I Want – CBSE Class 2 English Unit 2 (NCERT)

Understanding the Poem 'I Want'

The poem 'I Want' is written from the point of view of a small child who is full of dreams and wishes. The child imagines many exciting things — flying high in the sky like a bird, sailing far away on a boat, growing tall very quickly, and exploring the wide world outside. Every line begins with a wish, which is why the poem has a nice rhythm when read aloud.

This poem teaches us something important: it is perfectly okay to dream big! Children often imagine things that seem impossible, like flying without wings, but these dreams show their imagination and curiosity. The poet uses very simple, everyday words so that young readers can enjoy the rhyme and also understand the feeling behind each wish. While reading, children should notice how the poet repeats the words 'I want' at the start of many lines — this repetition makes the poem musical and easy to remember, which is a common feature in poems written for young learners.

New Words from the Poem

Want

To wish for something or to desire it strongly. Example: I want a red ball.

Sky

The space above the earth where we see clouds, sun, and birds.

Sail

To travel on water using a boat or ship.

Grow

To become bigger or taller over time.

Imagine

To picture something in your mind that may not be real yet.

Dream

A wish or hope for something wonderful, either while sleeping or while awake (a daydream).

How to Find Rhyming Words in the Poem (Step by Step)

1. Step 1: Read the poem aloud slowly — Say each line clearly so you can hear the ending sound of every line, for example words ending in the same sound like 'sky' and 'fly'.
2. Step 2: Listen to the last word of each line — Rhyming words are usually found at the end of two lines that sound similar, such as 'boat' and 'float', or 'tall' and 'ball'.
3. Step 3: Write the rhyming pairs in your notebook — Make a small list, for example: sky–fly, tall–ball, boat–float. This helps you remember them for exams.
4. Step 4: Practice using them in your own sentences — Try making new sentences: 'The bird can fly in the sky.' This builds vocabulary along with rhyme recognition.

Worked Examples: Answering Poem Questions

• Q: What does the child in the poem want to do in the sky?
  Step 1: Read the line about the sky carefully.
  Step 2: Find the action word used near 'sky' (usually 'fly').
  Step 3: Frame a full sentence answer, not just one word.
  Answer: The child wants to fly high in the sky like a bird.

• Q: Why does the poet repeat the words 'I want' in the poem?
  Step 1: Think about what repetition does to a poem — it creates rhythm.
  Step 2: Connect repetition to the child's excitement about many wishes.
  Answer: The poet repeats 'I want' to show the child has many different wishes and to give the poem a musical, rhyming pattern.

• Q: Name one wish of the child from the poem.
  Step 1: Recall any single wish mentioned, such as sailing on a boat.
  Step 2: Write it as a complete sentence.
  Answer: The child wants to sail far away on a boat.

Common Mistakes Students Make

• Writing answers in single words instead of full sentences — always write a complete sentence in English exams.
• Confusing similar-sounding words like 'want' and 'won't' — remind your child these have very different meanings.
• Forgetting capital letters at the start of sentences and full stops at the end, even in short answers.
• Mixing up rhyming words with words that just look similar but do not sound the same, like 'boat' and 'coat' vs 'boat' and 'moat'.
• Not reading the poem aloud before answering — reading aloud helps children understand rhythm and rhyme better.

Exam Tip for Poem-Based Questions

In CBSE Class 2 exams, poem questions are usually simple and direct — they ask 'what', 'who', or 'why'. Always answer in a full sentence starting with a capital letter and ending with a full stop. If asked to find rhyming words, first read the poem line by line and underline the last word of each line before matching pairs. Practising the poem with actions or a rhythm at home makes it much easier to recall answers during the exam.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: What is the name of the poem discussed in this lesson?
  A: Step 1: Recall the title given at the top of the lesson.
  Step 2: The title tells us the main theme of the poem.
  Final answer: The name of the poem is 'I Want'.

• Q: Give one rhyming pair of words that could appear in a poem like 'I Want'.
  A: Step 1: Think of two words that end with the same sound.
  Step 2: Example pair: sky and fly, both end with the '-y' sound.
  Final answer: Sky and fly is a rhyming pair.

• Q: What does the poem teach children about dreaming?
  A: Step 1: Think about the overall message of the poem.
  Step 2: The child wishes for many big and small things happily.
  Final answer: The poem teaches that it is good to dream and imagine wonderful things, no matter how big the wish is.

• Q: Make a sentence of your own using the word 'grow'.
  A: Step 1: Recall the meaning of 'grow' — to become bigger or taller.
  Step 2: Use it correctly in a simple sentence.
  Final answer: I want to grow tall like my elder brother.

• Q: Write one wish the child expresses in the poem, in your own words.
  A: Step 1: Recall any wish mentioned in the poem, such as sailing on a boat.
  Step 2: Rewrite it in your own simple words.
  Final answer: The child wishes to sail on a boat across the river.

Frequently Asked Questions