Oh Dear!
RHYMES
Oh Dear !
Oh dear! What can the matter be?
Oh dear! What can the matter be?
Oh dear! What can the matter be?
Johnny's so long at the fair.
He promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
To tie up my long brown hair.
Oh dear! What can the matter be?
Oh dear! What can the matter be?
Oh dear! What can the matter be?
Johnny's so long at the fair.
Questions and Answers:
Q-1. What is the repeated question in the poem?
Ans: "Oh dear! What can the matter be?"
Q-2. Who is mentioned in the poem?
Ans: Johnny.
Q-3. Where is Johnny?
Ans: Johnny is at the fair.
Q-4. Why is the speaker worried?
Ans: Because Johnny is taking too long at the fair.
Q-5. What did Johnny promise to buy?
Ans: A bunch of blue ribbons.
Q-6. What are the ribbons for?
Ans: To tie up the speaker’s long brown hair.
Q-7. What color are the ribbons?
Ans: Blue.
Q-8. What color is the speaker’s hair?
Ans: Brown.
Q-9. What is the mood of the poem?
Ans: Worried or anxious.
Q-10. What could be the reason Johnny is taking so long at the fair?
Ans: Maybe he got distracted, is having fun, or is struggling to find the ribbons.
Vocabulary and Grammar Questions
Q-1. Find a rhyming pair in the poem.
Ans: "Be – Fair" (Near rhyme), "Hair – Fair."
Q-2. What does ‘matter’ mean in the poem?
Ans: It means "problem" or "issue."
Q-3. What is the opposite of ‘long’ in the poem?
Ans: Short.
Q-4. What is the verb in the sentence ‘Johnny’s so long at the fair’?
Ans: "Is."
Q-5. What is the past tense of ‘promise’ used in the poem?
Ans: "Promised."
Creative Thinking and Personal Response Questions
Q-1. How do you think the speaker feels while waiting for Johnny?
Ans: The speaker feels impatient and worried.
Q-2. What do you think Johnny is doing at the fair?
Answer: (Personal answer, e.g., "He might be playing games or looking for the best ribbons.")
Q-3. If you were Johnny, what would you do?
Answer: I would return quickly so the speaker wouldn’t worry.
Q-4. Can you add another gift Johnny could buy?
Ans: "He promised to buy me a golden locket, to keep in my jewelry pocket."
Q-5. What would you buy for someone special at the fair?
Ans: (Personal answer, e.g., "A teddy bear, a balloon, or a candy apple.")
Rhyming Words from the Rhyme
- Be – Me
- Fair – Hair
- Matter – Better (Not in the poem, but it rhymes with "matter.")
- Long – Song
- Buy – Tie (Not a perfect rhyme, but near rhyme.)
Opposite Words from the Rhyme
- Long – Short
- Brown – Blonde (or Black, depending on hair color)
- Buy – Sell
- Tie – Untie
- Dear – Cheap