Punctuation for Class 8: Learn the Basics of English Grammar

Punctuation for Class 8 is an addition to what you have learned in the previous English classes. The level advances, and there is more that gets included in the chapter. Thus, a class 8 student needs to prepare well for the different punctuations and their types. They must learn the usage of these punctuation marks in a sentence. There are several types of punctuation marks, such as commas, periods, exclamation marks, question marks, etc., which are included in the Class 8 English syllabus. Let’s learn about these punctuation marks. 

Also Read: Punctuation Marks for Class 7 Students

What is Punctuation for Class 8 Students?

Punctuation marks are symbols that are used in writing to clarify the meaning of sentences and to make them easier to read. They are like the traffic signals of writing, guiding the reader through the text.

Importance of Punctuation for Class 8 Students

Correct punctuation is essential for clear and effective communication. Without it, sentences can be confusing and even have unintended meanings. For example, consider the following two sentences:  

• “Let’s eat, Grandma!”
• “Let’s eat Grandma!”

In the first sentence, the comma after “eat” indicates that the speaker is addressing their grandmother. In the second sentence, without the comma, the sentence has a very different and rather alarming meaning!  

There are 14 types of punctuation marks for 8th standard in the English language, including commas, period (full stop), exclamation marks, question marks, em dash, en dash, a hyphen, commas, semicolons, colons, ellipses, quotation marks, apostrophes, parentheses, and slashes. Let’s look at some of the best examples of punctuation in Class 8.

For Example:	Tim, Harry, Chris, and Linda are going to attend the party together.
	Bravo! They played well.
	Why are you coming here?
	She opened the window.
	He got a loan of (20,000,00) from the bank.
	It was Penny’s bag.
	She opened her window…and saw…the carpenter!
	David says, ”If we work together, we will finish it early”.
	Jim failed; as he did not prepare well.

Quick Read: Capital Letters and Punctuation: Rules And Usage

Types of Punctuation

Understanding the different types of Punctuation is necessary for using them in a better way in your writing. Let’s understand some of the types of Punctuation in detail for their proper usage. 

1. Period(Full Stop)

Period ( . ) is used at the end of a statement or a declarative sentence. It indicates that the sentence has ended. 

For Example: 

(A)I can see the window. (B) Sam writes a letter.

2. Exclamation Mark

An exclamation Mark ( ! ) is a kind of punctuation that is used to express high emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, or exhilaration. They are sometimes used at the end of the sentences to give high importance to the statements.

For Example: 

(A) What a wonderful idea! (B) Alas! cried the girl.

3. Question Mark

Question Mark ( ? ) is used in sentences to show that the person speaking is asking for something. It is used at the end of a sentence where a direct question is asked.

For Example:

(A) What is the meaning of this word? (B) Are you attending the conference? (C) Would you love to have a cup of coffee?

4. Hyphen

The Hyphen (-) is a punctuation that makes compound words using adjectives and nouns. 

For Example:

(A) The Tug-of-war competition was won by the red team. (B) He is twenty-two years old. (C) One-fourth of the students attended the practicals.

5. Quotation Mark(Inverted Commas)

A quotation mark or an inverted comma (“ “) is a punctuation mark that shows the start and the end of the quotation mark. Moreover, the words that are spoken by the speaker.

For Example: 

(A) She said to him, “You are a good man”. (B) The principal said, “Learn and Grow together”.

6. En Dash

En Dash (–) is a newly introduced topic in punctuation for Class 8 having a slightly larger horizontal line than a hyphen. It is used for indicating numbers, dates, or time ranges. The En dash can also be used for showing connection, conflict, or direction.

For Example:

(A) The Stars team was unbeatable in the 2018–19 season. (B) The direct Delhi–Mumbai flight takes more than 2 hours.

7. Em Dash

Em Dash (—) is a punctuation mark that is used for replacing colons, commas, and parentheses.

Em dash usage	Examples
Colons	When she saw him—almost 10 years later—He was having the same bike.
Parentheses	She has to buy the shop to place the chairs—all 100 of them
Commas	After weeks of discussion, we finally decided on the place for our next meeting—London.

8. Comma

The comma ( , ) is a punctuation that is used for the separation of phrases or items in a list.

For Example: 

(A) She brought sandwiches, apples, and noodles for the picnic. (B) Harry, Chris, and Paul are going to attend the conference.

9. Apostrophe

Apostrophe ( ‘ ) is a punctuation mark that is used in a word in place of missing letters. 

For Example: 

(A) I can’t remember his name. (B) Sam’s notebook is on the table.

10. Colon

Colon ( – ) is a punctuation that is a pause in a sentence that is used before a list or a quote.

For Example:

(A) Brad says: “Beautiful things are harder to find”. (B) Brian worked hard for one purpose: to get the job he wanted. (C) The time on his clock is 9:30 pm.

11. Parentheses(Brackets)

Parentheses are the curved marks that describe or clarify the word in a sentence.

For Example: 

(A) He won (Rs. 10,000) in a lottery. (B) She is coming to our home after the conference (around 6:00 pm).

12. Slash

Slash ( / ) is a punctuation that is used to separate words, letters or numbers.

 For Example: 

(A) Joe is driving the car at the speed of 120 km/hr. (B) She was born on 13/7/1985. (C) He/She is going to be the Chairman.

13. Ellipses

Ellipses (. . .) is a punctuation that has three dots and indicates the words that are not included in the sentence.

For Example: 

(A) All the students have to count the numbers from 0,1,2,3,4 . . .100. (B) Would you like to have a cold drink, tea or. . .

14. Semicolon

The semicolon ( ; ) is a punctuation mark that is used for separating two independent clauses in a compound sentence.

For Example: 

(A) She did not study well; therefore, she must fail the exam. (B) The cookies were delicious; they were sweet and crispy.

Punctuation For Class 8: Exercise

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