English Language Arts Worksheets and Study Guides Eighth Grade

Language - Conventions of Standard English

Capitalization

Which Words Should Be Capitalized? In English, there are very specific rules for capitalizing words. The following categories of words should always be capitalized: Languages: French; Races: Native Americans; Nationalities: Spanish; School: Subjects Math II; Brand Names: Coca Cola; Ships: Titanic; Books: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen; Newspapers: New York Times; Magazines: Newsweek; Songs: The Star-Spangled Banner; Movies: King Kong; Abbreviations: A.M. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Modifiers-Adverbs

What is an Adverb? A word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb is called an adverb. Modify means to change. Since adverbs change the meanings of verbs and adjectives, adverbs are also called modifiers. Adverbs answer the questions: How? When? Where? or To What Extent? Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1

Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections

What is a Preposition? A preposition is a connective that shows a relationship between the noun or pronoun following the preposition and another word in the sentence. What is a Conjunction? A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, or simple sentences. What is an Interjection? An interjection is a word or group of words that expresses strong feelings. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1

Punctuation

What are Punctuation Marks? Punctuation marks are symbols to help readers understand how to read sentences. Examples: Period-ending marks, abbreviations; Question mark-ending marks; Exclamation point-ending marks; Comma-separating items or words, direct address, dates; Semicolon-joining two parts of a compound sentence; Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1

Usage

The way in which the English language is used is known as usage. To speak and write our language properly, certain rules must be followed. Some Usage Guidelines for English:<br/> Who and whom. Who is a subject. Whom is an object. Who went to the nurse's office? You expect to go to the dance with whom? Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1

Language - Vocabulary Acquisition

Adding New Words to Our Language

FreeOne way that words are added to our language is by word borrowing. Words are "borrowed" from other countries and from other languages. Examples: Tomahawk is the Native American word for a kind of weapon, Spaghetti is a word that came from Italy, Taco is a word that came from Mexico. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Spelling

Are There Any Tricks to Becoming a Successful Speller? One technique for successful spelling is to say, or pronounce, the word correctly. Another technique for successful spelling is to write the word. It is helpful to refer to a dictionary for the correct spellings of questionable words. A memory device may be of use: c-a-p-i-t-o-l is the spelling for our nation’s Capitol Building; the "o" looks like the dome of the Capitol Building. Read more...iWorksheets: 6Study Guides: 1

Reading Informational Text

Descriptive Text

What is Descriptive Text? Descriptive writing appeals to the senses. Writers often create a mood by choosing specific descriptive words. Descriptive writing can be made more precise by using exact words. Figures of speech, such as similes and metaphors, are often used in descriptive writing. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Reading and the Internet

The letters that are typed in to find a particular website are called the web address. A website address that is saved in the computer's memory is called a bookmark. An email address contains three parts: the name, the "at" symbol, and the name of the Internet Service Provider. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Text Features

What are Text Features? The elements of a textbook that are useful in helping to understand the content of the book are called the text features. An effective reader uses the text features to preview the textbook before beginning to read: The title page contains the title of the book, the author, the publisher, and the place where the book was published. The glossary contains the definitions of words from the textbook. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1

Reading Literature

Persuasive Text

What is Persuasive Text? Persuade means to convince. In persuasive text, the author attempts to convince the reader to believe that the author's viewpoint is correct. Some common persuasive techniques are: Bandwagon, Stacking the Deck, Testimonials, Citing Statistics, and Emotional Words. An author uses the Bandwagon technique when he/she tries to make us believe that we should do something because everyone is doing it. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Reading Rate

What is Reading Rate? Reading rate is the speed at which a person reads a particular text. A person needs to determine the purpose for reading before he/she chooses a reading rate. Purposes of Reading: Scanning - reading to find a specific fact or detail; Skimming - reading to get an overview of the text; Reading for comprehension - demands careful, thoughtful reading from the student, and rereading may be required. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Reading-Drama

Drama is a genre that uses dialogue to tell a story. The elements of drama are: characters, setting, plot and theme. A list of characters in the play is called the cast. The place and time of the play is known as the setting. The main events in the play make up the plot. The main idea of the play is called the theme. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Reading-Figurative Language

Figurative language is the opposite of literal language. The writer uses techniques like repetition, exaggeration, alliteration, personification, onomatopoeia, similes, and metaphors to create images in the reader's mind. Using a sound, word, or phrase more than once is known as repetition. When a writer intentionally stretches the truth, he/she is using exaggeration. When a writer repeats a consonant sound at the beginning of several words in a row, he/she is using alliteration. Poems are divided into groups of lines called stanzas. Words that end with the same sound are called rhyming words. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Titles and Authors

A student searching for a terrific book may want to try a book that has won a Newbery Medal. The Newbery Medal has been presented yearly since 1922 to the author of the most outstanding book written for children in the United States in the preceding year. The winning author must be either a citizen or a resident of the United States of America. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Reading: Foundational Skills

Gerunds, Infinitives, and Participles

What is a Gerund? A gerund is a verb that is used as a noun. A gerund is formed by adding -ing to the present form of a verb. What is an Infinitive? An infinitive is a verb that is used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. The word to is known as the sign of the infinitive. What is a Participle? A participle is a verb that is used as an adjective. The two types of participles are present participles and past participles. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Library Skills

What Can Be Found in a Library? Books, almanacs, atlases, magazines, newspapers, dictionaries, and encyclopedias can be found in a library/media center. Most libraries are divided into areas, called sections: The Stacks: fiction and nonfiction books; Periodicals: magazines and newspapers; Reference, encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and almanacs; Catalog: online catalog or card catalog drawers. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Reading-Structural Analysis

What is Structural Analysis in Reading? In order to derive the meanings of words, it is helpful to analyze the structure of the words in English: Is there a Latin or a Greek root word? Is the word a base word that can stand alone? Are there prefixes and suffixes added to the base word? What are the meanings of the affixes added to the base word? Is the word a shortened form of a longer word? Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1

Thinking Skills

What are Thinking Skills? Thinking skills are reading tools used to better comprehend the text. Examples: Analysis-separating the text into its parts; Classifying-arranging information into categories; Comparing and Contrasting-finding likenesses and differences between items; Drawing Conclusions-coming to a decision based on the text. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Speaking & Listening

Conducting Interviews and Discussions

What is an Interview? A conversation in which the purpose is to gather information is known as an interview. An effective interview should have a clear purpose. Before an interview, the interviewer should prepare a list of questions. An interviewer should make an appointment with the person he/she is interviewing. An interviewer should be prompt for his/her appointment. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Writing: ELA Literacy

Compound and Complex Sentences

Two or more sentences joined together are known as a compound sentence. The simple sentences in a compound sentence can be joined together with a comma and a conjunction, or with a semicolon. A complex sentence has one independent clause and one or more subordinate clauses. A subordinate clause does not express a complete thought. Subordinate clauses are either adjective clauses or adverb clauses. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1

Regular and Irregular Verbs

What is a Verb? A verb is the "action" or "being" part of the predicate of a sentence. The different forms of a verb are called tenses and express present, past, and future times. The principal parts of a verb are: the infinitive, the present participle, the past tense, and the past participle. Regular verbs form their past tenses by adding -d or -ed to the infinitive. Irregular verbs form their past tenses in a different way. Read more...iWorksheets: 5Study Guides: 1

Sentences

What is a Sentence? A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. A sentence must contain a subject and a predicate. An incomplete sentence is known as a sentence fragment. Two or more sentences written together are known as a run-on sentence. Read more...iWorksheets: 4Study Guides: 1

Using References

What is a Reference? A reference is a book or an online source where a student can find facts. Examples: Encyclopedia, Atlas, Dictionary, Thesaurus, Almanac, Magazine, Pamphlet, Catalog. What reference is the Guinness Book of World Records? Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1

Writing a Research Report

The process of preparing a research report has numerous steps. The student chooses a subject, prepares a list of questions to guide his/her research, gathers information from two or more sources, organizes the information, and presents it to the reader in a readable form. Read more...iWorksheets: 3Study Guides: 1
Standards

NewPath Learning resources are fully aligned to US Education Standards. Select a standard below to view aligned activities for your selected subject and grade:

Alabama Courses of StudyAlaska Content and Performance StandardsArizona's College and Career Ready StandardsArkansas Curriculum FrameworksCalifornia Content StandardsColorado Academic Standards (CAS)Common Core State StandardsConnecticut Core StandardsDelaware Standards and InstructionFlorida StandardsGeorgia Standards of ExcellenceHawaii Content and Performance StandardsIdaho Content StandardsIllinois Learning StandardsIndiana Academic StandardsIowa CoreKansas Academic StandardsKentucky Academic StandardsLouisiana Academic StandardsMaine Learning ResultsMaryland College and Career-Ready StandardsMaryland StandardsMassachusetts Curriculum FrameworksMichigan Academic StandardsMinnesota Academic StandardsMississippi College & Career Readiness StandardsMissouri Learning StandardsMontana Content StandardsNebraska Core Academic Content StandardsNevada Academic Content StandardsNew Hampshire College and Career Ready StandardsNew Jersey Common Core StandardsNew Jersey Student Learning StandardsNew Mexico Content StandardsNew York State Learning Standards and Core CurriculumNorth Carolina Standard Course of StudyNorth Dakota Academic Content StandardsOhio Learning StandardsOklahoma Academic StandardsOregon Academic Content StandardsPennsylvania Core and Academic StandardsRhode Island World-Class StandardsSouth Carolina Standards & LearningSouth Dakota Content StandardsTennessee Academic StandardsTexas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)U.S. National StandardsUtah Core StandardsVermont Framework of Standards and LearningVirgin Islands Common Core StandardsVirginia Standards of LearningWashington DC Academic StandardsWashington State K–12 Learning Standards and GuidelinesWest Virginia College and Career Readiness StandardsWisconsin Academic StandardsWyoming Content and Performance Standards