CBSE Class 4 English Unit 5 (NCERT Marigold) – Complete Guide

Understanding the Two Lessons of Unit 5

The Giving Tree is a short, touching poem about a tree that loves a little boy so much that it gives him its shade, fruits, branches, and even its trunk as he grows from a child into an old man. It teaches the value of unconditional love and sacrifice — just like parents, grandparents, and true friends give without expecting anything in return.

Going to Buy a Book is a story about Saloni, a young girl from a village who has never been to a bookshop. Her father takes her to the city, and she is amazed by the rows of colourful books. She learns to pick a book by herself, pays for it with her own pocket money, and feels proud and independent. The story shows the joy of reading, the excitement of a first shopping experience, and the confidence a child gains when trusted to make her own choice.

Both lessons connect through the theme of giving and receiving happiness — the tree gives happiness through sacrifice, and the bookshop gives happiness through discovery and independence.

New Words and Their Meanings

Generous

Willing to give more of something than is necessary or expected, without wanting anything back.

Sacrifice

Giving up something valuable or important for someone else's happiness or good.

Trunk (of a tree)

The thick main stem of a tree from which branches grow; also used as a stump when cut down.

Eager

Wanting very much to do or have something; full of excited interest.

Shelf

A flat board fixed to a wall or in a cupboard used to keep books or objects.

Independent

Able to do things by oneself, without needing help from others.

Delighted

Feeling or showing great pleasure and happiness.

Grammar Focus: Using the Simple Past Tense (as in the story)

1. Step 1: Identify the action word (verb) — In the story, actions already happened — for example, 'Saloni went to the shop.' The verb 'went' shows the action is complete, so it is in past tense.
2. Step 2: Learn regular past tense forms — Most verbs add '-ed' to show past action: play → played, want → wanted, ask → asked. Example: 'She asked the shopkeeper for a story book.'
3. Step 3: Learn irregular past tense forms — Some verbs change completely and do not follow the '-ed' rule: go → went, buy → bought, see → saw, give → gave. These must be memorised, as in 'The tree gave its branches.'
4. Step 4: Practice by rewriting present sentences into past — Present: 'Saloni buys a book.' Past: 'Saloni bought a book.' Practice converting 5 such sentences daily to build fluency.
5. Step 5: Check the sentence makes sense in context — Always read the full sentence aloud after changing the tense to be sure it sounds correct and matches the story's timeline.

Common Mistakes Students Make in Unit 5

• Confusing 'gave' with 'gived' — remember 'give' is an irregular verb, so past tense is 'gave', never 'gived'.
• Writing the moral of 'The Giving Tree' only as 'the tree is kind' — always mention that it teaches selfless love and sacrifice for full marks.
• Missing details in 'Going to Buy a Book' — students often forget to mention that Saloni chose the book herself and paid with her own money, which shows independence.
• Spelling errors in new words like 'generous' (not 'genrous') and 'delighted' (not 'delited') — practice spelling separately.
• Writing one-word answers in comprehension questions instead of full sentences, which loses marks in CBSE exams.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: What did the tree give to the boy when he was a child, a young man, and an old man? A: Step 1: Recall the poem's sequence of events. Step 2: As a child, the tree gave shade to play under and fruits to eat. Step 3: As a young man, the tree gave its branches so he could build a house and its trunk so he could make a boat. Step 4: As an old man, the tree gave its stump as a place to sit and rest. Final answer: The tree gave shade and fruits when he was a child, branches and trunk when he was young, and its stump to rest on when he was old — showing complete selfless giving.
• Q: Why was Saloni excited to visit the bookshop? A: Step 1: Recall that Saloni lived in a village and had never been to a big bookshop. Step 2: In the city, she saw rows and rows of colourful books which she had never seen before. Step 3: Her father allowed her to choose and buy a book on her own using her own money. Final answer: Saloni was excited because it was her first time in a big bookshop, and she felt proud and independent choosing and buying her own book.
• Q: What is the main lesson (moral) of the poem 'The Giving Tree'? A: Step 1: Look at how the tree behaves throughout the boy's life. Step 2: The tree keeps giving without ever asking for anything back, even as it loses its fruits, branches, and trunk. Step 3: This mirrors how parents, elders, and true friends love and sacrifice for us unconditionally. Final answer: The poem teaches that true love means giving selflessly and happily, without expecting anything in return.
• Q: Change the following sentence into the simple past tense: 'Saloni buys a book from the shop.' A: Step 1: Identify the main verb — 'buys'. Step 2: Recall that 'buy' is an irregular verb; its past form is 'bought', not 'buyed'. Step 3: Replace 'buys' with 'bought' in the sentence. Final answer: Saloni bought a book from the shop.
• Q: Write two words from Unit 5 that describe feelings, and use each in a sentence. A: Step 1: Scan vocabulary for feeling/emotion words: 'eager' and 'delighted' fit well. Step 2: Form a sentence with 'eager': 'Saloni was eager to see all the books on the shelf.' Step 3: Form a sentence with 'delighted': 'She was delighted when she finally chose her own book.' Final answer: Eager – 'Saloni was eager to see all the books.' Delighted – 'She was delighted with her new book.'

Exam Tip for Unit 5 Questions

In CBSE exams, comprehension answers for 'The Giving Tree' and 'Going to Buy a Book' must always be written in complete sentences, not single words. When asked for the moral or lesson, mention the specific value (selflessness, independence, joy of reading) rather than a vague word like 'good'. For grammar questions on past tense, double-check irregular verbs (give→gave, buy→bought, go→went, see→saw) since these are the most common mistakes examiners look for.

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