Board Notes (2nd Assessments) for Grade 8 English

Discursive Essay

REMEMBER:
• Understand what the topic is asking you to discuss.
• Think about the different sides of the topic.
• Decide what points you will include in the introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Start by explaining the topic.
• Don’t give your opinion right away
• Write about both sides of the topic.
• Give reasons and examples to explain each side.
• Use linking words like "moreover," "in addition," "however," and "because" to connect
your ideas.
• In concluding paragraph, summarize the main points in a simple way, and share your
opinion at the end.
• Make sure to proofread your essay; look for spelling and grammar mistakes.
How to put forward your for arguments
• People in favour of + topic argue that

• Supporters of + topic believe that

• Advocates of + topic maintain that

• Campaigners of + topic claim that

• Proponents of + topic feel that

• Those who support + topic suggest that

• Pressure groups in favour of + topic agree that

• Believers in + topic

• Followers of + topic

• Users of + topic

Putting forward your against arguments

• People against + topic argue that

• Critics of + topic believe that

• Opponents of + topic maintain that

• Challengers of + topic claim that

• Campaigners against + topic feel that

• Those opposed to + topic suggest that

• Pressure groups against + topic agree that

Conclusion Word Bank:
• To sum up/ altogether…
• On this basis, I can conclude that...
• Given this, it can be concluded that...
• Having proved this, I would like to...
• In conclusion, I would like to stress that…
• All in all, I believe that...
• Ultimately,...
• Finally, I would conclude that…
• As outlined previously/earlier
• As previously stated,…
• We could conclude that…

Sports stars are the best type of people for teenagers to admire and copy.’ Do
you agree?
Sample Essay
Teenagers have different role models, from actors to leaders to sports stars. But are sports stars
the best people for youngsters to copy?

To begin with, sports stars are hardworking and show teenagers that everything is achievable
through determination and teamwork. Moreover, they are a symbol of hope. A great instance
would be the renowned footballer, Ronaldo, who has reached heights despite his
underprivileged background.

On the other hand, sports stars can be the worst role model for students who may start
neglecting their studies for sports. Furthermore, these sports stars are always in competition
with each other creating a negative tension among their followers too.

To sum up, it can be said that teenagers should take inspiration from people who are successful
in both academics and sports. This way they will learn the best practices from their role models.
 Monologue Writing
▪ As monologues are a speech by only one person, they are nearly always written in the
first person. This means using pronouns, such as: I, me, mine.

▪ The character giving the monologue should be describing what is happening. Use this to
give your audience an idea of where the story is going next.

▪ The way that your character talks during a monologue and the opinions that they express
can give your audience lots of clues about them.

▪ When writing a monologue, make sure that you engage with your audience. Ask
rhetorical questions to make them feel like you’re talking directly to them.

▪ Think about what the character is feeling or thinking and why they want to share it.
▪ Write as if the character is talking. Use words and phrases they would say.

▪ Begin with a line that grabs attention or shows how the character feels.

▪ Let the character talk about their feelings and thoughts.

▪ Write sentences that are simple and easy to understand. Don’t add too many ideas.

▪ Write one long continuous paragraph of 110 – 130 words.

▪ Show how the character feels—are they happy, sad, angry, or excited?

▪ Finish with a line that makes the audience think or feel something.

Sample Monologue
Why! Why did this have to happen now! Here I am. Inches away from finding out the identity of
the Chosen One. But... this crater!! This cursed crater!! Wasn’t this journey already exhausting
enough? I can’t take it anymore. I have no clue what is happening back home. What if I go back
and find Father dead? What if I never get to see him again? Will I ever be able to live with that
guilt? This journey has drained me already. Been walking for several days with no clue. I guess
this is the time to give up. I can’t take it anymore. I should turn back now. But can I? Father is
relying on me. How disappointed he will be. But I think this is how it ends. I quit…wait…what’s
that sound?
Connectives
 Conditionals
Zero Conditional: Describes facts, general truths, or habitual actions.
Structure: If + Present Simple, Present Simple

Example: If you heat water, it boils.

First Conditional: Talks about real and possible situations in the future.
Structure: If + Present Simple, Will + Base Verb

Example: If it rains, we will stay indoors.

Second Conditional: Describes hypothetical or unreal situations in the present or future.

Structure: If + Past Simple, Would + Base Verb

Example: If I had more time, I would learn a new language.

Third Conditional: Refers to past unreal situations and their hypothetical results.
Structure: If + Past Perfect, Would Have + Past Participle

Example: If she had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.

Checkpoint Paper I, Part 3 (Dialogue Completion):

• There are eight dialogues given. One is already used up in example.

• Out of the remaining seven dialogues, two options will not be used.

• You just need to write the LETTER, and not complete dialogue in the given space.

• Before deciding on the option, make sure you have read the dialogues BEFORE AND
AFTER the space. Errors are often made when learners find an item to match the
sentence before or after but not both.

Checkpoint Paper I, Part 5 (Multiple Matching):

• Underline important words in the questions, so you know exactly what information you
need to look for in the texts.
• Try to match the main idea in each question with words in the text. When you locate
these words, read that part of the text more carefully to check whether the meaning
matches exactly the idea in the question.
• Remember that the idea will be written in a different way in the text and in the question,
so you will be looking for synonyms (different words that have the same meaning). If you
 still can’t find the right answer, read a bigger section of the text before and after the
words you found, or make a guess.

• Remember that every detail in the question must match the information in the text. If the
text only refers to part of the question, then it is not the correct answer – you need to look
at the other sections of text again.

• Remember that for each question, you only have to write one letter (A, B, C, etc). Make
sure you write your answers clearly. If you write more than one letter (without crossing
one out), you will not get a mark.

Checkpoint Paper I, Part 6 (Reading Comprehension):

• Underline important words in the questions, so you know exactly what information you
need to look for in the texts.

• Try to match the main idea in each question with words in the text. When you locate
these words, read that part of the text more carefully to check whether the meaning
matches exactly the idea in the question.

• Remember that the answer you choose should match the information in the text exactly.
If the information in the text looks a bit different, then it is probably not the correct
answer - you need to read the text again or consider the other options.

• Remember that the questions are in the same order as the information in the text, so you
will find the answer to Question 2 after the answer to Question 1, for example. However,
the last two question might test the overall purpose of the text, which means the answer
comes from the gist of the whole text.

• As well as choosing the correct answer, always think about why the other three options
are wrong. This is the best way to check your answers for this exercise.

• Only circle one letter for each question. If you change your mind, make sure you indicate
clearly which your final choice is - if you circle more than one letter, you will not get a
mark.