12. Why English is so Hard… | English | Class 4

The blog discusses the Questions and Answers from the Chapter 12, Why English is so Hard… , English from Class 4. Students can use these answers for reference in their studies.

Q1. Answer the following questions :

(a) What makes English the trickiest language ?

Ans. There are a few strange things about English that makes it the trikiest language :
(i) There are different rules for similar things for example: the plural of box is boxes, but the plural of ox is oxen.

(ii) One English word can be written and spoken in similar way can yet have different meanings, for example bat, lie, desert.

(iii) Also few English words are pronounced the same way but written differently, example: there and their.

(iv) Words in English are at times written and pronounced differently, example: in the word half is pronounced with l as silent.

(b) Write the singular of the following :

• oxen – ox
• mice – mouse
• men – man
• feet – foot

(c) Write the plurals of :

• boot – boots
• house – houses
• that – those
• pan – pans

Q2. Make a list of other tricky examples you know. Keep adding to your list. Ans. A few tricky examples are :

(i) almound is pronounced with l as silent

(ii) debris is pronounced with s as silent

(iii) asthama is pronounced with th as silent

(iv) dengue is pronounced with u as silent

Q3. List the funny words you find in this poem.

• hice
• shis
• shim

Q4. A pronoun is a word that is used in place of a naming word.
For example, we use he, his, him in place of John, Johns and to John respectively.
Write what you will use for Mary, Marys, and to Mary in the
following sentences :

• Mary is my friend.
– She is my friend

• This is Mary’s notebook.
– This is her notebook.

• I want to return it to Mary.
– I want to return it to her.

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