Linked Table of Contents

• What Is A Punctuation Mark?

• Why Is Punctuation Important For Students In Class 8?

• Types of Punctuations

• Practice questions

• Conclusion (CTA)

• FAQs

What Is A Punctuation Mark?

A punctuation mark is a symbol used while writing to bring clarity to a sentence. Using punctuation marks to separate words and sentences is called punctuation. There are 14 essential punctuation marks used in the English language. These include a period or full stop, question mark, exclamation mark, a hyphen, en dash, em dash, comma, semicolon, colon, quotation marks, ellipses, parentheses, apostrophe, and slash.

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Why Is Punctuation Important For Students In Class 8?

Punctuation is an essential skill for students. The usage of commas, periods, or a question mark can easily change the complete meaning. The English Grammar curriculum in school covers punctuations for Class 8, but the people should also practise with additional resources to master the concept. 

If you want to communicate your ideas, write creatively, and express yourself articulately, punctuation should be your best friend!

Few Examples Of Punctuations For Class 8

Here are the best punctuation examples for Class 8:

1. Natasha, Jacob, Sameera, Nolan, and Tina went hiking.

2. Angelo failed; as he did not study hard.

3. Frost says: "If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane."

4. Please read that out loud.

5. Why did you call me?

6. Bravo! That was a good game.

7. Nowadays, everyone owns a smartphone.  

8. It was Rachel's bag.

9. I received my first bonus (Rs.25000) today.

10. She opened the window...and saw...the woodpecker!

Types Of Punctuations

• Period or full stop - 

Depicted by '.' shows the ending of a declarative sentence or statement.

For example, I can see the door.  

• Question mark - 

Depicted by '?' is used at the end of a question.

For example: What are you doing?

• Exclamation mark -

Depicted by '!' is used when the writer wants to emphasise something or show an extreme emotion like rage or exhilaration. Sometimes, writers use more than one exclamation point to end their sentences and put even more significance into their statements.

For example, What a fabulous painting!

• Hyphen - 

Depicted by '-' is used between two words that are parts of a name or a compound word.

For example, long-term

It can also be used to connect the syllables of one word to fit it into the same line of a text.

For example: While you are writing a sentence in your diary and find yourself reaching the end- ing of a line, you can put a hyphen to finish the word.

• En Dash - 

Depicted by '–' is slightly bigger than the hyphen and smaller than the em dash. You can learn about this in your Class 8 English Grammar punctuations. It is generally used to show a range of times, dates, or numbers.

For example, The season 2015–2016 was one of our best yet.

But you should not use the en dash if you use words like between or from.

For example, She served as the Principal of an Elementary Boys' School from 2010–to 2015 - which is an incorrect punctuation mark usage.

It can also be used between two or more words to show direction, connection, or conflict.

For example, The Jaipur-Delhi-Lucknow flight takes more than six hours.

Join our class on English grammar punctuations for class 8 and become a punctuation pro!

• Em Dash - 

Depicted by '—' is a versatile punctuation mark. It can be used to replace commas, parentheses, and colons.

Few examples:

Em dash replacing comma - When she saw him—almost two days later—he was wearing the same clothes.

Em dash replacing parentheses - She had to buy a book rack upon receiving the books —all 250 of them.

Em dash replacing colons - After weeks of deliberation, we finally decided on the place for our next vacation—Paris.

• Comma - 

Depicted by ',' is used to separate items or phrases on a list.

For example, She bought a pen, a pencil, and an eraser.

• Semicolon - 

Depicted by ';' is a punctuation mark used to separate two clauses (independent of each other) in one compound sentence.

For example, History class was taught by Ms Priya today, Mr Rawal was unwell.  

• Colon - 

Depicted by ':' is used before a quote or a list.

For example, here are three things you can do to stay healthy: exercise regularly, have a balanced diet, and sleep on time.

It also shows the time, separating the minutes and hours.

For example, The time on my clock is 12:35.

• Quotation Marks - 

Depicted by '"' are used at the starting and ending of a sentence to show how it was initially spoken or written.

For example, Raina said, "I am going for a walk."

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• Ellipses - 

Depicted by '...' are three dots that show words that have been left out of a sentence.

For example, I had the children count every word from 0, 1, 2, 3, ..., 100.

• Parentheses - 

Depicted by '( )' are curved marks that explain or qualify the statements in the sentence.

For example, I received my first bonus (Rs.25000) today.

• Apostrophe - 

Depicted by 'shows missing letters in a word.

For example: Cannot is written as can't

It is also used to show a possessive case

For example, This is Ben's toy.

It is used to denote some plural words, abbreviations and numbers

For example, This is a girls' school.

• Slash - 

Depicted by '/' means per.

For example, The speed at which he was driving was 200 km/h.

It is also used to replace or in some sentences.

For example: Once the baby is born, they will live in this beautiful nursery.

Practice Questions

Now that you have learned punctuations for Class 8, there is no better way to remember other than practice. So let us roll up our sleeves and solve these punctuation questions:

Punctuate the below sentences:

• Can you cross your ts properly they are looking like ls

• shakespeare says we know what we are but not what we may be

Are the punctuations right in the sentences below? Mark, yes, if they are right. If they are wrong, correct them.

• My name is Shyla, I am a chef.

• The season 2015 2016 was one of our best yet.

Answers

Punctuate the below sentences:

• Can you cross your t's properly? They look like l's.

• Shakespeare says: "We know what we are, but not what we may be."

Are the punctuations right in the sentences below? Mark, yes, if they are right. If they are wrong, correct them.

• My name is Shyla, I am a chef.

Answer: The punctuation marks in this sentence are correct.

• The season 2015 2016 was one of our best yet.

Answer: There is a punctuation mark missing in this statement. The en dash is used to show a range of dates, times, or numbers. The correct way to write this sentence is: The season 2015–2016 was one of our best yet.

Conclusion

If you are still looking for ways to learn punctuations for class 8, check out the courses available on PlanetSpark. Our high-quality study materials contain engaging examples and activities to help children master punctuations. You will indeed find exciting ways in which your child can practise Class 8 English Grammar punctuations with us.

FAQs

1. Why do class 8 students need to learn punctuation?

The development of a child is a gradual process. In Class 8, the English Grammar curriculum covers Capitalization and Punctuation. This is also the stage where children step into their teenage years. 

Their imaginations are quite active, and learning proper punctuation will help them write their thoughts. There are many online punctuations for Class 8 worksheets that you can use to learn more about punctuations.  

2. How can students of class 8 improve their punctuation skills?

Students can improve their punctuation skills by continuous practice. There are a lot of resources available where students can practise punctuations online for class 8. You can look at the courses available on PlanetSpark and see how they can help your child.  

3. What are the different types of punctuation marks?

The different punctuation marks are full-stop, question mark, exclamation mark, comma, semicolon, colon, a hyphen, en dash, em dash, quotation marks, ellipses, parentheses, apostrophe, etc. slash. To learn more about punctuation marks, you can check our resources on PlanetSpark. We have many courses to help you learn punctuation for Class 8

4. When was using punctuation standardised in English grammar?

The usage of punctuation can be seen throughout written language history. But, it became popular when printing was established. Aldus Manutius standardised several of these punctuation elements in the 15th century. He was an Italian publisher and printer.

5. Is capitalization part of punctuation?

No, capitalization is not part of punctuation. However, many practice exercises combine them both. It is an excellent way to reinforce the usage of punctuation and capitalization. Capitalization is a way of conveying information, just like punctuation. 

When the first letter of the word that begins a new sentence is capitalised, it shows the start of a new sentence. When proper nouns, such as a place, a person's name, or a thing, are capitalised, it denotes their uniqueness.

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