Ways with Words

A. Solve the crossword puzzle using words from the text.

Down

1. To be preoccupied with a single topic or emotion
Answer: Obsessed

3. To move slowly and quietly in a particular direction
Answer: Creep

4. Orderly, logical, and consistent
Answer: Coherent

Across

2. To speak rapidly or unintelligibly
Answer: Babble

5. To insert something between other things
Answer: Interpose

6. Unreadable handwriting
Answer: Squiggle

B. Use the following words in sentences of your own.

1. Massive:
He died from a massive heart attack.

2. Consciousness:
He moaned in pain before losing consciousness.

3. Catch-as-catch-can:
We went hitchhiking for a week and lived catch-as-catch-can.

4. Give up:
I am too close to my goal to give up now.

5. Abandon:
He was abandoned by his mother when he was a baby.

6. Lousy:
He blamed Shreya for the lousy weekend.

7. Editing:
He is editing a book of essays by Ritesh Berlin.

C. Word Formation: Adjectives and Adverbs

b. Write the following words in the correct columns. Change the adjectives into adverbs and the nouns into adjectives.

Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjective	Adverb
Careful	Carefully
Perfect	Perfectly
Automatic	Automatically
Certain	Certainly
Fair	Fairly
General	Generally
Proud	Proudly
Rapid	Rapidly
Proper	Properly
Final	Finally
Common	Commonly
Beautiful	Beautifully
Frequent	Frequently
Heavy	Heavily
Hungry	Hungrily

Nouns and Adjectives

Noun	Adjective
Rain	Rainy
Bush	Bushy
Spice	Spicy
Snow	Snowy
Blood	Bloody
Cloud	Cloudy
Bag	Baggy
Mood	Moody
Air	Airy
Cream	Creamy
Dust	Dusty
Ice	Icy
Fun	Funny
Ease	Easy
Hand	Handy
Oil	Oily
Greed	Greedy
Health	Healthy
Hill	Hilly

c. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate adjective or adverb.

i. Pramila is playing quietly.
(quiet/quietly)

ii. Hari speaks very loudly.
(loud/loudly)

iii. Mukesh is a careful driver.
(careful/carefully)

iv. The test was easy, and we finished it in time.
(easy/easily)

v. He is fitting the automatic door in my house.
(automatic/automatically)

vi. My uncle speaks perfect Chinese.
(perfect/perfectly)

vii. It was raining very heavily.
(heavy/heavily)

viii. She looked very calm, but I am sure she was feeling very nervous.
(calm/calmly)

Comprehension

Answer the following questions.

a. Why is freewriting also called “automatic writing”?

Answer:
Freewriting is also called “automatic writing” because it is a continuous process in which writers express their thoughts without worrying about spelling, grammar, organisation, or the suitability of the topic.

b. How do you differentiate writing from speaking?

Answer:
Writing can be edited, revised, and organised to make it clearer and more logical. However, spoken words generally cannot be changed after they have been uttered. Writing also creates a permanent record that can be examined in the future, whereas ordinary speech is temporary unless it is recorded.

c. What is the biggest obstacle in the writing process, according to Elbow? Do you agree with him? Why or why not?

Answer:
According to Elbow, the biggest obstacle in the writing process is premature editing. Writers often become worried about grammar, spelling, word choice, coherence, and correctness before they have fully expressed their ideas.

I agree with him because excessive concern about correctness at the beginning can interrupt the flow of ideas. Writers may become discouraged or unable to continue writing. It is better to express ideas freely first and edit them later.

d. How can freewriting overcome “writer’s block”?

Answer:
Writer’s block occurs when a writer cannot decide what or how to write. The writer may worry about choosing the right words, organising ideas, or avoiding grammatical errors.

Freewriting helps overcome writer’s block by allowing writers to write continuously without restrictions. They can express whatever comes to mind without worrying about grammar, spelling, or organisation. This process encourages ideas to flow naturally.

e. What do you mean by “voice” in writing?

Answer:
“Voice” in writing refers to the writer’s unique way of expressing ideas. It includes the writer’s choice of words, tone, rhythm, style, feelings, and personality.

f. Elbow uses a simile to explain that freewriting “is like writing something and putting it in a bottle in the sea.” What does this mean? Explain.

Answer:
The simile means that freewriting is private and does not have to be read or judged by anyone. When someone puts a message in a bottle and throws it into the sea, it is unlikely that anyone will find and examine it.

Similarly, a person can write freely without being afraid of criticism. The writing does not need to be shown to teachers, friends, or other readers. Therefore, the writer can express thoughts honestly and naturally.

Critical Thinking

a. How does the author persuade readers in this essay? What is he trying to communicate to the readers?

The author persuades readers by explaining the benefits of freewriting and the problems caused by premature editing. He presents freewriting as one of the most effective ways of improving writing skills.

According to the author, freewriting should be practised regularly. It is also called automatic writing because writers express their thoughts spontaneously without worrying about grammar, spelling, organisation, or feedback. One of the most important rules of freewriting is not to stop or make changes while writing.

The author considers compulsive and premature editing to be one of the biggest obstacles in the writing process. When writers focus too much on correctness from the beginning, their creativity and natural flow of ideas are interrupted. As a result, writing becomes difficult, mechanical, and lifeless.

The author also emphasises the importance of “voice” in writing. Voice includes sound, rhythm, tone, style, and the writer’s personality. It gives energy and meaning to writing and encourages readers to pay attention.

Therefore, the author is trying to communicate that writers should first express their ideas freely and naturally. Editing and correction should be done only after the initial ideas have been written down.

b. Elbow says that freewriting “is an exercise in bringing together the process of producing words and putting them down on the page.” Do you agree with his statement? Why or why not?

Yes, I agree with Elbow’s statement. Freewriting helps writers produce ideas and immediately put them on the page without interruption. Writers do not stop to correct spelling, grammar, punctuation, or sentence structure.

When writers forget about editing, their ideas begin to flow naturally. They can express their hidden thoughts, feelings, and personal voice. The voice of a writer includes sound, rhythm, tone, and style, which provide strength and originality to the writing.

According to Elbow, excessive and premature editing is one of the greatest obstacles to writing. Writers may lose valuable ideas when they repeatedly stop to correct themselves. Therefore, freewriting allows them to focus on generating words and recording their thoughts.

Once the first draft is complete, the writer can revise and edit it. In this way, freewriting makes the writing process smoother and helps writers become more confident and creative.

c. How did you learn to write? What was particularly difficult in writing? What inspired you to write? What challenges do you still face while writing?

I learnt to write by practising freewriting on different topics under the guidance of my English teacher. In the beginning, starting a piece of writing was the most difficult task for me. I often struggled to find suitable ideas and words.

However, I continued practising regularly. Every time I wrote something, my writing became clearer and more organised. I also created a blog and began writing posts on different subjects. Stories, reports, news articles, and other written materials inspired me to improve my writing.

Although my writing has improved, I still face several challenges:

Grammatical errors
Spelling mistakes
Lack of ideas
Limited vocabulary
Poor organisation of ideas
Difficulty in expressing ideas clearly
Lack of creativity

Regular reading, writing, revision, and feedback can help me overcome these challenges.

Writing

C. Write a paragraph on any one of the following topics.

a. My School Library

My school library is a storehouse of knowledge. It contains many different types of books on various subjects. Students can borrow books by using their library cards. There are also many newspapers, journals, magazines, dictionaries, and reference books in the library.

Books and journals are normally issued for fifteen days. After that period, students must either return them or renew them for another fifteen days. The library building has three large rooms. The first room contains textbooks related to science, management, education, humanities, law, and information technology. The second room contains books on history, literature, culture, and other subjects in different languages. The books are systematically arranged in cupboards and on shelves.

The third room is the reading room. It is peaceful, clean, and quiet, making it suitable for study. Our school library remains open on all working days. It helps students increase their knowledge, develop reading habits, and improve their academic performance. I enjoy spending my free time in the school library.

b. Moral Values I Like Most

Moral values are principles and ethical standards that guide us towards an honest and meaningful life. They help us distinguish between right and wrong and keep us on the correct path. Honesty and truthfulness are the moral values I admire most.

When people are honest and truthful, there is less corruption, violence, and injustice in society. Honesty builds trust and strengthens relationships. We should have the courage to speak the truth even when it is difficult. Telling a lie may provide a temporary benefit, but it often creates greater problems in the future.

The truth may sometimes hurt us or others, but we should accept reality even during unfavourable situations. We should not be jealous of other people’s success or property. Instead, we should work hard and earn money honestly without cheating or harming anyone.

Therefore, honesty and truthfulness are essential for personal development, peaceful relationships, and a civilised society.

Grammar

B. Rewrite the following sentences by placing the adverbs in the appropriate positions.

i. I watch television. (often)

Answer:
I often watch television.

ii. Have you been to Janakpur? (ever)

Answer:
Have you ever been to Janakpur?

iii. They play football on Saturday. (sometimes)

Answer:
They sometimes play football on Saturday.

iv. The weather is bad in November. (always)

Answer:
The weather is always bad in November.

v. We have fish for dinner. (seldom)

Answer:
We seldom have fish for dinner.

vi. Pritam does not get up before seven. (usually)

Answer:
Pritam does not usually get up before seven.

vii. I was very tired, and I was hungry. (also)

Answer:
I was very tired, and I was also hungry.

viii. Did you enjoy the flight? (both)

Answer:
Did you both enjoy the flight?

C. Rewrite the following sentences by placing the underlined words in the correct positions.

i. I never have understood her.

Answer:
I have never understood her.

ii. We are often invited to parties.

Answer:
We are often invited to parties.

iii. We all were tired, so we all fell asleep.

Answer:
We were all tired, so we all fell asleep.

iv. Rajan drives always to work.

Answer:
Rajan always drives to work.

v. Pradip watches television hardly ever, but he reads newspapers a lot.

Answer:
Pradip hardly ever watches television, but he reads newspapers a lot.

vi. We enjoyed very much the party.

Answer:
We enjoyed the party very much.

vii. My brother speaks fluently English.

Answer:
My brother speaks English fluently.