NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 11 If I Were You

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Author at PW

January 24, 2026

The if I were you class 9 question and answer guide helps you understand a fun story about a man named Gerrard and a scary man called the Intruder. This story is a "play," which means it is written for actors to speak on a stage. It is full of smart jokes and a battle of brains. By learning the if I were you class 9 questions and answers, you will see how Gerrard uses his quiet mind to trick a bad man and save himself. This chapter is important because it teaches us that being calm is the best way to handle big problems.

Feature	Gerrard	The Intruder
Job	Writes plays for theater	Bad man (A thief and killer)
Nature	Calm, funny, and smart	Loud and thinks he is too smart
Plan	To trick the Intruder	To kill Gerrard and take his name
End	Saves himself	Gets locked in a small closet

Check Out: CBSE Class 9 Books

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 11 If I Were You Question Answer

I. Answer these questions.

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 makes the said claim. (ii) When the intruder presses him for a personal statement, he says it. (iii) He uses irony.

Question 2 . Why does the intruder choose Gerrard as the man whose identity he wants to take on?

Answer: The intruder decides to assume Gerrard's identity since he is a mysterious man who follows his commands, occasionally disappears quickly, and always returns.

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 makes the said claim. (ii) It implies that he shot someone to get away when he was in jeopardy. (iii) It's not true, that much. In an attempt to talk the intruders out of killing him, Gerrard says this.

Question 4 . What is Gerrard’s profession? Quote the parts of the play that support your answer.

Answer: Gerrard’s profession is that of a dramatist.

The parts of the play that support that implication are: “In most melodramas, the villain is foolish enough to delay his killing long enough to be frustrated”. “Sorry I can’t let you have the props in time for rehearsal…” “I think I’ll put it in my next play.” “At last, a sympathetic audience!”

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 trespasser makes the stated declaration. (ii) The intruder says this to get information about Gerrard and to frighten him. (iii) The speaker wants Gerrard dead. The speaker claims that Gerrard would get terrified and cease being intelligent if he learned that he had come to kill him and steal his identity.

Question 6 . “They can’t hang me twice.”

(i) Who says this? (ii) Why does the speaker say it?

Answer:

(i) The person who enters makes the stated declaration. (ii) The speaker makes this claim because he has committed murder before. Therefore, it doesn't really matter if he kills another man. You cannot hang him twice.

Question 7 . “A mystery I propose to explain.” What is the mystery the speaker proposes to explain?

Answer: The speaker, Gerrard, suggests solving the enigma of why he is a mysterious man. He informs the trespasser that he is a wanted criminal himself. It is the reason he doesn't interact with tradespeople.

According to him, he killed someone and got away with it. However, he was again in difficulty, which is why he had his bag packed in preparation for another escape.

Question 8 . “This is your big surprise.”

(i) Where has this been said in the play? (ii) What is the surprise?

Answer:

(i) The play refers to this twice. The first time is when the intruder is attempting to frighten Gerrard, and the second time is when Gerrard is telling him why he won't murder him.

(ii) The fact that the intruder states that he intends to kill Gerrard is what surprises us about the initial statement. The unexpected part of the second comment is when Gerrard tells him that since he is a criminal on the run himself, killing him and stealing his identity won't help the intruder.

Thinking about Language

I. 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.

Answer:

1. The site of the accident was ghastly. 2. Our college principal is very strict. 3. I studied continuously for eight hours. 4. The fog had an adverse effect on the traffic. 5. Cezanne, the famous French painter, was a brilliant artist. 6. The book that you gave me yesterday is an extraordinary collage of science fiction and mystery. 7. Our school will host an exhibition on cruelty to animals and wildlife conservation. 8. Screw the lid tightly onto the top of the bottle and shake well before using the contents.

Learn If I Were You Class 9 Question and Answer

Getting ready for your English test is easy when you follow a simple plan. In this story, you will see how a bad man enters Gerrard’s house to kill him and steal his life. You will also see how Gerrard tells a lie about being a bad man too. If you practice these if I were you class 9 question and answer steps, you will find it easy to tell how being smart is better than having a gun. This guide will walk you through the whole plot and the most important questions.

Why the Bad Man Picked Gerrard

The Intruder is a thief who is running away from the police. He has already killed a policeman, and the "cops" are chasing him. You should know why he picked Gerrard for your if i were you question answer work.

The Secret Man: The bad man picked Gerrard because Gerrard was a bit of a secret. He lived alone in a quiet cottage, used the phone to buy his food, and went away in his car very often. The thief thought he could live like Gerrard and no one would ever know he was a criminal.
They Look the Same: The thief saw that he looked a lot like Gerrard. He thought that if he killed Gerrard and wore his glasses and clothes, the police would never catch him. He could live a "safe" life by pretending to be Gerrard.
"They Can't Hang Me Twice": The bad man says this because he already killed someone. In his mind, killing Gerrard won't make his trouble any worse. Since you can only be punished one time for a big crime, he feels he has nothing to lose by being a killer again.

Gerrard’s Smart Trick: The Battle of Wits

Gerrard does not get scared when he sees a man with a gun. He stays very cool. This is a common class 9 english chapter if I were you question answer topic. He uses his imagination to build a trap.

The Big Lie: Gerrard tells the thief that he is not a good person. He tells a lie that he is also a killer who is hiding from the law. He says, "I said it with bullets," which means he used a gun to solve a problem too. This makes the thief stop and listen.
The Proof: To make his lie look real, Gerrard shows a bag. Inside the bag were fake hair, glasses, and stage clothes. These were just items for his theater plays, but he told the thief they were his tools for hiding from the police. This made the thief trust Gerrard's story.
The Closet: Gerrard tells the thief that the police are coming and they should run away together. He says there is a special door to the garage. But when the thief looks inside the door, it is actually a closet (cupboard). Gerrard pushes him in, locks the door, and takes the thief's gun.

What We Learn from the Story: The Themes

Understanding the story is a big part of the class 9 beehive if I were you question answer.

Brains Over Guns: Even though the thief had a gun, Gerrard’s smart brain was much stronger. He used words to fight instead of weapons. This shows that thinking clearly is very important.
Being Funny (Wit): Gerrard makes jokes even when he is in danger. For example, he says he is glad to have a "sympathetic audience." This helps him stay quiet and calm while the thief gets confused and angry.
Gerrard's Real Work: We know Gerrard writes plays because he uses theater words like "melodrama," "rehearsal," and "props." At the very end, he says he will write a play about this thief. This is why he was so good at making up a story—it was his job!

Easy Tips to Score Better in English Exam

When you write your answers, try to say Gerrard is "calm," "witty," and "smart." Teachers like it when you use words that show what the person is like inside. Keeping your if I were you class 9 question and answer notes in order will help you remember how Gerrard tricked the thief and won the game.

Writing Good Answers

Always start by telling what is happening in that moment. For example, if a question asks why the thief wanted to kill Gerrard, tell about his plan to steal Gerrard's name first. Always mention that Gerrard writes plays—this is the reason he is so good at telling lies quickly to save his life. It shows you really understand the character.

Manage Your Study Time Better

Don't spend too long on one hard question. Practice class 9 if I were you question answer tasks at home with a timer. You can also practice class 9 english if I were you question answer tasks by acting out the scene. Try to act out the story with a friend or a sibling. This will help you understand how the two men talk to each other. Remember: the thief thinks he is the smartest person in the room, but Gerrard is always one step ahead. Always check your spellings for words like 'closet', 'theatre', and 'intruder' so you don't lose small marks.

Check Out: Class 9 Sample Papers

FAQs on Class 9 English Chapter 11

Why did the bad man want to kill Gerrard?
He wanted to take Gerrard's name and live in his cottage so the police would think the thief was a normal man.
How did Gerrard trick the bad man?
He told a big lie that he was also a criminal. He showed some theater props as "proof" and then pushed the bad man into a closet.
What does the title "If I Were You" mean?
It means the thief wants to live like Gerrard. But at the end, Gerrard shows that being "Gerrard" means being smart enough to catch a thief.
Why does Gerrard make jokes?
He makes jokes to keep himself from being scared and to make the bad man feel confused. When the bad man is confused, he is easier to trick.
How does the story end?
It ends with Gerrard locking the bad man in a closet. He then picks up the phone to call his friend at the police station.