Reaching Grandmothers House Class 4 NCERT Guide

Chapter Overview: What the Journey Teaches Us

Reaching Grandmothers House is a travel-based EVS chapter. The main idea is that a journey is made of many small parts: starting point, route, transport, stops, people we meet and the final destination. A child may first go by bus to a railway station, then by train to another town, and then by auto-rickshaw or on foot to reach a house. In EVS, we do not only name the vehicle; we ask why that vehicle was used. A train is useful for long distances, a boat is useful where there is water, and walking is possible for short distances. The chapter also builds careful observation: signs, tickets, platforms, bridges, roads, luggage, time and safety rules are all part of real travel.

Important Words in the Chapter

Route

The path or way we take to go from one place to another, such as home to bus stand to railway station to grandmother's house.

Transport

A way of carrying people or goods from one place to another, for example bus, train, bicycle, boat or bullock cart.

Destination

The place where a traveller wants to reach. In this chapter, grandmother's house is the destination.

Ticket

A small paper or digital proof that shows a person has paid for travelling in a bus, train or other transport.

Landmark

A noticeable place or object that helps us find the way, such as a temple, bridge, school, river or big tree.

How to Describe a Journey Step by Step

1. Step 1: Name the starting point and destination — Begin by saying where the journey starts and where it ends. Example: I started from my home and wanted to reach my grandmother's house in the village.
2. Step 2: Break the journey into parts — Do not write only one sentence like I went there. Divide it into stages: home to bus stop, bus stop to station, station to town, and town to grandmother's house.
3. Step 3: Mention the transport used in each part — Write the vehicle for every stage. Example: I walked to the bus stop, took a bus to the railway station, travelled by train, and finally took a cycle-rickshaw.
4. Step 4: Add observations and safety — EVS answers become better when you include what you saw and how you stayed safe, such as buying a ticket, waiting on the platform, crossing the road carefully and keeping luggage close.

Worked Examples: Think Like an EVS Explorer

• Example 1: Riya has to go from her home to her grandmother's house. She walks 5 minutes to the bus stop, takes a bus to the railway station, travels by train, and then walks from the village station. Step 1: Starting point is Riya's home and destination is grandmother's house. Step 2: The journey has four parts: walk, bus, train, walk. Step 3: The longest part is likely the train journey because trains are used for longer distances. Final answer: Riya used walking for short distances, a bus for city travel and a train for a long-distance journey.
• Example 2: A family must cross a river to reach a relative's house. There is no bridge nearby, but there is a safe ferry service. Step 1: Identify the obstacle: a river is between the family and the house. Step 2: Choose transport that works on water: a ferry or boat. Step 3: Add safety: sit properly, do not lean out, and listen to the boatman. Final answer: A boat or ferry is suitable because the route includes water, and safety rules must be followed.
• Example 3: Aman says, I can reach the village only by airplane. But the village has a road and a bus stop. Step 1: Check if the statement matches the place. A village with a road and bus stop can be reached by road. Step 2: Choose a practical transport: bus, car, jeep or auto depending on distance. Step 3: Airplanes need airports, so they are not used for every village. Final answer: Aman's statement is not correct; road transport is more suitable for that village.

Exam Tip: Write Complete EVS Answers

In Class 4 EVS, avoid very short answers such as train or bus only. If the question asks how someone reached a place, write the order of travel and a reason. For example: First we walked to the bus stand, then took a bus to the station, and then travelled by train because the distance was long. Also remember that one journey can use more than one type of transport. Read words like river, hill, village, station and bridge carefully because they give clues about the correct answer.

Key Points and Common Mistakes

• A journey may have many stages; write them in the correct order from start to destination.
• Choose transport according to the place: boat for water, train for long distance, bicycle or walking for short distance, and bus or auto for road travel.
• Do not confuse route and vehicle. Route means the way taken; vehicle means the transport used on that way.
• Tickets, platforms, bus stops, roads, bridges and landmarks are important travel observations in EVS.
• When answering, include safety habits such as waiting in a queue, keeping away from platform edges and crossing roads carefully.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Meena goes from home to the railway station by bus and then travels by train to her grandmother's town. What two types of transport did she use? A: Step 1: Read the journey in order: home to railway station, then railway station to town. Step 2: Identify the vehicles mentioned: bus and train. Step 3: Write them as transport used in the journey. Final answer: Meena used a bus and a train.
• Q: Why might a person use a boat while going to a relative's house? A: Step 1: Think about where boats are used. Boats travel on water. Step 2: Connect this to a journey. If there is a river, lake or backwater on the route, a boat may be needed. Step 3: Add a safety idea to make the answer complete. Final answer: A person might use a boat if the route crosses water, and they should sit safely while travelling.
• Q: Arrange this journey in the correct order: train, walk from home to bus stop, bus to station, auto to grandmother's house. A: Step 1: The journey must start from home, so walking from home to the bus stop comes first. Step 2: After reaching the bus stop, the bus takes the traveller to the station. Step 3: From the station, the traveller takes the train, and after reaching the town, takes an auto to grandmother's house. Final answer: Walk from home to bus stop → bus to station → train → auto to grandmother's house.
• Q: Give one reason why trains are useful for long journeys. A: Step 1: Compare short and long travel. Walking or cycling is tiring for long distances. Step 2: Trains can carry many people and travel far between towns and cities. Step 3: Write the reason in a full sentence. Final answer: Trains are useful for long journeys because they can carry many people over long distances faster and more comfortably than walking or cycling.

Frequently Asked Questions