Class VIII English

Vocabulary

Prefixes and suffixes

• P.1 Words with pre-
• P.2 Words with re-
• P.3 Words with sub-
• P.4 Words with mis-
• P.5 Words with un-, dis-, in-, im- and non-
• P.6 Words with -ful
• P.7 Words with -less
• P.8 Words with -able and -ible

Greek and Latin roots

• Q.1 Use Greek and Latin roots as clues to the meanings of words
• Q.2 Use words as clues to the meanings of Greek and Latin roots
• Q.3 Determine the meanings of Greek and Latin roots
• Q.4 Determine the meanings of words with Greek and Latin roots

Synonyms and antonyms

• R.1 Choose the synonym
• R.2 Choose the antonym

Word choice and usage

• S.1 Describe the difference between related words
• S.2 Positive and negative connotation

Homophones

• T.1 Use the correct homophone
• T.2 Which definition matches the sentence?
• T.3 Which sentence matches the definition?

Analogies

• U.1 Analogies
• U.2 Analogies: challenge

Context clues

• V.1 Find words using context
• V.2 Determine the meaning of words using synonyms in context
• V.3 Determine the meaning of words using antonyms in context
• V.4 Use context to identify the meaning of a word

Domain-specific vocabulary

• W.1 Determine the meaning of domain-specific words with pictures

Reference skills

• X.1 Alphabetical order
• X.2 Use guide words
• X.3 Use dictionary entries
• X.4 Use dictionary definitions
• X.5 Use thesaurus entries

Grammar and mechanics

Sentences, fragments and run-ons

• Y.1 Is the sentence declarative, interrogative, imperative or exclamatory?
• Y.2 Identify the complete subject or complete predicate of a sentence
• Y.3 Identify the simple subject or simple predicate of a sentence
• Y.4 Identify the compound subject or compound predicate of a sentence
• Y.5 Is it a complete sentence or a fragment?
• Y.6 Is it a complete sentence or a run-on?
• Y.7 Is it a complete sentence, a fragment or a run-on?

Phrases and clauses

• Z.1 Is it a phrase or a clause?
• Z.2 Identify appositives and appositive phrases
• Z.3 Identify dependent and independent clauses
• Z.4 Is the sentence simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex?
• Z.5 Combine sentences using relative clauses

Nouns

• AA.1 Form and use plurals: review
• AA.2 Form and use plurals of compound nouns
• AA.3 Identify plurals, singular possessives and plural possessives
• AA.4 Form the singular or plural possessive
• AA.5 Identify and correct errors with plural and possessive nouns
• AA.6 Identify and correct errors with compound and joint possession

Pronouns and antecedents

• BB.1 Identify pronouns and their antecedents
• BB.2 Use the pronoun that agrees with the antecedent
• BB.3 Correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun number and person
• BB.4 Identify vague pronoun references
• BB.5 Identify all of the possible antecedents

Pronoun types

• CC.1 Choose between subject and object pronouns
• CC.2 Compound subjects and objects with ‘I’ and ‘me’
• CC.3 Compound subjects and objects with pronouns
• CC.4 Choose between personal and reflexive pronouns
• CC.5 Use reflexive pronouns
• CC.6 Is the pronoun reflexive or intensive?
• CC.7 Use relative pronouns: who and whom
• CC.8 Use relative pronouns: who, whom, whose, which and that

Verb types

• DD.1 Identify transitive and intransitive verbs
• DD.2 Identify linking verbs, predicate adjectives and predicate nouns

Subject-verb agreement

• EE.1 Correct errors with subject-verb agreement
• EE.2 Correct errors with indefinite pronoun-verb agreement
• EE.3 Use the correct verb – with compound subjects

Verb tense

• FF.1 Irregular past tense: review
• FF.2 Simple past, present and future tense: review
• FF.3 Identify and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense
• FF.4 Form the progressive verb tenses
• FF.5 Form the perfect verb tenses
• FF.6 Identify participles and what they modify
• FF.7 Identify gerunds and their functions
• FF.8 Identify infinitives and infinitive phrases

Adjectives and adverbs

• GG.1 Identify adjectives
• GG.2 Order adjectives
• GG.3 Identify adverbs
• GG.4 Choose between adjectives and adverbs
• GG.5 Is the word an adjective or adverb?
• GG.6 Form and use comparative and superlative adjectives
• GG.7 Good, better, best, bad, worse and worst
• GG.8 Form and use comparative and superlative adverbs
• GG.9 Well, better, best, badly, worse and worst

Prepositions

• HH.1 Identify prepositional phrases

Direct and indirect objects

• II.1 Is it a direct object or an indirect object?

Conjunctions

• JJ.1 Use the correct pair of correlative conjunctions

Misplaced modifiers

• KK.1 Misplaced modifiers with pictures
• KK.2 Select the misplaced or dangling modifier
• KK.3 Are the modifiers used correctly?

Restrictive and non-restrictive elements

• LL.1 Commas with non-restrictive elements

Commas

• MM.1 Commas with compound and complex sentences
• MM.2 Commas with direct addresses, introductory words, interjections and interrupters
• MM.3 Commas with coordinate adjectives

Semicolons, colons and commas

• NN.1 Use semicolons and commas to separate clauses
• NN.2 Use semicolons, colons and commas with lists

Dashes, hyphens and ellipses

• OO.1 Use dashes
• OO.2 Use hyphens in compound adjectives
• OO.3 Decide whether ellipses are used appropriately

Capitalisation

• PP.1 Correct capitalisation errors
• PP.2 Capitalising titles

Formatting

• QQ.1 Formatting titles
• QQ.2 Formatting and capitalising titles: review

Writing strategies

Organising writing

• J.1 Order topics from broadest to narrowest
• J.2 Organise information by main idea
• J.3 Transitions with conjunctive adverbs

Developing and supporting arguments

• K.1 Distinguish facts from opinions
• K.2 Choose evidence to support a claim
• K.3 Identify supporting details in informational texts
• K.4 Identify supporting details in literary texts
• K.5 Identify counterclaims

Creative techniques

• L.1 Use personification

Active and passive voice

• M.1 Identify active and passive voice
• M.2 Rewrite the sentence in active voice

Editing and revising

• N.1 Use parallel structure
• N.2 Remove redundant words or phrases
• N.3 Use the correct frequently confused word
• N.4 Correct errors with frequently confused words
• N.5 Suggest appropriate revisions

Research skills

• O.1 Identify plagiarism

Reading strategies

Main idea

• A.1 Determine the main idea of a passage

Theme

• B.1 Match the quotations with their themes
• B.2 Determine the themes of short stories

Author’s purpose and tone

• C.1 Identify the author’s purpose
• C.2 Which sentence is more formal?
• C.3 Compare passages for tone

Text structure

• D.1 Compare and contrast in informational texts
• D.2 Match causes and effects in informational texts
• D.3 Match problems with their solutions
• D.4 Identify text structures

Literary devices

• E.1 Interpret figures of speech
• E.2 Classify figures of speech
• E.3 Analyse the effects of figures of speech on meaning and tone

Analysing literature

• F.1 Analyse short stories

Analysing informational texts

• G.1 Read and understand informational passages
• G.2 Trace an argument

Comparing texts

• H.1 Compare two texts with different genres

Visual elements

• I.1 Compare illustrations of literary and historical subjects