Grammar Syllabus for Test

Class 8
Articles
articles (1): a, an, or the
let’s compare a and an
we use a before words which begin with consonants (b,c,d,f…)
a doctor, a big car, a girl

we use an before words which begin with vowels (a,e,i,o,u)

an apple, an interesting film
Exceptions:

We also use a before u when it sounds like the word ‘you’ and before eu
a university, a European city

We also use an before words that begin with a silent h

an hour

hard ‘h’ = house a house

next, let’s compare a/an and the

Mary: I bought a CD player and a TV yesterday.

Joe: Was the CD player expensive?

we usually use a/an with a noun to talk about a person or thing for the
first time
we usually use the when we talk about the person or thing again

the CD player = the one that Mary bought

There are some special uses of a/an and the

• We use a/an with prices, frequency and speeds

1. Prices - It costs Rs. 80 a litre
2. Frequency - I drink about three cups of coffee a day
3. Speeds - You’re driving at ninety miles an hour

• We use a/an before hundred, thousand, and million

1. a hundred people
2. a thousand days
• We use a/an for talking about jobs
1. I’m a bank manager

• We use the when there is only one of something

1. May I turn on the TV?
2. Where’s Mary? She’s in the kitchen.

• We use the with musical instruments

1. I play the guitar.
2. Jane plays the violin.
Omission of Articles
We do not use any article with the names of cities, states, countries,
continents etc.
(i) The USA, The United Kingdom. (ii) The Netherlands.

No article is used with material nouns, except talking about some specific
ones.
(i) I don’t like milk. (ii) Dolly prefers to have coffee to tea.
But
(i) The water of this lake is used for washing clothes by the villagers.
(ii) Please pass the salt. (Salt on the dinning table)
With some institutions like church, hospital, school, college, office.
When talking about going to these institutions for their usual (basic)
purpose, we do not use any article.
(i) Kshitij went to hospital for doing his LPDP. (To get treatment)
(ii) They go to church every Sunday. (For prayer)
But
(i) I have to go the school on Saturday. (For PTM)
(ii) We are going to the hospital. (To see somebody who is hospitalised)
The’ is used with names of designations like, Branch Manager,
President, Prime Minister, Director etc.

(i) The President had an interaction with the school children on

Children’s Day.
(ii) We welcomed the Director with a beautiful garland.

But, when these designations come alongwith the verbs,- appoint,

elect, promote etc no article should be used.

(i) He was soon promoted as President.

(ii) They unanimously elected him Chairman.
Explain whether sentences given below are correct or not with
reference to the use of articles.
• He is the European.
• Do you like butter?
• Art is the wonderful subject.
• I want to drive car.
• She eats the apple every day.
• I need a water.
• Who is the man?
• Radha has got new mobile phone, but its not an android phone.
• Should I take admission into an university or a college after completing my
high school?
• All the committed members have arrived at on decision.
Fill in the blanks using ‘a/an/the’.
• I want to ask………….. question now.
• It is………. nice day today.
• Mohini works in ………
• …… man was crossing the road.
• She works in………
• There is……. huge statue of Rani Lakshmibai at the square.
• Yours is…… inspiring story.
• Where is…….. statue of Liberty situated?
• He belongs to ………… different school of thought.
• Do you know where………. library is?
• Once upon…….. time there live…………. ant,
• …………ant was very young.
• ………….. ant wanted to learn how to collect food.
• Therefore,……. art approached……….. ant who was skilled in collecting food.
• …………… second ant agreed to teach……….. first ant skill she wanted to learn.
Put a/an/the wherever necessary.
• She is………… MSc in chemistry.
• I am going to………….
• ……… Gomati is a famous river.
• Rashmi is…………. unique girl.
• I know how to play…………
• ………..life in the army not so easy though it is full of pride and prestige.
• She was not in…………. mood of cutting jokes.
• This is…………….. honour for me.
• One cannot compare …………. orange with … apple.
• Each of them is…………. unique fruit.
Modal Auxiliaries
• Modals don’t have an –s, -ed, or ing ending.
– He can drive (NOT: He cans drive)

• Don’t use an infinitive with modals

– He can go. (NOT: He can to go)

• To form the negative, put NOT after the modal

– He should not go.
Some Examples
• We can play football.
• We could play football.
• We may play football.
• We might play football.
• We must play football.
• We mustn't play football.
• We ought to play football.
• We shall play football.
• We should play football.
• We will play football.
• We would play football.
 CAN
• ability to do something In the present (to be able to)
• I can speak English.
• permission to do something In the present (to be allowed to)
• Can I go to the cinema?
• Request
• Can you wait a moment, please?
• Offer
• I can lend you my car till tomorrow.
• Suggestion
• Can we visit Grandma at the weekend?
• Possibility
• It can get very hot in Arizona
COULD
• ability to do something In the PAST (to be able to)
• I could walk when I was two
• Permission to do something In the Past (to be allowed to)
• I could go to the movies when I I was a teenager.
• polite question
• Could I go to the cinema, please?
• polite request
• Could I go to the cinema, please?
• polite offer
• I could lend you my car till tomorrow
• polite suggestion
• Could we visit Grandma at the weekend?
• Possibility
• It could get very hot in Montana.
MAY
• Possibility
• It may rain today.
• Permission to do sth. in the
present (substitute form: to be
allowed to)
• May I go to the cinema?
• polite suggestion
• May I help you?
MIGHT
• Possibility (*less possible than
MAY)
• It might rain tomorrow
• Polite question: (not very
common)
• Might I borrow your pen?
SHOULD
• Advice (it’s good – it’s a good
idea / not good to do or bad
idea) -
• You should exercise.
• You shouldn’t smoke
Ought to = should
• Advice
• You ought to drive carefully.
• I ought to study tonight.
 MUST (HAVE TO) Must + Not / Mustn’t
• Necessity: must = need to, have to • Prohibition
• I must go to the supermarket today. • You mustn’t drive without a
• I have to go to the supermarket today. valid license.
• You mustn’t drink and drive.
• Legal terms – You have no choice
• You must have a valid driver’s license.
• You have to have a valid driver’s license.

• Strong Possibility (95% sure)

• You’ve been driving for 10 hours.
• You must be tired. (You have to be tired)
 Must / Have to

• Must have to
We must talk about it. We have to talk about it.

• Mustn’t don’t have to

(strong obligation (don’t have the need) not to do something)

We mustn’t talk about it. (We have a strong obligation NOT to talk about it)
We mustn’t talk about it. (We have a strong obligation NOT to talk about it)
MUSTN’T versus DON’T HAVE TO
• We use 'mustn't' to express strong obligations NOT to do something. (You
have NO CHOICE)
• We mustn't talk about it. It's confidential.
• I mustn't eat chocolate. It's bad for me.
• You mustn't phone me at work. We aren't allowed personal calls.
• They mustn't see us talking or they'll suspect something.

• We use 'don't have to' to state that there is NO obligation or necessity.

(You can if you want, but you don’t have to)
• We don't have to get there on time. The boss is away today.
• I don't have to listen to this. I'm leaving.
• You don't have to come if you don't want to.
• He doesn't have to sign anything if he doesn't want to at this stage.
• I don’t have to go. Only if I want to.
Will Would
• Request / Demand / Order (less • Wish / Request (more polite
polite than would) than will)
• Will you please close the door?
• Would you close the door,
• Prediction / Assumption please?
• I think it will rain on Saturday.
• Promise
• I will stop smoking.
• Spontaneous Decision
• Can someone give me a ride? I will
 Positive & Negative

Positive Negative
long form short form long form short form
Can Can not Can’t
Could Could Not Couldn’t
May May not
Might Might not Mightn’t
Ought to Ought not to Oughtn’t to
Should ‘d Should not Shouldn’t
Will ‘ll Will not Won’t
Would ‘d Would not Wouldn’t
Decide if the sentences have the same (similar) or different meaning.

1. Would you like to go to a movie? / Do you want to go to a movie?

2. We will not go to New York. / We should not go to New York.
3. You should go to the doctor. / You can go to the doctor.
4. I may buy a new car. / I must buy a new car.
5. Could you help me later? / Would you help me later?
6. She must not drive her car. /She doesn’t have to driver her car.
7. She has to leave immediately. / She must leave immediately.
8. We will have a test soon. / We may have a test soon.
9. I can’t go to the party. / I might not go to the party.
10. You shouldn’t buy a car. /You mustn’t buy a car
Use ‘should/must/ought to’ appropriately in the following sentences
• The students………… respect their teacher.
• Every student……….. carry his or her i-card during the examination.
• You……….. keep away from bad habits like teasing girls, copying in exams etc.
• Madhur seems to be quite exhausted. She……. take some rest.
• What you are doing these days is a wild goose chase. You……… rather concentrate
on your own project.
• Sejal has searched the file everywhere, but didn’t find it. I think, it……….. be in the
almirah at the drawing room.
• Many new investors have started popping up
these days. The stock exchange rates…………….. go on rising in coming few
days.
• Every citizen of the country…………………. respect and obey its Constitution.
• I………. say that he is a fool.
• One……………. not disregard a religion that one does not follow.
In each of the following sentences, provide the blanks with suitable modal of permission,
ability, possibility, probability etc according to the context of the sentences.
• Ruchira is ill today. She……………… not come to school.
• ……… I talk to Ms Shailaja, please?
• The sky is not clear today. The flight to Goa………. be delayed.
• If you believe in yourself, you…………… definitely do it.
• …………..I request you for your name madam?
• The lid of the box is very tightly fixed. ………………..you help me to open it?
• When Riya called up, Shreshth was not home. He………. be there at his friend’s
home.
• Nicky, you………………. wait for the Director in the lobby. He………….. be here in 20-
30 minutes.
• Driving without putting on the seat belt……… really prove to be harmful.
• He………….. solve even complex mathematics in a jiffy.
Fill in the following blanks by using ‘has to’, ‘have to’, ‘had to’, ‘will have to’, ‘shall have to’:

1. I ……. serve my aged parents.

2. The maid servant …….. wash the utensils.
3. The Light Brigade …….. obey the orders of its commander.
4. The hare ……… cut a sorry figure on losing the race.
5. The passenger train ……. stop at every railway s
6. The labourers …….. work all day long.
7. My father …….. support a large family.
8. I …….. take my umbrella with me because it was raining.
9. The mother …….. clothe the children.
10. I …….. take my mother to the dispensary.
11. He …….. join some service to earn his bread.
12. I ………. help the poor widow.
Fill in the following blanks by using ‘has to’, ‘have to’, ‘will have to’, ‘shall have to’
or ’had to’ whichever is appropriate:
1. We ……. help our parents everyday.
2. She …….. learn her lesson every night.
3. I ……… stay at home since my parents were away.
4. We ……. change our school uniform everyday.
5. Last evening my neighbour fell sick and I ……. call in a doctor.
6. I am afraid, I’ll ……. turn the maid servant out of job.
7. Rekha ………. cook the food as her mother was not at home.
8. We …….. help the flood-victims.
9. Devinder’s office is far away. He ……… buy a scooter.
10. A cowherd ………. tend the cows.
11. I ……….. go to my native village on every public holiday.
12. There wasn’t any water today. So I ………. go to school without a bath.
Tools
• https://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/esl-printables-
worksheets.html