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) What does it mean?
(iii) Is it the truth? What is the speaker’s reason for saying this?
Q.
What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.
Q.
“You’ll soon stop being smart.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
(iii) What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being smart?
Q.
“They can’t hang me twice.”
(i) Who says this?
(ii) Why does the speaker say it?
Q.
“A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?
Q.
“This is your big surprise.”
(i) Where has this been said in the play?
(ii) What is the surprise?
Q.
Consult your dictionary and choose the correct word from the pairs given in brackets.
1. The (site, cite) of the accident was (ghastly/ghostly).
2. Our college (principle/principal) is very strict.
3. I studied (continuously/continually) for eight hours.
4. The fog had an adverse (affect/effect) on the traffic.
5. Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant (artist/artiste).
6. The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary (collage/college) of science fiction and mystery.
7. Our school will (host/hoist) an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.
8. Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and (shake/shape) well before
using the contents.
Q.
Read the play carefully and find the words and expressions Gerrard uses in an ironic way. Then say what these expressions really mean. Write down three more such expressions along with what they really mean.
Q.
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
|
|
|
|
|
Q.
Which of the words below describe Gerrard and which describe the Intruder?
smart humorous clever
beautiful cool confident
flashy witty nonchalant
Q.
Write a paragraph each about Gerrard and the Intruder to show what qualities they have. (You can use some of the words given above.)
Q.
Convert the play into a story (150–200 words). Your story should be as exciting and as witty as the play. Provide a suitable title to it.
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 9 – If I Were You
Question 1. "At last a sympathetic audience." (i) Who says this? (ii) Why does he say it? (iii) Is he sarcastic or serious?
Answer:
(i) Gerrard says this to the intruder. (ii) He says this because the intruder has expressed a desire to have a conversation with him and listen to what he has to say. (iii) Gerrard is being sarcastic. He is not genuinely pleased — he is mocking the intruder with dry humour even in a life-threatening situation.
Question 2. Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?
Answer:
The intruder chooses Gerrard because the two men look alike. The intruder is a murderer wanted by the police and is in danger of being caught and hanged. He plans to kill Gerrard, take over his identity, and live freely under a new name without fear of the police. Since Gerrard lives alone and leads a somewhat mysterious life, the intruder believes it would be easy to assume his identity without anyone noticing.
Question 3. "I said it with bullets." (i) Who says this? (ii) What does it mean? (iii) Is it the truth? What is the speaker's reason for saying this?
Answer:
(i) Gerrard says these words. (ii) It means that Gerrard has killed someone using a gun — that he is himself a murderer. (iii) No, this is not true. Gerrard is fabricating a story to trick the intruder. He wants the intruder to believe that he too is a criminal on the run from the police, so that the intruder will realise that stealing Gerrard's identity would be of no use — it would only lead him from one danger into another.
Question 4. What is Gerrard's profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.
Answer:
Gerrard is a playwright. Several dialogues in the play indicate this: "This is all very melodramatic, not very original, perhaps, but…" "At last a sympathetic audience!" "In most melodramas the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated." "I said, you were luckier than most melodramatic villains." "That's a disguise outfit; false moustaches and what not." "Sorry I can't let you have the props in time for rehearsal, I've had a spot of bother — quite amusing. I think I'll put it in my next play."
Question 5. "You'll soon stop being smart." (i) Who says this? (ii) Why does the speaker say it? (iii) What according to the speaker will stop Gerrard from being smart?
Answer:
(i) The intruder says this to Gerrard. (ii) The intruder says this because Gerrard is responding to his threats with cool humour and clever remarks, which irritates and unsettles the intruder. (iii) The intruder thinks that once Gerrard hears his plan — to kill him and take over his identity — Gerrard will become frightened and stop being clever and composed.
Question 6. "They can't hang me twice." (i) Who says this? (ii) Why does the speaker say it?
Answer:
(i) The intruder says these words. (ii) The intruder has already killed a policeman, for which he is wanted and faces the death penalty. He reasons that even if he kills Gerrard, the maximum punishment remains the same — he can only be hanged once. Since the punishment cannot be made worse, he has nothing to lose by committing another murder.
Question 7. "A mystery I propose to explain." What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?
Answer:
The intruder considers Gerrard a mystery man — he lives alone, rarely meets anyone, is home one day and gone the next, and seems to have no fixed routine. Gerrard explains this mystery by inventing a story: he claims that he too is a criminal on the run from the police. He lives alone to avoid detection, keeps moving to stay ahead of the authorities, and has a bag of disguises ready for a quick escape. He tells the intruder that his man has just warned him the police are closing in. In reality, there is no mystery — Gerrard made up the entire story cleverly to confuse and trap the intruder.
Question 8. "This is your big surprise." (i) Where has this been said in the play? (ii) What is the surprise?
Answer:
(i) This line is said twice in the play. First, the intruder says it when he reveals his plan to kill Gerrard and steal his identity. Second, Gerrard says it when he is about to tell his fabricated story to the intruder.
(ii) The intruder's surprise is his plan to murder Gerrard, assume his identity, and live freely without fear of the police. Gerrard's surprise, in contrast, is his cleverly invented story — that he too is a criminal on the run — which confuses the intruder and ultimately allows Gerrard to trap him in the wardrobe.
Question 9. Choose the correct word from the pairs given in brackets.
Answer:
- The site of the accident was ghastly.
- Our college principal is very strict.
- I studied continuously for eight hours.
- The fog had an adverse effect on the traffic.
- Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant artist.
- The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary collage of science fiction and mystery.
- Our school will host an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation.
- Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and shake well before using the contents.
Question 10. Find words and expressions Gerrard uses in an ironic way and explain what they really mean.
Answer:
| What Gerrard says |
What he really means |
| "You have been so modest." |
The intruder is actually immodest — he wants to know everything about Gerrard while revealing nothing about himself. |
| "You won't kill me for a very good reason." |
There is no real reason — Gerrard is inventing a story to save his life. |
| "Sorry I can't let you have the props in time for rehearsal, I've had a spot of bother — quite amusing." |
The situation was actually life-threatening, not a mere 'spot of bother'. Gerrard downplays the danger with characteristic dry humour. |
Question 11. Complete the table using dictionary entries.
Answer:
| Noun |
Adjective |
Adverb |
Verb |
Meaning |
| Sympathy |
Sympathetic |
Sympathetically |
Sympathise |
The feeling of being sorry for someone and understanding their problems |
| Familiarity |
Familiar |
Familiarly |
Familiarise |
The state of knowing someone or something well; recognising someone |
| Comfort |
Comfortable |
Comfortably |
Comfort |
The state of being physically relaxed and free from pain; a pleasant life |
| Care |
Careful |
Carefully |
Care |
The process of looking after someone and providing what they need |
| Surprise |
Surprising |
Surprisingly |
Surprise |
An unexpected event or piece of news that happens suddenly |
Question 12. Which words describe Gerrard and which describe the Intruder?
Answer:
Words that describe Gerrard: smart, humorous, clever, cool, confident, witty, nonchalant.
Words that describe the Intruder: flashy, smart, confident (but misplaced).
Question 13. Write a paragraph each about Gerrard and the Intruder.
Answer:
Gerrard
Gerrard is a playwright — intelligent, witty, and remarkably cool under pressure. When a dangerous criminal enters his home with a gun and threatens to kill him, Gerrard does not panic. Instead, he responds with dry humour and clever conversation, carefully buying time while he formulates a plan. He invents a brilliant story — that he too is a criminal on the run — and convinces the intruder that stealing his identity would be more dangerous than helpful. He remains calm, confident, and nonchalant throughout, and ultimately outwits the intruder by locking him inside his own wardrobe.
The Intruder
The intruder is flashy and street-smart but ultimately no match for Gerrard's intellect. He is a murderer on the run who has done his research — he has observed Gerrard's routine carefully and believes his plan is foolproof. He is confident and somewhat theatrical in his villainy, enjoying the power he thinks he holds over Gerrard. However, his confidence blinds him to Gerrard's cleverness. He is taken in by Gerrard's fabricated story and, in a moment of curiosity and carelessness, allows himself to be locked inside the wardrobe.
Question 14. Convert the play into a story (150–200 words).
Answer:
A Smart Ploy
Gerrard is a witty and cool-headed playwright who lives alone in a quiet cottage. One evening, an armed intruder breaks into his home. The intruder is a murderer on the run from the police. Since he and Gerrard look remarkably alike, he plans to kill Gerrard, steal his identity, and live freely without fear of being hanged.
Gerrard, however, does not panic. He responds to every threat with sharp humour and calm intelligence. He listens carefully to the intruder's plan and then, with great skill, invents a story — that he too is a criminal on the run from the police. He shows the intruder a bag containing fake moustaches and other disguises as proof. The intruder is visibly confused.
At that very moment the telephone rings. Gerrard uses it as part of his bluff, pretending his lookout is warning him that the police are on their way. He says they must escape through the side door — which is actually the door to his wardrobe. As the intruder leans forward to inspect it, Gerrard pushes him in and locks the door. He then calmly calls the police. Gerrard's quick wit and sharp mind save his life.
FAQs – Chapter 9 If I Were You
Q1. What is the central theme of If I Were You? The central theme is that intelligence and quick thinking are more powerful than brute force. Gerrard, armed with nothing but his wits, manages to outsmart an armed criminal. The play celebrates cleverness, humour, and composure as tools of self-defence and survival.
Q2. What is the significance of the title "If I Were You"? The title has a double meaning. The intruder literally wants to be Gerrard — to assume his identity and live freely. But ironically, by the end of the play it is Gerrard who has demonstrated superior intelligence and self-control. The title also echoes the irony of the situation: the man who wanted to be someone else ends up trapped, while the man whose identity was threatened remains free.
Q3. How does Gerrard outwit the intruder? Gerrard outwits the intruder by inventing a story that he too is a criminal on the run from the police. He shows the intruder a bag of disguises as evidence and uses a convenient phone call as part of his bluff. He tells the intruder they must escape through the "side door" — actually his wardrobe — and when the intruder leans forward to look, Gerrard shoves him inside and locks the door.
Q4. What kind of a person is Gerrard? Gerrard is intelligent, witty, humorous, cool-headed, and quick-thinking. Even when faced with a life-threatening situation, he remains composed and uses dark humour to buy time. He is a playwright by profession, and his creative mind helps him construct a convincing false story that completely fools the intruder.
Q5. What is irony and how is it used in this play? Irony is a literary device where what is said or what happens is the opposite of what is expected. In this play, the intruder believes he has complete power over Gerrard, but it is Gerrard who ultimately controls the situation. Gerrard uses verbal irony throughout — for example, calling the intruder's arrival "quite amusing" and referring to the deadly encounter as "a spot of bother." The greatest irony is that the man who came to steal someone else's life ends up imprisoned in that person's wardrobe.