NBSE Class 8 Question Paper 2020 Grammer and Composition

Total number of printed pages: 4 NB-/E/GC/1
2020
CLASS VIII
GRAMMAR AND COMPOSITION
Total marks: 80 Time: 3 hours
General instructions:
i) The question paper consists of 15 main questions.
ii) Internal choice has been provided in some questions.
iii) Marks allocated to every question are indicated against it.
N.B: Check that all pages of the question paper are complete as indicated on the top left side.

SECTION A (GRAMMAR)
1. Choose the correct answer from the alternatives given: 10x1=10
a. People __________ are trusted.
i. who pay their debts ii. which borrow
iii. made of plastic iv. with a broken umbrella handle
b. A _______ is a group of words that makes sense, but not complete sense.
i. Punctuation ii. Phrase iii. Clause iv. Sentence
c. He has lost the book __________ I had given him.
i. and ii. that iii. as iv. when
d. We returned home __________ the sun set.
i. if ii. by iii. that iv. when
e. She __________ at the clown.
i. laughing ii. laugh iii. laughed iv. laughter
f. The gate had already __________ by the peon.
i. open ii. been opened iii. opened iv. being opened
g. The __________ indicates the shortest pause between words.
i. comma ii. full-stop iii. semi-colon iv. colon
h. Mosquitoes __________ malaria.
i. carried ii. will carrying iii. carry iv. carries
i. The dog would sit if you __________ him to.
i. telling ii. will tell iii. told iv. tell
j. They __________ the summer in Kulu.
i. will be spending ii. have been spent
iii. will being spent iv. has been spending
2. Rewrite the sentences as directed: 10x1=10
a. He knows how he could do it. (Underline the Clause)
b. She stood first in the class. (State whether the sentence is Simple, Compound or Complex)
c. We expect good news. (State whether the sentence is in Active Voice or Passive Voice)
d. Have you taken your dinner (Insert the correct Punctuation mark)
e. What a fine day it is (Insert the correct Punctuation mark)
f. He _____ (write) a book on English Grammar. (Fill in the blank with the Present
g. The doctor ______ (examine) the patient for over ten minutes. (Fill in the blank with the
Present Perfect Continuous Tense of the verb given in the bracket)

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h. I ______ (buy) a car one month ago (Fill in the blank with Simple Past Tense of the verb
given in the bracket)
i. They ______ (watch) the television when the bell rang. (Fill in the blank with Past
j. If you run fast, you _____ (catch) the train (Fill in the blank with Simple Future Tense of
the verb given in the bracket)
3. Underline the Phrase in the sentences: 2x1=2
a. She is sitting on the bench.
b. The sun rises in the East.
4. State whether the given sentences are Simple, Compound or Complex sentences: 2x1=2
a. We desire to succeed, therefore we work.
b. Enato is a handsome young man.

5. Punctuate the sentence given below: 4x½=2
The teacher said Hard work is the key to success
6. Fill in the blanks with the correct Tenses of the Verb given in bracket: 2x1=2
a. I _____ (play) chess when I was a child. (Use the Simple Past Tense of the verb given in
the
bracket)
b. It _____ (rain) since midnight. (Use Past Perfect Continuous Tense of the verb given in
the bracket)
7. Fill in the blanks with the Future Perfect Continuous Tense of the Verbs given in
brackets: 2x1=2
a. He _____ (learn) his lesson since morning when we reach home.
b. They _____ (work) for four hours by the time the sun sets.
8. Change the voice: 5x1=5
a. Somebody left the door open.
b. Are your parents obeyed by you?
c. I take good care of my books.
d. A letter was written by him.
e. They have received gifts.
9. Fill in the blanks using Simple Present Tense or Present Continuous Tense of the Verbs
given in the brackets: 5x1=5
a. I ______ (eat) my lunch now.
b. The Ganga ______ (rise) in the Himalayas.
c. I _____ (make) a doll.
d. It is still _____ (rain) outside.
e. I shall tell him the good news as soon as I ______ (see) him.

SECTION B (COMPOSITION)
10. Read the story and answer the questions given below:
The Pet Shop
Cody and his sister April decide they want a dog. They head down to the local pet store
and have a look around. It is a very small pet store that doesn’t have many animals. The
owner of the shop is a nice old man named Mr. Smith. He walks over and greets Cody and
April. “How can I help you?” he asks. “We would like to buy a dog,” April responds. “Ah,

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well, we are not a big pet shop,” Mr. Smith tells her. “So we only have two dogs to choose
from.” They ask Mr. Smith to show them the dogs. Mr. Smith leads them to the back of the
store where the two dogs are. One of them is very big bulldog named Buster. The other is a
very tiny Chihuahua named Teacup. April wants Teacup. Cody wants Buster.
They walk outside to discuss. They can’t agree on a dog. April suggests they race home
for it. The winner of the race chooses the dog. Cody agrees, then tells April her shoelace is
untied. When April looks down, he runs off and gets a head start. Cody runs as hard as he can.
He really wants that bulldog. He looks back. April is so far behind he can’t even see her. Cody
finally gets home. He is tired but is happy. He knows he is the winner. April arrives a few
minutes after Cody. She congratulates him.
They return to the pet store to purchase Buster the bulldog. However, when they arrive
they only see Teacup the Chihuahua. They ask Mr. Smith where Buster is. Mr. Smith gives
the details. He explains that a few minutes after April and Cody leave, two boys walk in and
buy the bulldog. Cody looks at April and she holds back a smile. Cody sighs. He turns back to
Mr. Smith. “Sometimes you win the race, but not the prize!” Cody smiles sadly. “We’ll take
the Chihuahua please.”
a. Where did Cody and April go? 1
b. How many dogs are there in the shop? 1
c. Which dog did Cody want? 1
d. Which dog did April want? 1
e. Why does Cody say, ‘Sometimes you win the race, but not the prize’? 1
11. Read the poem and answer the questions that follow:
Trees are the kindest thing I know.
They do no harm, they simply grow
And spread a shade for sleepy cows
And gather birds among the boughs

They give us fruit in leaves above
And wood to make our house of,
And leaves to burn on halloween
And in the spring new buds of green

They are the first when the day’s begun
To touch the beams of morning Sun,
They are the last to hold the light
When evening charge into the night,

And when the moon floats on the Sky
They hum a drowsy lullaby
of sleepy children long ago....
Trees are the kindest thing I know (Harry Behn)
Fill in the blanks and complete the summary of the poem: 5x1=5
According to the poet, trees are the ______ because they do no harm but simply
grow. It spread a ______ for sleepy cows and gives shelter to the birds. Trees give us
_______in leaves and wood to make our house. Trees are the first to touch the rays of

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______sun and are also the last to hold daylight. When the night falls and the moon ______
on the sky, trees sings sleepy lullaby for children.

12. You are the School captain of Oxford School, Dimapur. Write a notice in about 50 words
informing the students about the school picnic that your school is organizing. Give details
about date, place, time of arrival and departure and other necessary details. 5
13. Write a message in about 50 words to inform your father that your neighbour called to inform
about an urgent colony meeting regarding the increasing number of stray dogs in the colony.
Mention the time, place and date of the meeting. 5
14. You are Kevi. Write an application to the Headmaster of your school requesting for
permission to practice for Teachers’ Day celebration after the classes are over. 10
15. Write an essay in about 100-150 words on any one of the given topics: 10
a. Importance of English.
b. My Favourite Hobby
c. Is Fashion Important?

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